One way to improve the sound of your vocals is by doing vocal warm-ups. Breathing exercises can train you to breathe properly, so that you have more air to reach the right notes and have a more fluid sound. Practicing scales can help improve your range and make you better prepared to sing. Humming can loosen up your lips and help your to articulation of words. If you're performing or recording a particular song, practicing it a few times first can make your voice sound more confident.
Taking steps to care for your voice will help protect it over time and produce a better sound. Avoid smoky and overly dry environments. Use a humidifier to add moisture to a room and keep your throat from getting too dry. When you have an important vocal performance approaching, cut down on unnecessary talking, and try not to raise your voice in loud environments. Your diet has a large impact on your vocals as well. Dairy products, carbonated drinks and alcohol can have a negative impact on your voice, while water and tea can improve it for the better.
The environment in which you perform can also affect your voice. A room with natural-sounding acoustics is best for recording vocals. Adding elements to a room such as thick carpeting on the floor and fabric wall hangings can stop room reflections from adding unwanted reverb. This will help your vocals sound as natural as possible.
Audio effects can bring out specific qualities in your voice and improve any flaws. Use compression to even out the dynamics of vocals, so that volume changes sound smooth and natural. Equalization can bring out the best sounding frequencies in a voice, so that a pleasant tone results. When used moderately, a reverb effect can add ambiance to a voice and make it sound more professional. Use a chorus effect to make vocal sound thicker. You can also do this by double-tracking, or layering one vocal track over another.