How to record your voice...what would an audio Engineer do?

There are a lot of nuances that an Engineer pays attention to even when recording a simple single voice performance. Is the performer at the correct distance to the microphone? Is the performer popping p's, or is the voice too sibilant? Is that the right choice of microphone for that voice artist? Is that the correct polar pattern setting on the microphone? Yes you can walk up to a microphone and hit record, but why not maximize the sonic characteristics before going into record, saving the "fixing it in the mix" time. Audio Engineers are always listening for dynamic range, frequency content, and most importantly performance. There there are amazing tools for post production correction, but a good Engineer will use his or her most important tool at their disposal; their ears! Check back with the list of tips to maximize your voice recording.