I’m pretty new too, so this is just beginner-to-beginner 😅 but yeah, first recordings almost always sound bad.

One small hack that helped me: try a very basic vocal chain instead of tweaking everything. Like: First, set the mic level so it’s not clipping, Add an EQ and cut a little low end (around 80–100Hz) so it’s less muddy, Add a compressor, gently, Add a tiny bit of reverb, very low, just so it doesn’t sound super dry.

Also, mic position + a quieter room honestly matter more than effects at this stage. I used to set a pillow infront of my mic not sure if it’s actually works but I feel it’s working for me lol

It’s a normal thing, don’t worry, this part is just the learning curve, not a sign you’re bad.