Adam, I believe that most of the issue you're having might be due to improper setting in the Focusrite MixControl application that controls your audio interface. I experienced similar issues with my Scarlett as well. I bought access to the Groove3 tutorial video, https://www.groove3.com/Focusrite-training-video-tutorials/Focusrite-MixControl-Explained and it really helped clear things up.
 
Because I only had to do it once, I'm not able to articulately guide you without causing confusion, but I do believe it may be on sale today.
 
Also, agreed that there is no need for an additional mic preamp. I'd LIKE one, but this sounds quite good already.

I believe the OP's issues were already pretty much resolved a few posts ago.

Other tips, since you've apparently never done this before:
- get a pop filter for your mic
- create a room around the mic that's mostly acoustically "dead". I personally use a padded closet. If you have no such option or even have to be in the same room as the recording gear, use an SE Electronics Reflexion filter and prefereably stand with your back to a mattress against a wall, or maybe a thick curtain.
- put the mic stand and/or your feet on a rug, unless you already have carpet flooring.
- use so-called "closed" headphones - the shells should keep the sound in as much as possible so you don't get any "bleeding" from your backing track or click while you're recording.
- turn off anything in the room that might make sound (if possible) while you're recording. Airco, fans, electric heating etc. Even if it doesn't seem so bad on one track, once you start layering that stuff builds up.
- condensers are sensitive mics, you shouldn't be all up against them like you might with an SM58 in a live situation. Still, in (hyper)cardioid mode, they have a definite proximity effect (bass boost when close). While a normal distance of 10cm or 4 inches is good to aim for, you can use the mic distance to color your vocals somewhat. Good technique can mean a lot.

thank you very much!! 

Compression going in?

Adam, Someone said your issues were resolved several posts ago.  Could you give us a sentence or two to summarize what was wrong/fixed?  This is not an uncommon problem and I'd like to know what caused it in your case.  Crappy mic preamps are often the problem but that was obviously not your problem since you have a good interface/preamp.
 
Thanks.

Sure thing.
 
Well first off, the vocal was low because I had my gain on my audio interface at only about the 40% mark.  I wasn't sure where I should set it.
Secondly, I kept looking at the meters after I record a vocal and I saw around -45db.  This was because the track was still armed and the VU meters were showing the line input and not the signal from the audio on the track.
 
I still feel it might be a LITTLE low, not sure.  I now have my gain on my Scarlett interface on the line-in at about 80% and singing in a moderately loud tone about 6cm from the mic gives me around -12db.   

I don't think that's uncommon for a built-in preamp. You could probably clip it with a shout at this level. My older but at the time similarly priced and featured M-Audio Fast Track Pro also needed gains boosted to around 90 percent for most mic uses. That's probably one reason the shop assistant said a preamp might get better results. At the same time, 80 or 90 percent is still within the usable range so if it works, it works.

Thanks, Adam, and good luck.

Thank you everyone for helping me out - you guys are great, love this community!!!

Hello All,
 
I still feel something is wrong here.   I am attaching a very short vocal phrase.  I want to know since I never recorded vocals before if my levels and sound appear in the ballpark to you guys.
 
The following clip is from my AKG C214 mic, plugged directly into my Scarlett 2i2 Interface with the input gain knob at about 75%.
 
I set the track input to Scarlett Left-In only so it changes the track to mono.
 
I recorded this short vocal phrase just as a test about 4 inches away from the mic using a pop shield.
 
On the VU meter in Sonar it peaks at -13db and an RMS about -25 db (using SPAN as my meter) - although to me it sounds much lower than this... 
I understand I need compression and FX to bring the vocal take to life, but I feel this recording might be too low for a dry vocal track... what do you guys think?

Also, how about the noise floor?  My room is pretty silent, I want to know if there is backing noise that might build up on me.

I am just looking to find out if I am in the ballpark for what a dry vocal take should sound like before it is treated - noise, sonic quality, overall volume, any distortion? or anything else I cant think of.

Oh and excuse me in advance - I have a cold and not the best singer in the world to begin with, but yea... she's got a ticket to ride.  hahaha

https://www.dropbox.com/s...05%20%2845%29.wav?dl=0
 
Happy New Year Everyone!!
 
-Adam