The easiest way to obtain a great vocal recording is by creating a composite track. Essentially, you record multiple takes, each on its own track. Then you combine the best parts of each take into one composite track. Using multitrack analog tape for this procedure is a hassle. Bouncing takes by muting the bad sections and soloing the good sections can be time-consuming and very inaccurate.
Mix automation can help, but there's still the problem of generation loss.
Digital recording, however, has made the process pretty painless. And hard disk recording makes comping even easier because you can visually edit audio waveforms right down to the sample. Even so, comping a vocal with digital audio editing software is not just a matter of cutting and pasting. There are a number of things to consider during recording and editing that can make the difference between a professional and a patchwork track. Some of these suggestions may seem like common sense, but they're still worth mentioning.