VO Specialty Items

Whats the best Microphone For Voice Over?

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Whats the best Microphone For Voice Over?

By Dan Lenard

The Home Studio Master

Voice talents ask me this question almost constantly: “Whats the best microphone for recording voice over in a home studio?” I find people over-think this question almost to distraction of what really matters.  The answer is not nearly as complex.

Here’s one way to look at it. Which ones aren’t optimal?

A Shure SM57, SM7, or any dynamic mic. Yeah sure the Electro-Voice RE20 is used by a few people, but its hardly the best microphone for recording VO. These are microphones designed for live performance and broadcasting. They are super for that. They are the industry standard, if you’re Bono or Howard Stern. 

Also remember,  We’re not talking about going into the Legendary Marc Grau’s studio in Hollywood or the Abby Road Studios in London. We’re talking about your personal home voice over studio in Kansas City, Kalamazoo or Katmandu. The less perfect the environment, the less optimum a mic you need to use.

I have 4 mics. Well actually many more than that. I use: The TLM 103, My trusty Harlan Hogan VO-1A , CAD E100S and what is rapidly becoming a favorite because not only for its sound, but its highly directional pattern which rejects side noise. The Sennheiser 416. Anyone of those mics and any other Studio condenser mic will fill the bill. But you still have to know how to use one. 

The 103 and the 416 both are around $1K. The best mics, the most costly mics, like those examples, are the most sensitive mics. I can use a TLM 103 or  Senn 416 because I have a professional, acoustically sterile and neutral environment to record in.  Not the same thing as a great, isolated  closet, full of clothes in a home with nearby traffic, toilets and AC. Go up a couple grand to a Neumann U87 at around $3K and you’re getting into a whole other realm, sensitivity wise.  That doesn’t help when someone starts running the dryer or a jet or school bus goes by. Unless you’ve got a professional sound booth that rejects the majority of sound, don’t go spending a grand or more on a VO mic. 

My standard has always been “Any Studio Condenser mic between $200 and $350.” If you use it right, it will capture you as you exist, some with a little more coloration that others, but guess what? Even you can’t tell the difference. You also have a huge pile of choices at that price point from great manufacturers like , AKG, MXL, Blue Microphones and many others we’ll examine here on voiceovergear.com.

Bottom line?  Its not the microphone that gets you work, its the way you interpret copy, Proper mic technique  and showing people you know what you’re doing. And one other thing. None of us are here in the VO biz to enjoy our own voices. Its to present our voices to potential clients they way they want to hear you. Don’t go auditioning mics on headphones in a big store trying to find what YOU think makes you sound best. You don’t hire you.

Get real. Do you think these guys casting a power point presentation are sitting there saying “Well this guy is using a U87, we should hire him?”  The advantage you have is your talent, the uniqueness of your voice and personality, not your mic. 

We’ll be reviewing microphones for Voice Over here on voiceovergear.com. We’ll look at price, the features and what makes them good, or improper for your use as a voice talent recording at home, in a less than perfect environment.

For more information and help on setting up a home voice over studio, contact Dan Lenard at http://homevoiceoverstudio.com

Here’s a little video with more details. Pay attention to the mics used here..

 

How Should Voice Over Audio Sound?

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How Should Voice Over Audio Sound?

By Dan Lenard

“The Home Studio Master”

One of the things to consider when hiring a voice talent is “How is their sound?” Does it sound like its on the radio? Is the size of the room they recorded it in apparent from the echo you hear? Are their mic plosives or “popping “P’s? All of these things are evidence of overthinking or not understanding proper audio processing, a less than ideal recording space and poor mic technique. When it comes to you for your production, you don’t want to spend the time to clean it up or ask the talent to record it again.

Having a home or “personal“ voice over recording studio is a relatively new phenomenon. It used to be the pride of a few technically adept audio engineers and experienced radio talents. That all changed with the simplification of the digital recording process about 15 years ago. Equipment to record quality audio to one’s computer became cheap and in the reach of anyone wanting to hang out a VO shingle.

Unfortunately, having the proper equipment and knowing how to use it are two different things.

I’ve spent the last ten years as a private consultant to voice talents, helping them create their recording spaces, teaching them how to use the equipment and software and troubleshooting issues with it. My clients include the horde of new talents vying for your attention and experienced pros who’ve spent their careers in professional recording studios, who now have to have a home studio and have to learn these skills in order to compete.

The most experienced pros have mastered these skills. Its what allowed them to succeed in todays marketplace.  While the recording process is physically easier to do now, not understanding some basic rules will render some audio unusable.  Over-modulation causing distorted audio, or under-modulated audio that requires a great deal of amplification, which adds additional noise to the audio file. Poor mic technique that lends to the plosives I mentioned earlier, and having a room that is not properly acoustically treated that is not ideal to record audio.

Listen to auditions you get. Aside form a talents ability to take your copy and bring it to life, and make it sound like they’re not reading it, does it sound like they recorded it in a tube?

Here’s what it should sound like: Like your having a conversation with that person in the same room. We don’t talk to each other 1/2” from each others eardrums. They shouldn’t sound like they are right on top of the microphone.  You should only hear the talents voice, no background noise and no room reflection, or small echoes.

So when listening to talent for your next production, watch for these signs of inexperience that will eventually cost you time and money. Hire the ones that know how its done.

If you want to know more about how to properly record voice overs or want the talents you use to improve their sounds, I’m available for consultations. Go to homevoiceoverstudio.com and read up on what I do.

Harlan Hogan Signature Series Headphones

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Harlan Hogan Signature Series Headphones

By Dan Lenard,

The Home Studio Master

When Harlan Hogan announced he had created headphones strictly for voice over, I knew they would be like his other voice only signature products, like his legendary Porto-Booth and Porto Booth Plus, The VO1-A, the super competitive Voice Over studio Condensr mic, and all the other great things he offers voice artists. Well thought out, of impeccable quality and most important, live up to what you expect from Harlan.

I had to try them.

As I preach everyday, “The idea of a home voice over studio isn’t to make you sound great. Its to make you sound like … you.. The only way to know if thats happening is if when you hear the playback, the audio is representative of reality, not enhanced on the low end or taken out of the midrange like so many headphones.  Thats what you get with the Harlan Hogan “Voice Optimized” signature series headphones. Reality. NO enhanced bass, just smooth flat response across the spectrum. That allows you to hear you as you are. Truly a revolutionary idea for voice actors.

Comfort wise, the HHVO signature series headphones, on me at least, fit like a glove. Harlan went for comfort by using leather ear pads stuffed with memory foam, just like the memory foam pillow or mattress you might have.  The headband is made from Mangnese steel and flexes like a twisto-flex watch band

the ear cups all rotate 180 degrees to give you that one on one off ear configuration.

And the ear cups themselves are made of aluminum!  That extends their life.

And finally..  the partially coiled cord with interchangeable  1/4 inch and 1/8th inch plugs. This is a great improvement over traditional “Cans.”

So while most studio headphones are built to mix music or zone out with Pink Floyd, the HOVO signature series headphones do what voice actors ned. allow theme hear themselves as they really exist.

Summary

Two thumbs up from the Home studio master!

Available at http://voiceoveressentials.com

For more information on how to set up a home voice over studio, contact Dan Lenard at   Http://homevoiceoverstudio.com

Whats the best Equipment For Voice Over?

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Whats the best Equipment For Voice Over?

Part 1

By Dan Lenard. “The Home Studio Master”

If you’re starting out in voice over, or voice acting, or are experienced but only worked in other people’s studios, here’s a reality check. Today, in order to compete in this rapidly growing, freelance field, you’re are going to need to create a home or “personal” voice over recording space. Notice I say “space” and not a “studio” per-say.  Yes, it is a studio so to speak, but like just like if you are a visual artist or a photographer, the space you set up is a personal one that works in the confines of your home. When people think of a recording studio, the image of big windows to a booth, a big mixing board, a couch. and usually guitars hanging on a wall comes to mind.  Such is not the case for your “personal” recording space. Every house is different. Every voice is different.  There is no single solution to your needs. However there are some rules to consider.

In 12 years as a professional home studio consultant, I’ve helped 100’s of voice actors create their home voice over studios. My philosophy is “keep it simple.” There is a great deal of mythology out there as to what equipment you need and how to actually use it. Many websites that sell equipment want you to buy the most, and most expensive of their stock. Much of that is based on the mythology we find everywhere on the internet. Things like “Tube” enhanced pre-amps,  or processing “channel strips” that are not really designed for recording voice over. Yet we see them proliferated in the marketplace and touted by many to really enhance your voice. Only problem is, those seeking talent don’t care and actually do not want you over processing your audio.

I know it may seem overwhelming. However, my advice is to not over-think this process. Finding the right equipment for doing voiceover, at home, is like deciding what mints to buy in the checkout line a the supermarket.

So, lets simplify things: 

Here are 7 things to consider as you build your “personal” home voiceover studio.

  1. 90-95% of the quality of your voice over audio is dependent on the acoustical nature of the room you record in and how you use your microphone.
  2. You need to find or create a space that is quiet from outside noise and will not reflect your voice back to your mic. You could spend thousands of dollars on a professional “booth” to control those factors, or you could find a closet that can be used effectively.
  3. “Its not the mic,” “its not the equipment” as long as you don’t buy “cheap” equipment.   Many “experts” say “they” sound great on this or that mic or this or that processor. You aren’t them, and you aren’t in their studio. We’ll discuss what type of mic you need and how to limit your choices to save you money and not sound unprofessional. However, consider this: The idea of a home voice over studio is not to make you sound great. Its to make you sound like YOU. YOU as you exist in the environment you record yourself in. Despite what gear heads will boast about in online forums, no enhancement is necessary if you set up your space properly in the first place. And, all of the engineers I talk to don’t want you messing with it! 
  4. Software should make things easier and have a good workflow for creating single track, mono recordings. Knowing how to use that software is far more important. You don’t need bells and whistles. You need a way to simply record your voice.
  1. Digital interfaces. 1’s and zeros are one’s and zero’s. The job of your interface is to take the analog signal your microphone produces and convert it to the 1’s and zero’s your computer can understand and process in the software. Economy interfaces under $100 need to be avoided. However,  just above that price point are some marvelous choices that will serve you well. 
  1. If you own PC, I understand your loyalty. You can effectively use a PC system to record. Still, for professional quality audio, Apple computers are far superior for a number of reasons.
  2. Know what its supposed to sound like. Have an expert listen

SO, What equipment do I need to record voice-overs?

The essential components of a voice-over studio are:

Acoustic Treatment: 

Auralex Foam is the industry standard for sound diffusion in a home studio. It comes in a variety of styles and colors and functionalities, like Bass traps to eliminate that “sounding like you are in a tube”  sound.

ATS panels

Vocal Booth2go – Producers choice blankets.

Harbor Freight Moving Blankets 80” X 72”.  Less than 8 dollars each. Or good moving blankets from some place that sells non-felt- cotton or fiberfill, “quilted” moving blankets

Sound Proofing:

Soundproofing is an exact science that requires one thing. Mass. Heavy walls. Very difficult to do on your own. Use an interior closet,  Kits or Vocalbooth .com or whisperroom.com. 

Microphone: 

Three types:

  1. Dynamic mic: not ideal for voice over. avoid if you can.
  2. Large Diaphragm Condenser mic- What you should use. Anything between $200 and $500 will do the job.: Audio Technica 2035, 4040, CAD E100s, AKG Perception series 220-240, Harlan Hogan VO-1A.
  3. USB Mics. Not generally recommended due to poor digital conversion in many models. They make things easy to set-up, but that simplicity will cost you in sound quality. 

4.   Headphones. You need a pair of Flat response, studio headphones. The Direct   

      Sound EX 29’s or the Harlan Hogan Signature series Headphones.

5.  Microphone Stand: a “Boom” Microphone stand. Preferably one with a round metal

     base. A tripod is ok if you have room in your booth to keep the legs out of the way.

6. Shock Mount: Usually your mic will come with one.

7. Pop filters?: Not really necessary if you address the mic properly, using proper mic technique.

Audio Interface:

Some times called a DAC, An ATD and a  few other names.

Keep it simple here. There are many great products out there that will do the job for you.

FocusRite Scarett 2i2 or Solo.

Steinberg UR 12

Yamaha AG03 or 06

There are lots of choices. These units are reliable and sound the same as some very expensive models that really don’t offer you anything as far as usable features for VO are concerned.

Stay tuned for Part II!

For more information and help on setting up a home voice over studio, contact Dan Lenard at http://homevoiceoverstudio.com

 

 

Voice Over Recording Terminology

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Voice Over Recording Terminology

By Dan Lenard
The Home Studio Master

And now,.. more confusing terminology- Whats the difference between Sound Proofing and Sound dampening.  And is Acoustical treatment the same as those two things.

I get a lot of e-mail from people who still don’t get this.

With a home voice over studio, from an acoustical perspective, you have two big challenges.

Keeping outside noise out, and keeping the noise you make reading all those commercials and audio books from bouncing all over the room and back to your mic.

Lets start with the harder and more expensive “sound Proofing.”
The term ‘soundproofing’ is rather misleading, because truth be told, especially with a home voice over studio, you can cut down on sound  leakage but without expensive and specific building techniques, you can’t get rid of it altogether. Soundproofing,  is specifically designed to increase the degree of acoustic isolation between the studio and the world outside — cutting down on noise that leaks into or out of the studio. Sound isolation works the same both ways, so there’s no difference in approach to keeping sound in or out.

So lets change some terminology in reference to you, at home. Lets start using the term  “Sound isolation” instead of sound proofing.  That means finding a place to record that is farthest from outside noises and the noise caused by the mechanicals in your house. Thats why interior closets, if they’re big enough make the most sense. If you have no walk in closets, you may have to improvise. The simplest way to block sound is to put a solid wall in its way — the more solid, the better the isolation you’ll get. As a rule, if you double the mass of a wall, you halve the amount of sound transmitted through it. But you have to be surrounded on 6 sides in a square room. And that includes a door.

Acoustic treatment, in the context of a recording studio, generally deals with the acoustic quality of the room from a listener’s point of view. In other words, if you monitor in a control room that has been designed using the correct acoustic treatment, what you hear is likely to be more accurate than the same recording played back over the same speakers in an untreated room.
Soundproofing, on the other hand, is specifically designed to increase the degree of acoustic isolation between the studio and the world outside — cutting down on noise that leaks into or out of the studio. Sound isolation works the same both ways, so there’s no difference in approach to keeping sound in or out.

Q: I’ve heard that sticking egg boxes or acoustic foam to walls will help soundproof a room. Is this true?
Egg boxes can make a marginal improvement to some aspects of a room’s acoustics by breakingup reflections from hard surfaces, but they are virtually useless for soundproofing. The same is true of lightweight suspended ceilings, acoustic foam and even Rockwool (Rockwool tends to be used for acoustic treatment or for damping out resonances inside partition walls. All these materials have their uses, but they’re mainly for acoustic treatment, not for soundproofing).

For more information on how to set up a a home studio, contact Dan Lenard at http://homevoiceoverstudio.com

A Quick Primer on Audio Digital Interfaces

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Digital Interfaces

By Dan Lenard
The Home Studio Master

We’ve talked about how its not the mic. But what about another critical part of your Audio chain? When it comes to Digital interfaces, (that thing you plug your mic into?) How it handles its duties can make a big difference in your sound. Most of it bad. Its amazing how one little thing can grind your voice over business to a halt.

They come in all shapes and sizes, and from simple to complex functionality. Also from dirt cheap to taking out a second mortgage. (PC MAC iOS.) Just remember, more bells and whistles something has, the more that can go wrong with it.

For some reason, people are having trouble with their digital interfaces. We’re hearing buzzing and humming and what I like calling Cyloning.

It worked great yesterday, why is it going nutty today? Its easy to say its a bad unit, take it back. But thats the rare exception. Usually its something quite simple.

But lets go back and talk about what your digital interface does.

Its job is three fold. First, its a microphone “Pre-Amp.” It takes the low level signal from your microphone and amplifies it so it can process a louder signal. This is probably where the manufacturer makes the biggest difference with these units.

The second thing it does, is take that amplified, analog, modulated signal and converts it to ones and zeros. The language your computer understands.

It also directs the amplified signal and routes it to your monitor speakers and/or your headphones.

Usually a DI can handle these chores day in and day out without as much as a hiccup.
And then something goes wrong. And its usually something simple.

Then we have to troubleshoot. First thing, change the USB cable, especially if your not using the one that came with it. Also make sure that you don’t plug the USB cable into an external multi-port adapter or Buss. They don’t like that. another way is to try a spare (Which you should have) like a mic port PRO and see if that works. That at least tells us it is the unit. And miraculously, especially with PC’s when you reconnect the old unit, it starts to work. some time it just needs reminding.

Experience tells me that 9 times out of ten its the cable. if your convinced its the unit, call the manufacturer or get on their support website. They’ll give you specific parameters to play with like buffering or bit rates.

Thats why I say keep it simple. 1 and zeros are ones and zeros, and a high priced Digital interface makes little difference in how your sound, except if its broken or not set up right.

 

For more information on how to set up a a home studio, contact Dan Lenard at http://homevoiceoverstudio.com