Improving Voice-Over Audio Quaility

Is there a program I can use to get my audio to sound rich like the radio DJ or radio commercials? Someone mentioned Sound Forge...does Logic do the same thing? I've tried using or figuring out the filters on FCP and pro-tools without success...I do a lot of voice over work for clients using my voice. Aren't there programs or plugins that alter the voice, make it sound richer, etc? Thank you

The most crucial thing you can do to improve the sound is add compression. Go to Audio Filters > Final Cut Pro and apply the Compressor/Limiter filter to your voiceover clip. The default settings are totally useless - try out these as a starting point:

Threshold: -20dB
Ratio: 4
Attack Time: 5
Release Time: 100
Preserve Volume: Checked

You will probably have to reduce the overall level of the clip but you should hear a far punchier and more intelligible sound.

Martin Baker
www.digital-heaven.co.uk
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10 Final Cut Plug-ins for just $10 each

The most important elements to recording a nice, rich, clean voice-over are the first level -- the microphone, the recording environment, and the recording tool. No amount of compression or EQ will make a voice recorded on a $15 USB microphone sound great. Compression will make the sound more "present" in the mix, but not necessarily richer.

What you're talking about also sounds like a performance issue. I've done radio voice work and I can tell you, those guys are picky. They favour voices with a lower bias (that's why you never get female DJs who sound like Joey Lauren Adams). Some of it is just your natural vocal cord. But most importantly, it's confidence, expression, projection, good diction, and breathing. If you're serious about this, see a vocal coach. Why do you think James Earl Jones was so much in demand?

ive found when you try to effect a marginal voice all you get is a very effected marginal voice. - hire vocal talent get a good mic and mic pre and a good room.

or just go to a local sound studio, you pay a bit but youll probably make up for it in quality, saved time and new networking relationships

Microphone and knowing your voice and how to work the particular mic. For balls to the walls rich - you need a deep voice to start - then get a nice ribbon mic, and work close mic right on axis. I'm talking crawl into that mic. Getting the voice into the diaphragm and keeping it there is a matter of breathing right. Standing helps - another thing os to block one ear so you really hear yourself.

On an Re-20 ( about the minimum mic for serious vo work), about 45 degrees off axis and a few inches further out will let you launch things a bit better.

Be careful and round your explosive consonants with the ribbon, watch sibilance with the RE.

Ian

<<<Be careful and round your explosive consonants with the ribbon, watch sibilance with the RE.>>>

A black fly-swatter screen between you and the mic?

I agree. You can't start out with Don Knotts in a noisy room and end up with authoritative syrup on the track. I personally tend to fix those two first. You can do amazing things with an inexpensive mic if it's working correctly and the talent and the room are OK--witness the people who do acceptable tracks with a nice room and the mics on the top of the camera.

Koz

I'm just the guy to ask about THIS one. I've been doing ADR with 40 people plus lots of narration through out this movie.
1. It helps to have a decent preamp. An M-Audio FastTrack does not cut it.
2. Utilize the proximity effect for more fullness by moving the talent closer to the mic.
3. Some people just don't record well. In particular male voices with higher register and loud voices will come out sounding thin and brittle.
4. A ribbon microphone has much more of a bass character than condenser mics. The R84 is a studio standard for specifically narration.
5. Record at 24bit and 48k.
6. Compression, Steinberg loudness maximizer both help. For ADR, when you add reverb you get a fullness to come out.

As far as DJ's I don't know but I bet they are running through a sweet rack like a fucusrite. Thems have some sweet EQ and limiters!

Tee Hee -

Andy Field - if you stop in - don't you agree it's also very important to say "Be wiff you in a second" when in the boof ?

The above is a hopelessly in-joke unless you were at a certain noted communications school during a certain era most of you young whippersnappers aren't old enough for.

If anyone want's to guess - I'll tell you off-line if you're right.

Ian

Ian....

HA! Funny I recently talked to the author of that line "Be wifff you in the boof" For those of you not privy to the joke....Ian and I went to the same university together....we had a beginning "voice over" class in the TV/Radio section.....and had a teacher who actually talked like that "Get in the boof and start broadcass'n" We were in tears.... He was teaching US how to annunciate!!

...but I bet he was pretty good with that mike compression and loudness. Very nice professor...but a little challenged when it came to connecting consonants!

Andy

Hi Ignacio.

1) Everyone hates their own voice. I know quite a few announcers with unbelievable voices who can't stand to hear their own work.

2) Part of becoming a "successful" voice over announcer is learning what works for you. If you try to "force" a voice that is not in your natural range, that's what it will sound like. Many "squeeky-voiced" announcers do very well, even on movie trailers - you don't notice their higher register because they know how to use their voices to communicate.

3) Most pro announcers have some voice-training, to learn how to create a more powerful sound.

4) Choosing a microphone is very much like choosing an instrument for a musician - You need to try different mics to see which ones work best for your voice and your particular artistic preferences.

5) As Martin stated - careful use of lots of compression helps.

6) Careful choices of music background and mixing will help - sometimes a lot.

7) Boosting the lower mid frequencies (or higher low frequencies) helps - it takes a lot of experimentation to get the right settings for your voice, mic and acoustic environment.

8) Believe what you're saying - with real, not manufactured energy.

9) A bad acoustic environment makes bad audio.

10) I "slight" almost impreceptible amount of reverb helps.

11) Practice, Practice, Practice.

Travis
[www.Announcing.biz]

So, no plugins or programs, huh?

<g>

Where's Nattrress? We need two plugins; Gary Owens and Don Pardo.


Koz

Actually the "Plugins" for these voices are available.

The "Don Pardo" plugin can be purchased from Arcieri & Associates in New York.

The "Gary Owens" version may be purchased from the Tisherman Agency in Los Angeles.

Oooo, wait. I think I'm bleeding.....

Koz