Audio: 10 Voiceover Tips (page 2)

We've talked about it before, but the space you record in is critical. A professional vocal booth is isolated from the rest of the studio, and the interior has sound-absorbent material. If you're improvising a vocal booth, drape some heavy blankets around the microphone position. Better yet, step into a walk-in closet. The hanging clothes will absorb a lot of sound reflections. If possible, choose a location as far away from traffic as possible. If you can hear the air conditioning system, turn it off during the recording.

It may seem obvious, but the voiceover talent needs to see the copy. This means you should provide decent lighting over the recording area. If you're creating an ad-hoc space, place one of your video lights overhead on a boom stand. Use a small fixture to minimize the heat. If you have some diffusion, it will help minimize shadows on the copy. Don't forget to supply a music stand or some kind of surface for the copy. Print the copy with a slightly larger font. and double-space for easy reading. Break the copy into natural sections on separate pages, so the talent won't have to shuffle papers.

Realistically, you can use almost any microphone for voiceover recording, but the big boys have a handful of favorites. The Electro-Voice RE-20 is the darling of talk radio, while several imported large-diaphragm condenser mics are popular in Hollywood. Consider borrowing or renting a nice microphone for your next recording. The higher quality will impress your clients, and it will be easier on your ears too. There are several models available for less than $100 today. Add one to your collection. Even at these bargain prices, you won't be disappointed.

In addition to the microphone, you'll need a windscreen to protect against breath blasts called "plosives." Usually produced from the letters P, B and T, these vocal pops briefly overload the microphone and create distortion. Simply providing a windscreen will virtually eliminate this problem. Foam windscreens are available at your local Electronic Shack. You'll find the more professional hoop-type windscreens at your favorite online music or production retailer. You can even build one from an embroidery hoop and some pantyhose.

Slating your voiceover recording will make it easier to edit. Since there are very few visual cues when editing audio, some simple verbal reminders will make it easier for you to navigate. Have the vocal talent preface the performance with the project, section and take number prior to recording. This doesn't have to be a rigid thing, just a verbal bookmark. Later, if you need to assemble an edit from multiple takes, it will be much easier to identify good and bad content. You can give simple visual clues by shooting the talent's (or your) hands ticking off between takes. Even if it's dark, it's better than shooting with the lens cap on, at least you can see that there is video there.

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