Whereas your microphone has a massive part to play within the high quality and character of your voiceover recording, it’s necessary to think about your atmosphere, too. This may have a good larger influence on the sound you document and might be the distinction between nice and unusable.
Musicians usually search for environments that affect or “coloration” their recordings. For voiceover work, your goal is to take away or cut back this affect as a lot as attainable. However earlier than you begin stapling convoluted foam inside a closet, there are some things you would possibly wish to contemplate first.
Smaller isn’t essentially higher
Lots of people acknowledge that huge rooms can sound echoey and conclude that smaller rooms are higher (a perception that’s bolstered by seeing singers working in small studios and vocal cubicles).
However this isn’t the case. In truth, small rooms can truly be extra problematic. Right here’s why: sound vitality diminishes in a short time because it travels over distance (it follows the inverse sq. regulation—there’s a good video illustrating this principle right here). So inserting the microphone in a small room or near a wall implies that any sound bouncing again onto the microphone could have traveled a shorter distance and can subsequently be louder.
The most important subject, nonetheless, is the affect that these reflections can have as they be part of with the audio that’s nonetheless being recorded. Because the sound reflections mix with the sound emissions, they trigger undesirable interference within the recordings that may be not possible to take away. The video beneath has a helpful illustration of this.
The explanation studio vocal rooms are typically small is as a result of they’re sometimes decoupled for isolation and internally handled to dampen and take in sound, all of which is very costly. (It’s additionally a enterprise resolution—squeezing in additional services can result in increased revenues.)
So whereas your first intuition is likely to be to go to a smaller area, the primary room to think about on your residence recording is likely to be the biggest—your lounge. This additionally has the benefit of being crammed with smooth furnishings that can diminish and take in sound waves. But it surely’s additionally the room that you just’ll least wish to change for the sake of labor, so I can perceive should you’d favor to look some place else.
Nope, not in there
Don’t go within the storage. It’s a big room, however prone to be comprised of a number of very onerous surfaces like brick and concrete. These will replicate much more acoustic vitality than your own home inside’s drywall, curtains, and carpet, which is able to take time, cash, and energy to repair. (The one place worse can be a tiled area like your lavatory.)
That mentioned, you would possibly truly wish to attempt inside your car. Whereas it may appear to contradict my earlier recommendation relating to small areas, your automotive is remoted and crammed with absorptive or diffusive shapes and surfaces. So that you would possibly discover you get nice outcomes with slightly experimentation.
The underside line is that it’s best to discover a area that’s simply obtainable, naturally quiet, and beneath your management. At the least for the time it takes to get the job performed. If you end up recording your VO within the lounge at midnight as a result of the children are asleep, the site visitors has stopped, the birds have gone, and you’ll flip the aircon off with out suffocating, you’re not alone.
Put the egg trays down
When you’re fortunate sufficient to have an area that you may dedicate to this function, like a house workplace, you would possibly wish to take a look at methods to enhance the acoustics on a brief or everlasting foundation. The necessary factor to recollect right here is that we’re searching for sound absorption, not soundproofing. The marketplace for sound management merchandise usually conflates the 2, and we’re extra enthusiastic about controlling the sound inside an area, moderately than stopping sound from getting in.
Firstly, shut the curtains or blinds and open the doorways (should you can). Assuming you’re not letting in ambient noise, the latter can have a profound impact on the sound vitality trapped inside a small area. And blinds or curtains will assist cut back bounce out of your home windows. In truth, picket Venetian blinds or shutters might be efficient at diffusing sound waves should you pitch them at an angle.
Additionally, don’t overlook the ground. If it’s hardwood, concrete, or tiles, then you definitely’ll have to go rug procuring. And take note of your ceiling. It’s tougher to repair, however may also be a supply of undesirable reflection.
I most likely don’t have to say it, however egg cartons should not good for treating room acoustics. These convoluted cardboard packing containers have a noise discount coefficient of 0.4, which locations them firmly within the Little Effect category.
Blankets
When you’re on a decent funds, I’d advocate acoustic blankets—even atypical shifting blankets so long as they meet hearth requirements. They’re nice for momentary set up utilizing hooks and grommets and might cowl massive areas cheaply. The heavier they’re, the extra sound vitality they take in, and you’ll layer them or grasp them like curtains to extend their effectiveness. They may also be draped over troublesome surfaces like glass- or metal-topped desks.
Foam
When you’re searching for one thing slightly extra everlasting, then traditional convoluted acoustic foam is a extra aesthetic alternative (and can give your area that recording studio look). However remember that, whereas foam panels will help tame reflections of 500Hz and upwards, even 2-inch thick panels lose efficacy down within the decrease frequencies which, for male vocalists particularly, will not be ideally suited. So don’t skimp on the bass traps as these will assist to counter the decrease frequencies that are likely to lurk within the corners of your room.
Professional tip: When you’re going with foam, get an electrical bread knife to chop it to dimension, and stick it to the partitions utilizing silicone sealant. Common glue will destroy your wall or the froth panels should you ever have to uninstall, whereas silicone has sufficient adhesion to maintain them in place, however will (normally) peel off a floor should you’re cautious. (It’ll nonetheless go away a mark, although.)
Fiberglass
In my case, I selected to suit 2-inch fiberglass panels in an alternating sample to assist break up standing waves. (They usually look nicer.)
As a result of they’re far denser than foam, they’re significantly better at absorbing decrease frequencies. And this allowed me to dispense with bass traps by becoming two panels flush to the corners (not a traditional method, but it surely labored). I hung them utilizing 4 escutcheon pins every, so the injury of eradicating them will likely be restricted, and I’m very pleased with the top consequence. Regardless that I don’t look it.
Extra importantly, I acquired the sound I wished. (These samples have been trimmed and leveled, however are in any other case untouched.)
Earlier than putting in the panels:
After putting in the panels:
A notice on aesthetics
Relating to becoming out a part of your own home to be a recording location, aesthetics might be simply as necessary as efficiency. Particularly because the borders between work and residential have gotten tougher to outline. So there’s positively a case to be made for searching for an answer that works with out consistently reminding you of your job.
Some options might be so simple as stretching a custom print over a foam panel—particularly efficient when you’ll be able to provide your individual art work for the print. Whereas some designers and producers have developed acoustic remedy that’s art in its own right.
You would possibly even discover that including acoustic management to your residing area makes it a extra nice place to spend time, making it a win-win.
Mic placement
The primary place to think about placing your microphone is the place it feels most snug for you. You don’t want to face as much as document so long as your chair means that you can sit upright. However you do need to have the ability to breathe simply and keep away from any strain in your diaphragm, so get off the couch.
When you’re working with an omni- or bi-directional mic, you would possibly wish to place your self so that you just’re going through away from any wall to cut back reflections. If that’s not attainable, attempt to face the wall at an angle as this can cut back direct reflections.
When you’re desk-bound, then microphone arms are an effective way of retaining issues tidy if you’re not utilizing your mic (and make it simpler to make use of your mic for different issues, like your subsequent Zoom assembly). When you mount it near the entrance fringe of your desk, you’ll be capable to select to sit down or stand. Your name.
Hooking it up
When you’re working with a USB mic that acts as its personal interface otherwise you’re plugging a 3.5mm TRS jack instantly into the sound card in your pc, then you’ll be able to skip this bit. In any other case, you’ll want one thing to transform the analog output of your microphone into the digital sign that Adobe Audition wants.
I exploit a first-gen Scarlett 2i2 which, like most USB interfaces, doesn’t are likely to introduce a lot of its personal persona into your recordings. So what I’m getting is, for essentially the most half, what the microphone is giving. It’s additionally uncomplicated, which works for me.
However not each interface is a match for each microphone. For instance, ribbon mics and widespread condenser mics just like the SM7B and RE20 require extra energy than the preamps in some interfaces (like my 2i2) can present. For instance, the Shure SM7B wants a minimal of 60dB of achieve to carry it as much as 0dB – line stage (a reference level used to explain nominal enter). The preamps within the 2i2 solely present 46dB of achieve, so that you’ll end up having to turn it up to 11.
To beat this you may add a FetHead or CloudLifter to your sign chain. These are principally pre-preamps that add round 25dB of achieve to the microphone output earlier than it reaches the interface. This allows you to dial down the achieve on the interface and might cut back noise whereas nonetheless retaining the sign ranges the place they must be.
When you have the choice, although, it’s higher to make use of a microphone and interface which might be higher matched as a substitute of lifting the sign to compensate. Put it this manner, should you’re spending extra on a CloudLifter than you probably did in your interface, you’ve gone flawed someplace.
Canned audio
You’re positively going to wish a pair of headphones. These aren’t simply important for the post-production stage, however also needs to be used to isolate and monitor your efficiency throughout recording in case your setup permits it.
Consider your headphones as equal to a digital camera viewfinder—certain, you’ll be able to level a digital camera in roughly the best path and begin recording with out one, however you gained’t know should you framed issues proper till you play it again.
And it would sound apparent, however you’ll be able to’t use audio system for this. The very last thing you need is to have a stay feed your microphone can hear—at greatest, it’ll add some bizarre audio doubling to the recording, at worst, full-blown suggestions (and presumably blown audio system, too).
Monitoring your efficiency allows you to hear how your microphone responds to totally different positions, letting you tweak issues for the most effective outcomes. I exploit a pair of well-loved Sony MDR 7506 headphones which might be additionally a part of my video package. These wired, closed-back cans have change into one thing of an business normal in manufacturing as a consequence of their largely impartial sound and reasonably priced value, however there are lots of options. The Beyerdynamic 770 Pros are one other studio staple price contemplating for related causes.
Open/closed?
Closed-back headphones are generally chosen for post-production because of their higher sound isolation, however should you’re working at residence, you would possibly favor an open-backed mannequin that allows you to hear a bit extra of what’s occurring round you. (I’ve a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 990 Execs for this very motive.)
Simply watch out for headphones or earbuds that overly-emphasize sure frequencies (sometimes the low- and high-end), as this can skew your notion of the audio. For instance, I purchased a pair of Sennheiser HD 599s and located them missing on the excessive finish and unsuitable for vocal manufacturing, even after hours of conditioning.
If you wish to go searching, you’ll discover a database of 530 headphones, together with an excellent comparison tool over at rtings.com. Simply don’t assume {that a} flatter response curve is healthier (like I did till an audio engineer acquired very testy with me).
So how on earth are you presupposed to know what a very good response curve appears to be like like, and what headphones are the only option for monitoring and mastering your voiceover? Effectively, you’ve acquired a few choices. You possibly can both watch the video beneath (paying shut consideration to the dialogue of the Harman curve on the finish) after which apply your new understanding to your interpretation of headphone take a look at outcomes.
Or you are able to do what I did, and choose up a pair of DT 660 Execs or Sony MDR-7506s as a result of that’s the reply you bought if you requested a man who runs a recording studio. It’s your name. (You would possibly discover it helpful to hearken to the audio samples earlier on this article for reference. When you can’t hear a distinction between the 2 on the setup you’re listening with, then one thing’s acquired to alter.)
Now you’ve acquired your {hardware} and your atmosphere sorted, I feel it’s time to make some noise. So seize a glass of water, and let’s move on to the recording stage.