Audio recording is all about controlling your environment, your voice and controlling the signal going into the software from the microphone. It’s not easy when you don’t have all of the tools in hand or fighting against your environment. In a perfect world here is how you would create a voice over recording.
- Be close to the microphone. At least 10-31cm. Adjust the height of the microphone so it is level with your mouth. Get comfortable, and sit up straight. Do some test recordings, and if your voice is filling up and expanding in the waveform area you’re doing well. This sounds easy enough but these easy ones are the ones that are usually ignored and eventually lead to bad recordings.
- Be loud, be clear, be strong, but not too loud. Also watch your consonants, a heavy “P” sound in the middle of your recording will ruin it. Fill the room but don’t burn your audio by allowing it to redline. This will really save you in post production. The truth is burned audio can never really be corrected properly.
- Make sure that it is quiet. You would be surprised that even in a recording studio; you get traffic sounds from people walking by, humming air conditioners or squeaky chairs. Again don’t take it for granted that you will have total silence. Stop, listen for 30 seconds, do you hear something?
- Normalize! No matter how hard we try our waveform will have peaks and valleys. It will not be that smooth consistent waveform we should have. So normalizing your audio brings everything into an even shape. Your waveform now looks and sounds better, without having too many sounds, words, or letters too loud or too quiet.
In a perfect world we would all sound great! Unfortunately like all good things you really have to work hard at it!
J.I – Mediazone Senior Officer
