VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[tokyofan]

In the near future I'll be producing some web-based news narration audio files. Narrators will record from home and send me a raw AIFF or WAV file. Then I'll need to put a few of those together into ONE coherent audio file and try to make it sound uniform and consistent. I'll be applying the same plug-ins: compression, EQ, limiter, etc. Would I need to "Normalize" as well to get the volume consistent? What's the best way to go about this?
Maybe there's another thread that covers this.
Thanks!
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www.chriskoprowski.com/en

[todd ellis]

sounds like a looooooong day to me. good luck!
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

[Edo]

I would probably record a news audiofile like you like it, send it to all and make them match the sound... with as little compression as possible, better no compression at all. Then have them record stuff, send it to you and then YOU apply your favourite plug-ins to create that uniform sound...

[tokyofan]

Yep, that's also part of my plan. I'm one of the narrators so I'll create a reference sound file....and they would try to match the volume (and pacing) while keeping it as DRY as possible. Then I can run the files through my personal set of plugins and tweak as necessary. Just wondering if I'm missing anything.
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www.chriskoprowski.com/en

[Hart]

Sounds like you've got it. This is similar to some stuff I used to have to do for my sports talk radio stations every week. Here's how I'd probably do it.

Yes, I'd have them try to match your source file as close as possible. Set some parameters such as:

Make them record at or normalize to -3 (or -6 or -9 etc. whatever you decide).

strongly discourage the use of compression and most other processing except as necessary to match your reference file. Hopefully they should be able to match it pretty closely with a little EQ and that's all. If they are regular contributers it would be easy enough to set up a preset I suppose.

Make sure they have a quiet space. I know that seems obvious but if they're using gates, expanders ect to clean up their sound it can make your job harder. Better to just have quiet before hand.

specify the format you want the files saved in. It sounds like you already have with either aiff or wav. Make them stick to it, life's easier.

Anyway. Then it's fairly simple on your end. Put all the files in a multi track editor, tweak as necessary but hopefully you won't need to do much to the individual files, then mix them down and put some light compression or whatever on the final file to even things out.

I doubt you want it "perfect" anyway. If it's a news type thing then you might want your people to sound a bit different from piece to piece as a subtle cue to the listener that you're changing the subject now.
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Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

[tokyofan]

Sounds good. Should I put the individual files on separate tracks and bounce into one file? Then compress THAT file. Or can I put them all on the same track and tweak from there?
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www.chriskoprowski.com/en

[Hart]

It doesn't really matter, it just depends on your style and workflow. I like to put each file on it's own track so if I do decide to adjust an individual file it's a quick and easy tweak in the multi track editor. Then I'd bounce and compress.

Another advantage to doing it this way is that you can make a (or just use an old session) template. Now you can make Voice A track 2 each and every time, Voice B track 3, Voice C track 4 etc. and your settings from the previous week are all ready to go. For example: if you have to cut the high end down on voice B you can have that saved for use from week to week so you don't have to take the time to set it up each new session.
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Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions