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VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!
Established November 10, 2004
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prozach
Joined: 04 Jun 2011
Posts: 8
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 Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 11:14 pm Post subject: New ... And Need Help! |
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Good evening!
New to the world of VO, and happy to be here!
Usual radio guy story ... Been in the business since I was 14 ... MD & ON-AIR for a decent sized market currently, and diving into the world of VO!
As you know, every radio guy thinks he is a VO pro! Well, I do have 10 years of reading 5 spots per day, which helps ... but the rest is all new to me, including setting up my own studio at home! The client list started to grow enough that it was time to invest in a home studio ...
So far, I've purchased:
x Sennheiser 416
x An assortment of pop screens
x CEntrance Mic Port Pro, for the road (and to be learning the mic at this point ... Wow, what a difficult mic to master! Getting there.)
x OC White Mic Arm & mounting hardware
x Fully sound prepped a room at home for a booth
x Adobe
x Sonyu MDR-7506 Headphones
x M-Audio Monitors
x Desk, studio goodies, etc.
Long story short ... I have a mic and a workspace ... The rest I'm in need of your help!
I know with VO, everyone has an opinion on what is 'best' ... I'm a car nerd too, and that follows through no matter what forum you're on, but I respect your opinions!
I plan to do as much Radio station imaging as possible, commercial reads, Narration ... Anything that pays the bills ... err ... for equipment for now! Major focus would be station imaging (sound priority).
I DO NOT want to spend more than I need too. I don't want a studio full of gear that's only good for bragging rights (for now), but I do want fantastic professional quality, that won't disappoint.
What else do I buy? What else do YOU suggest? I want a pre ... I need some sort of audio card / converter ... What else?
With my own research so far, I'm leaning heavily towards the Golden Age Pre 73 and E-MU 1616m ... Thoughts? Only issue with the E-MU is it is a full-on sound card, right? I'm currently running a laptop until I get my desktop system purchased as well. Could an M-Audio fast track pro be 'good enough' quality for my setup? Sigh ... I'm lost. Such a newb.
I'm all ears ... I appreciate your help! Hopefully my ranting gives you an idea where I'm at.
Let me know what I NEED, should consider, and what to avoid. I'm counting on YOU!
Cheers! |
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Jeffrey Kafer
Assistant Zookeeper
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 4931
Location: Location, Location!
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 12:22 am Post subject: |
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I would suggest you stop buying equipment and invest some cash into training. You may not think you need any due to your radio experience, but I would guess most seasoned VO pros who used to be jocks would disagree.
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com |
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Chuck Davis
M&M
Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Posts: 2389
Location: Where I love to be...Between the Vineyards and the Cows.
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 5:30 am Post subject: |
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A hearty second to Jeffs post...from a guy who comes from an almost 32 year radio career.
VO is NOTHING like radio...and it takes quite awhile to "unlearn" most radio habits....such as being too loud/being an announcer.
BTW - Although it looks like you may have already started marketing yourself...one tip. Don't count on promoting the fact that you've been in radio to get you VO gigs. It can often work against you.
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Wicked huge.....in India.
www.chuckdaviscreative.com |
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Bill Campbell
DC
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 621
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 6:11 am Post subject: |
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The Centrance, a 416, Adobe Audtion skills, and a room that has dampened reflections is all you need for pro results.
As far as VO style, find your niche. If you're good at loud, hard sell commercial reads, go with it. There's a lot of money in that.
In doing commercials at the local level, clients want to SELL product and services. They're not interested in nuance and sublety. If you were a skilled radio person, that will work for you in commercials and imaging.
Know your strength and work on it. Don't try to be everything, be what you're good at.
Most of all, be easy to work with, and be on time delivering your work.
Send me your demo.
Bill
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todd ellis
A Zillion
Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 10528
Location: little egypt
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:02 am Post subject: |
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what these other guys said - all very true. most importantly - be yourself.
and bonus agreement for:
| Quote: | | it takes quite awhile to "unlearn" most radio habits |
(17)
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who's/on/1st?
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prozach
Joined: 04 Jun 2011
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:07 am Post subject: |
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| JeffreyKafer wrote: | | I would suggest you stop buying equipment and invest some cash into training. You may not think you need any due to your radio experience, but I would guess most seasoned VO pros who used to be jocks would disagree. |
Jeff,
Thanks. I agree that I'll need to pick up a VO coach. At this point the building of the studio isn't taking away from money I should be spending on training. Things are very busy right now (personally), and the VO studio build has become a hobby as anything else I enjoy right now, so the gear isn't money 'poorly spent' by any means.
I'm just looking for forward momentum as far as continuing to build a great little VO room at home. 
| Chuck Davis wrote: | A hearty second to Jeffs post...from a guy who comes from an almost 32 year radio career.
VO is NOTHING like radio...and it takes quite awhile to "unlearn" most radio habits....such as being too loud/being an announcer.
BTW - Although it looks like you may have already started marketing yourself...one tip. Don't count on promoting the fact that you've been in radio to get you VO gigs. It can often work against you. |
Chuck,
Thanks pal. I am not linking radio / VO by any means, it was just one of those natural transitions. They seem to often go hand-in-hand, as much as there are a very different beast. I look forward to some coaching, and VO success!
| Bill Campbell wrote: | The Centrance, a 416, Adobe Audtion skills, and a room that has dampened reflections is all you need for pro results.
As far as VO style, find your niche. If you're good at loud, hard sell commercial reads, go with it. There's a lot of money in that.
In doing commercials at the local level, clients want to SELL product and services. They're not interested in nuance and sublety. If you were a skilled radio person, that will work for you in commercials and imaging.
Know your strength and work on it. Don't try to be everything, be what you're good at.
Most of all, be easy to work with, and be on time delivering your work.
Send me your demo.
Bill |
Bill,
Great to hear about the current purchases not hindering VO, currently. What else would YOU add to the setup? Mic pre & audio interface? Teach me.
My strengths are certainly imaging, promos, commercial reads, etc. I'll live in that area if I had my choice. I'll send you some audio!
Cheers, and thanks! Keep it coming. |
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prozach
Joined: 04 Jun 2011
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:08 am Post subject: |
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| todd ellis wrote: | what these other guys said - all very true. most importantly - be yourself.
and bonus agreement for:
| Quote: | | it takes quite awhile to "unlearn" most radio habits |
(17) |
I'm sure it will ... I don't see radio hurting my VO though. Years of working a mic, commercial reads, etc I would imagine would do more good then harm? I guess we'll see!  |
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todd ellis
A Zillion
Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 10528
Location: little egypt
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:09 am Post subject: |
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also --- (whispering here) --- try not to quote whole posts. it disturbs the llama.
(16)
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who's/on/1st?
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Chuck Davis
M&M
Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Posts: 2389
Location: Where I love to be...Between the Vineyards and the Cows.
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:04 am Post subject: |
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The experience is a plus. My point was that, especially these day, most clients beyond the local level include "no announcers...looking for a real person" in their spec. If you're advertising you radio background right off the bat you run the risk of being dismissed in the clients eyes before they ever hear you.
Bill is absolutely right about their being plenty of clients that are looking for the loud/in your face local car spot sort of thing. I should know, that's what built my business on to start. The jobs you'll really want though, down the road as you begin to move up...do require the more subtle/believable performance.
Also, an interesting trend to note as far as the local car dealer market is concerned. Whereas three years ago I was doing lots of the bombastic sound effects driven hard sell reads "If you've got a pulse...and 99 bucks....you've got a DEAL!"...now most dealers are leaning toward the Mike Rowe/Denis Leary "admit" or "admit with attitude" vibe. I have very few requests for the loud stuff now.
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www.chuckdaviscreative.com |
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Bill Campbell
DC
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 621
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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Nice post Chuck.
Prozach: I think the MicPort Pro is fine, even in your studio. You don't need an individual preamp and interface for voice only.
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www.asapaudio.com |
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prozach
Joined: 04 Jun 2011
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for evrything thus far ... Much appreciated guys.
What makes you say the MicPort Pro is fine for VO/ no need to buy anything else? I'm not doubting you (god knows you know more than ME), but ... Why does every VO professional have a chain of goodies if the Mic Port Pro is so acceptable, quality wise?
Keeping in mind I want to venture as far into this industry as possible, you still wouldn't suggest a new pre, interface, etc? I'm willing (and excited) to continue the build of the studio.
Thoughts? |
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Claire Dodin
Club 300
Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 392
Location: Sunny LA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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| prozach wrote: | Why does every VO professional have a chain of goodies if the Mic Port Pro is so acceptable, quality wise?
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Hi!
I have a mic port pro that I use when I travel, and it's fine for e-learning, IVR, not demanding clients.
The big advantage of a sound card like the Fast track ultra that I've got now and love is that you can add things to your chain to allow you to do more. you can add a sound desk, an ISDN box, a phone patch, several mics if you want to record multiple instruments, a pre-amp...
You don't really need any of these when you start out; but when I added a pre-amp I noticed a clear upgrade in the quality of my sound.
I'm not sure my existing clients cared, but I'm sure it allowed me to get higher end new clients.
If you can afford it, adding an external sound card with multiple inputs and a pre-amp is a good idea as this will give you a better sound and allow the flexibility to upgrade your chain later as and when you feel the need for it.
You're just starting out, so don't go crazy on gear, only get things like phone patch or ISDN when clients keep asking for it. Some people never use them. Money is better spent on acting classes at the beginning.
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Brad Venable
Contributor IV
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 129
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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+1 to Claire.
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Brad Venable
The Voiceover Superhero!
"Saving the world thirty seconds at a time." |
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Rob Ellis
M&M
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2385
Location: Detroit
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Pro,
Welcome,
Your introductory post is much like mine when I discovered this place 5 years ago. (thanks to Dan Nachtrab)
Just hang out here and soak it up would be my advice.
The 416 et al is probably about all you will need for now. Lots of folks are doing well with the same basic set up and sometimes less....although you may want to add a large diaphragm condenser at some point.
Have fun and see you back here soon. |
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Mike Sommer
A Hundred Dozen
Joined: 05 May 2008
Posts: 1222
Location: Boss Angeles
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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Seems like you have enough gear. Get acting, improv and a VO coach.
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong. |
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