VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Ed Fisher]

Every VO Artist works in a different environment. Some have "whisper rooms." Others use a closet. A few have a state-of-the -art set up, custom designed by George. Still others, record successfully surrounded by couch cushions, a pillow and a mattress in a Hotel Room. (usually while on vacation)

But, when YOU record...are you usually SITTING...or STANDING?

(does it make any difference?)

I think it would be interesting (and instructive) to know.

Thanks.

[cyclometh]

I have always recorded short form pieces standing up.

For my first 15 audiobooks I recorded them sitting down. For the last few I've recorded them standing up. I get better breath control, I don't get sleepy as easily, and I can emote more effectively. Also gives me more mic placement options as I can move my head around without making noise.

Of course, after a full day of recording and being on my feet, my legs are very tired. My feet hurt a lot these days so I'm considering seeing a foot doctor about it.

On the plus side, I've lost several pounds in the last two months! Or at least, all my pants are baggy on me now.
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

[ccpetersen]

I've gone back and forth on that one. For some projects I've done them sitting down (especially if they're long (back aches, otherwise)). Others, I've done standing up. Energy level is better standing up though.
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Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420

[Jeffrey Kafer]

I sit. After doing a couple if audiobooks standing, I realized that after a while I was focusing on trying to be comfortable rather than the script. Of course, sitting I run into the same problem, with butt fatigue and all. So those are the times to get up and take the dog for a walk.
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[Lee Gordon]

When I'm at home, I sit but when I record "on location" at some other studio, I generally stand. The new booth I'm building will almost certainly not have room for a chair so I'll soon be standing 100% of the time. I honestly don't think it makes any difference to my performance or vocal quality.
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[DougVox]

I always stand in my booth.

But I never do audiobooks, and it's extremely rare that my sessions last more than 20-30 minutes, so fatigue is never an issue.

Still, I've recently added an adjustable keyboard stand and a monitor riser to my desk/editing station, and find that I have much more energy (and work more efficiently) when I stand.

(I think my preference for standing while I record comes from my radio station experience, where we always had stand-up boards. Plus the reasons Corey mentioned.)
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Doug Turkel (tur-KELL)
Voiceover UNnouncer®
UNnouncer.com

[Bill Roberts]

Standing!
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VO-BB Member # 764 (Dec 2009)

[johnnyheller]

I sit in my booth and at other studios -- this is for audiobooks. For vo commercials, I stand.

[Mike Harrison]

When at the mic, I stand. But, for longer-form material, I'd prefer to sit, but it requires some reconfiguring.

One of two main reasons I'm living where I am now is that it's almost unusually quiet, for which I am extremely lucky and grateful. The other reason is much lower rent, and because I rent is why I'm very limited as to what I can do, acoustically.

The closets here have un-removable hanger bars and are not deep enough to convert to a booth. What to do? I bought two ClearSonic S5-2L free-standing folding Sorber panels and butted the two of them against each other (as pictured here), and placed my mic and copy stand 'inside.'

I also bought four panels of theatrical drape and the aluminum pipes to support them (as is used for trade shows, etc.). Two of the drape panels are hung (ruffled, of course; not flat) against the largest wall in the room. The aluminum pipe apparatus is simply leaned against the wall because I cannot attach anything permanently, especially to suspend this heavy drape. The other two drape panels complete my makeshift booth enclosure, suspended opposite the two ClearSonic panels. I pull the drape aside, step in and do my thing.

In my 12' x 18' living room, the drape against the one wall reduces reverberant sound considerably, assisted by the couch and carpeting. The highly directional Sennheiser 416, positioned above me and pointed down at a ±45° angle, further rejects any slap-back, but there is just enough 'liveness' so that it doesn't sound like I'm recording from within a coffin. I was surprised (even Uncle Roy was, too) at how good it sounds.

My 'control room' is located in one of the two bedrooms and, because I bought a desk designed for video editing (it has four standard rack spaces built-in), I'm not able to stand unless I can find something to place under each of the four legs and still maintain stability. It's a corner-style desk, so the back legs are much further apart than the front legs.

Still, lucky as I am that it's very quiet here, overall, because I am not fully enclosed in an acoustically tight environment, there are times when work is interrupted by the maintenance guys, whether it be landscaping or other noisy activity. And, of course, because I have absolutely no control over their activity, while I can easily postpone any unsupervised recording, booking ISDN sessions invites games of Russian Roulette. The only other uncontrollable audio annoyance is the drawn-out drone of small single engine planes coming in and out of the municipal airport about three miles away. Oh, and a minimal downside is that I have to shut the refrigerator off (and air conditioning) during sessions, too.

By now, in case you've forgotten my answer to the question: at the mic, I generally stand.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

[Philip Banks]

Sit!

[Bish]

Sit for audiobooks, stand for everything else... well, except for those late 60s/early 70s nostalgia pieces where I'm trying to perfect the Ian Anderson one-legged stance.... or those ones where I can't decide and just end up perching my backside on the edge of a high-stool... that's usually for longer short pieces, or shorter long ones.
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Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

[Ed Fisher]

I am very much enjoying this information. I sincerely appreciate all of those who have taken the time and energy to give us their insight.

And I do mean EVERYONE.

I particularly appreciate the lengths to which Mike went to to explain not only HOW he usually records, but also the acoustic setup that he has created in a "temporary" environment. I'm in the process of reorganizing things myself and find all of this (from everyone) very valuable and fascinating.

I am also beginning to see a general pattern emerging (with some exceptions).

[vkuehn]

The question of standing or sitting... at least in my mind... is related to other topics that have been active lately. (Like my question on noise levels in the studio.)

I have always stood. (I wasn't doing much voice work when the time frame is "always".) As I decided that at my age one of the things I might be able to successfully pursue would be books and other long form narration, it became obvious as I searched various websites that people doing books tend to sit as they read. So, as I got out the carpenter tools and did some renovation of my space to improve the acoustics, I created a novel space to sit.

But in addition to chasing noise out of my space, I am also dealing with some strange "sounds" that develop in my sound files as I prepare them, process them. For personal reasons (an illness in the family) I have been neglecting my exercise. (Guess I need to get a couple of those dogs?)

I turned in last night and re-imagined my recording space so that now I am standing. Sometime after midnight an audition went out that I think is an improvement. But, in keeping with why I thought I wanted to sit while doing narration: I recognized that the audition was probably a bit too "hard driving" for the content. The audition contained TWO completely different styles for the one main character... so I advised the client that "my transmission also includes a more-laid-back position in the speed selector".

So, I shall be standing for awhile. And an over-sized post-it note stands out: "GO FOR A WALK TODAY. Get some exercise."

[Frank F]

I am on the edge of my seat with this question.

I sit down and I stand up. A lot depends on the moment and the project. For "BIG" sounding projects, standing is better. For intimate projects, sitting is more comfortable.

Reasons for standing include the fact that you are pre-disposed of having a straight back and open diaphragm. Plus, you can use you hands easier and more grandiose.

Sitting, requires me to keep my back straight and open up my lungs (that's a good thing). However, one is a bit less apt to be as forceful with projection while sitting.

Frank F
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Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com

[bobsouer]

I sit while recording in my own studio. When (rarely these days) I'm working in someone else's studio I stand pretty much always.
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Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
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