VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[jrkaiser]

I received my Mbox back from the factory… they had to replace it. This is the first official audio from the new studio. Ideas and thoughts please. Where do I take it from here in regards to compression, eq, gating, etc. I'm looking for the best possible audio...

http://www.creativeidentitygroup.com/clients/justinkaiser/justinsampleaudio070407.mp3

I appreciate the help!

JK

[Gp]

Personally I prefer the raw sound of your voice. To me, the gating took away some of your presence. They all seem real close...but I like your voice without anything on it.

[ConnieTerwilliger]

I hear a slight room sound without the gate. Listen right at the point on your sample where you make the switch to the gate and you will hear the background drop out.

The first compression was sooo subtle that it barely made a difference to me.
_________________
Playing for a living...
www.voiceover-talent.com
YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/connieterwilliger

[jrkaiser]

Thanks for the input. The room noise comes from the computer in the cabinet about 3 feet away. Here is a bit longer sample...

http://www.creativeidentitygroup.com/clients/justinkaiser/justinsampleaudio2_070407.mp3

With the guy outside mowing the lawn I'm running about -40 or so... Would have really liked to get it down to -55... I think the only way I'll be able to do that is by utilizing the whisper room that I built. I need to get a mic cord long enough to try it...


Everything is set flat on the console, everything except the gating and expansion is bypassed here.

There is no compression or eq present on the board or the channelstrip, there is a slight level compensation on the MBox2...

Is it crisp enough? Should I increase the high end or the low end? What would you do from here?

Thanks,

JK

[Lance Blair]

Have the dude with the lawnmower run over the computer in the room, and you should be sounding great. - really, that's more than half your battle, the next battle should be deadening the room a bit, and then and only then should you think about eq, because fixing your room will make your mic sound very different.

The compression in the first sample was very slight...but I like it like that.

Then there's the whole issue about the fact that you have a very likeable voice! Just tame that room.

[Frank F]

JK,

Being the purist I am (and Old, Fat, and very Sassy)... I like your sound clean and refreshing. No gate, no compression. However, it was a bit thin and has some sibilance.

Now, If I had to use anything, the gate and compression (third sample) had the hotter "edge" to it. A bit bassy, and some of the highs were missing, however it was much fuller (and fullness is a good thing) than the clean, non-gated, non-compressed sound.

The bigger question is: "...Which sound do you prefer"?

Your ears are what need to be pleased. Your choice will become the sound you sell. If you do not like the sound you are presenting to clients, the clients will not like the sound they are receiving from your studio.

Go with your gut instincts.

Toodles

Frank F
_________________
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

[jrkaiser]

Thank you all... and Frank. I like my audio a bit crisp... perhaps too much. But my hope is that it cuts through... Here are 2 cuts from today... This is what I like... but is it marketable? Do you like it? What would you do with it?

http://www.creativeidentitygroup.com/clients/cuervo/dreamcatchers_justinkaiser_071707.mp3

http://www.creativeidentitygroup.com/clients/refugeradio/refugeradioaudition_justinkaiser_071707.mp3

[BenWils]

Justin,

Sounds nice and crisp on my end.... with little punch to it. The second clip had some mouth noise, which may just as well be covered with music. But also I did notice some slight plosives on the words starting with P on the second clip.

What mic and pre are you using?
_________________
Ben


"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap."

[donrandall]

Justin, I like your voice just the way it sounded. I wouldn't recommend any major change in eq. You might be able to find some slight improvement, but you are so close now that I don't think you'll find much.

With the exception of those times when some over the top effects are used for good and valid reasons, my thinking on processing of any kind is this: If I am aware of it, then it ain't right.

And that is why I generally do not like noise gates. I often hear 'em open and close. If there is room noise, room tone, room glow or whatever the heck is the currently favored term, the noise is heard when the voicetalker is voicetalking and then it abruptly drops away for the briefest of moments when the voicetalker pauses. Then the voicetalker recommences that voicetalking thing and there it is, that glow that is room tone or room noise or whatever the heck we're calling it today - it just goes on and off and on and off.....kinda like following a car with some dope that doesn't know his blinder is doing the blinky thing, block after block after block.

I know there are some who despise denoising software, but I believe that is a superior way of handling that kind of noise - steady state, low level noise such as room tone is usually at a frequency that can easily be eliminated without damaging your voice track.

A little experimentation should be able to get very much most excellent results without introducing some of the undesirable effects that can come from improper use.

[jrkaiser]

Hi Ben, it is a Blue Bluebird with a Focusrite Voicemaster Platinum. Are you saying there is no punch to it, or just a little?

Don, thank you for the info. I'm hoping to drop the noise gate off as soon as I can get the computers into a different room. Ungated, there is about -42 db noise floor.

[BenWils]

Sorry, I meant to say it has a nice punch to it. I thought I could hear the V. I'm guessing you are/were in radio?

I personally would back off the compression some for any spots you do that needs to sound more like "everyday man" kinda stuff. It will help give it a more natural feel .....more like a regular guy just....talking.
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Ben


"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap."

[JTVG]

I'm with Ben. There was a time I liked my audio very highly processed (I also use a VM Pro) but I've since gone more au naturale. Most studios who'll work with your voice will appreicate that too as they like being able to process more heavily on their end.

I'd suggest setting your compression so only the very top LED lights occasionally when you're speaking. This possibly will also help the plosive problem. I personally like the Vintage Harmonics EQ on the VM Pro but I don't set the knobs aggressively at all. Leave the depth button out as well.

And if you can, wait til the guy quits mowing to do mic tweaking. In my experience, that can really throw you off.
_________________
Joe Szymanski
http://www.joethevoiceguy.com

[DaveChristi]

Me too.

I used to run my voice through a compressor/limiter/gate because of the noise floor and the "life" in the room.

Since moving my mic, the only thing I use is a Studio Module Preamp... that's it. I send out the audio as-is unless the client asks for something else.
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Dave "Christi" Felton
The Character Voice Actor

[Frank F]

Justin,

Contact on Skype when you have a few moments.

I like this sound, however, I am hearing some compression, maybe too much. This is something I would suggest a bit more tweaking in regard to how it wounds.

Yes, this could be you "money voice" and sound. More off the VO-BB.

Frank F
_________________
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

[jrkaiser]

Frank, I love the pic... I'll give you a call as I don't have a mic hooked up to my laptop right now. Diana should be off the phone around 10 Central...

Everything is flat here except a 3db raise at 10k.

I am in radio... have been since 1991. Most of the VO work I do is for radio. They seem to like it hot and ready... On the occassions that I do record for a production house or agency, I take out the compression and run it flat...

JTVG thanks for the tips on the compression.