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Clinton Nobles
Voice Talent
Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 197
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 Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 03:56 (GMT) Post subject: The Experiment . . . |
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The following recording is a variety of voices that I do (not all of them lol just a sampling) and the point of this is to see if those with a more discerning ear than I can give me a couple pointers on my EQ levels. Hope you like what you hear and can help me hear what is liked  Thanks again.
PS: Here is a picture of the Preamp settings, they are default.
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If the world ever joins together as one voice . . . they need to make sure they are copying mine hahahaha
http://clintonnobles.com |
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Clinton Nobles
Voice Talent
Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 15:12 (GMT) Post subject: |
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By the way, it is good to note that this was recorded in 10 minutes and has no editing (I did a hard limiting to keep it from topping out but other than that nothing)
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If the world ever joins together as one voice . . . they need to make sure they are copying mine hahahaha
http://clintonnobles.com |
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Jacob Ekstroem
Voice Talent
Joined: 23 Jul 2007
Posts: 721
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 16:09 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Clinton Nobles wrote: | | By the way, it is good to note that this was recorded in 10 minutes and has no editing (I did a hard limiting to keep it from topping out but other than that nothing) |
Well Clinton, that's not exactly true, now is it? Because unless you just built a brand new top-of-the-range iso-booth, that recording is very noise-gated.
If you want help improving your sound, don't start out by messing it up. 
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Regards,
Jacob Ekstroem
- "Try the delightful Danish..."
SaVoa  No. 07008 |
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Clinton Nobles
Voice Talent
Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 17:16 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Jacob Ekstroem wrote: | | Clinton Nobles wrote: | | By the way, it is good to note that this was recorded in 10 minutes and has no editing (I did a hard limiting to keep it from topping out but other than that nothing) |
Well Clinton, that's not exactly true, now is it? Because unless you just built a brand new top-of-the-range iso-booth, that recording is very noise-gated.
If you want help improving your sound, don't start out by messing it up. |
I hard limited it to -2db and normilized it to -2db but if there was something done it has to be in the recording process because I didn't change anything. It was topping out so I did the hard limiting. Unless I did something I am anawar of.
_________________
If the world ever joins together as one voice . . . they need to make sure they are copying mine hahahaha
http://clintonnobles.com |
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Clinton Nobles
Voice Talent
Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 17:46 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Jacob Ekstroem wrote: | | If you want help improving your sound, don't start out by messing it up. |
If hard limiting is not a good idea, how do I keep it from maxing out on some of the higher voices? Stand farther back?
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If the world ever joins together as one voice . . . they need to make sure they are copying mine hahahaha
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Chris Clementson
Voice Seeker
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 216
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 20:17 (GMT) Post subject: |
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Clinton, are you saying you have a hardware limiter ahead of your interface?
The trick is to record your tracks a little low, giving yourself a little headroom.
Headroom can be thought of as "the red" on a VU meter. What's the first thing you learn about a VU meter? Don't go into "the red". "The red" is your headroom between 0 dB and +3 dB. Digital is MUCH less forgiving than analog. If you "peg the meter" by going to to 0 dBFS you've clipped and that information is gone forever.
The EBU recommends 9 dB of headroom, i.e. your audio should peak at -9 dBFS. You can then normalize it with just about any audio editor. |
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Greg Houser
Voice Talent
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 174
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 20:47 (GMT) Post subject: |
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I'm not a fan of SW normalizing, but that's another topic for another time.
Otherwise I'm with Chris on this one. There's no need for this much processing just to get a usable sound. And if, by some chance, you decide to start tossing EQ and more compression into the mix. Ugh!
Seriously, and I mean this with all respect. Grab some books on studio recording methods. You'll learn a lot. "Modern Recording Techniques" is a personal bible, but also "Recording and Producing in the Home Studio" is recommended (more so if you're using Pro Tools).
You're going to find that when it comes to auditions and general stuff, a voiceover track should be as clean as possible. Maybe some EQ and light compression (and I don't even recommend that) for an audition, but otherwise, the client will usually have a recording engineer do this for you (they have more experience, and better gear than you for this purpose).
As for the rest, how about we work on your commercial stuff and narration first, characters will eventually come from that (and then you can work more on impressions, accent, etc.). What you had did nothing for me, nor did your Mickey (sorry to be rough, but I'd rather be honest with you). |
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Clinton Nobles
Voice Talent
Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 20:54 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Chris Clementson wrote: | Clinton, are you saying you have a hardware limiter ahead of your interface?
The trick is to record your tracks a little low, giving yourself a little headroom.
Headroom can be thought of as "the red" on a VU meter. What's the first thing you learn about a VU meter? Don't go into "the red". "The red" is your headroom between 0 dB and +3 dB. Digital is MUCH less forgiving than analog. If you "peg the meter" by going to to 0 dBFS you've clipped and that information is gone forever.
The EBU recommends 9 dB of headroom, i.e. your audio should peak at -9 dBFS. You can then normalize it with just about any audio editor. |
This is a lot of great info. Thanks
I am hard limiting it once it gets into Adobe. The settings on my preamp are default so I don't know if that is causing a problem. I have searched online but haven't come up with anything. I have been recording way to high though. I have been getting my recording around -6db so that is too high.
Should I play with the settings on the preamp at all?
_________________
If the world ever joins together as one voice . . . they need to make sure they are copying mine hahahaha
http://clintonnobles.com |
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Chris Clementson
Voice Seeker
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 216
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 20:54 (GMT) Post subject: |
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Compressing or limiting a recording in software after the fact does nothing to fix clipping. Once the information that was clipped is gone, it's gone.
Last edited by Chris Clementson on Wed Apr 30, 2008, 07:26 (GMT); edited 1 time in total |
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Emmett Andrews
Voice Talent
Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 21:25 (GMT) Post subject: |
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You're muting parts of the file...STOP IT! That's why Jacob assumed you were gating the file. Digital silence is an impossibility, especially considering I can hear the noise underneath you. Those mutes are awful...Just let the noise be...Leave it alone, for now. Post a file with NOTHING done to it. Then you can get better help.
Emmett |
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Clinton Nobles
Voice Talent
Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 21:26 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Greg Houser wrote: | | "Modern Recording Techniques" but I'd rather be honest with you). |
Honesty is the only way I will really learn. I want to improve and be the best I can be. I don't want to continue doing something that isn't good just because people thought they were being nice.
As for the books, I actually ordered that very book last week off Amazon Now I am really looking forward to it.
I have had no luck what so ever finding acting classes. The few that I did find (and a couple more that others on here pointed me too in my area) haven't returned calls or are no longer taking students. I am thinking of getting a no-count job at a local studio to learn as much as I can.
Thanks again for your honesty.
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If the world ever joins together as one voice . . . they need to make sure they are copying mine hahahaha
http://clintonnobles.com |
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Greg Houser
Voice Talent
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 174
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008, 22:14 (GMT) Post subject: |
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where do you live in Tx?
I've got friends in Houston and Dallas who are professional VO talent... I know that the training is there (though obviously not like in Chicago, NYC, or LA). |
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Clinton Nobles
Voice Talent
Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008, 05:35 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Greg Houser wrote: | where do you live in Tx?
I've got friends in Houston and Dallas who are professional VO talent... I know that the training is there (though obviously not like in Chicago, NYC, or LA). |
I am actually in TN, knoxville. When I get more into this I am planning on moving to a more hospitable to VO work. At least for a little while just to get into the biz then move back to a more Family friendly area lol.
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If the world ever joins together as one voice . . . they need to make sure they are copying mine hahahaha
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Chris Clementson
Voice Seeker
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 216
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| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008, 07:51 (GMT) Post subject: |
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Clinton -
I'm going to be bluntly honest with you. Please don't take the criticism personally.
It sounds awful. Technically the audio lacks any crispness or sparkle, and it is not silky-smooth like a good ribbon mic. It is dull and muddy. The good news is that I doubt these shortcomings can be solved simply by throwing more money at more gear. I see nothing wrong with the equipment roster you have posted.
Please try a recording outside of that box, devoid of all compression, limiting, equalization, processing, etc., and devoid of all dialects. It is much easier to judge the quality without the dialects. Find some copy to read, anything, and practice some interpretation.
It doesn't sound as if you're going for a Tennessee dialect but your long "i"s give you away. "My" comes out as "mah". It should sound more like "myee" but just one syllable, not "my-ee".
WRT acting school, summer is coming and I'll bet there is a local junior college which will offer acting or speech classes as part of their summer school schedule. |
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Chris Clementson
Voice Seeker
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 216
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| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008, 08:03 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I have been getting my recording around -6db so that is too high. |
-6 dB should be OK provided there is no clipping in the raw file (before processing).
What are you using to meter your recordings? |
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