Getting Started

Welcome back! 

Hold on to your hats, this is going to be a LONG one.  In the first part of this topic in Getting Started in Voice Over Part IV: Choosing Equipment, we talked about your computer and recording/mastering software (DAW).  In this second part of the post, we’ll talk about the microphone.  Since there is a lot to know about microphones, I’ll dedicate this post to just that single topic.

Recapping the Getting Started in Voice Over series:

• Sitting and talking to yourself in a small enclosed space all day – Check.
• Choosing yourself a coach and starting to work with them – Check
• Fashioned, built or bought a suitable booth for recording – Check.
• Have, or have gotten, a computer powerful enough to run your DAW – Check
• Downloaded, installed and learned to use your recording and mastering software – Check

Great and congratulations!

Now what?

Your microphone

Your microphone MAY be the most critical piece of equipment in your whole setup.  While many factors affect the way you sound when recorded (including your voice, duh!) the item that MOST affects your sound is probably the microphone you choose.

So, if you were drooling over microphones at Sweetwater or some other website while you were perusing for booths, DAWS and maybe even computers, you’ll notice there are many, MANY different mics to choose from.  Ask any singer, radio personality or VO artist which mic is best, and you’ll get as many different answers as the number of people you ask.  The REAL, FINAL answer to “Which microphone is best for me?” is: ONLY YOU CAN DECIDE THAT.  Not helpful, right?

While most of us would LOVE to get the coveted Neumann U87 large condenser mic (with a hefty price tag of over $3000), not many of us could afford one when just getting started, and even then, it MIGHT not be the right mic for you.

The idea of selecting a mic is all about FAITHFULLY capturing and reproducing the sound of your voice.  The only real way to know this is: Test several microphones in your price range to see how they reproduce your unique voice.  A tall order, I know…but doable and we can talk about that later.  First, there are a couple things to keep in mind when considering any microphone.

So, what REALLY is a microphone? 

A microphone is a transducer.  A transducer that converts air pressure (sound waves) into an electrical signal that represents the amplitude (level, or sometimes volume) and frequency (pitch) of a sound.  In older analog recordings, those signals were recorded directly to tape, but these days, the signal is digitized (through an analog to digital (A to D) converter) and captured in your computer.  It captures any sound (and to our detriment EVERY sound), but in this case, we are concerned with the sound of your voice.  Well, we are also concerned with the sound of your wife calling for you, your neighbor mowing his lawn and the hum from your refrigerator being transmitted through the structure of your house (yeah, the mic “hears” that too…but I digress).  Anyway, that’s too deep for this post, so let’s assume we are only worried about your voice for now. 

Basic microphone types

There are three basic “types” of microphones, and while there are some specialty mics out there, we’ll concentrate on the three basic types.

Condenser:

This is the type most frequently used for recording vocals, both in music and voice over narration.  A condenser mic uses two charged plates, one stationary and one that vibrates based on the frequency and amplitude of the sound waves entering the mic.  This type of microphone requires a power source (usually 48-volt phantom power supplied either by its own power supply or your interface) to operate, as the plates need an electrical charge.  Condenser mics, while typically producing very clear sound, are fragile and can be affected by temperature and humidity.

Dynamic:

Dynamic mics use a “moving coil” to generate the electrical signals, basically the same way a motor works by moving a magnet between an electrical field.  Because magnets are denser than a plate or ribbon (that one’s next) its response is slower, and therefore does not produce sound as clearly as a condenser or ribbon mic.  They are, however, generally more rugged than either of the other two, so are good choices for a portable mic if you are going to be recording on the go and as a bonus, they are generally less expensive than a ribbon or condenser mic.

Ribbon:

Ribbon mics use a thin “ribbon” of metal (hence the name) to vibrate in an electrical field and produce sound signals.  Because the ribbon is very sensitive to air pressure, they are great for recording sharp smooth and full sounds such as horns.  These mics are in the medium price range, and are extremely fragile.  They can be damaged by temperature and humidity, handling and believe it or not by overdriving them with high amplitude input.  They have their application, but are not typically used for voice over recording.

 Microphone patterns 

Another aspect to consider when selecting your microphone is its “Polar Pattern”.  Polar pattern (or simply pattern) refers to pick-up pattern, or which direction the microphone takes in the greatest amount of sound.  Some mics have switchable patterns, which could be handy in some situations, but for your immediate needs that wouldn’t be necessary.  Again, there are three basic pick-up patters.

Directional: 

A directional mic picks up sound only, or primarily, from the front of the microphone, which is especially helpful if there are unwanted noises behind and to the sides of the mic that you don’t want to capture.  There are actually three types of directional patterns: Cardioid, super-cardioid and hyper-cardioid.  Cardioid is the most popular, and these mics provide just slightly more control in what is captured, and how much, than other patterns.  If your environment has some sources of unwanted noise, you should consider a directional mic.

 

Image Credit: Fluxforge.com

 

A Sub-Genre of directional mics is the Shotgun mic. Shotgun mics use an “interference tube” attached in front of the pick-up, and the thought is that the on-axis sound travels down the tube into the diaphragm, with off axis sound entering the side slots at different times, thus reducing or cancelling the unwanted sound.  In this way, off axis sound is attenuated and the on-axis sound in relationship is stronger.  They have limitations, and if you are considering a shotgun mic you should study them further.  Polar pattern for a shotgun is shown below.

 

Image Credit: Voice Acting Mastery

 

Bi-Directional: 

Also known as a “Figure 8” pattern, picks up sound from both the front and rear of the microphone, while reducing sounds from the side.  This pattern is handy if you are recording two people with a single mic, with one situated in front of, and the other behind, the mic.  This is not an ideal polar pattern if you are doing voice over, as reflections from surfaces behind the mic will arrive out of phase and distort your sound.

 

Image Credit: CCI Solutions

 

Omni- Directional:

As the name implies, this microphone’s polar pattern accepts sound equally from all directions.  As this is how we hear, it produces the most realistic sound, however it will record every stray noise, and all the reflections in the room equally.  You would need to be in a completely sound proof room, or need to record a group of people around a single microphone.  Again, not ideal for voice over work.

 

Image Credit: Learning About Electronics

 

Are you confused yet? 

It’s a lot to take in and understand, but don’t worry, over time this will be easier.  It’s very likely that depending on your recording environment, you will be gravitating toward a condenser microphone with a cardioid pattern for your home booth, and if you intend to record away from your booth (on vacation for example) you’ll want a mic that travels well so you’ll probably select a dynamic mic with (likely) a cardioid pattern as well.  In some travel circumstances, it may be best to select a short dynamic shotgun mic.  You’ll also want some sort of travel “booth”, a topic for another discussion.

At the end of the day… 

The best way to select a mic, is to try out several and see how they sound.  There are a couple ways to do that.  The easiest and cheapest way, is to find a local professional music store, or any store that sells high end professional mics, and see if the salesman will let you come in and sample several.  They may even be able to make suggestions for you.  If you don’t have one of those nearby, see if there are any professional recording studios in your area.  You can usually book an hour of studio time with a professional sound engineer, and they will have every type of microphone available to try.  Short of that, you’ll have to do your research and buy one to see how you sound.  This is by FAR the most expensive way to do it, and you’ll wind up with a lot of expensive stuff you won’t use…but hey, you can always sell them (at a loss of course) to someone else trying to find the perfect mic.

Whichever mic and mic pattern you select, you’ll want one with a “flat” frequency response.  What that means is, in essence, a microphone that is able to capture, faithfully,  sound from the top to the bottom of the audible frequency spectrum.  No microphone does this perfectly, but some are better than others.  What you’ll find is that most drop off in performance near the top and bottom of the range, which frankly is the “sweet spot” in audio since even though very high and very low frequencies are audible, most of us don’t detect a discernable difference below 100Hz and above about 15KHz anyway.  And as we age, that range narrows somewhat as well.

Another thing you’ll find (of course), is the better a microphone IS at reproducing a flat response, the more expensive it is.  Which is not to say just because a microphone is expensive means it’s a good mic.  But the better mics ARE the more expensive ones.  Just be prepared to spend $500 or more to get a good, quality, professional microphone.

In my booth, I am presently using a Sennheiser MK4 large diaphragm condenser mic with a cardioid pattern with a Mojave MA200 (which is also a large diaphragm condenser mic with a cardioid pattern) as back up.

A note about cable quality… 

When shopping for cables, remember that no matter how good your microphone is, if the cable you select to carry its signal to your DAW is sub-quality, then the sound into your recording suite will be affected.  Your cables should be high quality, shielded cables to faithfully carry your audio signals to the A to D converter and into your DAW, and reject stray signals from other electrical/electronic devices.

Cables again – AND – Power sources  

As you are setting up your home studio, you’ll find you have several required cables including digital data cables, analog data cables (XLR from your mic) and power cables to make it all turn on.  Depending on your setup, you may also want monitor speakers, headphones, a remote monitor and eventually a webcam.  All of these cables need to run from one piece of gear to another, and into/out of your booth (again, depending on your setup).  Two things to keep in mind:  You should never run your microphone or digital audio cables alongside your power cables.  The 60Hz (if you are in the US) input power can easily bleed over into your mic cable (even a good, shielded one) creating a low frequency hum throughout your audio.  The other thing to note is that all of your equipment should be plugged into the SAME OUTLET in your home, to prevent a “stray ground” (which can also cause an audible low frequency hum in your audio) from occurring. Invest in a high-quality power strip with enough outlets so you can plug everything into that, and then the strip into the wall outlet.

WHEW! 

Well, THAT was a mouthful!  Thanks for sticking around through the entire article, and good luck finding the right mic for you.  If you have any questions about microphones, or setting up your booth, leave me a message below and I’ll get back to you right away.  If you’d like to connect with a telephone or video chat, I’m happy to spend 30 minutes with you for free to answer any questions or talk more about your fledgling Voice Over career.  Just reach out below and we can schedule a session.

Next Time:

So now you have yourself a SWEET mic, and are ready to dive in and start making BANK!  Well, maybe – You still need to get that warm, vibrant sound from the mic to the DAW.  Next time, I’ll talk a bit about digital audio interfaces.  See ya next week!

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!

Please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

Welcome back! 

If this is the first time reading my blog, Getting Started in Voice Over series, head on over to my Main Blog page and have a look at posts one, two and three in the series to get caught up.

Recap:

• Sitting and talking to yourself in a small enclosed space all day – Check.
• Choosing yourself a coach and starting to work with them – Check
• Fashioned, built or bought a suitable booth for recording – Check.

Great and congratulations!

Now what?

Capturing your voice

Before you can do much work in voice over, unless you plan to rent time at a local established studio (in which case you’ve wasted your time and money putting together your booth!), then you’ll need a way to capture your voice in a recording.  To do that digitally (it IS the 21^st century after all!) you will need to buy, or borrow, or steal (Really, this is not a great idea.  Jails are not great recording environments) some equipment.  The basic setup is: A computer running a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), an audio interface, a microphone and enough cables to make it all work.  Oh, and hopefully your booth is in a place close to a power source (I suppose that should have been mentioned earlier – sorry).   You can get a LOT more elaborate, but this is the basic setup.

I’ll talk a bit about each of these below, but in general, you want to make sure you get the highest quality equipment you can afford, without getting more than you need.  All of the equipment you need to record your voice is the same equipment (more or less) a studio would use to capture sound from a band, but you’re only recording a single voice on a single channel.  A voice over actor will not need a 16-channel sound board for example, because only one channel will (typically) be used.  You won’t need stand-alone effects equipment, as everything you’ll need as a voice over artist is available in software plug ins for your DAW.  So cool your jets when browsing sites like Sweetwater, even though they have some REALLY cool stuff!

Computers

Odds are, you already have a computer in your home, otherwise, how are you possibly reading this?  The question really is:  Is it powerful enough to be able to run my DAW smoothly, and is there sufficient storage for my sound files?

Recording, editing and mastering audio recordings for voice over is processing intensive. GENERALLY speaking, in order to do this smoothly without issue requires a bit more processing power than a typical home computer used for browsing and email.  Maybe if you have a high-end gaming computer, but then maybe not.  Let’s look at MINIMUM requirements for running a DAW on your computer,

BUT FIRST

We are going to FINALLY give the definitive answer to the age-old question that has plagued mankind since the very beginning of home computing:  Mac or Windows?  Here is THE DEFINITIVE answer: (Are you ready?)  Who cares.

That’s right. It JUST doesn’t matter.  It’s really just a preference, so you do you.

Minimum Computing Requirement

Keep in mind that these are the MINIMUM requirements, and at minimum, performance could suffer.  You’ll need at least dual core processors running at least 2GB with at least 1GB of RAM above what your DAW requires.  RAM required for your DAW to operate is going to be dependent on which one you choose, so shop for both simultaneously.  Some DAWs temporarily hold your file in RAM until it is saved, so more RAM will not hurt, but it also MAY not help depending on processor speed.  All these things work together.

Most importantly, you are going to need a lot of storage.  While 500GB of storage should be fine for a while, I recommend at least a 1TB internal drive, and an external Solid-state drive with at least 1TB of storage for backups and storing audio files.  You can also use an online cloud storage service like DropBox or Google Drive…really, google online cloud storage, there are plenty…but I personally don’t recommend it because system outages can leave you without the files you need and you’ll want access to them locally just in case.

Whether you decide on a laptop or desktop, make sure you have the OOOMPH you need and keep in mind that placing your computer IN the booth with you will raise your noise floor, so consider an external monitor so you can leave your machine outside the booth to improve your sound and reduce processing.

I’m running an iMac Pro (2017), 3.2G 8 Core Xeon processors with 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB internal and 1TB external drives.  I haven’t had an issue, but I have come close to using all my RAM a few times and am considering upgrading.

DAWS

There are a LOT of DAW’s to choose from!  They all do pretty much the same thing as far as capturing your audio, but control of the audio after you capture it and the fidelity of sound are what sets some apart.  Keep in mind that many workstations are designed for the music industry and come with WAY more functionality than you’ll need as a Voice Actor.  The things you will need the most are the ability to use compression, limiters, EQ and Punch & Roll.  You may also want to be able to mix several tracks to include a music bed under your voice for demos and some customers.

Punch & Roll is a technique that allows you to “Punch In” the middle of an audio file to correct mistakes, or make changes if the script changes rather than re-record the entire script.  You’ll definitely want to learn this technique, but with some software it’s more intuitive than others.

You can compare some of the best for 2020 here.  Like the question of whether or not to use a Mac or Windows computer, which DAW you choose is going to be dependent on primarily four things:

• Functionality – particularly the ability to use Punch & Roll for recording and editing.
• Cost/Licensing – Within your budget and ability to install on more than one machine.
• Ease of Use – you are going to have to learn how to effectively use this software.
• Personal Preference – You have to feel comfortable using it.

Most popular DAWS

A few of the most often talked about DAWS I see are:

Presonus Studio One: This is the DAW I use (Artist Version is all you need for Voice Over).  It is relatively inexpensive, easy to learn and there is a huge FaceBook Group available for support, to answer questions and help you get up and running quickly.

Audacity:  This is free open source software you can download.  I am not really familiar with it, but many in the narrator FaceBook groups swear by it.

ProTools: This is a DAW you are likely to find in a professional Studio, it’s very powerful and probably more than you need unless you are also planning to mix and edit music.  There is a free version, but as I understand it the free version does not contain al the tools you’ll need (like P&R) to make your life easier.

These are just three of the bigger DAWs I see talked about a lot.  It is really going to depend on you to decide which one is right for you, there is no one size fits all here.  Do some research online and find the one that fits your needs and your budget.

Editing and Mastering

 One last software plug.  If you are going to be editing and mastering your own files (in other words you will not be hiring a professional engineer to do it for you), I’d recommend getting some mastering software to go along with your DAW.  iZotope RX is one you’ll want to consider.  This software s very powerful and can remove embedded noises in your audio with little or no distortion.  This ABSOLUTELY will make your life easier.  There are different levels, but standard is all you’ll need for editing/mastering your own audio files.  You might need Pro one day if you decide to start editing and mastering files for other people.

I am running Studio One Artist version 5 which works great for me, along with iZotope RX8 Standard.  If you decide to go with this Studio One and/or RX, shoot me a note and I can point you at some resources to help you get up and running quickly.

More in the next installment

Who knew there was SO MUCH to say on the subject of equipment? We are quickly approaching #TLDR territory, so let’s break for now while you research DAWs and computers, and return next week to discuss microphones and audio interfaces.  Till next week!

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!

Please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

Earlier Getting Started in Voice Over Posts.

If you haven’t read the first two articles in the series, take a look now:

Getting Started in Voice Over Part I: You have a GREAT voice!

Getting Started in Voice  Over Part II: Coaching

Recap:

Let’s recap (briefly) parts one and two before we move on to part three: The Recording Booth.

You’ve decided that sitting and talking to yourself in a small enclosed space all day is for you.  You’ve done some research, met some fellow Voice Actors either online through FaceBook or some other way and have chosen yourself a coach to help you through this startup phase.  Now that you have training, what’s next?

Ya gotta have a place!

Sure, you could drop some serious coin and start buying yourself all the cool techie gadgets, but without someplace to record in you are seriously wasting your time.  Chicken…egg.  I say chicken, but who really knows.  What I DO know is now is the time to decide where you are going to be holed up all day, and get it treated.  You’ll have plenty of time later to break the bank on equipment.

A short detour about sound, and why you need a treated space to work in.

In case you didn’t know it, sound reflects off hard surfaces, such as walls, windows, floors, computer monitors and your crazy uncles bald head.  (If you don’t have a crazy uncle, every family does, that probably means it’s you…anyway).  The interesting thing about our ears  is that although generally pretty sensitive they do not appreciably notice those reflections (much) when we are talking to people.  Your brain compensates so that you hear thing clearly.  A microphone on the other hand, at least a good one suitable for working in Voice Over, will faithfully reproduce the sounds and not compensate for reflections.    You can notice this effect though, when you are in an empty room that has several hard surfaces.  These rooms are said to be “live” rooms because of the high reflectivity. (HINT: Live rooms are bad for recording in)

Soft or porous material tends to absorb or “deaden” reflections.  Once you fill the room described earlier with furniture, reflections are reduced.  While these rooms are still not treated well enough, you have probably experienced this effect and can understand.

So, how do you properly treat a room?

Essentially, the short answer is to reduce the number of reflective surfaces as much as possible to “deaden” your recording space.  So, since soft, porous material does that, the way to do it is to cover as much of the reflective surfaces as possible with…you guessed it: soft, porous material!  Easy, right??

Yes and no.

Some material is way better than others for sound  dampening.  So while you COULD  just hang drapes all around you and call it good, it likely wouldn’t be good ENOUGH.  Close though,, perhaps.

So, what DO you use?

The BEST way to treat your room is to use acoustic foam.  This is material specifically designed to reduce reflected sound and some even helps reduce outside sounds from entering your space.   This is also the most expensive method of treating an already built space.  You cold probably get away for less however.

Many people start their Voice Over career using an existing small space in their home.  A really good choice would be a medium size walk in closet that has clothes hanging in it.  The clothes will help deaden reflections, and then you can strategically place foam panels on the remaining reflective surfaces.

While it is possible to effectively treat a large room, like a bedroom converted to an office/studio, it’s best to stick to a smaller space to reduce the cost and complexity of treating it properly.  Being inside a small room within a larger room also helps to reduce outside sounds from getting into your recordings.

But, my wife won’t let me move into her walk-in closet…

If you just don’t have a suitable small closet area, moving blankets are an inexpensive way to help deaden walls in larger rooms.  Just hang them from the ceiling, or build yourself a PVC frame to hang them from and that will help a lot.  This method, though, does nothing to reduce unwanted sounds from entering your recording space (or at least so little it is not worth mentioning).

These methods will work, but are going to require you  to both record during quiet hours AND get pretty good at post production processing to deal with remaining imperfections in your recorded audio.  There are two more expensive, and more effective, methods of creating a suitable recording space..

The DIY recording booth.

This option requires you to have some skills as a builder.  Essentially, what you are doing is building yourself a box within a room.  You’ll want to insulate the walls to help reduce outside sound, and threat the interior walls with acoustic foam.  Leaving an air gap between existing walls, floors and ceilings will also help reduce some sounds. Some other considerations when designing your booth are sources of power and ventilation  as well. There are several online resources for you to get some ideas of plans from, and I’ll list a few here:

Making a DIY Vocal Booth: 7 Plans That You Can Build

WikiHow: How to Build a Recording Booth

Build a Professional Vocal Booth on a 500 Dollar Budget

These are just a couple from a quick google search, in your case you will want to google “DIY recording booth plans” and find the ones that are right for your budget and carpentry skill level

The professional home recording booth

This is the most expensive, and most effective, booth to use when recording from home.  Of course, you can hire a builder to build you a custom recording space, and if you have enough cash this is the VERY  best solution as you not only get a very good recording space but  you can also customize it to fit your personal needs.  There are however several companies that offer professional recording spaces you can buy and just assemble at home:

Vocal Booth (this is the booth I have)

 Whisper Room

Studio Bricks

There are others, but these are the three I see mentioned most often.  Again, google is your friend here.

A note about “sound proofing”

We hear people talk about a “sound proof room”, but the only way to get one of those is to build it from the ground up and it is going to require some very thick (usually concrete) walls.  None of the methods discussed in this article will provide “sound proofing”, however other than the moving blankets, each provides some degree of sound REDUCTION within your booth. The objective is to get your noise floor as low as possible to maximize the difference between the noise floor and the sound you are recording.  This makes removing those stray noises in post easier and will minimize how removing it negatively affects your audio.   Of course, of all the options shown, the professional recording booth you either contract to have built or buy from a manufacturer will have the best sound reduction properties and hence the lowest noise floors.

Thanks for reading, see you next time when I’ll talk about that cool equipment you can buy to put IN your new booth!

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!

Please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

This is the second installment o the “Getting Started” series, so if you haven’t already read Getting Started Part I you should head on over there now before you keep reading.

Let’s recap Part I….

OK, so where were we?

Well, in our last installment, you decided that you were OK with:

• Sitting or standing, alone, in an enclosed space, for several hours a day reading out loud.
• Getting a decent coach who can train and guide you in your focus and your performance
• Buying or making an appropriately treated recording space that minimizes outside noise and reflections.
• Purchasing quality equipment (mic, interface, computer, DAW) to capture your performance (and learning how to properly use it).

So now what?

WHOA…Don’t get too far ahead of yourself here...

Well, you could drop a wad of cash on a booth and some top tier equipment and then sign up for some online casting sites (and drop a wad of cash for them too) and start auditioning right away.  You COULD.  But you really SHOULDN’T.  The average voice over artist is going to book between 3-5% of the jobs they audition for.  AVERAGE.  Perhaps the experienced, well trained and talented artists will book somewhere between 5-20%.  The unexperienced, untrained?  Likely somewhere between 0-2%.  Time is money, and auditioning takes time.  That last category is probably also going to be in the group that only books very low paying gigs (more on that in a later installment) .

Let’s do the maths real quick as an example.  I know, I know, I don’t like maths either, but it is handy to figure out the question of the universe: Is it worth it?

Is this really worth it?

Assuming you book at the upper end of average for a newbie, you’ll book 2% of your auditions.  For every 100 auditions, you’ll book 2 jobs.  Let’s give you the benefit of the doubt and assume each job pays $250.  Also assume you can do 100 auditions a week (this is a BIG assumption, since there may not even be that many opportunities in a week) and you only work a standard 40 hour week (HAHAHAHA – but it simplifies the maths).  So you’ll book $500 worth of work each week, on average on 40 hours of work.

Simple maths:    500/40= $12.50 an hour

That works out to $26,000.00 per year.  Not gonna get rich, and probably have to keep working your day job, which means not having the full 40 hours each week to devote to auditioning.  Which reduces that weekly amount.  Oh, and however much money you’ve spent so far on equipment?  Well, only you can figure the break-even point.

Oh, and don’t forget to subtract: Taxes, bank fees (for accepting credit cards, roughly 3% for sites like paypal, zero if you only want a check mailed), cost of signing up for a Pay to Play (P2P) site…and other expenses.  Let’s round it down to $10 an hour NET, Now you annual take is just under $21,000.00.  And there are other costs that are sort of “hidden” …but we’ll leave that to your Accountant (oh, and you’ll have to pay them too).

Not trying to discourage you, but ask yourself:  Is that worth it?  Maybe, Maybe not.

But to improve those numbers…

It’s worth repeating: GET A COACH!

The first (REAL) step in this journey, before you even enter a booth or plug in a microphone, is to get some training and/or coaching.  If you do an internet searching for VO training, you will be BOMBARDED with a million hits for training in everything from marketing, to business, to accents and beyond.  How in the world do you weed through all of this to find training that will not be a waste of your hard-earned cash (and getting into this business, if you want to do it right, is going to cost some cash up front – just like starting any other business will)?

It’s pretty simple, really (but not easy):  Research.

If you know what genre of voice acting you are interested in, identify some working artists that have been successful and see if they offer coaching or seminars.  If you are totally green here, and don’t really KNOW any successful voice artists to query, there are some ways to find them and I will mention a few below, but before we go down THAT rabbit hole, I need to ask:  Do you even know what genre you are interested in?  More importantly, do you know what genre your voice and present talent level is best suited for?

Let’s take another detour and talk about that for a minute.

There are MANY different genres of voice acting you could be involved in. Early in your career, it is a good idea to focus on one genre(or maybe two) to start with, getting the training/coaching you need so you can start booking gigs at the 3-5% rate and bringing in some revenue to help finance future expansion and maybe buy a hamburger or two – face it, it’s way too early for steak!.

Get connected…

If you don’t really know WHO a good coach might be for a particular genre, one of the best ways I’ve found to “meet” and talk to experienced, working, talent is through FaceBook.  LOTS of voice over groups, but like everything else, some good some bad.  Search FaceBook and look for groups that are active and have several thousand (Yes, THOUSAND…this IS a competitive business) members.  Join a few, then lurk for a couple weeks to get a feel for who is a newbie (like you) and who is an experienced voice over actor.  It’s pretty apparent after a week or so.

Here are a few of my favorites;

Global Voice Over Artists Network.

The VoiceOver Community

VOpreneur

This one is not a FaceBook group (although one of the above is associated with it), but pop on over to Narrators Roadmap as well for a TON of useful information.

There are MANY others, it’s a mixed bag, but these are my go-to groups.  Spend some time there, ask questions (but mind the group rules and always use the search function first – some topics have already been discussed TO DEATH) and generally start to network with other narrators.  My experience (YMMV) is they are a friendly helpful bunch and you can get a LOT of info there.  If you see me there, feel free to say HI and send me a friend request if you like.

Identify one or two people you “click” with, and either peruse their website (What!? You don’t have a professional website yet?  Another expense) or reach out to them individually to find out if they offer any kind of training or coaching (many do).  Usually you can arrange for a free initial consult (15 or 30 minutes) to decide if you are a good fit for each other and come up with a plan to move forward.  Make sure to ask if they would be able to provide an assessment of where you are, what genre is best for you and what your next steps are.  They should also be able to help you decide when it is time to have a professionally produced demo made so that you can market yourself and start pulling down the BIG bucks!

Well, maybe not the big bucks just yet!  Remember:  Behind every “overnight success” story, there are years of working diligently, many failures and many successes along the way.  Keep your head down, keep plugging, be persistent and before you know it it WILL be time for that steak!

Your homework for this week installment is to find yourself a coach.  Next in line will be: “Getting Started Part III: Fixing up a booth”…stay tuned!

Now go do your homework…Get to work!

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!

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YOU Should be a Voice Over Actor!

So, someone has told you that you have a great voice, and ought to be an audiobook narrator. Well, isn’t that nice! Seriously, you should be happy, that’s a compliment!

This happened to me, and coupled with a love for listening to audio books I thought; Yeah, I can do that! So…I did.

If you have listened to any of my four early productions, you’ll notice that: I needed a lot of help. Listen folks, this is NOT like reading a bedtime story to your kids, or soothing your wife to sleep by reading aloud to her. Check out this YouTube video by VO artist, narrator and coach Sean Allen Pratt:

So, you want to be an audiobook narrator!?

Go ahead, try it…I’ll wait.

Still here? GREAT!

(Cue Billy Mays) BUT WAIT! THERE”S MORE!

Get a COACH!

OK, so reading aloud, by yourself for several hours a day…in a closet…seems to be the right fit for you. But there is SO much more to becoming a Voice Over Actor than an ability to self-isolate and read out loud all day.

The world of Voice Over Artists is much wider than JUST audiobooks. From eLearning, to documentary to telephony and commercial. Remember: Any time you can hear someone speaking without seeing them, that is a voice over artist. As you watch television, listen to the radio, complete online training or even try to wend your way through voice prompts to (maybe) actually speak to a human being at your insurance company, make note of the voice you hear, and realize that was a real live human recording those prompts.

You’ll need to be able to bring the text to life, which means you are going to need some acting experience, or coaching. This is a step many overlook when first getting started. Nobody wants to listen a monotone reading of a dramatic book, or even a non-fiction self-help book; can you imagine is Siri was monotone? (Yeah, Siri’s voice is a real person). A narrator needs to be able to bring the story to life. So get yourself a coach. A good coach can help you focus on genre, and give you ways to improve your performance.

You’ll need MORE than your voice!

Next, you’ll need an appropriately treated space to record in that minimizes outside noise and reduces reflected sounds. A microphone is not your ear. Your ear has an ability to filter out low amplitude background noise, but the microphone has no such ability. The microphone, if it is high enough quality for professional voice over work, picks up everything from the sound of your tongue and lips smacking together to form words, to your stomach rumbling because it’s almost lunch (or you just had lunch). Not to mention the sound of your AC kicking on, the low frequency hum of your refrigerator being transmitted through the floor of your house or your VERY inconsiderate neighbor who seems to be aware of when you enter the booth and decides it’s time to pressure wash his house.

Speaking of microphones, you’ll also need high quality recording equipment, and an understanding of how it works and how to use it. No, it is not possible to record professional voice over using the built-in microphone on your laptop, so just stop thinking about that now. In addition to a mic, you’ll need an audio interface, to get the mic signal into something to record it with, which means you’ll also need a computer powerful enough to run a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) smoothly…oh, and you’ll need that DAW as well…which means you’ll have to figure out how to use THAT too!

Are you scared or discouraged about Voice Over yet?

If you are still reading, congratulations; I haven’t scared you off yet. To recap where we are at this point, we understand that as a narrator you are going to need certain things:

1.) The ability to sit or stand, alone, in an enclosed space, for several hours a day reading out loud.
2.) A decent coach who can train and guide you in your focus and your performance
3.) An appropriately treated recording space that minimizes outside noise and reflections.
4.) Quality equipment (mic, interface, computer, DAW) to capture your performance

(Cue Billy) BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!

That’s right, we are not done yet…head over to “ Getting Started in Voice Over Part II” for more discouraging truths about becoming a Voice Over Actor!

 

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!

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