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I& #39;ve had a lot of enquiries about home studio setup from clients old and new recently. So, to all #actors out there who are looking to set up a home studio in lockdown and venture out into the world of #voiceover work, here is a thread of Useful Advice 1/17
First up, my talented home studio-expert sound engineer friend @bee_productive has written an article about how to set up a #homestudio during lockdown https://b-double-e.co.uk/2020/03/31/setting-up-a-voiceover-studio-during-a-lock-down/">https://b-double-e.co.uk/2020/03/3... 2/17
If you& #39;re setting up a studio because your #voice or #acting #agent is getting you work, there& #39;s a good chance you& #39;ll need to be directed remotely. Source Connect is preferred by many clients, and @georgethetech has a great how to guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlqpurDQkfA">https://www.youtube.com/watch... 3/17
#Audiobook narrators (new and experienced) recording from home for the first time will want to have a read of this excellent advice by @HelenLloydAudio for @EquityAudio https://www.equityaudio.org/ ">https://www.equityaudio.org/">... 4/17
Not sure what mic to get? Everybody& #39;s voice - and recording space - is very different. Cheap mics sound cheap and high-end mics need high-spec studios. Check out @BoothJunkie& #39;s mic shootouts for honest real-time comparisons in a real voice booth https://youtu.be/VBH_sBrXpDo ">https://youtu.be/VBH_sBrXp... 5/17
For more mic comparison, @GravyForBrain have a nice clear article with comparisons between a wide range of mics, with prices in US $. You don& #39;t need to spend ££££ to get a decent VO mic https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/the-best-microphone-for-voice-over/">https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/the-best-... 6/17
Do those portable "voice booth" solutions - reflection filters, eyeballs, small padded boxes - actually work? They& #39;ll never be a complete alternative to a properly treated space or booth as they don& #39;t completely control the sound. 7/17
You& #39;ll still hear your voice reflecting off the walls (and ceiling, and floor) that you& #39;re not facing. They can be used WITH additional acoustic treatment to create a more absorbent recording space - though I personally don& #39;t recommend the eyeball-type foam covers 8/17
Acoustic treatment, also known as sound treatment is DIFFERENT from sound proofing. Sound PROOFING is isolating a space from the outside world - so you can& #39;t hear train rumbles, birds, planes, your kids, and more importantly, neither can your mic. 9/17
Sound TREATMENT or acoustic treatment will absorb the sounds you make inside the space so that your voice doesn& #39;t reflect off the walls (echoey). Acoustic tiles, acoustic blankets, duvets, soft furnishings, can all act as sound treatment. They won& #39;t stop sound getting in! 10/17
Commercial studios spend £££££+ on sound proofing, usually by having floating floors with a nice absorbent air gap. For home studios, you can invest in a professional prebuilt voice booth like a Kube, Esmono, Studiobricks or similar which cost upwards of £3K 11/17
Obviously this is an expensive solution. The alternative: make the space surrounding your studio as quiet as possible. Record in a room away from exterior walls & windows. Record late at night or early morning. Negotiate with family & neighbours to reduce external noise. 12/17
Interfaces: the box that goes between your mic and computer. Focusrite do a good range of USB interfaces aimed at VO artists, as well as packages that include mics and pop shields. The Focusrite Solo is under £90, or for a bit more you can get the Focusrite 2i2 13/17
Software: what editing software is best? This depends on your experience and skills. The most popular entry-level editor for VO is Audacity (free). Many pro VOs move into Adobe Audition (not free), another option is Reaper (more complex). Comparison: https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/voiceover-software-reviews-top-recommendations/">https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/voiceover... 14/17
As well as setting up your space, mic, pop shield, interface, cables, software, headphones and remote direction solution, you& #39;ll also want to learn how to use everything. You have to be your own engineer as well as the voice actor. Online tutorials are your friend. 15/17
Be realistic about the studio space you can create and the services you can offer professionally as a result. VO is a very crowded market and there are a lot of full-time VOs who have already invested in broadcast-quality home studios and sound engineering skills. 16/17
Directors & producers will often do a sound test of your studio before recording. Be honest about your setup, and understand that sound quality will be a factor in casting for remote recordings. You need a professional-sounding studio to book professional work. 17/17
