Firstly, I hope everyone is keeping safe and well during this awful time and if anyone has family/friends/co-workers who have been affected by Covid-19 my thoughts are with you all - I hope you remian safe and well.
Okay, so I have decided I want to do a podcast and the first thing I want to get right is the sound, now I, like so many hate the sound of my voice played back and I realise that will hopefully pass - my question is what post production effects would give my sound a better sound if any (yes I also realise that this is very broad as what one person likes another won’t)
Basically I recorded some audio into a Rode NT1-A mic using a Focusrite 2i2 into my laptop - I haven’t applied any effects as i’m actually still learning Audacity so only know the very basics at the moment.
What I found was when I listened to it back just through the laptop with no focusrite it sounded really reverby and not like it sounds when play back is going through the Focusrite.
Any tips with I can do?
At first I was after that classic ‘Radio Presenter’ sound but I think i’ll just be happy with a clean sound that’s audiable and that people won’t switch off
I also adjusted my mic to be higher as when i sit down I slouch so I thought i’d have the mic level with my mouth with me upright - not sure it makes a difference to sound but will defo help with my posture anyway )) ( i’m also about 2 fists away from the mic, using a pop shield)
i’ll just be happy with a clean sound that’s audiable and that people won’t switch off
Good choice.
Most P-Popping and mouth errors go in front of your lips or downward, so if you can put the microphone in front or slightly high, you can avoid most of them. Note many home microphones come with little three-legged desk stands that put the microphone in the worst place possible.
Step one. Go into Windows and turn off all the processing, tools, filters, enhancements etc. Windows comes out of the box set for communications, chat and conferencing. Not theater.
What’s your studio like? Many people recoil at the “S” word, thinking a glassed-in booth with a control room and a recording engineer. Those are nice, but you can do really well with furniture moving quilts and plastic pipes. You can even do it on your kitchen table.
I applied Audiobook Mastering and your work passes the technical standards for ACX Acceptance. Boop. Just like that. You should be able to get rid of the room echoes with moving quilts (or Windows adjustments).
This can still go into the mud because the tools and effects interact, but so far, it’s looking good.
It’s a New User mistake to naturally assume you need to apply a long list of effects, filters, and corrections to make everything OK. If you have a reasonable microphone in a quiet, echo-free room, you can announce in good story-telling style and master your work for publication.
The 2i2 has place for headphones, right? Do that. You can get around a lot of volume problems by just listening to yourself (you get used to it). Any volume problems caused by emphasis or backing away from the microphone is immediately obvious and easy to correct.
There’s other tricks, too. Clap or toy clicker when you make a mistake so you can find it later when you go back in post-production editing. Correct the speech right then. DOn’t wait tiii… Donmpt wiff…!@#$% … [clap] Don’t wait and try to match your voice three days later.
The people with the long list of corrections have serious recording problems and while it is sometimes possible to correct them all, reading a book or other performance can be a career move with all the digital work needed.
It’s fashionable to set up for Punch and Roll and try to perform a correcting edit right then. I’m not in that camp. It takes you right out of the story. You need to flip from Performer to Editor and then back to Performer again. Then: “OK, now where was I.”
I think making a verbal correction while you’re still in the same breath has a lot going for it.
I have seen performers that make an insane number of errors reading simple text. There’s a general rule that editing takes five times the length of the show. I assume editing for them takes a lot longer.
When you get done recording a show, errors and all, Export a WAV or save a Lossless Audacity Project as a backup. It’s a new user mistake to record, edit and publish all in one pass. You learn what a mistake that is the first time Something Happens, Audacity crashes and takes your show with it. Back to the microphone unless you have backups.
Yes I guess it is a newbie mistake to assume you need to add loads of effects, another skill I need to learn is simply getting used to talking, in a convo it’s fine it just flows but sitting with headphones on sat on your own it’s not natural to me - again this will be something I adjust too.
In My Opinion, the great leap happens when you take your environment out of the performance. Even with the video people, nothing says “newbie reader” quite like recording your voice in a bathroom. Or worse, your picture and sound don’t match.
One on-line doctor did a world of good for credibility by simply adding a good microphone to his podcasts instead of trying to use the microphone in the camera.
This isn’t universal. I read one poster that hated the sterile, no environment sound in published works.
)) ( i’m also about 2 fists away from the mic, using a pop shield)