Help getting that effected "cool radio guy voice".

[HughMann]

Hi guys. I was wondering if anyone would know how to get that thick, WIDE, slightly phased American FM DJ sound ala KROQ. Seeking the kind of sound they have on most modern commercial rock stations in the US. I'd post a sample but I don't know where to get one, sorry. Thanks to whomever can help.

[whomper]

dont know what a thick wide voice is
nor what slightly phased means

perhaps you could record the voice off the radio
and then post it for us to hear

[HughMann]

Hi. As requested here's the sound I'm trying to attain. Thanks if you can help.

[whomper]

i think there is a slight amount of reverb/thickening
but most of it is the way he is talking
he is modifying his voice himself and enunciating very clearly
talking a little bit higher in the throat
and perhaps adding some bass eq / or freq shifting lower

i have never heard a voice like this on commercial fm
not sure what part of the country this is from
but not from a major metro area based on the sound imho
at least not east coast

however the call letters database say kroq is in CA
so maybe it is a west coast thing

the clip said community radio which does not fit the kroq description
which makes me wonder if this is really from them
so maybe it is a country thing

and the clip said starfm which has a different website in montana
as well as there being a starfm student station in scotland

your best bet would be to ask the dj himself what he does to get his sound. he might even tell you.

[HughMann]

Thanks much for your post, but while it's not quite pro radio quality-its the EFFECT I'm looking for, not his style or tone. It is heavily processed in that a mic and a voice doesn't sound anything like that alone. I can definitely hear what you said is going on-but that's only a part of it. If anyone out there does radio imaging you might know what I mean, could you please help out? Thanks!

[whomper]

the effect is the total combination of all the factors
his voice, the way he changes it, the microphone, the fx added whether eq or reverb or shifting, the room, the equipment, etc yada yada.

there will be no one single magic answer that says do (only) this
and you will get that sound

maybe someone else here can add their experience
else - ask the dj !

i do not hear a lot of processing - but maybe it is very subtle.
ask the dj!

[steve]

It's not the type of "sound" that I'm particularly familiar with (radio producers don't tend to go for that type of sound here in the UK) but the main features that I notice:

The main effects on that sample are:
Heavy dynamic compression,
Strong boost of high frequencies,
15 millisecond delay to right channel.

Other "effects" are;
The speakers voice,
The type of microphone (not one that I recognise but I'd guess at a small diaphragm condenser mic of some sort)
Close microphone position.

[kozikowski]

KROQ, or "The World Famous KROQ®" is licensed to Pasadena/Los Angeles. They used to be "famous" for "Love Line" each evening before the team broke up.

I think the majority of the "deep" effect comes from delaying one side with respect to the other. On my speakers, the effect is a major texture shift compared to anything you could do with a straight equalizer or compressor.

Try that. Put down your voice track, split the left and right, push the timing of "Right" late slightly and see how it sounds.

And yes, I hear the FM compressors kicking in and the track is clearly pushed to be very bright and forward even before the delay. Maybe a slight echo in there too. I can't tell.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Here's a trick. My computers play through an entertainment sound system, so on a whim, I faded out the right channel. Left only sounds like an overly bright, compressed voice track. I faded all the way the other way and the same thing. This effect only happens in stereo which is no doubt because of the delays.

Koz