General improvements for voice acting?

[cruelflames]

So I have a bunch of raw dialogues from my VA that I'll like to process and optimise.

Could anyone take a look at this raw audio sample in general and recommend some improvements that can be made?

I have already applied dynamic compression and noise reduction, but there is always this inherent fuziness in the audio.
I suppose this can't be helped much, but are there any techniques to at least 'clear' it?

[kozikowski]

Now go back and send the performance without you helping it. Raw performance. Koz

[cruelflames]

Maybe you misunderstood me.

The attached file is the raw recording. No effects, no alterations.

What I tried to do is to do noise removal and compression on a copy of that recording, but it didn't work as well as I had hoped.

I was hoping a more experienced soul would take a look at the unedited file and tell how to optimise it.

[kozikowski]

Sorry. People insist on posting their correction work and wanting to know if we can further improve it. I need to wait until I'm in front of a good sound system. Koz

[kozikowski]

Can you produce a longer piece? Either use FLAC or a 320 quality MP3. There's instructions how to post files.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 49&t=72887

Include silences between sentences.

What is the show? Podcast? Audio CD? Narration for a video?

Koz

[Trebor]

Could anyone take a look at this raw audio sample in general and recommend some improvements that can be made?

I have already applied dynamic compression and noise reduction, but there is always this inherent fuziness in the audio.
I suppose this can't be helped much, but are there any techniques to at least 'clear' it?

IMO Needs more treble which will make the speech clearer, less muddy, (less fuzzy?) ...

suggested equalization 'curve'.gif (26.25 KiB) Viewed 2319 times

audio sample, before-after suggested equalization.mp3

(139.59 KiB) Downloaded 153 times

However the cracking, ( e.g. the first 0.07 seconds, due to a dodgy mic), isn't readily fixable in Audacity.

[cruelflames]

Thanks! I'll try out the treble boost and see if they work.

I can upload the full piece, however it is only has repetitions of that same line. Here's another line if you want more.
These are recorded for use in voice acting for a Skyrim mod.

[kozikowski]

I hear room in there.

Overall, the clips are very clear (except for the overload point), and you can probably benefit from crispening up with the EQ offered, but you may do well to throw some soundproofing in. I can almost tell the size of room you're recording in. It's very subtle. It's a very delicate version of this:

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/clips/EchoSample.mp3

Not that bad, of course, but if you're supposed to fit into a theatrical presentation, you have to come with Just You and no echoes or other room sound errors. I can also hear some possibly fan noises in there, but you have to really dig for it and they're not a serious problem, particularly if you speak over music or other effects.

Regard the following sound shoot. Don't freak, I know you're not doing anything like this, but see the heavy, doubled-over blanket on the table to eliminate the table "slap" sound. Also see the funny half-round thing behind the right-hand microphone. That's an echo suppressor and helps to take the wall echoes out of the shoot.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/ ... dShoot.jpg

You can get a similar effect by piling a quilt over a cardboard box behind the microphone.

I'm recording in a sound proof conference room, so I'm being completely obsessive. The client loved the shoot.

You're in the good news/bad news area. You have a very good voice track. You left the newbie problems a long time ago, and now have to worry about those little nit-picky things to turn it into an excellent track.

This was another theatrical sound shoot I did. Voice track for a cartoon. I had a quiet room but it had echoes.

http://www.kozco.com/pictures/boothFini ... op-mic.jpg

Koz

[cruelflames]

Thanks a bunch for these tips!

Hehe, I'm not the voice actor myself, but I'll be sure to pass these along to my VA. I'm sure she'll appreciate them

[Trebor]

Thanks! I'll try out the treble boost and see if they work.
... Here's another line if you want more.

If you use treble boost equalization you may have to de-ess ...

full audio sample 3 , NR, EQ, de-ess , noise-gate.flac

(505.03 KiB) Downloaded 76 times

Spitfish is a free de-esser plugin which works in Audacity.