Female voice quality - equalisation advice appreciated

[Bert Coules]

The extra bass rolloff is too sterile and gutless in my opinion.

Thanks. Obviously, tastes (and sound equipment and a lot of other factors) vary, but listening again this morning I tend to agree. Yesterday I wasn't so sure: I think I'd heard so many sonic variations on those damn cows that what critical faculties I have had turned to clotted cream.

So, after nine pages of discussion we've reached a happy (interim) ending. Many thanks again to you Koz, to Trebor, and to mafg1953. I've no idea if anyone else has been following this thread, but if they have, or if anyone reads it at a later date, I hope that something in the chat might prove useful.

I'll report back as to the eventual fate, good or less so, of my friend's audiobook.

Bert

[kozikowski]

If I haven't posted this yet (it's a little rough keeping track of which thread gets what) this is the collected wisdom of how to post a short ACX Audition.

ACX-Auditions.txt

(1.5 KiB) Downloaded 9 times

There was a recent poster that went through the whole "I read the whole book and they rejected everything" business. Don't do that. They will allow you to record and submit a short piece first they call their Audition.

A production note: It's not that unusual for a performer to get rejected for putting the wrong number of seconds of silence before or after each chapter. Wouldn't that be a kick in the head after all that work?

https://www.acx.com/help/acx-audio-subm ... /201456300

But, wait. There's more.

If you do get rejected for a fixable problem, you need to be able to go back to the WAV Edit Master sound files to make corrections and then make a new MP3. You can't edit an MP3 and make a new one. You will violate the ACX compression quality rule.

Koz

[Bert Coules]

If I haven't posted this yet (it's a little rough keeping track of which thread gets what) this is the collected wisdom of how to post a short ACX Audition.

You did in fact post it a few pages back, thanks. Very useful. The advice about the correct length of silences is new and very welcome though.

If you do get rejected for a fixable problem, you need to be able to go back to the WAV Edit Master sound files to make corrections and then make a new MP3...

Again, thanks, but that one I did already appreciate. I keep multiple backups of all files (audio or otherwise) before I start mucking them about.

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Just a quick incidental note: my reader reports this morning that the second laptop, which yesterday was accepting the Rode mic flawlessly, today isn't recognising it - the same problem as with her other machine. Both are Macs and both are running Quicktime.

She's switching to Audacity.

[kozikowski]

today isn't recognising it

There's two versions of "recognizing it." The Mac has to know it's there.

Apple (upper left) > System Preferences > Sound > Input. There is also a bouncing light sound meter as a check.

Then, if that's OK, Launch Audacity and see if the microphone appears next to the microphone symbol.

There is a caution here. The Mac will automatically connect to a microphone freshly plugged in, but Audacity won't. Plug in the microphone First and Then start Audacity. You can also Audacity > Transport > Rescan...

If you have a ratty USB connection or there's something wrong with the cable, this failure will drive you to a nice quiet resthome somewhere in the country.

"I don't know where it went. It was there a second ago."

Koz

[Bert Coules]

There is a caution here. The Mac will automatically connect to a microphone freshly plugged in, but Audacity won't.

That's a good warning, thanks. Presumably the test will come once the laptop is switched off and on again...

Bert

[kozikowski]

Presumably the test will come once the laptop is switched off and on again...

Let us know how it goes.

Koz

[Bert Coules]

Let us know how it goes.

My friend reports no problems with the Rode mic being recognised.

She sent me a new test, recorded with Audacity. The basic quality is as before but there's distortion on and after the word "and" (3 seconds from the start). Is she still working too close? I'd be grateful for any thoughts as to the cause.
.

New test 18th July 2020.wav

(481.59 KiB) Downloaded 19 times

Many thanks.

[kozikowski]

I don't hear any distortion at "and," roughly four seconds, but I do hear some odd recording-in-a-box tones. Was this environment or studio changed from the last time? I don't recall this effect, other than the first samples which had heavy room reverberation.

Is this one of the DeVerb plugins standing in for the padded wall?

Koz

[Bert Coules]

...I do hear some odd recording-in-a-box tones. Was this environment or studio changed from the last time?

I'll check, but I doubt it.

Is this one of the DeVerb plugins standing in for the padded wall?

I'm not familiar with the DeVerb plugins and I'd be amazed if my reader has added anything to Audacity, but again, I'll check.

As you said (several times) the joy of working in isolation...

Bert