Voice acting and recording production.

[BORNintoMUSIC]

I have a friend that recently moved to California to pursue his dream as a voice actor. Ever since he moved we've been speaking to each other about getting his portfolio started. Since I have a passion to produce/record/engineer, I'm very excited to help him in his en devour.

I bring this thread to the forum in hopes to be enlightened about some of the aspects of long distance recording, general voice engineering/producing, and techniques.

Basically I'm getting him started with a Shure Beta57, going into a Emu 1212m sound card via a xlr to quarter inch cable. He will be using Cubase SX 3 to record himself. Then he will email me the sound files recorded by Cubase.

One question that I had was that I am currently using Cubase 4. If he send me those files from Cubase SX3 and I try to send it back to him, he will be unable to reopen them in 3, correct? I should probably start using 3 again then.

Otherwise I was just hoping to get some input about long distance recording and your guys' experience with it. Also is that good hardware to get my friend started?

Thanks for your help!,
Brandon

[sfxman]

First off, a Beta 57 just won't cut it. YOu need a decent condenser to start with....there are more affordable options now than ever, but a 57 is for loud instruments, live vox, guitars, etc. YOu want definition. Don't know about the Cubase issue. Am on PT. Good luck!

[brandondrury]

First off, a Beta 57 just won't cut it.

This depends highly on the voice and the work he is doing. It's impossible to say that the 57 won't cut it until we've heard the clip. Although, I must admit that the Beta 57 is not the most popular mic for this application.

Ironically, the Shure SM7 is used for voiceovers all the time. Again, it depends on what the voiceover is though.

Cubase is great about allowing a person to open sessions from older versions. Instead of guessing on a forums, why don't you just try it. Worst case, it's not like he's going to have 40 tracks of voiceover. I'd be surprised if it was more than one very often. So he could always export one wave file and send it to you.

Of course, I'm not really sure what you are going to do to it. I guess you'll compress it and MAYBE eq it. The biggest part of the audio engineering process in this case is selecting the right mic, the right distance from source, etc. You are missing out on all that. Really, it sounds like you are just "mixing" it.

Brandon

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

Cubase is great about allowing a person to open sessions from older versions. Instead of guessing on a forums, why don't you just try it. Worst case, it's not like he's going to have 40 tracks of voiceover. I'd be surprised if it was more than one very often. So he could always export one wave file and send it to you.
Of course, I'm not really sure what you are going to do to it. I guess you'll compress it and MAYBE eq it. The biggest part of the audio engineering process in this case is selecting the right mic, the right distance from source, etc. You are missing out on all that. Really, it sounds like you are just "mixing" it.

Brandon

I've just recently learned of OMF files. Apparently they are universal with most programs and can be used flawlessly. Are there any downsides to using this type of file?

[brandondrury]

Not sure. I've never used them. Anytime I've worked with files from other studios, I simpy rendered down individual wav files.

Brandon

[sfxman]

In the post world, OMFs are used to transfer edited sessions from Avid and Final Cut Pro to Pro Tools and other DAWS for mixing. It seems the simplest thing for you is, as Brandon said, to bounce wavs, no? I assume we're talking a single track coming from your friend and perhaps a stereo file going back. Seems that would be the easiest route. YOu can always use an FTP server or Idisk, if you have it. There are other free file sharing sites out there as well.

As for the 57, all I can say is that I've never ever ever used a dynamic microphone for any sort of professional broadcast voice-over application in the last 10 years. The reason your friend is going to need a large diaphragm condensor is because VO is about clarity and nuance. That's not to say that your friend needs a Neumann U87, as a cheaper facsimile will certainly do for creating a demo. But you've got to remember that your competition will be using large diaphragm condensors, and the quality of the voice, especially when faced with the fierce competition in the VO world, is not something to be overlooked. You want to present your best face to a producer on a demo, because its far too easy to hit the "next track" button when faced with a recording that is sonically inferior than the rest...even though the voicework may be a cut above, people are irrational. I don't mean to sound harsh here either...just have to tell it like it is.

[brandondrury]

a recording that is sonically inferior than the rest

You are passing your subjective opinions off as objective fact. There is absolutely no evidence to support the notion that the tone of a condenser mic will always be superior. The SM7 is VERY popular for vocals and voiceover and I'd bet that there are WAY more pro voiceover tracks that use the SM7 than most people realize. To call the SM7 "inferior" is ridiculous in my opinion.

A great example is the Howard Stern show. (It's been a while since I've watched the show) Howard Stern had a Neumann or whatever. Robin has a SM7. Arty had a RE 20. With the exception of the boomy bottom end of the Neumann that I don't care for AT ALL, I don't hear any difference in objective fidelity. Arty and Robin certainly do not sound inferior. They don't sound "cheap".

Now if you want that Morgan Freedman voice over sound like you hear in March Of The Penguins, you will probably have to go condensor. However, it's not as simple as that. I have a Soundelux U99 that I've used many many times. When I watched March of the Penguins, I can't saying "How did they get that voiceover sound? It's GREAT!!!".

Condensers are over rated in many applications. You will get more boominess and more sibilance out of a condenser typically. 99% of all cheap condensers are excessively bright / thin / brittle. On top of all this, there is still the issue of matching a mic to your specific voice. Because condensor mics often have this "enhancing" quality, it's a 50/50 guess whether a given condenser will enhance the right or wrong part of your voice. My voice has A LOT more 2K in it than most people I've dealt with. When I get in front of my U99 for my VERY amateur voiceover work, I've not been happy with it. That 2K area of my voice gets out of control and the results are not good. I sound WAY better with a SM7 than I do with a Soundelux U99.

Brandon

[sfxman]

Brandon,

I totally respect your opinion here. I've just never liked the tonality and response of any dynamic mic for VO, and if money were no option, I would always reccomend the higher end condenser for the absolute best sound. Of course the signal chain and the engineer have a tremendous amount to do with the end product as well. Not to mention the guy/gal behind the mic.

Have never used an SM7 personally, but hey if people like it, so be it. MY concern with the original poster was in regards to the "Beta 57", which I would certainly shy from when there is a bevvy of better mics at comparable prices for the job. BTW, here's a great link for a MIC shootout for VO. This might help out a bit.

http://www.vocalimpactmedia.com/SoundStorage.html

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Have never used an SM7 personally, but hey if people like it, so be it. MY concern with the original poster was in regards to the "Beta 57", which I would certainly shy from when there is a bevvy of better mics at comparable prices for the job. BTW, here's a great link for a MIC shootout for VO. This might help out a bit.

Thanks! I'll check the link out. I appreciate your guys' help.

Brandon

[Baron]

Originally Posted by sfxman

As for the 57, all I can say is that I've never ever ever used a dynamic microphone for any sort of professional broadcast voice-over application in the last 10 years.

I think that you will find that the RE20 is the industry standard for voice work. Radio, TV, race callers and sports casters have been using these for years.

If you have a nice vocal room with decent sound isolation then the adoption of a nice condenser can supply excellent results.

If you have less than ideal conditions then the adoption of an RE20 or an SM7 is preferable.

I would still give the SM57 beta a go as you might be surprised with the results. The Beta has more top end and sounds brighter than the standard SM.
Make sure he uses a pop screen to help maintain a consistent mouth to mic distance.

Baron