VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

sandyg · Guest

I'm a newby to audio and a recent convert to a voice-over talent. I'm registered on a few internet sites that gather potential voice-over jobs from voice-over seekers. These could be local merchants, regional or national corporations.
Anyway, I've established an in-home setup to record the ad copy that talent seekers have posted and want to hear via MP3 files.
My setup is simple. I've a very good condenser mic linked into an M-Audio MobilePre USB preamp and Iuse Goldwave as my recording software.

I'm generally pleased with Goldwave. My problem is that no matter what I do, my voice retains a slight reverberation, like I'm in a pipe.
I've tried about everything including changing my preamp at least three times.
I'm situated in a spare room in my home with the recording equipment attached to my PC. The only thing I haven't tried is soundproofing. And, to be honest, I really don't want to go through a large expense to add this. If this is the problem and I can erect some sort of screen around me that will work, I'll consider this, but soundproofing an entire room is out of the question. HELP!

If anyone has any ideas, on any of this, please let me know.
Frown

Sandy G

tackerman · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:11 am Post subject:

http://www.vo-bb.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1604

Philip Banks · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:13 am Post subject:

Without hearing the problem it's difficult to advise, feel free to email me a sample. My guess is it's room noise and the problem can easily be solved by the use of thick duvets (quilts) placed around you, working closer to the mic with the gain a little lower.

sandyg · Guest

I really like the idea posted by Tom Voice. For my situation, two items remain a problem. At least, I foresee it that way.
First, I need to be able to use my PC while I'm recording to start, edit, playback, and rerecord, if necessary. If I could set this up within such an enclosure, it might work.
Second, I almost hate to acknowledge it, but I'm 71 yrs old. Believe me, I'm not a doting old guy, but carrying three doors, hinged together with the added weight of carpeting and foam squares could prove to be too weighty for me. I'm wondering if such a setup could be based on something less weighty.
Obviously, I'll consider any and all suggestions.

Banksey:I'd attach a sample of my current problem if I could see(on this site) how to make an MP3 file attachment. I know how to do it but don't see where I'm given the opportunity.

Thanks guys!!

Sandy G Uncertain

tackerman · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:00 pm Post subject:

Sandy G,

There's a board member that built a smaller table top sound enclosure. Does anyone remember who it was or have a link to that thread?

Hart, was that you?

Deirdre · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: Soundproofing (continued)

Hart · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:24 pm Post subject:

Philip Banks · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:35 pm Post subject:

Here's how Sandy is sounding. Room noise is there and so much more!!!

www.thecorporatevoice.com/sandysprob.mp3

BenWils · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:19 pm Post subject:

Good voice....must have been in the barber chair from what I can hear. Sounds like a mic/software issue and a bouncy room.
_________________
Ben

"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap."

Hart · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:20 pm Post subject:

Sandy,

Did you by chance run this file through a noise reduction filter?
_________________
Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

Tom Greenlee · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:31 pm Post subject:

Brian.....I am wondering the same thing. When I used to have noise problems, I used to run my files through Goldwave noise reduction, and that is exactly....EXACTLY how they would come out when it was too much noise reduction. The sound like your speaking into a tube and that funky electronic multi tone sound in the background.
Sandy, you are using too much noise reduction. If you have to use noise reduction, or hiss removal or whatever, you have to use a lesser setting.
_________________
TG2

"Communication without intelligence is noise; Intelligence without communication is irrelevant."

Gen. Alfred. M. Gray, USMC
Former Commandant of the Marine Corps

Hart · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I think so too.

It would probably be more helpful to hear a raw file so we get a sense of the room. Short answer is you need to deaden the space and this doesn't have to be expensive. As Phil suggested, you could try hanging quilts on the walls for starters.
_________________
Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

billelder · Guest

It sound like the computer audio is re-feeding itself back into the recording. Almost like you have the output of the computer on a mixer channel and have it turned up to hear your playback. Typically the playback needs to be through a return or send on the mixer so it won't interfere with the recording quality. Try turning the mixer level all the way down on your mixer and see if that helps.

sandyg · Guest

You guys are simply terrific! I sincerely appreciate the time you've spent answering me. I would request, however, that you refrain from using audio jargon since this terminology means nothing to me. It only adds to my confusion, trying to make sense out of what's being said.

I'm going to attempt to give you the scenario of what I've been doing.

After I've recorded through Goldwave, I click the Noise Reduction Icon and use its drop down Preset window to select Initial Noise or Reduce Hum. I don't know how to make changes with the Settings or Point section under this icon. From there, I've usually gone to the Compression/Expansion Icon and select Reduce Peaks, again from the Preset drop down menu. (I do this because, on another website forum, months ago, this was the advice I received). Has it worked? NO!! I'll accept all suggestions to work this out.

In my previous e-mail, I said that I use an "M-Audio" brand USB MobilePre premp/ interface. If you're not familiar with this, I've attached a website that will show you all about it:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOMOBILEPRE

In using this, I've kept the gain knob set below the level of where I see the green diode flickering. If I would set it to the threshhold of where it flickers, the knob would be set at about 2 o'clock, Don't you think that's much too high?
Anyway, this doesn't require a mixer. Don't ask this lay person why, since you won't get a reasonable answer.

I have a friend who owns a styrofoam business. I intend to contact him about my accoustic problems. I'm sure that this is a sizeable piece of the solution. However, I'll accept (and try) all suggestions that may solve this recording problem outside of the styrofoam part.

I'll follow any directions to get me to resolve this, even a stepwise diagram.

Thanks again guys...and ladies!

Sandy G Undecided

donrandall · Guest

Sandy, it was probably me that suggested using the "Reduce Peaks" preset in Goldwave's built in "Compressor/Expander". I believe I suggested that you use it in the event that most of your wave is consistently around -4 or -5 but you can't boost the volume due to a few stray spikes that peak much higher. This is not the same as heavy compression, this is merely some minor clean up when necessary. This should only be done after the noise filter has been used.

The noise filter in Goldwave is outstanding, but can only do so much - I have others and I don't even bother with 'em anymore. None of them gives me results that are equal to what I get from Goldwave. I believe that Togglehead from the other forum drove over to visit you in an effort to assist, perhaps you did not get around to discussing the "Reduce Noise" feature because you were fighting the problems with your Tascam Digital Interface. So, here is a suggestion. Before you begin recording your voice track, open your mic and allow whatever ambient room noise that exists to record for about a full second (Important: No Other Noise. No talking, no breathing, no nothin'. Anything else will deceive the noise filter). Select one second or so of room noise and copy it. Now open "Noise Reduction" and select "Use Clipboard" and then click "OK". If the result is not good enough, find the "Redo" button and click it. Now, open "Reduce Noise" again and look for "FFT Size" and change that from "11" to "12" and click "Use Clipboard" and then "OK". Generally, that would be all that is needed, but there is a little more experimentation possible with the settings in the noise filter if you care to play around a bit.

I listened to the audio that Banksey posted for you, and I must warn you that the noise filter is designed to attenuate (reduce) constant noise and not the little transients (chirps and peeps and ticks and clicks and pops) that may show up. When you use a filter, you are removing or reducing or altering all sounds within that frequency range - some of which may be the actual signal that you are recording, meaning your voice. That is why the others are advising you to use the minimum amount of filtering possible. You can use less (or more) than 100% by selecting "Scale" - use the up or down arrow to adjust.

I can suggest some setting for downward expansion and noise gating if you like. Just say the word and I'll post them for you.

Good luck, Sandy!