Making a voice over longer at DVinfo.net

Urban Skargren · October 19th, 2013, 01:31 PM

Hello guys

What is the best way to make a voice over last a little longer in editing? When the person talks just a little too fast and I need to cover a little longer portion of video. I am obviously not referring to inserting pauses between sentences.

David W. Jones · October 19th, 2013, 01:41 PM

If you have an editing app like ProTools you can use the time compression/expansion function, but it will only get you so far. The best thing to do is recut the VO at the proper pace.

Urban Skargren · October 19th, 2013, 01:45 PM

Thanks David. Anybody knows similar tools in Soundtrack Pro or Final Cut 10?
I know there is only so much room until you distort the voice.

David W. Jones · October 19th, 2013, 04:37 PM

Soundtrack Pro has time stretch.

Jonathan Levin · October 21st, 2013, 12:23 AM

Can you cut between a sentence or statement, add a little "space" between cut. This is where having a minute of two of recording of just the sound of the room by itself comes in handy I've found.

Rick Reineke · October 21st, 2013, 09:36 AM

"a recording of just the sound of the room by itself"
aka, 'room tone'

Robert Benda · October 21st, 2013, 10:35 AM

Audacity is a nice, free audio editor.

Lay down a track of room tone behind your voice, then insert tiny fractions of a second in between phrases or words, when possible. This only works as voice over.

OR video editors will allow you to stretch/lengthen the audio and it doesn't take much at all to make a noticeable difference. It certainly shouldn't be enough to distort or change the pitch. A second every minute would be a good start. Also good if you want to show the speaker, at least occasionally.

If the speaker was way to fast, I'd do both methods.

David Dixon · October 21st, 2013, 12:27 PM

Yes, FCPX will allow a certain amount of stretching too. Just use the slow/fast motion speed tool and drag the handles just as you would with video - it works also on an audio-only clip. You may be able to stretch 5-8% before it starts sounding too artificial.

Allan Black · October 21st, 2013, 02:23 PM

Sounds like the voice was recorded before the final pix was edited, that's always open to this problem.

So it depends on how long this project is. With a 30sec TV ad, time streching and editing might work, but a 15min doco could easily go awry
and you might not realise it till you've finished it and listened to it right through.

If that's the case, as advised re-record the voice track, you always get a much better reading with proper inflections to fit the picture.

Cheers.

Duane Adam · October 22nd, 2013, 01:29 PM

I'm not sure I would rely on a software program to do this. Inserting pauses between sentences is exactly what I would do if a retake isn't an option. I usually do that anyway to help the dialogue breath.

October 19th, 2013, 01:31 PM	#1
Urban Skargren Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 225	Making a voice over longer Hello guys What is the best way to make a voice over last a little longer in editing? When the person talks just a little too fast and I need to cover a little longer portion of video. I am obviously not referring to inserting pauses between sentences.

October 19th, 2013, 01:41 PM	#2
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	Re: Making a voice over longer If you have an editing app like ProTools you can use the time compression/expansion function, but it will only get you so far. The best thing to do is recut the VO at the proper pace. __________________ David W. Jones www.joneshdfilms.com

October 19th, 2013, 01:45 PM	#3
Urban Skargren Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 225	Re: Making a voice over longer Thanks David. Anybody knows similar tools in Soundtrack Pro or Final Cut 10? I know there is only so much room until you distort the voice.

October 19th, 2013, 04:37 PM	#4
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	Re: Making a voice over longer Soundtrack Pro has time stretch. __________________ David W. Jones www.joneshdfilms.com

October 21st, 2013, 12:23 AM	#5
Jonathan Levin Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois USA Posts: 692	Re: Making a voice over longer Can you cut between a sentence or statement, add a little "space" between cut. This is where having a minute of two of recording of just the sound of the room by itself comes in handy I've found. __________________ "Fearless Fernando Hernandez: A Fighter's Journey"" Jonathan Levin Photography & Video

October 21st, 2013, 09:36 AM	#6
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	Re: Making a voice over longer "a recording of just the sound of the room by itself" aka, 'room tone'

October 21st, 2013, 10:35 AM	#7
Robert Benda Trustee Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Crookston, MN Posts: 1,353	Re: Making a voice over longer Audacity is a nice, free audio editor. Lay down a track of room tone behind your voice, then insert tiny fractions of a second in between phrases or words, when possible. This only works as voice over. OR video editors will allow you to stretch/lengthen the audio and it doesn't take much at all to make a noticeable difference. It certainly shouldn't be enough to distort or change the pitch. A second every minute would be a good start. Also good if you want to show the speaker, at least occasionally. If the speaker was way to fast, I'd do both methods.

October 21st, 2013, 12:27 PM	#8
David Dixon Major Player Join Date: May 2011 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 495	Re: Making a voice over longer Yes, FCPX will allow a certain amount of stretching too. Just use the slow/fast motion speed tool and drag the handles just as you would with video - it works also on an audio-only clip. You may be able to stretch 5-8% before it starts sounding too artificial.

October 21st, 2013, 02:23 PM	#9
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,928	Re: Making a voice over longer Sounds like the voice was recorded before the final pix was edited, that's always open to this problem. So it depends on how long this project is. With a 30sec TV ad, time streching and editing might work, but a 15min doco could easily go awry and you might not realise it till you've finished it and listened to it right through. If that's the case, as advised re-record the voice track, you always get a much better reading with proper inflections to fit the picture. Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

October 22nd, 2013, 01:29 PM	#10
Duane Adam Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Gilroy, CA Posts: 398	Re: Making a voice over longer I'm not sure I would rely on a software program to do this. Inserting pauses between sentences is exactly what I would do if a retake isn't an option. I usually do that anyway to help the dialogue breath.