Achieving a voiceover with existing kit at DVinfo.net

Matthew Ingram · January 1st, 2007, 01:23 PM

Hi there,

I'm a newbie to camera-work though a seasoned Post-Production geek.

Kit-wise i've a DVX100 camera a Sennheiser Wireless Lav and a Sennheiser ME66.

I'd been trying to achieve the sound to this:

http://www.woebot.tv

by wiring the lav inside the CRT-monitor/helmet that i wear, however I picked up a lot of reverberation withing the helmet itself. Obviously a shotgun mike on a c-stand point at me would come to the same problem the other way around, my voice would appear muffled as it issued from inside the helmet. Please bear with me, I'm sure all this must appear hopelessly eccentric.

I got to thinking I'd be better laying down the voiceover first. Playing it back and then acting it out gesturally. This would allow me the ability to appear to move around more and "act" more dynamically. Obviously becase my face is hidden there are no issues with lipsynch.

-

Anyway I have the two Mics listed and wondered whether they'd enable me to record a nice, strong, clear voiceover if there was someway I could configure them to get such a voiceover. I know that perhaps technically they aren't suitable.

I've read here alot about the combination of Tube Mics and Tube Preamps. Is this the way I should go? Can anyone reccomend me a cheap-ish set of these? Or would another stand-alone Mic do the trick. Would the ME64, which I could plug into my K6 base, deliver a better quality than the ME66? Or even, if I get it right, would a combination of my omni-lav and the ME66 get me a decent enough result.

Thanks in advance.

Bill Davis · January 1st, 2007, 06:25 PM

Matthew,

On my system, the voiceover you referenced sounds heavily compressed, and overly processed with clipped word suffixes and a kind of a werid phase shifting sound quality. Is this your goal? Or are you really trying to achieve a clean, professional narration sound?

If so, there are three factors in play. The performance (the voice talent), the recording environment and the recording gear used. This may surprise you, but of the three, your recording gear is probably the least important.

Generally, the performance is the most critical - because a fabulous recording of a lousy narration is stil gonna be lousy.

Surprisingly, the recording environment is the next in importance.
Take the best equipment money can buy, but set it up in a space that's reverberant, echoy, or one that has whirring computer fan noise, RF interference problems or other audio challenges - and your recording will be poor at best.

But take a good talent, put them in a decently prepared recording space, and even with very basic equipment you can get an excellent narration recording.

Once you have a clean, well recorded track, a little compression or level control is typically all you'll need to make it sound great.

Good luck.

(advice from someone who's done more than 2000 professional voiceovers!)

Matthew Ingram · January 2nd, 2007, 02:21 AM

thanks bill

no i was definitely NOT striving to achieve that effect, but believe it or not it sounds better after processing than it did in the first instance...

so you don't think i need to invest in a different microphone? you think with my me66 i'll manage? good!

i found this advice elsewhere on the forum for using an me66 to record a voice-over.

"Place the tip about 45 degrees to either side of
the mouth and at a distance of about three inches from the mouth."

should i put a duvet over my head? would that help reduce any background noise and reflections?

Douglas Spotted Eagle · January 2nd, 2007, 02:32 AM

Shotguns, when used as you've said you're using it, generally work well for V/O in rooms that aren't super reflective.
This link shows how to build a cheap box.
http://www.audiosmartactors.com/Art6.htm is a good one too, by VASST instructor Jeffrey Fisher.

Matthew Ingram · January 2nd, 2007, 02:42 AM

the eagle has landed!

thanks very much douglas. i'll check that out straight away.

January 1st, 2007, 01:23 PM	#1
Matthew Ingram New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 8	Achieving a voiceover with existing kit Hi there, I'm a newbie to camera-work though a seasoned Post-Production geek. Kit-wise i've a DVX100 camera a Sennheiser Wireless Lav and a Sennheiser ME66. I'd been trying to achieve the sound to this: http://www.woebot.tv by wiring the lav inside the CRT-monitor/helmet that i wear, however I picked up a lot of reverberation withing the helmet itself. Obviously a shotgun mike on a c-stand point at me would come to the same problem the other way around, my voice would appear muffled as it issued from inside the helmet. Please bear with me, I'm sure all this must appear hopelessly eccentric. I got to thinking I'd be better laying down the voiceover first. Playing it back and then acting it out gesturally. This would allow me the ability to appear to move around more and "act" more dynamically. Obviously becase my face is hidden there are no issues with lipsynch. - Anyway I have the two Mics listed and wondered whether they'd enable me to record a nice, strong, clear voiceover if there was someway I could configure them to get such a voiceover. I know that perhaps technically they aren't suitable. I've read here alot about the combination of Tube Mics and Tube Preamps. Is this the way I should go? Can anyone reccomend me a cheap-ish set of these? Or would another stand-alone Mic do the trick. Would the ME64, which I could plug into my K6 base, deliver a better quality than the ME66? Or even, if I get it right, would a combination of my omni-lav and the ME66 get me a decent enough result. Thanks in advance.

January 2nd, 2007, 02:32 AM	#4
Douglas Spotted Eagle VASST Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockton, UT Posts: 5,648	Shotguns, when used as you've said you're using it, generally work well for V/O in rooms that aren't super reflective. This link shows how to build a cheap box. http://www.audiosmartactors.com/Art6.htm is a good one too, by VASST instructor Jeffrey Fisher. __________________ Douglas Spotted Eagle/Spot Author, producer, composer Certified Sony Vegas Trainer http://www.vasst.com

January 1st, 2007, 06:25 PM	#2
Bill Davis Trustee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Posts: 1,538	Matthew, On my system, the voiceover you referenced sounds heavily compressed, and overly processed with clipped word suffixes and a kind of a werid phase shifting sound quality. Is this your goal? Or are you really trying to achieve a clean, professional narration sound? If so, there are three factors in play. The performance (the voice talent), the recording environment and the recording gear used. This may surprise you, but of the three, your recording gear is probably the least important. Generally, the performance is the most critical - because a fabulous recording of a lousy narration is stil gonna be lousy. Surprisingly, the recording environment is the next in importance. Take the best equipment money can buy, but set it up in a space that's reverberant, echoy, or one that has whirring computer fan noise, RF interference problems or other audio challenges - and your recording will be poor at best. But take a good talent, put them in a decently prepared recording space, and even with very basic equipment you can get an excellent narration recording. Once you have a clean, well recorded track, a little compression or level control is typically all you'll need to make it sound great. Good luck. (advice from someone who's done more than 2000 professional voiceovers!)

January 2nd, 2007, 02:21 AM	#3
Matthew Ingram New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 8	thanks bill no i was definitely NOT striving to achieve that effect, but believe it or not it sounds better after processing than it did in the first instance... so you don't think i need to invest in a different microphone? you think with my me66 i'll manage? good! i found this advice elsewhere on the forum for using an me66 to record a voice-over. "Place the tip about 45 degrees to either side of the mouth and at a distance of about three inches from the mouth." should i put a duvet over my head? would that help reduce any background noise and reflections?

January 2nd, 2007, 02:42 AM	#5
Matthew Ingram New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 8	the eagle has landed! thanks very much douglas. i'll check that out straight away.