voice enhancing software

[Jordan Wolf]

1. Voice coaching
2. Proper microphone selection
3. Proper microphone placement
4. Proper microphone technique
5. Light multi-band compression
6. Tube saturation (or a combination of 5 & 6)
7. An accurate set of monitors to hear playback, etc.

Start with that before we move onto software programs.

Wolf
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[John Fishback]

Jordan’s advice is first rate. And most DAWs come with the basic tools to accomplish what he suggests. One piece of software I’ve come to love is iZotope’s Ozone. It’s quite flexible and delivers excellent results. However, like any tool, you have to learn how to use it properly.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.8 QT7.6.4 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870, 24″ TV-Logic Monitor, ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID 5
FCS 3 (FCP 7.0.2, Motion 4.0.2, Comp 3.5.2, DVDSP 4.2.2, Color 1.5.2)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO & 192 Digital I/O, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[Bill Davis]

(wailing at the TOP of my lungs…)

BUT GUYS… That’s NOT what I WANT.

I want a gizmo that when I push button *A* everything I say into the mic comes out the speakers sounding just like Ernie Anderson. Button B is Casey Kasem. Button C is Hal Riney. Button D is Thurl Ravenscroft. Button E is Don La Fontaine… you get the idea, right?

I want a BUTTON that makes my VOs PERFECT. Me – but better – like THEM.

I want to hook this up to a $49 unbalanced mic – but it’s got to sound EXACTLY like a Neumann M149 through a Grace Preamp and Pultec EQ. only smoother, edgier, punchy but not annoying, even if my REAL voice sounds like a whining teenager that’s just been kicked in the balls.

Come on guys – this is the digital era. Why can’t I have that?

[Joseph Dezordi]

Thanks
I am no professioanal, but I have to do voice overs for some medical teaching videos, and I dont like the sound of my voice, it sounds young and not very deep

I was using Sony UTX B1 wireless microphone
What are the essential features for a good microphone?

What is multi band compression?
and

Tube satuaration ?

Joseph D

[Ty Ford]

Hello Joe and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Bill, id like a word with you in the the canteen… 🙂

Joe, the Sony UTX B1 is a transmitter. Who knows what mic is plugged into it.

If your voice is young and not very deep and you don’t like it, there’s only so much a mic can do. That’s why people make a living doing voiceovers. They have better instruments and know how to use them.

If you don’t have one of those voices or know how to use it, you’re pretty cooked unless the client has very low expectations.

Why do you HAVE to do the voiceovers?

Regards,

Ty Ford

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[Richard Crowley]

Consider hiring a professional VO performer (announcer). Our own Mr. Ford is rather good at it and apparently too modest to toot his own horn. https://web.mac.com/tyreeford/Site/Ty_Ford_Audio_%26_Video.html

[Ty Ford]

Thank you Richard, but I’m guessing the budget isn’t there.

Regards,

Ty Ford

PS: the easy link to the demos are here..
https://web.mac.com/tyreeford/Site/VO_and_On_Camera_Demos.html

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[Jordan Wolf]

Well, I understand where you’re coming from. I’m not a huge fan of my own voice either – at least when it comes to speech (singing is completely different – I very much like my voice for that). I normally run sound systems for concerts, etc., so I hear my voice a lot when I get things dialed in before the talent shows up.

Anyway, I recommend using a tube preamplifier or tube compressor to add some “warmth” to the recording. It is up to you if you use it to record directly or as an effect (I prefer the latter since it leaves a clean slate for editing). After that, you may want to fiddle around with some EQ in the 250Hz-300Hz range to add some strength to the voice (the male vocal fundamental frequency is around 250Hz). Don’t add too much, as it can make it sound boomy and inarticulate. A small (3dB at most) boost in the midrange can help, too…try around 800Hz or sweep around until you achieve the desired effect.

Garbage in = Garbage out – and please realize that I am not saying that your voice is “garbage”. What I AM saying is that if the source material you are putting in is not similar/close to the desired sound you hope to get out, there’s not much chance of the end result meeting your expectations.

Wolf
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[Joseph Dezordi]

Thanks for this advice

Im not saying my voice is terrible, but I want to tweak it a bit so that it is a touch richer, and also so my colleagues wont recognise it so easily and not think that I am parading my self. My voice is some what monotonous and lacks interest.

” warmth” is certainly a requirement.

What is ” tube preamplifier or tube compressor “, where do I get this, is it a plug in or hardware device?

I would record a voice over as a separate file, ie wav file through vegas, or should I use some other software?

I guess I need a good microphone, what are the essential criteria for this ?

Joseph D

[Ty Ford]

[Joseph Dezordi] “Im not saying my voice is terrible, but I want to tweak it a bit so that it is a touch richer, and also so my colleagues wont recognise it so easily and not think that I am parading my self. My voice is some what monotonous and lacks interest.

>Joe, mics won’t fix a bad performance. VO is an art form. If you can’t sound interested, the audience won’t be interested either.

” warmth” is certainly a requirement.

>You have already told us that you don’t have a lot of experience. The line between warmth and too muddy can be very thin, especially when you’re making judgements about your own voice.

What is ” tube preamplifier or tube compressor “, where do I get this, is it a plug in or hardware device?

>Tube preamps and tube compressors, you forgot tube micsmm…It sounds like someone has been in your ear about what to do. Good tube is better than bad solid state and good solid state is better than bad tube. Again, I’m warning you that you are entering uncharted territory. Knowing the buzz words is a long way from knowing what to do with them.

I would record a voice over as a separate file, ie wav file through vegas, or should I use some other software?

>Book time at a local studio that specializes in vo recording. Watch what they do. Ask questions, get your stuff recorded and bring back wav files.

I guess I need a good microphone, what are the essential criteria for this ? “

>Book time at a local studio that specializes in vo recording. Watch what they do. Ask questions, get your stuff recorded and bring back wav files.

With All Due Respect,

Ty Ford

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