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Voice over sound varies??
Wow, I recorded some new tracks of voice over and even though I tried to have the same setup as before, i.e. microphone in the same position and everything else the same, the recorded sound does not match. I.e. the new tracks I just recorded are somewhat hollow sounding. Hard to describe the difference but there is a difference in the sound from previous recordings.
Lenovo quad core i7 16gb of ram, Windows 8.1 MS 13 64 bit Thumbnail is view out of the Olde North Church window where the signal lanterns were hung, as in, \”1 if by land 2 if by sea\” looking across the Charles River to the Charlestown Naval Yard where rebels awaited the signal April 18th, 1775.
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23 Replies
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Sounds like, excuse the pun, that somehow you’re recording System. Make sure your Signal flow is the same as your previous sessions.
* Grazie
Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge -
Signal flow? I assume you mean the volume settings and master bus, preview, and then the volume setting in the panel to the left of the screen that has the red dot that is clicked on to activate the recording button feature?
I always check those items and strive to always set them the same. I also try to have the microphone in the same exact position and record in the same exact location. Although, now that you mention it, I put the master bus down to approx the 42 mark from when it was higher at the 15 mark. I did this cause the previous recordings had static and reduced it down to the 42 mark and left it there when I made my new recordings. It was then that I got the hollow, echoing sound – for lack of a better description.
So then I would assume if it turn the bus up to 15 again – it would sound the same, but it doesn’t.
Lenovo quad core i7 16gb of ram, Windows 8.1 MS 13 64 bit Thumbnail is view out of the Olde North Church window where the signal lanterns were hung, as in, \”1 if by land 2 if by sea\” looking across the Charles River to the Charlestown Naval Yard where rebels awaited the signal April 18th, 1775.
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While we are on the topic, what does the “preview” button do in the “master bus”? What level should it be set at? I moved it up and down and there was no difference in the sound???
Lenovo quad core i7 16gb of ram, Windows 8.1 MS 13 64 bit Thumbnail is view out of the Olde North Church window where the signal lanterns were hung, as in, \”1 if by land 2 if by sea\” looking across the Charles River to the Charlestown Naval Yard where rebels awaited the signal April 18th, 1775.
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The Signal flow is the flow of the Signal, here that is the mic input that you want.
You want to get and keep the Signal to Noise high. I’ve learnt that noise can come in all sorts of flavours. Here, it’s that static you talk of. Having a hollow sound does suggest you’ve got more Noise to Signal and tried “something”.
Can you test something. Unplug your mic, turn your record volume up and record. Play this back and note the levels of the sound you’re getting. What does that sound like?
Look, I’ve spent much time in isolating analogue/digital noise from my sound floor. Oh yes, before I started it was coming in at around -20db, that was really horrid.
* Grazie
Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge -
The Signal flow is the flow of the Signal, here that is the mic input that you want.
I TRY TO SET EVERYTHING THE SAME. THE ONLY DIFF LAST TIME WAS I SET THE MASTER BUS TO 42 INSTEAD OF 15.
SORRY FOR CAPS JUST DIFFERENTIATING MY WORDS – NOT YELLING.You want to get and keep the Signal to Noise high.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? NOT SURE WHAT IT MEANS?I’ve learnt that noise can come in all sorts of flavours. Here, it’s that static you talk of. Having a hollow sound does suggest you’ve got more Noise to Signal and tried “something”.
Can you test something. Unplug your mic, turn your record volume up and record.
ARE YOU SAYING TO RECORD THROUGH THE MIC THAT IS BUILT INTO MY COMPUTER?
I WILL TRY THAT – IF THAT IS WHAT YOU MEAN.
I NORMALLY SET THE VOLUME OF THE MIC TO 75. IS THAT WHERE IT SHOULD BE? I NEVER HAD ANY TRAINING IN SOUND AND JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT.
Play this back and note the levels of the sound you’re getting. What does that sound like?
I’LL LET YOU KNOW LATER WHEN I DO THAT – WHAT HAPPENS.
Look, I’ve spent much time in isolating analogue/digital noise from my sound floor. Oh yes, before I started it was coming in at around -20db, that was really horrid.
WHEN YOU SAY -20 YOU’RE REFERRING TO THE MASTER BUS? THE THINGY ON THE RIGHT TOP TO THE RIGHT OF “PREVIEW”?
I’VE ALWAYS HAD THAT SET TO 15 OR SO – AND THAT IS WHEN THE PLAYBACK WAS STATICY SO I’VE REDUCED IT TO 42 WHEN I RECORD.
IS IT BETTER TO LEAVE IT AT 42 AND RECORD AT 42 OR TO PUT IT BACK TO 15 AND THEN JUST REDUCE IT TO 42 DURING PLAYBACK? IT SOLVED THE STATIC NOISE ON PLAYBACK WHEN I TURNED IT DOWN TO 42 BUT THATS THE CLIP THAT IS HOLLOW SOUNDING. NOT SURE IF THE BUS IS WHY?
Lenovo quad core i7 16gb of ram, Windows 8.1 MS 13 64 bit Thumbnail is view out of the Olde North Church window where the signal lanterns were hung, as in, \”1 if by land 2 if by sea\” looking across the Charles River to the Charlestown Naval Yard where rebels awaited the signal April 18th, 1775.
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[Jeff David] “I’VE ALWAYS HAD THAT SET TO 15 OR SO – AND THAT IS WHEN THE PLAYBACK WAS STATICY SO I’VE REDUCED IT TO 42 WHEN I RECORD.”
NB: See above you can differentiate by using the QUOTE feature – no need to CAPS me!
OK, you have so much to scramble through to get your head around this audio level stuff that it would be worth your and my sanity to start priming up on some of the requirements to recording sound, even at our levels of expertise.
Essentially I record a signal at around -10db for v/o, and that’s on a noise level now somewhere lower than -75db. I can live with that.
* Grazie
Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge -
Thanks but I’m not sure what that all means? I don’t understand. Sorry – I have little to zero experience recording.
Lenovo quad core i7 16gb of ram, Windows 8.1 MS 13 64 bit Thumbnail is view out of the Olde North Church window where the signal lanterns were hung, as in, \”1 if by land 2 if by sea\” looking across the Charles River to the Charlestown Naval Yard where rebels awaited the signal April 18th, 1775.
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reverb? look for your sound properties if it was enabled
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[Jeff David] “Sorry – I have little to zero experience recording.”
Hey guy! no worries, and no need to apologize – that should be my job.
Trying to make this simple is a real hard task, as making it simple<>understandable could make the meaning too weak to be of importance. I’ve had to learn much of what I need to know and from others who gave me their time here and other Forums – for free too!
OK:
1] Please explain exactly what you do to capture your Voice?
2] What is the environment you do this in? Bedroom? Walled room with hard, audio reflective surfaces?
3] The device you record your voice on?
4] How do you Monitor what you are recording? Headphones? External Speakers? Your Levels Bars in Vegas?
Again, what we need to do is to make the AUDIO difference/level between that which you want the Signal [ your Voice] and that which is the NOISE or interference [ your PC internal boards and circuitry and STATIC]. This is called the RATIO between SIGNAL to NOISE. If we can separate these two elements far enough then the NOISE becomes such a small component that it is acceptable. My setup is about 12 to 1. Meaning that the NOISE element is not only tiny [-75dB], but becomes almost totally swamped by a good healthy SIGNAL [ -6dB].
From the little you’re able to tell me, you are increasing your recording levels to a point that the NOISE element is out doing your SIGNAL [ your V/O]. Added to which you are now revealing the STATIC or NOISE. If you are going to move forward with your V/O you need to precisely ascertain just where in the SIGNAL flow you are getting the unwanted sound.
As an attempt by me to try and demonstrate this, I have prepared an AUDIO file which you can hear the laying of a Test Tone over my PC’s NOISE floor. A section which allows us to hear my noise floor which I have had to raise 75 times just to HEAR it. Then a section of what my daily noise floor at this -75dB. I’ve also included a Screen Grab in VP revealing the sections.
And here’s the WAV file for you to listen to. D/L the ZIP and open it and play in WMP : 11556_signaltonoiseratio.wav.zip
* Grazie
Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge -
Does your computer have a built-in mic?
It could be something as simple as Vegas Pro not using your external mic. The situation you are describing sounds like too much room tone which is prominent in recordings where the mic is not close enough to the source. If you are close to the mic and you’re sounding like you are far away, then you must be far away which implies that you are not recording from the mic in front of you but rather from the computer’s built-in mic.
Make sure that Vegas Pro is recording from the mic you think it is (you set this up in the Track header). Lightly tap the mic with your finger with the track armed for recording. You should see the meter register the tap. If it doesn’t then you might be recording from an alternate source (i.e., perhaps a built-in mic?)
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasstsoftware.com
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