When the Covid pandemic started, many people were scrambling to keep up with all the changes that hit the voice-over industry.
In Los Angeles, many actors rely on professional studios for voice-over jobs and have studio engineers who handle all the tech stuff that makes them sound even better. When studios started closing and the way we do business was changing rapidly, many had to “think quick” about upgrading their studios – myself included.
Thank goodness for the professional engineers who volunteered their time to talk to professional voice actors online about upgrading their home studios: what mics were good, how to soundproof your home to record effectively, which interfaces to buy, and so much more incredibly useful information. They did it out of the kindness of their hearts, care for the voice-over business, and to take positive action in the face of a growing crisis.
Besides what I mention in my video, here’s a few more tips that I’ll share with you from the three online tech classes offered to me and other lucky voice actors:
Of course, starting a home studio on a small, smart budget is a good idea for voice over beginners. SAV offers a great package for your first home studio setup.
Mics for future upgrades:
Neumanns – particularly the TLM 103 – are a great option, and are so popular that they may even be sold out in a lot of places.
A Deity microphone was recommended by one engineer/voice actor as a comparable mic to the Neumann 103. They are a bit more affordable (and may also be out of stock in places).
The Sennheiser 416 is great for gaming records.
All the mics mentioned above are upgrades from the one that you are most likely starting with. Apollo sound interfaces were recommended across the board. The Apogee Duet was also recommended as a second runner up.
Reaper was recommended as the best free editing program because it will work with SourceConnect. Audacity does not work well with SourceConnect. Reaper if free on a trail but you can buy it. Although the free trial never expires. Reaper is great for punch n’ roll (used in audiobook and long form narration), and it is more complex than Audacity.Â
Other miscellaneous recommendations:
–RE20s for a loud environment
–Rode NT1 (newer version) Rode mics are great in general.
–Apogee Hypemic (good for desktops and travel)
Here’s a friendly go-to engineer with lots of sound solutions for home studios:
www.vobs.tv is a show that you should watch for more technical tips for voice over.
And of course, current Such A Voice students can attend a Home Studio Q&A by going to the Group Coaching Sessions section of the Member’s Area.!
Good luck to everyone with future upgrades of your home studio setup, now or down the road! Hope this information helps you in some way.
