Home Studio Tips Archives - Scott Thomas

Musing at the Mic

– BY SCOTT THOMAS

Your mic. It’s the tool of your trade as a voice over artist. The heart and soul of your vo business. Choosing the right

mic for voice over can be tricky, so if you’re in the market for a studio mic – that one piece of equipment that’ll make or break you more than any other – continue doing what you’re doing – reading about mics. Research. And then research some more.

As with most things, price is a good starting point if you’re searching for a good studio microphone. You can spend anywhere from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars when investing in a professional microphone. If you’re just starting out and price matters, I would recommend looking in the $200 – $400 range.

Geeking out with Mic Speak

There are a lot of terms you’re going to come across when searching for a studio microphone: large diaphragms, cardioid patterns, condenser mics, dynamic mics, phantom power, XLR, USB, pop screens, booms, stands, shock mounts and spit cups just to name a few. Okay, I made that last one up.

You don’t need to know everything about every type of mic, so here are the basics: typically, if you stick with a large diaphragm condenser mic with a cardioid pattern, you’ll be in good shape for studio voice overs.

Are USB mics an option?

If you decide to go with a USB mic, you won’t need an audio converter – however, an XLR mic is considered the professional-grade industry standard, so you should take that into consideration. These days, you can purchase a good USB microphone for around two hundred bucks. Now, “good” is a relative term, and keep in mind that USB mics are not meant for every form or level of voice over. However, their quality has really come a long way in the last few years, and the higher-end USB mics are really good starter units for aspiring voice over artists.

A good option to consider is the Blue Yeti Pro which comes with both XLR and USB connectivity. It’s a well-respected, solid choice, and runs below $250 – so a definite possibility to look into.

No substitute for a test drive

Any time you have an opportunity to test a microphone you’ve never used before, take it! The mic that works best for you may still be out there, undiscovered…waiting to be found! Where I live, we have a Guitar Center that will set up microphones for you to test. Call ahead, find out if they’re even offering this service during the pandemic. If they are, ask what mics they have available to put in the lineup, schedule a time and bring your own headphones and a mask or two.

Every voice is different, so remember, one mic may sound amazing for one person, but may sound only “okay” for someone else. Or worse. For instance, if you’re someone who has a higher than average amount of mouth noise during your reads, some mics may accentuate that even more. Of course, you can always sweeten, and even repair audio in post (iZotope RX audio repair is amazeballs), but the goal is always to have the best, cleanest sound going in.

The ideal mics for voice over are all about discovering what works for you. Find your sweet spot, balance quality with price and before you know it, you’ll have mastered the art of reading aloud in a padded room.

Musings at the Mic

– BY SCOTT THOMAS

“Can I build a home studio for under $300?”

Recently, I was discussing home studio tips and that question was posed to me. True, there was a time when a home studio was rare in the world of voice overs. Back in the day, the idea of a $300 home studio would’ve sent most casting directors into a fit of laughter. But in light of all the advances over the years, the answer to the question today is a resounding yes.

Now, don’t get your hopes up about how cheap and easy it is to create a home studio, and off you go making six figures. I’m referring to a “starter kit” here, if you will.

If you’re serious about voice over work as a career, you have to come to terms with the fact that this is a business, and like all businesses, you will have to spend money to make money. Understand that you will be investing in your career for your entire career.

That said…you have to start somewhere, so let’s get this ball rollin’ and dive into some home studio tips.

Your recording space is as critical as your mic.

Having a “clean” recording is not an option – it’s rule one. When you send your recording off to another professional, any and all audio issues could very well become glaring indictments on your level of professionalism and experience. The last thing you want is some sort of buzz, hiss or hum under your read (and God help you if there’s a lawn mower or dog barking in the background).

One of the first things to determine in your home studio is your noise floor. In layman’s terms, the noise floor is a measurement of how much background noise your studio puts out. To determine your studio’s noise floor, simply record your room for thirty seconds (without you in it). Your noise floor should be -60dB or better (quieter).

There’s sound proofing, and there’s sound treating.

When creating a home studio, you gotta’ know the difference. Sound treating deals with reducing sound reflections within the recording space – or putting it simply, reducing that echo effect you get in an empty room. Sound proofing is reducing levels of exterior sound from getting inside your recording space. The former is much easier and much cheaper, so let’s go there first.

If you have a carpeted closet with plenty of clothes and space for you to record, that could work nicely (until you get the itch to go to Home Studio Phase Two. But I digress). Other cheap forms of sound treating a recording space include moving blankets, drapes, carpet & even egg cartons. If you have a flexible budget and care about aesthetics, acoustic tiles can be found at a decent price, depending on the size of your area.

Exterior sounds will go right through acoustic tiles. Duh.

Sound proofing a recording space is much more involved than sound treating. You’ll never block 100% of exterior sounds from entering your studio, but if you achieve that -60dB level with your noise floor, you’re on the right track. If, however, you have to deal with planes, trains & automobiles, lawn mowers and barking dogs on a regular basis, you’ll have to do your research on sound proofing fundamentals. One of the best forms of sound-proofing is mass, so consider lining walls with mass loaded vinyl before adding acoustic tiles. There is no such thing as a completely sound-proof room, but the MLV blocks out 80 to 90 percent of the exterior noise, so it works for my studio.

Just remember that upgrades will be a constant part of your voice over journey. So get yourself that mic, plug it in and start recording your voice. Find a good coach, and practice, practice, practice. Listen to the critiques, and then practice some more. Lather, rinse, repeat. Before you know it, you’ll be writing blogs about how you did it.