What VST for improving voice-overs?

[JerzyWolf]

Hi everyone, I'm new here, a fresh user of REAPER :-).

A very basic, yet potentially quite a complex question from a semi-pro voice actor. I've recently decided to start editing my own recordings instead of letting others do it for me instead of me in order to be able to get to a wider array of clients.

I'm a bit green when it comes to editing, just bought REAPER and I am uncertain of what to do with my own recordings to make them sound better. I have heard what the audio masters were able to do with my voice after recording it through a Neumann U87 or similar microphone, what can I get to help me improve the effect my recordings have on casting directors over the web? I am looking for easy-to-use VST, preferably with lots of presets so that I can learn by copying them.

Going to an audio engineer and asking him for making a single preset is not an option, for I am doing very different kinds of voices, ranging from low male voices, through creature voices, all the way to high-pitched female and children voices (as heard in the recording), so I need various different presets, one for each voice, I guess. I don't need anything for voice altering, like pitch shifters, but rather something like equalizers and compressors, or similar things (I have heard about a tool called "Vintage Warmer", would you recommand it?). Or should I go with analogue tools, like externat compressor, etc?

Another question, where should I get more knowledge on topic of how to use the said tools? I have already ordered a book "Mixing Secrets for the small studio", are there any books/video courses you'd recommand?

Money is not a big issue, for I intend to increase my paycheck that way, so it's an investment and not an expense + I can get most of that on a 0% loan.

The sample recording done with MXL 770 and Focusrite 2i2 (got them for free for home training only), I intend to upgrade to a higher class equipment when I find one I'm comfortable with.

https://soundcloud.com/jerzy-wolf/th...rzy-wolf-mixed

Thank you very much for any help, I very much appretiate any feedback.

Ps. I am still learning about recording myself, so if anyone of you should require one of those voices I would be happy to help as a way of training :-).

[ponk]

Greetings, and welcome to the forums. One of the best investments you can make for voice-over work is the Heil PR-40 dynamic mic (best price I can find on the package is here). Makes for a very rich sounding vocal, and unless you're in an acoustically treated studio you probably won't want a condenser or ribbon. For voice over processing, the industry standard is Adobe Audition, and you can get a free 30 day trial. Personally, I prefer Izotope Nectar, also available for a 10 day free trial. Very different beasts - Audition is a full blown audio editor, Nectar is specifically designed for vocal processing, and would run inside Reaper as a vst.

Also, it is worth trying some of the less expensive/free alternatives - Vintage Warmer is one you mentioned, and don't forget about ReaComp and ReaEQ. Hope this helps!

[Fergler]

I beg to differ on that industry standard adobe audition thing. I've used the program extensively, there's nothing in it I can't do with just about anything else, including Reaper and Audacity. It's filters for noise and such are excellent but IMO still don't make it a worthy investment, and you won't need much work with a dynamic mic anyway if you are anywhere close to it (1-2 inches away). The other mics that are more sensitive, you may want to do more editing on but instead of spending the money on post-production, invest first in dampening your room. Voice over work is a very different beast from how we treat, say, a monitoring room or live tracking room. Dead = good, because we're very close to the mic in those conditions anyway and looking for the least colouring and the room should not be audible whatsoever. A good startng point though if you want to do it cheap are those moving blankets one uses to line a truck. They are excellent reflection absorbers that quickly make a room useable for voice over. If you feel more confident in the investment, acoustic foam arguably provides a more professional treatment.

The tools you need are a de-esser, a compressor, and an EQ. Arguably not much more, perhaps a touch of reverb depending on what you are mixing it over. If you're sending it in to somewhere, no reverb at all, they'll add their own if needed.

For a de-esser look at Lisp by Sleepytime DSP and also the de-esser presets in ReaXComp.

For compression ReaComp or just about any compressor ever made really. May as well use ReaComp, you already have it. Look through the presets if you are in need of help here, there's some spoken vocal ones that should be a good starting point.

ReaEQ for EQ is an obvious choice, you will probably want to bring down bass and tame mid-range boominess. Do this before compression. For that matter, do the de-essing before compression as well. Compression works best if the signal coming in is as close to what you think you would be hearing with your own ears, it will give the most transparent reaction. Having boomy bass for example will force the compressor to over react only to then cull that range back with EQ, which result in compression that no longer seems proportionate to the source material.

Just some good tips, if you'd like but when I get time as I'm about to head out, I can show you what this processing sounds like on your track and can elaborate on any step if you have questions.

Welcome to the forum!

[JerzyWolf]

Thank you both very much for your answers, I'll give what you have suggested a try. I feel that I might like Nectar - I use RX3 for deleting noise and stuff from recordings, so I know that iZotope does some quality software.

The Heil PR-40 microphone you have suggested is quite a bargain, a very cheap one at that, but a friend of mine suggested another one, namely MJE mod'd MXL 910, which is basically a microphone made from scratch as a copy of U87, which is recommanded as an industry standard, etc. I don't know about the industry standard thing, but I have recorded myself with quite a few mic's, and the U87 does sound pretty great - I don't have the money for the original, though. The seller says that if I'm not satisfied he would give me my money back. Did you have any contact with it? http://www.oktavamodshop.com/product...roducts_id=209

Also, I have tested some microphones with the CRIMSON USB interface ( http://www.gearslutz.com/board/produ...ontroller.html ) and it might sound better than my Focusrite 2i2, and the pre-amp doesn't go from 'too quite' to 'too loud' that easily, do you know of any other interfaces that might be better to buy? Will it be sufficient for pro quality that the animation guys might want from me? I am asking about this one specifically, because I might get a big discount on it as a favor-vs-favor agreement.

When it comes to room treatment I am currently adjusting my room - I have installed a U-shaped curtain rod, the open side of the U facing the wall, and have detachable thick blankets here I can hang on the rod real quick, as well as an acoustic filter around my microphone made of foam, which I am willing to upgrade with plywood (not sure about the translation, I'm not a native, I mean the layered wood thing), and I am planning to install a suspended ceiling for the louder sounds, because I have noticed that they tend to cause more reverb. A friend with whom I work for the university came in with measuring equipment and said that I have achieved very nice non-reverb environment purely by luck, so that doesn't seem to be a problem anymore.

I have tested Lisp, it does a great job, thanks!

When I get back home I will test some of the fx thingys.

One more question, do you have an opinion on Groove3 tutorials? There is a lot of stuff on REAPER there, are they worth it? I might gather a few collegues to get a $15 day pass and watch some vids that way.

[hopi]

last first

Groove 3 reaper tut's are worth the time and cost... you will likely want more than a day IMO...

I'm wary to say this... but you might want to look into Nebula3... and then the 'all you can eat' lib from Henry Olonga... which includes many mic presets that work very well... this would be in the way of FX after you record.

We can talk more about it and there are a few users here way more advanced with it than I am... I am not 100% sure but I 'think' the Henry O's presets with work even with the free version of Nebula3 since that lib does not require the auth codes that some do.

Hey the demos of that moded mic sound great for the price and with his money back offer how can you not try it???
I can imagine that I hear a diff between it and the real U87 but ya know... I'd bet with Nebula and the above mentioned you'd be hard pressed to tell the diff.

I personally like Adobe Audition and it is my ext. wav. editor hooked into reaper...
I don't need it much but when I do, it is IMO great. There are little surgical things it can do that if needed are well worth it. But I'd see if you need anything more than reaper first.

[ponk]

Regarding MJE - if Michael Joly walks into the same room as a microphone, buy it He does excellent work, and he's a good ol' Cape Cod boy. I think his modded 910 is a great mic, but very sensitive - if you drop a penny on a carpeted floor, it will reproduce the sound in full fidelity. Here's a thread from Gearslutz discusssing the mic - Gearslutz is a good resource with many knowledgeable users, but they tend to be.... more volatile and opinionated than the members here. Still think the Heil might be better for your purposes - you may have little reverb, but is the room soundproof? Then again, you could buy five of each for the price of a U87.

Not familiar with the Crimson interface, but the specs and forum chatter look good, definitely more versatile than the 2i2. Certainly looks high quality, should be fine for your purposes.

Second hopi's opinion on Groove3 and Nebula. Nebula is fascinating stuff (hopi knows a lot more about it than me) - essentially emulating racks full of outboard gear ITB. BTW the $15 Groove3 pass is for a month, not a day (and sharing with friends violates the license agreement - it's a very reasonable price for what you get).

All just my personal opinion, hope it helps!