Intro
Here’s a quick guide for voiceover artists looking to boost their home studio sound and make things more client-friendly. Whether you’re just starting out or giving your space a refresh, these are some of the things that can make a big difference.
We're always happy to listen to your audio and offer honest feedback.
If you’ve applied to be on the website or work with us, and we’ve done a link-up test where your studio didn’t quite meet our usual quality standards - don’t be disheartened. It’s often something simple and inexpensive that can make a big difference, like adding soft padding behind your mic to cut down on reflections.
Reverb!
One of the most common issues we hear from home setups is roominess - that dreaded reverb.
It’s often caused by sound bouncing off bare walls, floors, ceilings or any hard flat surface, and coming back into the mic.
What helps:
Add some acoustic panels - foam or fabric-wrapped ones - on the walls around your mic.
Consider treating your ceiling and floor too, a heavy carpet for example.
The normal acoustic panels help with a lot of frequencies, but often are not dense enough for stopping bassy reverb.
So if your space sounds a bit boomy or bass-heavy, rockwool panels are worth looking at. These help soak up lower frequencies better than basic foam. So use the rockwool first and then add the panels.
Don't forget the ceiling and corners - those are trouble spots too.
Tip: If you are on a budget you don’t need to cover every wall. Strategic placement can get you 90% of the way there. So look to directly behind the mic, and then any close by hard surfaces. Hanging duvets, heavy curtains, or blankets can help as a quick fix too - though do ensure anything you apply is fire safe.
Microphone
Upgrading your microphone can improve your sound - but better mics pick up everything. So make sure your space is treated properly first, or you’ll just be recording more of the reverb and background noise.
A few things to keep in mind:
Great mics like the Neumann TLM 103 and U87 are brilliant - but only if your room’s ready for them.
Directional mics like the Sennheiser MKH 416 are great at combating reverb but some clients may find the audio a bit too crisp and lacking a fullness.
Use a pop filter and a shock mount to cut down on plosives and unwanted rumbles.
Video Capability
More and more clients like to join sessions via Zoom or similar, and being able to see the voice helps them feel more involved (and helps you stand out above the dreaded AI voices).
Simple ways to add video capability:
Use your phone or tablet with a clip or stand - works great for FaceTime, Zoom, Whats App Video etc.
If you’ve got space, mount a webcam and a little monitor inside the booth - which can better help you see the client or any visuals too, especially during directed sessions. You may need to have a dedicated computer to drive this.
We’ve set up our studios so clients can see any visuals and our engineer/studio - so if your booth has a cam, we can show them you too, which always goes down well.
Other Bits
Here are a few extras that make working from home smoother:
Quality closed-back headphones stop sound bleeding into the mic. DT100s are an industry standard.
A USB backup power supply can stop disaster if the power flickers mid-session.
Some voices mount two microphones and record at the same time, so the client has a choice of sound. e.g. a Neumann TLM103 and a directional mic like an MKH 416.
A good pair of headphones is also a big help when refining your studio sound. It’s all an ongoing process, and being able to clearly hear any issues (and the improvements) means you can make small tweaks until everything sounds just right.
