Random Thoughts for Newcomers

Maxine Dunn · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 675

Hi Lee,

Thanks for the picture! I'm curious - what's the script-holder-thingy you seem to have on your mic stand? The picture is so small I can't quite make it out but it seems like a more abbreviated alternative to a music stand.

Also, I want to compliment you on your yoga read on your narration demo. Very nice.

Maxine
www.maxinedunn.com

Lee Kanne · **Voice Talent** Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 129

One of the things I forgot to mention about my setup is that, when you turn the mic around so you are facing the room when you are recording,
it does a great deal to eliminate outside noise, because the cardoid pickup pattern of the mic is now facing AWAY from any potential background noise, and any waves that are headed toward the mic, get diffused with the sound deadening material BEFORE they arrive at the mic.

Also, another thing I noticed is that when I was facing the corner, my recordings were equally as dead as if they were recorded in a booth or a whisper room. Which is NOT necessarily a good thing. Here's why:

Keep in mind, this is a matter of personal taste, but when a VO is recorded totally dead, is sounds eerie and unnatural to me. The lack of ambience doesn't quite fit with the majority of the conversational and real person reads we are being asked to do these days. By flipping the mike out TOWARDS the room, it introduces a bit of natural ambience, (room ambience, if you will), and compliments more of the a natural and conversational read, AS IF you were actually in the room speaking. Your voice gets a chance to bounce around the room a bit, in sort of a controlled way.

Now of course, this is not gonna work if you are in a room with 15 foot ceilings, but as long as you inhibited the reflection in the room by diffusing the sound (preventing it from bouncing all over), there's nothing wrong with introducing some room tone.

Lee Kanne · **Voice Talent** Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 129