When it comes to things that ruin voiceover recordings, ambient noise tops the list. The thing about ambient noise is that it’s crafty. It can manage to get though any barrier or space. You might not realize it’s there, but, your recording equipment can surely capture it.
Of course, you can always get rid of it with some EQ adjustments or by using a noise gate. But, those things can also ruin the voiceover. So, post-production fixes aren’t always the best option.
There is also the option of going for high-end equipment, which is fine if you’re an established creative director/producer. But, as a beginner, you cannot afford that kind of equipment. So, what do you do? Well, the obvious thing to do here is to soundproof your recording studio.
Fortunately, there are simple, inexpensive ways to do this and they are quite effective as well. So, try out these easy soundproofing techniques and enjoy stellar voiceover recordings.
Use a Rug to Cover Floors
If you live in a building shared between you and other people, then using rugs on the floor will cut out the noise they make. Rugs absorb noises.
Use Heavy Curtains
Just like rugs, heavy curtains are good for soundproofing too. Go for high-quality curtains with lining. They are great at keeping all the noise out.
You can also use these heavy curtains on the walls and create a second wall of sorts. This will help dampen the ambient noise significantly.
Be Resourceful
When it comes to eliminating ambient noise using cost-effective methods, it’s good to be resourceful For instance, if you share a wall with another occupant, you can cut out their noise by soundproofing your side of the shared wall. One smart technique is to place a cabinet or bookshelf and fill it up with stuff. This will definitely minimize the amount of external noise coming in.
Remove Sources of Noise
This is probably the first thing you should do. If there are things inside the studio that make even the slightest noise, just remove them. For example, ban the use of cellphones within the confines of the studio. Are there printers? Shift them. Is there a clock? Switch to a digital clock that doesn’t make noise.
To avoid sound from reflecting off surfaces, you need to soundproof the recording area with polyhedral surfaces. Acoustic tiles will cost a bomb, so, instead, just use empty egg trays. They provide the same effect.
ABOUT ROBERTA –
Roberta is a Professional AND award Winning International Voiceover Actor, as well as an accomplished on-camera actress and spokesperson. She lives in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area and is the owner of Roberta Kennedy Voice Talent and RK Productions, Inc.
She voices for companies around the world using her state of the art, broadcast quality studio. She’s hired for commercials, web demos and explainer videos, product infomercials, documentaries, promo/imaging, political ads, e-learning videos, podcasts, guided real estate tours, telephony/IVR projects, high profile corporate presentations, video games and character animation.
Her voice is described as: playful, contemporary, compelling, commanding, inviting, sultry and smooth. A hip edge with sophistication, bold, warm, interesting and engaging are also commonly used adjectives to describe her voice.
Her home studio is equipped with ipDTL, ISDN and phone patch capability with lightning fast turnaround times! A voiceover talent with over 20 years of voiceover acting experience, she offers a full range of voiceover services at highly competitive rates & will work with your budget to help you promote your business to new levels of excellence!
To request a personal quote or audition and/or to review more of her credits & demos, feel free to visit her website: www.robertakennedy.com – or mail her at roberta@robertakennedy.com. You can even give her a call on (408) 313-7202.