the imaging voice

Written by Justin Coombes-Pearce

Setting up a Home Studio

As I mentioned earlier, thanks to technology and the internet a whole new world has opened up for voice talents. We can now audition and complete jobs in the comfort of our own home for any client around the world. Of course you will need recording capabilities at home to do this.

The basic set up requires a Microphone (obviously), a way to connect that microphone to your computer and the software in which you can record your wonderful voice.

Choosing a Microphone

This can be one of the most exciting but difficult things you will have to do. Exciting because it’s nice to have new toys and difficult because of the enormous selection of microphones out there.

There are two things you will need to consider:

1. How much money are you willing to part with? Keep in mind that expensive is not always better.

2. What microphone is best suited to your voice?

Number one is something only you can answer and number two should be discovered through testing.

Let's look at some options.

Under $150

The Shure SM-57 has been a popular microphone over the years. This is a dynamic microphone so it does not require phantom power. You will get a bright clean sound for around $120.

The Audio Technica AT2020 is a nice studio condenser microphone. It has a wide dynamic range and is good value for around $150

You will also find some Behringer and Marshall MXL Studio Microphones on eBay for under $150.

Under $400

The Rode NT1-A is a great value microphone at around the $350 mark. I have one in my booth that gets used all the time. It’s a great honest microphone and is popular because of this and its value.

The Audio Technica AT3035 is another large diaphragm studio condenser microphone that is great value for under $350

Under $1,500

The reason we have jumped up so much in price in this category is because some of the microphones I mention here can be found well below their recommended retail price if you shop around. So I will give you a price range for the following.

The Rode K2 is a sensational condenser valve microphone that will present a warm sound with extremely low self noise and a huge dynamic range. You will generally find these microphones priced anywhere from $800 - $1,600.

The Sennheiser MKH-416 has been a popular voice over microphone for as long as I can remember. It is great for those with a thinner voice as it can add a bit of grunt when you get up close to it. You will get a nice sound but you have less dynamic range than with a large diaphragm condenser. Mind you I do use one when I am looking for that extra bit of oomph. Priced between $1,100 - $1,500

The Neumann TLM 103 is the baby of the Neumann range, but is a beautiful microphone for its price at somewhere around $1,500

Over 1,500

Ok so let’s dream a little here… Neumann has a great range of microphones for voice talents with deep pockets.

The M 147 is a well crafted announcers dream but with a hefty price of somewhere between $3,000 - $4,000. While the U87 is microphone you will find in most studio’s that can afford one. With a price upwards of $5,000 you would want to be a serious player.

Rode also has a top of the line studio condenser that is marginally less expensive than the Neumann. The Classic II is priced between $2,000 - $3,000 but is well worth it if you have the cash.

Now there is an insight into some microphone choices but at the end of the day you will need to choose the one that is right for you. My advice to you would be to try and test as many microphones you can, then make your decision based on what you like and can afford. Remember, the microphone is not the answer to or to blame for lack of ability or poor technique.

Connecting your Microphone to your Computer

Ok, so now you have purchased that brand new microphone and you need to somehow connect it to your PC.

If you have a condenser microphone then you are going to need a preamp or phantom power supply. This is what supplies power to your microphone, usually 48 volts. Most mixers come with phantom power, so if you would like to keep it simple that would probably be the best option. There are also some excellent USB and Firewire audio interfaces available. Whether you are using an audio interface or a mixer I would strongly suggest you find one that uses either USB or Firewire as this will in most cases give you a much cleaner sound to your computer as it bypasses your pc soundcard which are often cheap and noisy.

Whether you choose a mixer or audio interface can depend on how many channels you think you may need and how much control you would like of the audio going in and coming out of your system… and of course your budget may come into play.

Software

Firstly I will let you know that there is a program out there that will do the trick and it’s FREE. It’s called Audacity. If you want something that is easy to use and is more than capable of recording your voice without spending then this is for you.

Then there are these two programs:

Adobe Audition (formally Cool Edit Pro)

This program has been a popular choice for voice artists and radio professionals for many years. Great value at around $350

Sony Sound Forge

Also extremely popular within the industry and also very affordable at around $300

Without going into too much detail for each product I will tell you that I have both but tend to use Audition more, purely because it’s what I have been using for many years and I know my way around it. This in mind I know many others in this industry who use Sound Forge and they swear by it.

The best bet would be to download a demo of each and make your own mind up… but then again you may find something else out there that suits you better.

Next Page (Microphone Technique)

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