Need mic for narration in movie

[Blade_Jones]

I've been doing some ADR for a movie with a Neumann TLM-103, which is sounding fine for that purpose. However I've also gotta record some narration throughout the movie. Unfortunately I am NOT happy with the TLM 103 sound for narration. It sounds too "thin". It also doesn't help that the actor has a tenor voice. It's really missing that beefy-ness that says "this is the narration." Anyone have any suggestions on mics? Would a U87 sound that much beefier and bassier than a TLM-103? Has anyone actually compared the 2 mics side by side??? Maybe I just need to do some processing. On another forum someone suggested the AEA R84 ribbon mic, although others only reccomend that mic for a woman's voice, and still swear by the U87. I know a place that rents the U87 for $30 a day (cheap!) so the U87 is always an option for me.

 

[Clit Torres]

If you haven't already, I'd say move the narrator closer to the mic and play with proximity before you go looking for a new mic. I've done a lot of ADR and VO work with an AT4050. I've found that for narrations, 99.9% of the time, it's the talents voice that provides that beef and punch you're looking for rather than the mic itself.

Just my 2 cents......

 

[tkingen]

I 2nd Clit's suggestion of playing around with proximity first. This could mean closer to the mic and/or slightly off axis. Your tlm103 should be able to get you in the ballpark.
Of course, it's always fun to go mic shopping, too!

Terry

 

[Dot]

Blade_Jones, while there's certainly other mic options, a 103 should more than do the job. What kind of preamp are you using? And how's the rest of your chain?

Does the VO talent have an experience? Do you?

It could certainly be worth trying an 87, but it's pointless if you don't have some other things in order first.

 

[Warhead]

On another forum someone suggested the AEA R84 ribbon mic, although others only reccomend that mic for a woman's voice, and still swear by the U87. I know a place that rents the U87 for $30 a day (cheap!) so the U87 is always an option for me.

Rent the U87.

Regarding the R84 being only for women, I strongly disagree!

War

 

[AGCurry]

For the spoken word, I would choose a dynamic or ribbon mic, as condensors up close can pick up unwanted mouth and breathing sounds more than a dynamic. A Sennheiser MD421 - pretty close - should do nicely.

 

[voicechick61]

Mic or Mouth?

I agree that good mic technique can often quell a thin sound. Having said that, the best way to find a mic that provides the sound you want for the project you're recording is to compare them side by side and hear which one brings out the best qualities for your voice. Good luck with your narration project!

 

[paddyponchero]

RE-20 is great for narration

 

[nwsoundman]

We use Gefell MT71's as are main staple. If we don't go with that then it's a U87.

Dialog is not as easy as it seems. Compression is your best friend. Fast attack and pretty fast release. Watch out for pulling up the room. That's a killer.

Kirk

 

[laptoppop]

For narration, the mic I typically reach for is the Shure SM7. (not 57)

Its a dynamic mic, kind of like a 57 on steroids. Its used heavily in the broadcast and spoken word industries -- for a reason.

-lee-

 

[Herr Joachim]

See this page for samples (speech recordings of the same person) of EV, Neumann, RCA, Shure etc. Link
Have a nice evening.

 

[steveanthony]

Is the narration thin sounding in your mixing room? Have you listened to the audio using different sources such as in your car, a friends stereo and other places outside of the room you mix in?

The TLM103 is a good voice over mic so I'd look at other things that may be yielding that thin sound . . . maybe even the talent . . . though a thin voice can still have presence when mic and processed correctly. Try changing the mic position, working it anywhere from 6 to 12 inches, slightly above the talent pointing down. Compression is indeed your friend using the settings nwsoundman offered. And then there's the room where the recording actually takes place. That's got to be pretty dry.

As far as the talent, is he speaking naturally or is he projecting - using a stage voice trying to reach the back of the room? Projecting generally means a loss of chest voice and some straining of the throut which in turn pushes more of the voice out of the nasal area. And that often results in a thinner sounding voice.

 

[ozraves]

Recording narration and getting the sound you want is like tracking anything else. There is no magic microphone. I'll generally put up several mics before making a selection. Some mics that I like for narration are the RE20, AT4047, Baby Bottle...

Proximity effect sometimes can be a good thing on a thing voice. Get the talent closer to the mic that you've got. That should take the edge off the the tenor part of his voice and give you more bass.