New home VOICE studio

[wyosteven]

Greetings, my first post, and I like the forums here already. Here is my situation.

I've been told so many times that I should do something with my voice (deep, radio quality with personality), and as a matter of fact my nic in college was "radio steve". Enough about me, I want to persue it.

So, I am humbly seeking advice on equipment specific for radio/VOSOT and home studio setup. I plan on making a small sound proof booth and use a lot of computers for recording. I was also seriously thinking of the following:

- Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro mixer, small, quality, but not digital.
- Beefy computer (my specialty so no problem here).
- Any software that is reasonable for laying tracks.

Now the hard part, choosing a mic that compliments my voice. Like I said it is deep but has a lot of range/depth to record. I have about $500 to spend and don't know the first thing between vocal mics and broadcast mics. Are there any "styles" or particulars that I should be paying attention to?

Ok, with budget in mind (and if I can't get a decent agent and this project tanks) is there any hardware that would work in conjunction with the computers to make my life simpler and easier (and maybe 100% digital or issues with timecodes)? I am open to all ideas in this area.

I am also just starting out on "industry mediums" with recording and sending demo's (which is a whole other discussion). What mediums should I be prepared to submit?

Most importantly I greatly appreciate the time anyone takes to answer some of my questions. Please feel free to bash and twist if I have a completely wrong approach.

Steven

 

[Innovations]

Steve your situation is so similar to mine that I could have written it. I too am a computer dude who has always been told that I had a fantastic voice (also deep bass) and am just starting on this.

As for the technical part of this my big beefy computers have big beefy fans so I am leaning toward buying a usb audio interface device that can do both the preamp and the analog to digital conversion (Ediron UA-5, M-Audio Duo, and M-Audio MobilPre are the top contenders for me) and then use my quiet laptop hard disk just for storage, then editing on any computer in my network. I plan on going all digital. If somebody insists on a cassette (which I doubt any more) I can do a high quality dupe on my home stereo. The current apple of my eye for a microphone is the Studio Projects C1 or if I must settle for less then the B1.

One thing that I have been doing is reading a lot about the industry. Two messages that have come through from that:

1. There is a difference between someone with a great voice and a trained and experienced voice performer. (The difference is training and experience, of course.) You aren't ready to send out a demo until someone who honestly knows the competition tells you that you are ready to be competitive. Ideally you will find a trainer who is that knowledgable and honest with you. If your first demo is not good enough to impress people then you will not get a chance to have them listen to your second.

2. I do not plan on making my first demo CD. I am not auditioning to be a sound engineer, director, or producer, but my demo should reflect the kind of finished product that could be created by me with a professional engineer, director, and producer with all the right equipment (but not better than that).

 

[Jeyan]

Steven,
Since you have a "beefy computer" you have already completed half the studio. Get a nice delta card, Shure vocal mic and a mackie mixer. You may fit all these in your budget if you try in ebay. Well, lets hear from the other too, lets see what they suggest.

 

[wyosteven]

Computer fan noise and studio layout

Hey, great to hear from you Innovations!

Here's how I plan on getting rid of the noise from computer fans. I am blocking off a portion of a room of my house by putting up interior walls in order to insulate just the booth from the rest of the house. It is in a basement, and also shares an exterior wall on one side, so though concrete is a conductor of sound, the dirt behind it is not and eliminates virtually all of the "neighborhood noise". I am lucky that a shared wall of the booth (other side) is that of a closet, so I could run cables through the wall and keep all of the equipment in the closet (will be pulliing electricity to it). It will also be nice because I can shut the closet doors and hide the studio. It will be absolutely quiet (hopefully) after sound insulation and 4" of acoustic high-density foam (about $600 worth). The booth will be around 35 sq. ft and polygon shaped. I will also be putting a flat panel (LCD) in the booth for heat and noise considerations. (nothing like sweating like crazy while doing the work with a monitor being a heater). Heat will be bad enough with the halogen spots I plan on using inside the booth.

I totally agree with you on the "talent" portion of your post. A good voice doesn't sell by itself. Yes, the first demo will be professionally done for me as well. I am currently talking with about 3 different sound engineers at different companies in working with this but the other thing I have found is that perspective is everything. All of these guys say different answers for every question. Also, acting classes (can you say lifelong education!) will be a must for actual voice acting. Listening to a lot of production sound bits and emulating them has helped with the charisma that I am trying to find. Fortunately around my neck of the woods everyone doing this stuff sucks so even a so-so start is worthwhile.

Anyway, thanks for your post, ill let ya know here when stuff comes up for me.

 

[Innovations]

You do have the fan noise problem under control. Too bad all that construction is not in the cards for me, as is having something so isolated as a basement to start from. I am most likely going to have to use a walk-in closet that is still functioning as a closet.

The only details that I can think you left off is: first, be sure to use a solid core door and foam weatherstripping (you probably have thought of that). Also a neoprene sound deadening floor mat both for sound deadening, elimination of foot sounds, and being comfortable to stand on.

As for the halogen light, I have heard no noticable sound from the current generation of compact fluorescents, and depending on placement it would be out of the cardoid pickup pattern anyway and the cables would be nowhere near enough to pick up any induced electrical noise.

My opinion is that if you have a super dead room but are uncomfortable working in it you will not be recording your best

As for your statement that "Around my neck of the woods everyone doing this sucks..." I don't know whether to feel sorry for you or envious. I am in Los Angeles.