Short version: What effects do you do *exactly* when processing just recorded vocals? Long version: I''ve just done some new samples for my voice acting resume: http://www.samods.com/~magic/Magic-Samps.zip (Please comment on them too, if you want Someone said the S''s are too sharp and loud. My processing: Dynamic>Graphic in SoundForge (Using the default setting), then a Normalise. Then I do a noise reduction in Cool Edit to get any background distortion. I run the Dynamic>Graphic setting again, and do a Noise Reduction if needed. Comments?

You should never have the need to use any noise reduction on a voice over or cleanly recorded voice.... that's the whole point of a recording session... to get a clean voice. If you are having to use noise reduction then i seriously think you are recording in the wrong room... i'm presuming you are recording in the same room as the computer and you are trying to filter out the fan.

I can clearly hear the noise reduction artifacts in the files, it's an obvious bubbling sound that anyone who's done any sound restoration work will instantly recognise.

I'm not familiar with soundforge, being a apple mac man, but i don't see any use of a compressor in your list of processes. Voice overs should always be compressed (not limited) to create a smooth sound with a tight dynamic range, don't over do it just keep the voice under control.

I also avoid using normalisation, the comprssor will keep things louder (on average) and will have a built in make up gain control. Normalisation will have to round some numbers which invariably get truncated where there isn't enough bit depth to accomodate the required sample value. With every process you use you will be adding a slight amount of noise to your signal and this may show up on an isolated voice so try to limit the amount of processors you use.

If you are having problems with sibilants ('s' and 't' sounds overloading) use a deesser but it didn't bother me with your files.

I quite liked your voice though.... i'm the supervising sound designer on a 35mm feature film and may need some voice actors for some ADR work over the next few months for this project. Although Northumberland may be a little too far as i'm based in the south, but i might email you about this in a little more detail...

[edited by - VectorWarrior on September 3, 2003 3:19:42 PM]

Thank you very much for the comments, Vector.

I''m at Middlesbrough at the moment, about to start my second year at uni. I''m sure myself and the other actors in my group (http://savage.samods.com) may be interested.

I''ll test out some of the suggestions you gave tomorrow (Some of those are in SoundForge to my knowledge). Bear in mind I''m just an amateur voice actor with a SM58 - probably the next best thing to a full recording studio I think!

ahhh, the good old SM58, you really should try a nice capacitor (or back-electret) mic, it would make a great deal of difference especially going into a nice mic preamp. Nowadays you can get good examples of both for very little money.......

a Rode NT1 is what.... £100 about and preamps aren''t much more expensive... Focusrite Platinums are cheap and very high quality (i think they use the same preamps as the old Focusrite greens that used to retail at the £800 mark)...

all the best