Recording Narration

[decaf4me Profile Private message]

I have a 10 minute show for which I will be recording someone doing narration. Is it best to record one long narration so that I can get a balanced voice modulation, and then cut the one audio file into separate narrations that can be inserted on corresponding slides - OR - should I record narrations separately for slides on which I want them to start? Also - I am not sure right now if the amount of copy in the script will fit the slide timing - and I don't want to change the slide timing. Any ideas on the best way to record this? I will be using a digital recorder and copying the audio files to my desktop computer. Would rather record directly into the show with a mic, but my laptop is older and doesn't have a video card that will support the latest version of Producer.

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

I would go with the chunks and work with them to get the timing right (the chances of anybody but a professional making it through 10 minutes without tripping is probably pretty small). Use the same recording environment for each segment. Record a good segment of the ambient noise in the recording environment so you can use that to fill in the gaps between segments so they don't hear the gaps. I would look at getting a decent sound editor (even if it is the free Audacity). Make sure your talent works to speak clearly and maintain a level volume level. You might want to check out some of the online tutorials or look into a book like "Producing Great Sound" by Jay Rose ( http://www.amazon.com/Producing-Great-S ... 415722071/ ) I have an older version of his book and there is lots of good info in there. Watch for "plosives" in your recording (words that start with "p" etc. - if you are not careful, it sounds like someone is spitting in the microphone ) I should have mentioned the key phrase to search for is "voice over".

mikey

[decaf4me Profile Private message]

Thanks for your great ideas, Mikey. I have a lavalier mic, but there will be two different people doing the voice overs, so will probably have to either use the Jensen desktop mic if I have the right jack for my digital recorder or just use the onboard digital recorder mic. Having two different voices in the show might prove difficult to adjust the sound levels, but I hope Audacity will save the day. I will check out your referenced material for other hints.

[Magmatic Profile Private message]

A few years ago, I did a slideshow as a fundraiser for a school (not very successfully I'm afraid). Anyway, I wrote the narration. Then I performed it myself because it was too hard to get a good performance out of someone else quickly.

Well, I found out doing a voice-over is very difficult. It might sound easy, because we hear them all the time on the air, but it is very difficult. Very. I had to record it in short segments--because it is very difficult. Get the point? It's very difficult! You need to be an actor.

So, split your script into small, logical segments and record it that way.

Balancing the sound requires using the same setup for each segment. Same distance to the mike, same orientation. And a lot more I'm sure I don't understand. For me, I tried to adjust the tone in the sound editor (Goldwave). I thought there was too much bass, based on what my desktop speakers told me, and so ended up making the sound too thin.

Depending on how picky you are, there will be much trial and error and experimenting.

A digital voice recorder should work well enough. I used a Samson podcasting microphone plugged into a laptop (because it was quieter than my desktop), but I wouldn't do it again. I'll just use the recorder I now have. And it helps a lot to have a pop screen. You can make a pop screen out of some sort of thin fabric (such as a nylon stocking), stretched over a bent coat hanger. But I had a store-bought one, that fit onto the microphone stand.

If you want to see my result, here it is. The narration segments are slide sounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2k7ZCsykYU&fmt=18

[decaf4me Profile Private message]

Well done video, David. Did you do the photography too? I especially like the effect on the shot of the books on the bookshelf being replaced with a mask of the sky. Very cool! The narration was well done too. I certainly can appreciate all of the work that went into this. Regarding voice-overs - I have heard that Fivrr.com is a good place to get narrators. Haven't tried it yet, but intend to try someone out for a small gig, just to see how the process works. I will post my draft video in a separate thread to get peoples' feedback on the narration. It is for a vineyard - I hope you will view and comment.

~Tina

[Magmatic Profile Private message]

Thank you, Tina. Yes, I shot the shots, but some of them required extensive editing to correct my mistakes. As for Fivrr.com, when I go there, my virus checker blocks the site. So, I'm not going there any more!

[BarbaraC Profile Private messageWebsite]

I haven't done a voice-over in an extremely long time, but the one thing I learned back then is that there's always a certain amount of ambient background noise (which if somehow eliminated, makes for a sense that a person is speaking within a total vacuum, the result being what's called "dead air"). When cutting the voice-over into segments, the space between segments produced very obvious dead air. To overcome this, I tried different methods: One was to give up on segments and do precision timing of slides, which isn't easy. Another was to record the ambient sound and place it in between audio sections. Still another was to edit the pauses, shortening/lengthening them. The caveat in the second two methods is that I used Adobe Audition for them since it's far and away easier to do smooth blends there, but regardless, what's called "dead air" is something to be aware of.

Barbara

[decaf4me Profile Private message]

Thanks for the tips on ambient background noise, Barbara. I didn't detect this with my project - maybe because there is a background soundtrack. But if you haven't done so already, would you please view my draft video on the slideshows thread and tell me if you notice 'dead air' between narration sound bites? I realize that there is a difference between people's sound speakers and yours might put out something that I don't hear on mine.

[BarbaraC Profile Private messageWebsite]

There's no way of detecting any dead air that might exist because of just what you mentioned--the soundtrack. It's the perfect solution, keeping a person from having to fiddle and fuss for huge lengths of time. Nicely done!

Barbara

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

If you notice I did mention recording a section of "ambient noise" to fill in the gaps for exactly the reasons Barbara mentioned With a background track, it is not as noticeable, but when it is the only sound, those dead spots (if you don't fill with the ambient noise) are very obvious.

mikey

[BarbaraC Profile Private messageWebsite]

If you notice I did mention recording a section of "ambient noise" to fill in the gaps for exactly the reasons Barbara mentioned With a background track, it is not as noticeable, but when it is the only sound, those dead spots (if you don't fill with the ambient noise) are very obvious.

mikey

Yeah, but I was speaking of dead air, dontcha know.

Barbara

[Dieter Profile Private message]

Hello David,

I also do slideshows, your voice is really super great.
I have "dead air" between my voices. It's for a little calm in the show. When I have a longer time "dead air" I use a sondtrack, sometime in the background of my voices too.
Hint:
Make your voices in your show in one piece ready. Your voice has the next day or later another sound. Do you repair your voice later you can hear this in compared befor and after.
A onboard micro are not the best, the best sound have a externe micro.

Best regards Dieter

[stearman65 Profile Private message]

Get yourself a free copy of Audacity & a Logitech head set (Under £20). Type out a script, learn the script but have a copy on screen to refer to. Try to go for one take, it's amazing how your voice changes if you pause or start again. Every time you make a mistake, shout stop, & repeat where the mistake happened. When your recording is complete, get rid of the mistakes & enhance the recording using Audacity features such as Noise Removal, Normalise & many others until you have a finished VO. Then using Audacities & PSP's timeline add the pauses to match the voice sections to the pictures. Finally, if you want a music background to your VO, add anothe sterio track & use the envelope tool to lower the music when the VO happens.

[bill-wi Profile Private message]

I hope that my input on this subject can help you. First, I must tell you that I am self-taught on ProShow; which means I am a teacher that knows very little and a student that knows even less.

I have been doing vacation/holiday shows for about 10 years. I have learned over time that doing the voice over (narration) with each slide is a much easier way to sync the timing of the voice over with the slide, the captions, and the action within a slide. Way back, when I did not use a music track in the background, my shows were full of dead air.

By recording the voice over to match a slide, you can do it in small segments until you like what you have, and then move on to the next slide. On some voice overs, I nail it on the first take, others can take MUCH longer.

Good Luck...

Here is my latest show... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcksV6nI120

[decaf4me Profile Private message]

Thanks for sharing this fantastic documentary of your recent cruise, Bill. The photography, sequencing, vid clips, Proshow styles and transitions, music, and narration was excellent! Regarding the voiceover... I did end incorporating sound for my video in segments directly into the slide in which the voice was to begin. Most of the segments continued through to succeeding slides, but the background music took care of any 'dead air' between audio segments. I am finishing up the final draft, so slide numbers are still on the video, but here it is for anyone who wants to view:
https://vimeo.com/119632108
password: Sue Anne