mod question

[Swxpert]

i have been trying to mod for a while and i am wondering what would be good sound system to record VO with?

[refuse]

You don't really need that great equipment for VOs. You could easily do it on a simple laptop. What you need is a decent microphone; don't go for the cheapest option and most definitely don't use any internal microphones!

 

Then you need Audacity to record. It's freeware, very easy to use and it will allow you to record your voice, exctract to mp3 and there's even support for many filters you can use to clear up yout voice. Noise reduction and playing around with chorus options are helpful, but depending on what you want to do, you will find loads to help out. For commercial products, I used to swear by Acoustic Mixcraft for it's ease and great deal of included options. It's like a more grown-up version of Audacity, although I haven't warmed to the latest version (+3.0). There is a trial version out there, I believe.

 

It's not that difficult to get good quality audio, it just requires some common sense and preparation. Make sure you keep a bit of a distance from your mic (to avoid spitting in it when pronouncing some letters, like k's, p's, etc...) and make sure you close all windows and doors to your room to keep other sounds out. It's a good idea to have your mic away from your CPU, as that may contribute to the static and noise you get if it's nearby.

 

The problem I find with most 'mod' VOs is that the performance is shocking, making sound quality irrelevant when it's terrible to begin with. Basically, rehearse your lines loads so it DOESN'T sound like you're reading them out before committing to tape (or, um, hd) and do more than a few takes. Oh, and unless you do it in any professional capacity try not to record all the different character VOs yourself and get others in there.

[Swxpert]

what kind of mic would you recommend

[refuse]

I'd say go down to your local computer outlet and have a look at what PC microphones are available. Pretty much any PC microphone will do, so long as you make sure your background levels are down to a minimum, you distance yourself from other machinery etc and do a bit of editing/cleaning up with some software. Basically, in a home set-up, on your first attempt at recording, you won't notice any significant difference between a $5 and a $20 mic and spending $50-$100 on a professional one might not be within your budget or recommended if you're just starting up. If you have a look around on google or whatever for tutorials on home recording (vocals in particular) you should be find loads more than I can possibly tell you about, on set ups, software editing techniques and microphones.

 

Good luck!

[Swxpert]

i'm just really woried about the quality, i don't want hissing or other problems

[refuse]

The hissing and crackling will come from background noises (like air drafts, computer fans, etc...), faulty wires/equipment or a low quality recording. Just makes sure you speak clearly into the mic and save in a high quality bitrate. You could always record in a bathroom or shower room, as they are usually small room that are easily sound-proofed.

 

The major problem you will face is being able to 'perform' the dialog in way to match the tone and quality of ingame dialog; it might sound a bit flat (which you can tweek in most audio/music editors etc), but crucially it will be the 'acting' part which I personally find may be a challenge. It's always a bit eerie the first few times you hear your own voice recorded and played back.

 

But as I mentioned earlier, have a look around on tutorials or guides for DIY home-recording; I know punk bands that have recorded entire albums in their bedrooms and garages with the very minimum of professional equipment (amps, laptop, 3 mics and a keg of beer) and software and it all sounded great (beyond the sound-quality of a conventional demo anyway).

Edited May 29, 2008 by refuse