3
Microphone Technique
In This Chapter
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The #1 Tool of Your Trade
Just as you must learn how to use, play, and care for the primary instrument of your craft (your voice), it is equally important to know how to use the other tools of your trade. Some of these include your computer, various types of business and recording software, and, most important, your microphone.
Next to your voice and room acoustics, your microphone is the single most important tool in your voiceover arsenal. It is critical that you have more than just a basic working knowledge of this vital piece of equipment. A microphone that makes someone else sound great might not be the best choice for you, and you need to know at least a little bit of why that is. Ultimately, your selection of a microphone and how you “work” your microphone can have a huge impact on your performance.
Microphone Basics
Before you can use a microphone effectively, it is helpful to first have a basic understanding of how these marvelous instruments work. The basic purpose of a microphone is to convert acoustical energy (sound waves) to electrical energy that can be manipulated and recorded. But not all microphones are equal. There are several designs for microphones, dynamic and condenser being the most popular, most functional and highest quality for voiceover work.
Dynamic and condenser microphones use completely different electro-mechanical processes to achieve the same result. Dynamic microphones are also referred to as “moving coil” microphones and due to their internal construction, they tend to respond to higher frequency sound waves a bit more slowly than condenser mics. This results in a somewhat duller sound that’s not quite as crisp as with a condenser mic. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because the slower transient response can actually help mask some issues like sibilance or certain acoustic problems.
Dynamic Microphone
Dynamic mics use a moving coil attached to a diaphragm to convert acoustic energy to electrical energy (much like a loudspeaker in reverse). Sound waves strike the diaphragm, which is attached to a moving coil surrounding a permanent magnet. As the coil of wire moves within the magnetic field, a very weak electrical current is created that represents the acoustic energy originally striking the diaphragm. Sound quality is generally good but gets better with the more expensive models. Dynamic mics are exceptionally rugged, versatile and very affordable. Simply plug your mic in to the appropriate equipment and start talking.
Condenser mics use two fixed plates very close to each other, but not touching. A constant voltage is placed across the two plates, provided by a phantom power supply (usually from a battery or external power source). As sound waves strike the front plate, a change in the electrical energy is the result. Because there is no magnetic field or physical movement to slow the response to sound waves, condenser mics work extremely well at reproducing higher frequencies. Because a condenser mic’s front plate moves faster than a dynamic mic diaphragm, the sound quality of a condenser mic is brighter and “crisper” than that of a dynamic mic. Condenser mics are more expensive, far more sensitive, and more fragile than dynamic mics. Condenser mics are considered the standard for most voiceover work.
Microphone Pickup Patterns
A microphone’s pickup pattern determines how a microphone “hears” sound waves. The two most common pickup patterns are omnidirectional and cardioid (unidirectional). Of these, the most common type of microphone for voiceover recording is the cardioid. Omni and cardioid mics can be either dynamic or condenser.
Omnidirectional mics pick up sound equally from all directions. Because of this, they can easily pick up room echo and other unwanted sounds, and are, therefore, not recommended for high-quality voice recording. They are generally less expensive than cardioid mics, less susceptible to handling noise, and are less susceptible to “popping.”
Cardioid mics (also called unidirectional mics) come in a wide variety of designs and varying degrees of directionality. Virtually all of them pick up sound best from directly in front of the mic. The sound pick-up fades as you move off-axis of the front center of the mic. The back center of the mic is usually the point of maximum sound rejection, but this can change with some mic designs.
Microphone Placement and Copy Stand Position
In a recording studio environment, you will generally be standing or seated in front of a music stand (copy stand) with a microphone on a boom at about head level. Adjust the copy stand to eye level so you can see the entire script without having to tilt your head down. Tilting your head can affect your sound by constricting your throat and cause you to move off-mic.
Studio microphones are very sensitive and often have a “pop” screen positioned between the mic and your mouth. The pop screen serves two purposes: 1) it prevents blasts of air from hitting the microphone’s diaphragm, and 2) it prevents condensation of moisture from your breath from building up on the microphone diaphragm. Over time, moisture from your breath can affect the microphone’s diaphragm, dulling its sound. If properly positioned, a pop screen will not be needed for preventing breath pops, but still may be advisable for blocking condensation.
It is a myth that the microphone must be directly in front of your mouth. Microphones really don’t care where they are in relation to your mouth. Six inches off to the left or right will pick up your voice exactly the same as six inches directly in front of you or six inches above your mouth (at about eye level). You should always position yourself so you are talking across the microphone and never directly into it. Speaking directly into the mic can blast the diaphragm. Although this is rarely harmful to the mic, the resulting “popping” sounds can be a serious problem for the recording and can be difficult or impossible to fix later on. In some cases, even use of a pop screen may not completely eliminate breath pops from an incorrectly positioned microphone.
Studio microphones are usually cardioid (directional), and most engineers position the mic off to the side or perhaps in front of the performer, above the copy stand at about forehead level with the mic aimed towards the mouth. The acoustics of the voice booth are dead, meaning there are no reflected echoes. The result is a very clean sound with no “pops.” See “Working the Microphone” later in this chapter for more about using your mic.
Microphone placement is simple for a single performer, but becomes more critical when there are several performers in the studio, each with her own mic. In this case, the engineer strives to obtain maximum separation from each performer to minimize how much of each actor’s voice is picked up by the other microphones.
As a starting point, position yourself so your mouth is about 6 to 8 inches from the mic. You can easily estimate this by extending your thumb and little finger; place your thumb against your chin, and the mic at the tip of your little finger. This is not a critical distance, and your engineer may adjust the mic closer or further from you. If you are working in your own home studio, you should experiment with different mic positions to discover the best placement for your voice. You may want to change the mic placement depending on the sound you want for a specific script. You should be able to “eyeball” the proper distance from your mic. Using your hand to measure the distance is a sign that you may not know what you’re doing.
Mic at eye level, approx. 8” from mouth, 4” off to right and aimed down to mouth.
Let the Engineer Position the Microphone
When working in someone else’s studio, always let the engineer adjust the mic to where you will be standing or sitting. Do not move or adjust the mic yourself. The same goes for the pop screen. After positioning your mic and returning to the control room, the engineer will ask for your level, and may ask you to physically change your position relative to the mic. You may be asked to move in on the mic (move closer), or back off a bit (move a bit away from the mic). These physical adjustments should be minor, and are intended to produce the right sound for your voice. If you are popping, you may be asked to change the angle of your face in relation to the mic, or to turn slightly off-mic to prevent your breath from hitting the mic.
In your personal home studio, you will, of course, have complete freedom to position your mic to sound your best. Experimentation will reveal the best mic placement for your home studio.
Microphone Technique
Working the Microphone
While performing, keep your head in a constant relationship to the microphone. The rest of your body can move as much as you need to, provided you aren’t making any noise. But your head must remain relatively stationary. If your position drifts too far off-mic, your voice will appear to fade in and out. This drives engineers crazy because the overall volume of your performance is constantly changing. Even with the best equipment, moving off-mic is extremely difficult to deal with simply because a change of just a few inches can result in a very noticeable change in the tonal quality of your voice.
Be aware that condenser mics will pick up everything! If your clothing rustles or jewelry clinks, it will be picked up. If your stomach gurgles, it will be picked up. Mouth noise will be picked up. Dynamic mics are much more forgiving and less susceptible to picking up room noise.
Using Proximity Effect to Your Advantage
As you physically move closer to a cardioid microphone, your voice increases in lower frequencies (bass) and the overall tone of your voice will be warmer and more intimate. This phenomenon is called proximity effect and is a common characteristic of all directional microphones. As you move away from a cardioid mic, the mic picks up more of the natural ambience of the room. This results in a more open sound, which is cooler and less intimate. Don’t be afraid to experiment, but do let the engineer know what you are doing because he or she will need to adjust recording levels accordingly.
Never Blow into or Tap a Microphone
Condenser microphones are delicate and often very expensive. Blowing into any microphone can cause severe damage. When testing a mic or giving a level to the engineer, always speak in the actual volume of your performance. When the engineer asks you to read for levels, consider it an opportunity to rehearse your performance.
Tapping the mic, although not usually harmful, is annoying to most engineers. It’s good to keep the studio engineer on your side; they control how you sound and have complete power in the control room. Remember basic studio etiquette—don’t touch the equipment, unless, of course, it’s yours!
Holding the Microphone
You will rarely need to hold the mic during an actual session. However, it may be necessary at times and it will usually be with a handheld mic.
Not all recording sessions are held in a studio or done from your personal booth. I was once booked for a session to voice a video production for a client. When I was asked to go to their studio for the session, I expect to be in a nice, acoustically treated voiceover booth. Instead, I was escorted into a very small room, which was clearly set up as a video editing suite. There was no mic stand, no visible microphone, no copy stand, and the room had the sound of a boomy office combined with the whir of the computer’s fan. I was handed the script, and a very cheap dynamic mic was pulled out of a drawer and plugged into the back of the computer. There was no mixer for controlling sound levels and I had to hold the script in one hand while holding the mic in the other as I recorded the script.
Fortunately, this sort of session is rare, but it can happen. And when it does, you need to know how to deal with it. Here’s how to properly use a handheld mic.
Once again, the common myth is that the mic needs to be directly in front of the mouth. If you hold your mic in this position, you will be almost guaranteed to have lots of “pops” and breath noise in your recording.
The correct handheld mic technique is to hold it vertically or at a slight angle, with the top of the mic at chin level, about an inch below the lips and slightly away from the chin, not touching the face. In this position, you will be speaking across the top of the mic rather than directly into it. Talking across the mic minimizes breath pops. You can test for proper mic placement with this exercise: Say “puh, puh,” expelling a blast of air with each “puh.” Slowly raise a finger from below your chin up to your lips and you will know where to position a mic to avoid being hit with your breath.
Incorrect: Mic in front of mouth will pick up breath.
If you need to hold the mic, do not hold or play with the cord. Just let it hang. Wriggling the cable can result in handling noise that can adversely affect your recording, even though you may not hear anything.
Correct: Talk across mic held below mouth.
Using Headphones
Can you record your voice without using headphones? Of course! But would you want to or, more importantly, should you? There are good reasons to argue both sides of the question of whether or not to use headphones. Your headphones are every bit as much a tool in your studio as your microphone and, as with your microphone, there is a correct way to use your headphones, and an incorrect way. And whether you use headphones or not may depend on the type of voiceover work you are doing.
Unlike music recordings, the end product of most voiceover work is heard over speakers rather than ear buds or headphones. Monitoring under headphones removes room acoustics from the listening experience and, since music is commonly listened to under headphones, it makes sense that many music recording engineers are beginning to mix under headphones to create the best possible sound for the listener.
In voiceover work, headphones serve a similar, yet slightly different purpose. By wearing headphones, you will be able to clearly hear yourself as you are delivering your lines. This auditory foldback of your voice will accurately reflect how your microphone hears you, and will often allow you to hear subtle mistakes that might go unnoticed if you are not wearing headphones. You will be able to hear any flaws in your room acoustics, and it will also allow you to effectively apply certain microphone techniques for achieving warmth, presence, or avoiding breath pops.
Another benefit of wearing headphones—especially if you are recording in a professional studio—is that many studios are not set up to allow for talkback over speakers, so headphones become a critical aspect of communication with your director.
A third benefit happens when you are doing rolling punch-ins or working to a playback. Headphones allow you to hear what you are working with, without the microphone picking up the playback audio.
Some voice talent feel that headphones are a distraction or take them out of “the moment” during their performance, and prefer to work without them. This is often because headphones tend to isolate a performance and the foldback audio puts the focus on the actor’s voice, rather than on their performance. Personally, I prefer to work without headphones because it allows me to be more believable. However, I generally do use headphones when I’m recording auditions simply because I want to monitor my performance in order to have the best possible recording.
What Kind of Headphones are Best?
There is no rule that says you can’t take your favorite headphones to a session. It’s done all the time. The important thing is that you treat your headphones as another tool for use during your performance of voiceover.
Keep in mind that your headphones need to accurately represent your voice as it will be recorded. This is the only way you will truly know that you are sounding your best. Ear buds and many consumer headphones will emphasize lower frequencies, often producing a very warm and sometimes “boomy” sound, which might sound very nice, but may not necessarily be an accurate representation of your recording. These, of course, can be used to monitor your recordings, but you should at least be aware of the consequences. When it comes to using headphones to monitor your recordings, you don’t necessarily get what you hear.
Comfort is another important aspect to keep in mind when selecting your headphones. As your voiceover work increases, you may find yourself spending many hours at a time under headphones. The last thing you want is to have sore ears or a headache caused by uncomfortable headphones.
One final consideration is listening volume. When using ear buds or some consumer headphones, the tendency is to turn up the volume. Monitoring at a too loud a level can cause your ears to fatigue, requiring you to turn up the volume even more. Loud monitor levels can also result in high frequency hearing loss, which can, over time, adversely affect the way you hear your recordings. If you don’t already have a favorite pair of comfortable headphones, you might want to put a sample recording of your voice on an MP3 player and take it with you as you test different models of headphones. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on headphones, but you should be satisfied that the headphones you choose are comfortable and will accurately represent your voice recordings.
Although there is really no standard for headphones, one of the most popular for professional voiceover talent is the Sony MDR-7506, which prices out in the neighborhood of $100.
Your Clothes Make a Difference
Wear comfortable clothes when recording, preferably clothes that do not produce any noise or rustling when my move. Tight or uncomfortable clothing can be restricting or distracting. You do not want to be concerned with shoes that are too tight when you are working in a high-priced recording studio. Stay comfortable. The voiceover business is a casual affair. With the increase in home studios for voiceover work, you can now even record in your jammies and no one will know the difference. I even know of one voice actor who will occasionally record—how shall I say this—in the all-together. He says it’s a very freeing way to work.
Always remember that a high-quality studio condenser microphone is very sensitive and will pick up every little noise you make. Be careful not to wear clothing that rustles or “squeaks.” Nylon jackets, leather coats, and many other fabrics are inherently noisy and will have to be dealt with in a recording studio. If you do wear noisy clothing, it may be necessary for you to restrict your movement while in the studio, which can seriously affect your performance. Maybe my friend who records in the all-together has something! Other things to be aware of are: noisy jewelry, loose change and cell phones.
If you are recording in your home studio, you’ll need to not only be aware of clothing noise, but also the many other potential noise sources around your home, both inside and out. Dealing with environmental noise will be covered later in the section on home studios.