Is distortion ever a good thing in the home voiceover studio? Getting things correct at the source is a key step in good sound. In our home voiceover studios we attempt to capture a very dynamic instrument - the human voice.

The term "distortion" crops up frequently when discussing audio from home voiceover studios. Distortion may be applied to a wide variety of recording steps, making it tricky to determine precisely what someone might be talking about. The effects of distortion can range from recordings sounding "not quite right" to a vocal track that sounds like a space alien has taken up residency in our booth.

The need for additional recording options can occur when we are in charge of the actual recording. In most home voiceover studio setups, the focus is on capturing high quality sound from your microphone. Understanding how to get the sound from your booth microphone into your recording software remains the first step in VO home studio setup. Needing to record someone else who is not even in the same space is an added layer of complexity once you've solved that.

Before we start trying to record different streams of audio, it's helpful to understand a bit about I/O routing. As I mentioned in last week's email, "I/O" stands for "Input/Output." The actual I/O routing determines how each piece of software connects with different audio signals. Some signals - like that from the microphone - flow "into" the app, while anything that is broadcast from the app is flowing "out." While this may seem like a simple concept, it can get a bit confusing when we start sending the output from one app to another.

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While playing with some Audacity setups recently, I realized there was a feature that can be helpful in remotely directed sessions. Even better, it's not limited to that app alone, and can be replicated in Twisted Wave if you want to venture out past the documented features.

When other voice actors would share their audio and warn in advance how bad it sounded, I would expect to hear horrifically bad mouth clicks, or sibilance that might make my skin crawl. Lo and behold, their audio sounded good. This was confusing until I turned things up - way up.

Unlike many creative disciplines where there are specific mandated guidelines, "Industry Standard" doesn't seem to be that well defined within the confines of voiceover training, recording setups, or deliverables. Navigating that truth is a challenge for every voice actor and narrator.

Like UPS power backup setups, long term archival storage is one of those things that most of us don't worry about until those files are desperately needed. Long term data storage is part of the puzzle that can be easy to overlook. Taking time to think through how to archive your work can be a gift to your future self.

We get hassled by updates all the time. "Nag" screens appear when we start our computers or open key apps. Little text bubbles get in our face claiming there's a new version of our software or operating system. It can make us feel like we're exposing ourselves to grave danger if we don't act swiftly and click the "Yes! Update!" button.

Which computer? A better question would be to ask what needs to be connected in your studio. Solving that challenge may be a more useful guide as to which computer model to invest in. With a docking station and high speed connection, It's a simple step to disconnect the single cord and become completely mobile.

Much of what we experience in the home voiceover studio can knock us off course. Technical issues and unforeseen challenges often conspire to send us off in unexpected directions. Having a solid foundation and workflow can help stay the course.

"Simple" is not the same as simplistic. In our home voiceover studios, we have to balance technical and creative tasks. Simple is strong. It gives us the foundation needed for our tasks.

Where do certain voiceover "Truths" originate? Some may be highly recycled. A salient idea shared in an interview by a knowledgeable VO director or voice actor could get repeated enough until it becomes gospel. And it may continue to be valid. The best coaching advice I received still resonates regularly in my work. It's important to acknowledge teachings that continue to hold truth.

Why do we need any of those extra takes? Is there another assumption which might be undercutting our success? What if we limited ourselves to just one take?

Deleting an audition take is a courageous act. It requires a significant amount of gumption to highlight one of our efforts behind the mic and tap that key.

Thinking a bit about how we can spiral during auditions. The need for "perfection" can cause endless takes. Does that help us?

With a number of audio interfaces, there's a tendency to simplify the control panel. While this gives a very clean look to the device, it means that what a given knob or button controls changes depending upon what mode you are in. Well designed separate controls show exact settings and allow immediate adjustments. Analog interfaces can aid creativity in the vo studio.

While maintaining that operational simplicity, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Generation 4 then solved two major issues impacting many voice actors and podcasters: reliably setting input levels with Auto-Gain, and dealing with sudden changes in performance volume through the "SAFE" mode.

Once you decide to hit the road with your voiceover recording gear, how do you bring along "everything you need, but nothing you don't"? Here's what I've found works well...

How much VO gear do you need when you travel? Or more importantly, should you be bringing anything with you at all? Before focusing on what recording equipment to take along, it might be helpful to ask just what we are trying to accomplish. Challenging conditions lie in wait when on the road.

Our studio working environment matters a great deal. The ability to be instantly creative behind the microphone strikes me as the oft-overlooked variable when developing a home recording space.

In choosing software, our needs are niche... Narrators, podcasters, storytellers, and voice actors remain a small subset of those people who record audio at home using their own equipment. The bulk of the product or software development remains geared towards singer/songwriters or home music recording enthusiasts. Our home VO studio requirements remain an outlier. So, how to choose?

What is the ratio of tasks in your production workflow? Taking time to track and analyze time spent on specific parts of the workflow can help to focus energy and make things more efficient. When considering how to deliver long form audio, such as audiobook, eLearning work, or even podcast monologues, it becomes apparent that our time gets pulled in many different directions.