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windsurf17 · Posted - Sun Aug 11, 2002 10:00 am

Hello,

I'm new here, but have been reading/lurking for a bit. I am curious about processing and effects and don't have very good ears, nor knowledge of this. Can anyone tell me what this guy has done to sound like this:

http://www.geocities.com/onairmedia/z02graham56.mp3

Here's something I did just for kicks about 2 years ago, but it's an example of how the sound just isn't up to snuff:

http://www.goofiness.com/audio/mp3/ads/linux.mp3

(note, that is a stupid joke, please don't be offended if you like Windows).

Does the first one just have better gear? Is he processing it?

Thanks in advance,

Hans

windsurf17 · Posted - Sun Aug 11, 2002 10:03 am

I just noticed that geocities won't let me link directly to the MP3, so please go here:

http://www.geocities.com/onairmedia/grahamvoice1.html

then click on the Mic icon in the middle of the page.

Thank you,

Hans

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA

Hello Hans...Well, it's difficult to tell from your example what it is that you're looking for. For starters, it would seem that you encoded your example at a much lower bitrate, hence the missing fidelity and crispness that you hear in the other example.

Which brings us to the 'graham' piece...What is it that you're trying to mimic? He's got lots of different voice things happening there, each one slightly different. There are many cool techniques that can be employed in CE - you just need to specify what it is that you're trying to do - gear aside, of course. Granted, if all of your recording is done through a Radio Shack dynamic mic through a cheap preamp into an SB16 card, it's unlikely that you'll be able to get 'really hi-fi' sound.

Let us know your setup.

---Syntrillium, M.D.

windsurf17 · Posted - Mon Aug 12, 2002 3:50 pm

Thanks for the reply.

I guess it's the way everything blends. It doesn't seem to be a levels thing. His voice just seems to blend into the mix better. I know that Cooledit is capable of this, but I don't know where to start. I've played with a lot of it, but my mixes just seem off. Is it just a matter of playing around more, or is there anything you can tell me to get me jump started.

FYI, I am using a Sennheiser MD 421U for the Mic, a Behringer Eurorack MX 802A into an Ensoniq sound card (not the best, I know).

Thanks again,

Hans

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA

Hello Hans. For starters, the way to make things 'gel' in a production (particularly for Radio broadcast, whether it's spots, liners, music beds, etc) is to use Compression. Using a compressor properly can make all the difference in the world when it comes to voice talent and reading copy - of course, the voice (or, pipes as they're sometimes called) has to be there in the first place, you know?

Having said that, there are many elements that make a finished 'mix' sound better and more professional. Tinkering is a good way to get familiarized with all the tools available to you - but for proper usage and understanding, I'd recommend picking up a good reference book on recording/mixing audio...or simply search and read through the mounds of posts on this forum! You might also consider going over to our Tips&Tricks area. There's an entire thread dedicated to Compression & Limiting that just might be what you need to get you started.

http://forums.syntrillium.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=16&CAT_ID=4&Forum_Title=Tips+%26+Tricks

---Syntrillium, M.D.

windsurf17 · Posted - Wed Aug 14, 2002 10:10 am

Thanks. I've actually read that thread before. I think I need a little more experience to figure it all out. My ears aren't that great, and that hurts my confidence on what sounds good.

I do notice that when I compress my voice, it seems more distorted, even if I drop the output gain so it doesn't clip. Do you compress the music bed, too? Do you compress them combined, or separately?

I'm playing with this constantly, so I'll get it figured out eventually.

What is it that NPR does to make their setup sound so clear and consistent and warm?

What mixing book would be the best for a newbie?