Lately, so many people are setting up home offices and learning the joys and challenges of working and living in the same space.
Some of us have been walking that line for a long time and have a few insights we can share. As a voice over actor, I’ve been working in my home studio for over a decade. In fact, it’s where my career has blossomed. It can be so easy to feel either constrained by your home space or feel overwhelmed by all the gadgets promising to make your home studio work even better for you.
Here’s a list I’ve put together of a few of the must haves to make your home studio really work for you. Even if you aren’t a voice talent, like I am, some of these tools are probably going to help you, as we are all on audio and video calls constantly. If nothing else, this will be a fun excursion into the studio life of a voice actor.
- Microphone
Excuse the obvious, but it’s the best place to start. Yes, you’re going to need a mic. No, the one on your computer is not enough. It’s designed to grab sound in a rather broad manner and you need something focused that can help you capture the quality and direction you really need.
That doesn’t mean you need the most expensive one on the market, though. I use a Neumann TLM 103, but started out using a Blue Baby Bottle. Here’s a great round up from Voiceover Herald if you really want to get geeky about it, as well as some budget options.
- Interface
Alright, here’s where things start getting fun, if you love audio recording. An interface is an external unit that connects your microphone and your computer. But can’t you just plug your microphone into the computer? Maybe, but then you have no control over the quality of the sound going from the microphone to the computer. An interface gives you that control. I currently use the Universal Audio Apollo Twin X DUO. You can start by looking for one that has the basic features, which leads to our next point.
- Preamp
Preamps are often built into an interface, so as you’re starting out, look for that. Preamps do just as their name implies, they “amp” or amplify the sound before it is recorded into the computer. Of course, it’s more complicated than that, but that helps you understand the importance. When you are recording commercials and other voice over projects, you don’t want any muffled or mumbled sound. You want it crisp and clear. A preamp helps to ensure that you are starting with the best quality sound.
- Mixer
Another element with all of this external gear to consider is a mixer. You’ve always wanted to be your own DJ right? It may not be quite as rocking as all that, but a mixer is definitely something you’re going to think about for your home studio list. A mixer essentially gives you control over multiple sound inputs at a time. This may not seem necessary upfront and your software, which we will talk about below, may be able to help you overcome this need, but whether it’s built into your interface, a digital mixer, or a physical mixer, it’s important to have control over your audio levels from yourself and different people and sources simultaneously.
- DAW
DAW or Digital Audio Workstation is where you can have some fun. This is the software and applications you can use to edit and manipulate your sound recordings, and there are a lot of great DAW options out there. Everything from simple splicing and cutting down to a certain length to more complicated removal of background noises and “touching” up, DAW allows voice over talents to deliver the quality of content our clients need for their projects. You can think of it as photoshop for your audio recordings. And once you dive in, you’ll see how powerful it can be. You may even find uses for it outside of voice recording. My favorites are Twisted Wave for the Mac folx out there who just need a simple setup. But for those looking for a little more punch check out Audacity or if you’re interested in only doing Audiobooks, Reaper is a great, affordable option.
- Headphones
Just as you need to ensure that you are using the right equipment to put great audio content in, you need to have the right equipment to ensure that you can properly hear the content. It’s going to be impossible to know for sure that your recording is clean and crisp without a great pair of headphones. They should fit well because during live sessions you’ll want to feel comfortable, and cancel out external noises so you don’t have any bleed from playback and talkback (especially on those at home Zoom sessions). I love using Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 headphones in my own home studio.
- Monitors
If you’re new to all this, you may be thinking of a computer monitor. That’s a given. You definitely need that to record and use your DAW, but in this case, we are talking about home studio monitors. Most people would probably call these external speakers. They function the same way, but their role is to give you the most natural rendition of your recording while you’re editing files. While the headphones give you that detail and accuracy, monitors help you hear the recording in a more natural sense so you know what your client is going to hear. I like this set, from Yamaha.
- Sound Proofing
Sound proofing is a critical element for a home studio. Now that we are all on Zoom all the time, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Everyone’s families, the pets, the jack hammer outside, the planes overhead, it all gets picked up on audio recording equipment. And when this is your job, it’s critical that you can deliver clean audio in an efficient manner. Yes, there’s software to help eliminate any issues, but the best way to go is to just avoid outside noise all together.
For me, the best sound proofing is Aurolex and panels from ATS Acoustics which can be used in a closet or a booth. But there are lots of ways to go about it. Here is a deeper dive into the topic.
- Internet / Phone / ISDN
These modern technologies connect our home studios to clients anywhere in the world. Of course, a telephone and internet connection are critical for doing business these days. They allow for instant communication and sharing files and recordings.
ISDN, or integrated services digital network, takes these to the next level, giving voice over artists an opportunity to record live with clients. Using this kind of technology, or another alternative, can save clients a lot of time going back and forth and lets voice over artists deliver data more efficiently. ipDTL and Source Connect have also become standards in the industry as an alternative to ISDN. Since the pandemic started clients are also open to using virtual conferencing platforms like Zoom which is also worth an investment.
- Mic Accessories
What else does a home studio need? There are many accessories for your microphone that can make recording easier and cleaner. Everything from a mic stand to various sound filters, you can go crazy with the accessories. My go to mic accessories are a good pop filter and mic arm stand that can attach to the wall of your booth or a desk. (and if you feel fancy check out the Yellowtec M!ka mounting system.)
Are you setting up a home studio? Or are you just curious what voice over talents fill their space with? Either way, I hope you find this list useful.
Want to learn more about the life of a voice over artist? Check out my YouTube channel.