Rejected for overcompression?
Hey everyone! So I am here also to get some additional feedback on my application piece. It was supposed to be recorded as an IVR voice recording with enthusiasm. So their reasoning said that they couldn't accept it because it was "Your recording is over-processed and this is leading to a distortion in your voice, making it sound robotic."
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4ibcbpht0qvz87k/Voice%20Bunny%20Audition%20Mono.wav?dl=0
I am a bit confused on what exactly they are talking about. The only editing I did to the piece was to take out the big air intakes before some of the words. Besides that, I didn't do any processing at all! I'd love to hear from some of you about what they might be hearing. I listened to it again today and had a second opinion from another voiceover artist and they didn't hear it either.
Thanks for your feedback!
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Hey Michael -
I'm not really understanding the "robotic" comment, however, I do hear what they may say is over processing.
1) Throughout the recording, you have some plosives that are affecting the quality. It's not every single one but at 0:07 the T pushes pretty hard then the "P" of project hits pretty hard. Are you using a pop filter? How close are you to the mic and what kind of mic are you using? For example, I have a mic that has a heavier bottom end and I have to EQ the lows out. I typically have a slope starting around 100hz and if I need to cut through some music or give it some presence I'll add a slight peak boost around 400hz. You have to mess around and see what helps reduce the plosives for you.
2) At 0:32 the recording is distorted and does sound like overmodulation. Maybe it's a digital artifact that isn't in your original recording.
I'd suggest turning your monitors or headphones up a bit so you can really hear the plosives and distortion in action. They're subtle, but they're there.
BTW - I should add that I am just regular VB Pro and not part of the staff.
Trey C
Hello Michael!
Angela, from the Bunny Team.
First of all, let me tell you that Troy's comments are spot on! What he said is totally true so please keep them into account :) Also, the plosive situation is quite critical so I'd totally use a pop filter and record a bit farther away from the mic's capsule. I'd also only recommend you to use EQ if you're 100% sure you can'f fix the pops in any other. We're not big fans of processing as it can increase the noise floor when not used properly.
Now, when we mentioned "robotic" we meant that the recording sounds distorted at times (for example, where Troy said) and has little to no headroom. I feel the recording is way too compressed which is leaving the file too tight and the volume to be too high. Please bypass the compressor altogether.
Also, there are some editing mistakes where the last sound of a letter and afterimage are cut which also makes the recording sound unnatural or robotic.
Would you mind sharing a raw recording and your recording specifics? Microphone, interface, processing, etc.
Hey y’all, sorry I haven’t responded, we had a family emergency and left so quickly we forgot the majority of everything.
Trey, thank you very much for all your comments. It really helps to know where specifically to look inside the audio to pinpoint the issues. I definitely can hear those and thank you for your comments!
So, Angela, I am using an Auphonix pop filter on a Blue Yeti mic and I use Twisted Wave on a Mac Book Pro to record on. The pop issue is easily fixable because I can simply adjust how close I was to the mic; I have room to back up.
What keeps coming back to me is the over processing problem. The only thing I tried to edit or “clean up” was to silence the breath intakes before some of the words. So that could explain the last sound and afterimage problem if I selected too large of a gap and caught the previous word as well.
After listening to it again, are you saying it doesn’t have any headroom because I sound muffled? I think I was trying to stay energetic and engaging while not exceeding the -3db sound range. (Which I did think was a little high) So I dampened my own voice at times. I figured doing anything else to the range was too much editing!
Also, I will say that I am just starting to use Twisted Wave after using Wave Pad and I may have accidentally hit a shortcut key without noticing. It happened a few times (like once I accidentally reversed the polarity on a selection, but fixed it) and I must not have noticed it in the final playback checks.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a raw sample any more raw than what I thought I turned in.
Well, thank you for your feedback. What are the rules for reapplying? Do you have to wait a certain amount of time?
It would be nice if you got a chance to have a correction or rerecording submission first and then got the final No. Since adjustments are a common part of the game.
Hi Michael!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Checking the equipment you have, I would be a bit too sure that the problem is with the microphone. The Blue Yeti is a USB microphone which is not ideal for professional voice over applications and can add a lot of problems to the recordings including an unprofessional muffled sound, hiss noise, etc. These microphones are more designed for streaming applications or podcasts due to their low latency and easy setup. However, for professional recordings we would require higher fidelity.
I highly suggest you review the possibility of getting an interface + XLR microphone. There are many inexpensive mid-high quality options you can take a look at!
About reapplying, you can request another chance by logging into your account and clicking on "You started an application. Click here to continue."
Due to the amount of applications and reconsiderations we receive, this process could take up to 30 days, so we appreciate your patience.
Thank you for your interest in working with us!