Re-application Process
Hello Community!
I was just wondering what the possibility was for getting a chance to re-apply after my initial submission was rejected for "sounding too robotic" and having "background hiss throughout." I have new equipment coming in the mail very shortly which should drastically change the quality of my new submission, but I'm VERY new to VB so I didn't know if this was truly the end of the line, or if I should still have hope to pursue my dream. Any info from Angela or Juan would be awesome and greatly appreciated! :) I'll provide my submission below just for good measure, but after listening to a multitude of other community-based submissions, I can definitely see why it was rejected.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZD4r3dzJTRu-5n1QtJoxa34PGbsIfV8d
The main reason I'm posting the audio file is to see if anyone can offer any other tips and advice for me as well. Is there not enough inflection in my voice? Do I not have a good range? Is my voice to nasally or deep? Anything that you guys can pick apart and really scrutinize would be very helpful. Like I said, I'm fairly new to VoiceBunny and voice acting altogether, but I am great at taking directions :)
-Matt
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Hi Matt! Thank you for sharing your post here :) Let me go over your points one by one and give you feedback on your file, too.
1. In regards to reapplying, of course you will have another chance! You can request another project by logging into your account and clicking on "You started an application. Click here to continue it." Due to the amount of applications and reconsiderations we receive, this process could take up to 30 days to get to you but it won't take longer than that.
I suggest you request it when you already have your equipment ready. This way, you'll be sure that you have all your studio setup with great quality to avoid any rejections!
2. The recording definitely sounds very low quality. It has a critical level of hiss noise and the voice sounds very bright and lacks a lot of frequencies. Which microphone were you using here? If you can also let us know what you purchase we can also help!
Hi Angela!
So I was using this (what I thought was decent) headset mic that had a built-in pop filter, but I have a Neewer BM-800 coming to me shortly, and a Scarlett audio interface. I know the mic isn't the BEST available, but I wanted a decent XLR mic that didn't cost a pretty penny. Now when you say it lacks frequencies, what exactly do you mean? I have a pretty baseline understanding of sound and soundwaves, but I'm not really too familiar with frequencies and how different microphones have different frequency responses. Maybe if you could teach me a little about that, I would have an easier time understanding all of this and will be MUCH better prepared for when I re-record! :)
Regards,
~Matt
Hi Matthew
Thank you for letting me know. Headset mics are not designed for professional studio recording so I do believe that the upgrade to an XLR + interface combo is the best solution here.
In regards to how microphones work, we hosted a webinar on the topic. You can find it here: https://help.bunnyinc.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/205414030-Microphone-101 We cover the basics in regards to frequency response and how microphones work. Hope it clears out your doubts
Hello again Angela
I tried again with my new setup and gear, and it sounds MUCH better, but it still got rejected for "boxiness throughout." I'm using a recording studio at a college campus, so I'm not really too sure what else I can do to fix this, do you have any insight on it? I thought it sounded fine, but like I said before, I'm far from a professional
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hdBcCjCAR90Qv9USTc7O3gsmuChX6lfw/view?usp=sharing
Hi Matthew,
I've listened to your sample and there are some minor audible issues.
-There are some clicks (in "artists" & "languages").
-There are some minor room reflections. Even if you record in a studio, it all comes down to mic positioning. Make sure you stay away from walls/windows. It's audible in loud parts, for example when you say "happy".
Hope that helps!
-Seb
Hi Matthew
I agree with Seb's comments. I'd also add that your voice sounds quite boxy (not boomy) as it has this nasal, thin sound. You have awesome performance skills, but the voice sounds a bit too nasal and small. The word "happy" as Seb mentions, is particular of this sound. This could be caused by your microphone technique or some reflective surfaces that may be changing how the voice is reacting in your space.
I suggest you review how you're recording. More likely, you need to set your microphone at an angle in your space and position yourself off-axis from the main capsule of the mic. I also suggest you record a bit farther away and with your nose outside of the main cone. This should reduce the nasal sound and could help reduce some of the acoustic issues.
Hope this helps!