Audio Sample Quality Feedback
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4rnh1cugjbpyx1z/Smart%20%26%20Final-Mark%20O%27Clock.wav?dl=0
Attached is an audition that I recently recorded. Please give me your feedback on this audio. I would like to get my voicebunny account reactivated. All of my audio samples that were accepted by voicebunny in the past are now apparently unacceptable.
Thank you,
Mark O'Clock
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Hi Mark
The recording has a lot of room echo and sounds edited very weirdly. I also feel a bit of processing in the file. Are you using any kind of processing? Can you please share a 100% raw file?
Also, the room echo is quite critical. I suggest you review how you're treating your space as well as your microphone technique. I suggest you review the possibility of moving your mic around and review if you can treat the surfaces adjacent to the microphone that may be creating extra reflections. Keep in mind tables and plywood are very reflective surfaces so it's important to keep your microphone away from them!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d5ibql847fo7db6/Smart%20%26%20Final%20Raw%20Recording.wav?dl=0
Howdy Angela!
Room echo... Could it have something to do with a very high ceiling in the area that I'm recording in. I do not have any plywood or non-treated table tops in the recording area. Attached are a couple of photos of my recording area. If you think the echo is from a high ceiling, what can I do about that? The ceiling is about 12 feet high.
As far as the weird editing and processing, all I did was edit out my breaths and normalize -3db per voicebunny requirements.
I have re-recorded the spot raw, breaths and all. Let me know your thoughts.
Thank you, Mark
Hey Mark,
Unfortunately, the room echo is there. The high ceiling could definitely be the culprit. Maybe hanging some acoustic treatment could help with that. If that's not doable, maybe try finding a smaller space where you can record.
This sample also has a lot of mouth clicks, but with careful editing you can eliminate that problem.
Hope that helps,
-Seb
Hi Mark!
I agree with Seb. Also, I believe that the tables are too near to the recording area so the audio more likely is bouncing off them. I suggest you review the possibility of moving the tables farther away or, if possible, changing the room you're recording it so it's isolated!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kacyh0mc3ev4hbf/Smart%20%26%20Final%20Raw%20Recording%2008-20.wav?dl=0
Angela & Seb,
Okay! I took the weekend and did a little construction to create a recording booth, moved the mic. around and added more sound treatments. how does the recording sound now?
In terms of room echo this one sounds much better than previous samples. I can still hear it in some words, but I don't find it distracting. Maybe adding a bit of padding in the areas that are missing could help perfect it.
There are still some distracting mouth clicks though. For example at 0:08 after "less labor".
https://www.dropbox.com/s/purtbomg1nnl9dk/Smart%20%26%20Final%20Raw%20Recording%2008-26.wav?dl=0
Seb & Angela,
Okie Dokie! I added more padding and re-recorded the read. let me know how it sounds now and what is my next step once the sound quality is acceptable?
Thanks, Mark
Hi Mark!
This one sounds much better! I feel, however, that it's a bit bright. Try recording off-axis from the microphone to reduce the impact of the high frequencies. I usually record a bit to the right but you can try to the side you're more comfortable in! You can also try stepping a bit further from the microphone, maybe one or 2 steps.
Mark,
I actually had a cement ceiling! Ughhhh! I thought it was acoustic ceiling until I started looking closely. I was able to hang blankets above me and used heavy duty clamps to secure it to whatever I could. That really really helped!!!
Melissa
https://www.dropbox.com/s/boaw8hfr6khfouz/Smart%20%26%20Final-08-29.wav?dl=0
Angela,
Please take a listen to my latest recording. I tried your suggestions and I know which one I like. let me know what you think.
Mark
Hi Mark!
This one really sounds a bit better. There's still some room echo that impacts how your voice is responding so I do believe it's important to review your mic's positioning. Maybe the angle in which you're recording is not helping reduce enough of the reflections being created by the space.
I am seeing here that the acoustic treatment is actually behind the microphone. I would suggest recording the other way around with you standing with your back towards the wall. Is this a possibility? As your microphone is a cardiod, it's already rejecting a lot of the noise that comes from behind but will be much more open in front. If you face the microphone towards the padding and the wall, you may get better results with less reflections. This is just a guess, but it could work.
Angela,
I am glad it is sounding better to you but which of the three reads was best, right axis, left axis or a foot back from the mic?
Turning the microphone around and standing with my back to the wall was the original position for my first recording which you said was had way to much room echo.
I will try moving the mic away from the corner a little more and see what that will do.
Stay tuned,
Mark
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dh33e9ljied64hf/Smart%20%26%20Final%2008-31.wav?dl=0
Angela,
I re-positioned the mic farther away from the walls and I recorded both right and left axis. Hopefully I have hit the sweet spot!
Mark
Oh! Also I have included a raw recording along with a recording normalized at -3db.
Hi Mark,
This sample sounds good. There are still some reflections which are audible in certain words. For example when you say "Ran out of beer?" there’s a bit of audible ambience but it’s not too distracting.
At 0:23 when you say ‘labor-less day’ there’s a background noise, but luckily it appears to be a one-off, it's not audible throughout.
Sebastian,
OK!
Whats my next step in your process of getting my audio approved and my profile activated again?
Mark
The next step would be to delete your old samples as quite a few of those were rejected for quality reasons and that is the reason your profile was automatically de-activated.
I'd suggest starting with a clean slate, recording some new samples. Try to avoid too much compression and adding loud background music which can distract the listener from hearing your voice.
Sebastian,
Very good, I will delete the samples that are rejected due to quality reasons. Are there any samples that are acceptable that I can leave on my profile?
Mark
Unfortunately, they all look a bit overcompressed and are probably exceeding our -3dB volume suggestion. If you have the original sessions you could reduce the amount of compression and volume and resubmit them but I'd suggest recording new ones.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wk7knwf7lav1oyp/Cerebrum.wav?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/los7aoh3oazwxkx/Essentials%20of%20Interviewing%20eLearning.wav?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/n687om8fzzp05t8/IVR_1.wav?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7io1onhqn4ernn3/Ready%20To%20Go_1.wav?dl=0
Sebastian,
Sorry for my delayed reply back to you but I took a few days off to do some backpacking in the mountains.
I have deleted all of my audio samples in my profile and I will start fresh. I have attached 4 links for you to review.
They are straight reads with -3dB normalization and no background music or effects.
would these work for new samples?
Mark
Hi Mark,
The IVR one has plosives (At 0:22 there's a plosive in 'party' and at 0:29 a slight plosive in 'please'.) The other two are OK, they still have some of the room reflections but they are not prominent. Based on this we've reactivated your profile.
Sebastian,
I will eliminate the plosives in the IVR read and I will upload the new reads into my samples. Thank you for reactivating my profile.
Mark