Response to Voice Bunny Rejection
I hope all is well with you and your families. I was recently rejected from Voice Bunny as a voice over talent. I was corresponding with Maria and she suggested I post to the community page.
Hope all is well with you and your family.
I just wanted to address the points below. This email is more for me than for the VB team. You can forward my comments along or not. Up to you. I happen to have your name and email so I thought the direct approach was best.
I have photos and attachments which I cannot provide on this platform. Happy to email or text if you'd like to see them.
I have been a post production executive for 30-years. I have run ADR, Voice Over, Foley and Re-recording stages for Warner Bros. Sony/Columbia-Tri Star and Post Logic Studios. I know what a good track sounds like. I also know that I would never send a “dry” track to anyone without some EQ. You all required a non-EQ’ed track which is what I gave you. In both cases in which you rejected my recording, I agree that there are minor sound issues. I would have fixed them if I was able to used the professional tools at my disposal BEFORE submitting them to the client. I am not sure why VB requires a non-effected track.
But to critique the quality of my voice and recording based on an unfinished production seems unfair. You can fix a recording. You cannot fix a substandard voice. How was the quality of my voice? That’s what I really want to know.
Also, I’ve worked in the industry long enough to know that each set up varies slightly. So even though I set up my system per specifications, it may differ slightly on your end and may sound different. You speaker set up and listening level, type of headphones, input-output levels etc. can have a fairly significant effect on the sound of my track. I thought my recording sounded pretty good. However, under normal circumstances, I would equalize my track before submitting. I usually work with the client to get the exact right sound they are looking for. So, again, my room/environment, my system, my style of recording varies and it takes some time to lock it in for each client. PLUS, and this is not an excuse it's reality, I had a real problem finding a quiet space in my house since I am quarantined with four other people because of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Additionally, I would NEVER just send ONE take to the client. I would record multiple takes and send them different room ambiance, different performances and a couple of different EQ passes so they can choose the one they like the best. This was a one and done, do or die process and, from my experience, the industry doesn’t work that way.
That said...
#3 Addressing the professional equipment comment (#3 below). I used a Neumann TLM 103 Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone. See attached Photo. One of the best and most popular voice over microphones in the industry. My converter box is a Focusrite-Scarlett (again, attached photo). Small but certainly adequate for home recording. And, I record onto a Mac Pro using Abelton Software. So I think we can put the professional equipment critique to bed.
#2 Addressing the distortion comment in #2. On my system, listening in headphones, there is NO distortion. Further, I have attached a screen shot. You can see at the far right, the green vertical bar bouncing at -3db. It never gets any higher. The wave hits 0db on three occasions which is within spec and, again, does not distort in headphones and in play back at a real level. I also listened to the playback through a “futzed” speaker as it would be through a telephone voice playback and there was NO distortion. Again, there was a little too much ROOM in the raw track but could have been solved with some EQ. And, on the first track’s feedback you provided for me, level was NOT in the comments. I recorded this second pass at the same level as the first.
#1 Addressing room echo in #1. On your first set of comments you said that there was too much background noise. Which I would have eliminated before I submitted to you with a background EQ pass. The second pass was in a more confined space that was a little “wetter” with some natural reverb. I will give you it was a little much. But certainly not rejection-worthy. I have other spaces in which to record and was trying to get the best sound for you. I would lock that in with the client by sending some options so they can choose the one they like best.
I think that’s it. I got it off my chest. Wishing you all the best of health. Hang in there during this difficult time. Keep your families safe. Wear a mask. But don’t record VO with one on!
Peace,
Barry
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Hi Barry,
We apologize for the delay in our reply.
Now, let's talk audio!
Thank you for all your explanations and context, it does help to see where you're coming from and all the resources and equipment you have available to provide great audio quality.
Let's address the main issues here: Room, Hum, Background Noise, and plosives.
These issues, as you mentioned, could've had been fixed before sending it to us, we do agree on that. But, we have a different position regarding the solution. You mentioned that those could be fixed with EQ, in post, which is one way to see and do it. We much rather fix those issues right from the recording stage, meaning, Acoustic Treatment.
You also mentioned that you have different recording spaces, we would love to have your most treated space, somewhere that won't require post EQ on your file to fix those issues.
It seems like your audio is being affected by some interference. This is very easily fixed, make sure your electrical wires are not running in parallel with your audio wires, that way you can avoid the interference. Also, make sure that your equipment is properly grounded to avoid further electrical issues.
We were able to pick some plosives on your audio, again, it has a very easy fix, make sure to use a pop filter, if the issue is still there, try positioning your mic in a slight angle, that way you'll prevent the air hitting directly into the mic's capsule.
We hope this will help you improve your work with us. It seems like you're a very experienced Pro, we believe you'll find this feedback reasonable, and very easy to apply to your already great recordings.
Remember, our team is evaluating everything, quality, performance, attention to detail, and following instructions.
Let us know if you have further questions or comments,
All the best
Hey, Gents!
Thank you for joining this space, Barry! We appreciate your comments and all the helpful information about your setup. You're certainly working with great gear, especially that Neumann which is a beast of a microphone. I'm no fan of Scarletts, but regardless of my personal preference, they can yield great results. I've tended to some talents with humming/hiss/signal noise using these interfaces and in some forums around the web, one can stumble upon a bunch of references of Scarlett users reporting isolation and grounding issues with select units.
Reinforcing Johnny's comments on audio, let's dig into the subject from a QC perspective:
The room acoustics issue is the most concerning of them all because we're adamant about receiving the cleanest audio possible: with as little reverberation and/or room noise. Here's where the amazing qualities of your mic can play against you if the acoustic environment is less than ideal. The sensitivity of your Neumann will make it very susceptible to picking up even the slightest amounts of room echo and ambient noise. If you're recording with a Scarlett at a level of 45% gain or more, this issue will worsen drastically. Here's where the great dynamic range of the mic can help you attain good audio printing no more than -9 dB when tracking, but the need for superb acoustic treatment/isolation remains.
About the distortion, it's not only a matter of maintaining x levels as per our DAW's meters. Harmonic distortion is an acoustic phenomenon than can be printed into the waveform even if the said wave doesn't reach or exceed the digital threshold of 0 dB. This can be present as low-frequency saturation or other types of coloration at any amplitude signal, depending on mic positioning, proximity effect, and of course the gain level used while tracking. In sum, a waveform needs not to be squared in the digital realm if any frequency ranges saturate in the originating signal, such as it's the case with your rejected recording, which indicates the gain used to track was way too hot. In this case, fixing this waveform in post would've been near to impossible as the waveform presents marked saturation in the mid to high-frequency ranges, along with boominess in the low-end of the spectrum. Furthermore, the waveform indeed peaks at 0.00 dB
For reference, I've prepared a comparison of the rejected audition vs. an approved piece of audio, made with the same gear. As you'll be able to listen, it has a tiny bit of room echo, just on the threshold of what may be deemed acceptable in any work submitted for this, the most competitive category in Bunny Studio. It also serves to exemplify what an engineer or client would accept from us, to consider the waveform 'malleable' enough to fix in post, although most of our clients wouldn't really go through the processing and thus require that as minimum quality, considering it ready to use audio, as we promise to deliver.
Finally, I got to say, you have a great voice and reading style! Unfortunately, while personally reviewing application projects (in my MO) I don't critique reading/tone/intention if the quality is not there, to begin with. Might be an oversight on my behalf, but it stems from the fact that most aspiring pros have no problems with delivery as most of the talent we attract are experienced VO artists and announcers. The areas of improvement come in the realm of production –or rather self-production– 99% of the time. As you say, there's no fixing a sub-par voice or an incompetent reader, but when it comes to production and recording, we are all in the same boat, trying to be as perfect and competitive in a market that's continuously expanding, where clients are spoiled for choice.
I'm pretty sure these suggestions were included in the original rejection, but it doesn't hurt to revisit them:
A) Try to improve your acoustic treatment/mic location. Follow this link for advice on how to solve room acoustic issues: https://help.bunnystudio.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/203461624-Tip-5-Basic-acoustic-treatment-is-not-rocket-science
B) Make sure that you're setting your gear to a level that prints a signal of -9 to -6 dB maximum while recording. Listen attentively for any noise in the signal (white noise, humming, etc.)
C) Always normalize your best recording to -3 dBFS Peak Level. You should not hear any noise (like a balloon letting air out [hiss]), your echoes should be minimal, and there shouldn't be any presence of ambient noise. Remember to lay off the compressors, limiters, or expanders. Use careful low-cut filtering at a maximum level of 96 Hz to remove any boominess/plosives or thumping that might've made it into the recording. A noise gate at around 38 to 36 dB can help with 'cleaning' up any inherent noise from one's gear and certainly helps with other low-amplitude noises.
D) Scrub through the waveform and listen for mouth noises: clicks, salivation, cheek noise, and breaths. Mute those sounds carefully and use fades if necessary. If you need guidance this process, follow this link: https://help.bunnystudio.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360006728219-Why-should-I-use-fades-
We hope to hear from you soon!
- Héctor Adolfo Ituarte (Bunny Studio QC Agent)