The Complete Guide to Voice-Over Recordings

Monday, March 25, 2019

Did you know that around 90% of Americans over the age of 12 listen to the radio in any given week? That means they will notice if an ad spot is anything less than pro-grade.

At some point, you probably heard an ad and thought, "That was amateur hour."

While recording your own ad in-house might sound like a good way to save a few bucks, a quality advertisment starts with quality voice-over recordings. These recordings start with a professional voice-over artist.

Keep reading for a short guide on the process of voice-over recordings.

Talent Selection

Some voice-over talent set themselves up with an independent website, but many find work through a voice-over agency. The agency maintains a website where they host audio samples of the voice talent they use.

You can usually sort through the talent based on several factors, such as gender, voice type, or accent. Then you listen. When you find the voice that conveys the right overall feel, you select them.

Script

Most agencies require that you supply the script, typically for 15-second, 30-second, or 1-minute blocks. The agency passes the script along to the voice talent.

Pro tip: assume that you will read the script faster than a professional and select the next higher time length. A good rule of thumb is that pros use is to speak at about 3 words a second.

Recording

One of the biggest reasons that professional voice-over talent gets a better end result is the equipment. Voice talent often maintain a home studio with a dedicated sound booth. Sound booths use noise dampening foam on the inside walls.

Other common equipment includes:

a condenser microphone
pop filter
pre-amp
professional grade audio software

All of this equipment helps limit environmental noise while capturing the highest quality audio. Some voice talent will schedule blocks of time at professional recording studios, which use similar equipment.

The voice talent typically records several passes of your script.

Delivery

The voice talent selects the best versions and submits them to the agency in an uncompressed file format, such as WAV or AIFF. The agency sends them to you.

This agency approach often allows for very fast turnaround. In some cases, you can get files back within a few hours.

One important caveat is that the voice talent and agency don't assemble the final ad or perform substantial audio editing duties, such as mixing and mastering. If an agency does offer that service, it's typically a separate fee.

Parting Thoughts on Voice-Over Recordings

Good voice-over recordings provide the foundation for professional sounding ads. An ad that sounds professional can't guarantee additional business, though it certainly boosts the odds.

An ad that sounds like amateurs threw it together, however, can absolutely drive business away. It sends a message that customers shouldn't take your business seriously.