Are you aware that approximately 156 million people (18 and over) listen to the radio daily? From an advertiser's perspective, that's a lot of ears! From a voice talent's perspective, that's a lot of potential clients.

What you say in your advertisements matters. While the script is one thing, how the voice comes through the airwaves is another animal entirely. When you bring in voice talent to your voiceover studio, you want to ensure you have the right tools and equipment for the job, right?

Knowing where to begin in this department can be tricky. Don't worry, Voice Talent Now has got your back! To get started with your voiceover studio set up, read our guide below.

Computer and Software

The first thing you'll need when setting up a voiceover studio is a computer with recording software. Odds are you already own a computer so there shouldn't be an added expense here.

You'll want to have plenty of storage space (internal, external, cloud) to save those audio files and organize them efficiently before you send them off to clients.

You can download free recording software such as Audacity. This will help you clean up and edit your work. Once you learn the ropes, you can move to industry-standard editing software like Pro Tools or Logic.

Audio Interface

To continue our voiceover studio set up guide, an audio interface is a middleman between the computer and the mic. Connect the XLR cables to the microphone. This will convert whatever is recorded into digital soundwaves and send them to your computer.

Microphone

Your voice talent will only be as good as the microphone they're behind. For those starting out their voice talent career, an inexpensive USB microphone will do the trick in a pinch. This is good for convenience and being on the go but won't result in the rich sound you'll want for potential clients.

Our voiceover studio set up advice continues as we recommend going with a condenser microphone (and stand). This will pick up a wider range of sound as it has a strong audio signal.

Pop Shield

In addition to a microphone, you ought to invest in a pop shield for your voiceover studio. When you speak your lines, some words will have a "popping" sound that is not pleasing to the ear.

If you've ever tried to record through your phone, you'll understand why this is so important. A pop shield will cut down on these sounds so the clarity in your voice can shine through.

Headphones

Successful voiceover studios will have high-end over-the-ear headphones too. This will be necessary, especially when playing back your audio and editing.

Before you make a purchase, be sure that they get good reviews in the area of comfort. You want to ensure you can wear them for hours on end without pain.

Set Up Your Voiceover Studio Today

Whether you are placing a radio ad or the voice talent themselves, you can see having a voiceover studio with the proper equipment is crucial to your success.

Start small and go piece by piece if you have to. When you move up the career ladder, you can expand on your equipment list.