Blog

It’s straightforward to wreck voice recording with heavy-handed equalization.

I’ve heard voiceovers that sound just like the speaker had a stuffy nostril even after they didn’t. I’ve heard voiceovers that sound just like the speaker was speaking in a high-pitched voice—after they weren’t. I’ve even heard voiceovers the place the speaker sounds so odd that the recording turns into merely unintelligible.

The unlucky factor right here is all of those voice recordings began with a great-sounding clear voice. However they had been butchered with aggressive, incorrectly utilized EQ.

The excellent news is you don’t have to be an skilled audio engineer to use EQ that improves a voice recording, somewhat than ruining it.

On this tutorial, I’ll present you how you can strategy equalization earlier than discussing EQ particularly for voice.

It’s All Over Earlier than You Know It

Earlier than I begin speaking about EQ, I wish to guarantee you may have the precise mind set in terms of recording voice.

The character and tone of any voice recording are determined lengthy earlier than you load up the DAW or audio editor and apply some EQ.

If you need your voiceover to sound heat, you might want to create this heat within the recording part. Too many individuals attempt to create heat with EQ.

And sadly, that’s not the way it works. You may’t create new frequencies and utterly change the character of a recording. You may solely exaggerate or reduce what’s already there. Positive, these processes could make a voice sound hotter, however the heat must be there within the first place.

There needs to be heat in your recording if you happen to want to convey it out with EQ – Picture from Envato Parts.

Earlier than you load up an EQ to vary the character of the voice — cease. In the event you don’t just like the tone of the voice recording, you might need to start out once more.

Subsequent time you file, take into consideration what character and tone you wish to seize. Keep away from considering that you simply’ll make it sound higher with EQ and compression in a while. That’s simply not the way it works. Take the time to get the recording to sound good from the outset. you’ll have a much better closing product this fashion somewhat than making an attempt to make one million changes after the very fact. 

Now with these caveats out of the best way, let’s transfer on to how you can use an equalizer correctly.

How To Use An Equalizer

Equalizers are to not repair the character of a voiceover however they’ll convey out extra of what makes the recording good. Or, they’ll take away what makes the recording dangerous. It’s that straightforward. 

An equalizer can’t add what’s not there within the first place.

They can be used to vary the character of a voice, however solely barely. And so they can be utilized to enhance a voice recording, however provided that it’s recording already.

Obtained it? Good. Now on to the sensible software.

While you’re first beginning out, you must solely strategy EQ in two methods. Afterward, you may experiment — as soon as your ears are higher skilled. However to start, stick to those two approaches and you may’t go far mistaken.

• The primary strategy is to use slim cuts to take away room resonances and unsightly components of the sound.
• The second strategy is to use vast boosts to magnify the great things.

However right here there are additionally two golden guidelines to think about always:

1. Attempt to use cuts greater than boosts. That is known as subtractive EQ. With out going into an excessive amount of element, it’s at all times higher to chop. So if you need one thing to sound brighter, lower the lows as a substitute of boosting the highs.

2. Subtlety is essential—particularly in terms of voice. Keep away from reducing or boosting greater than 3-5 dB. Any extra, and the voice will begin to sound unnatural and odd.

Single band bell curves, as proven in Logic Professional.

It’s additionally price taking into account that these approaches solely apply to single bands—bell curves—on the EQ. 

Cabinets are one thing else to pay thoughts to. They increase or lower every little thing under or above a sure frequency. A low shelf will increase or lower every little thing under it, and a excessive shelf will increase or lower every little thing above it. 

The golden guidelines nonetheless apply to those: lower earlier than boosting, and preserve it refined.

Shelf EQ as proven in Logic Professional.

Filters utterly lower every little thing under or above a sure frequency. A excessive cross filter will lower every little thing under it. It lets the highs cross. And a low cross filter will lower every little thing above. It lets the lows cross. 

The golden guidelines don’t apply to those: you may solely lower with filters—there’s no choice to spice up—and you may’t restrict them to three dB’s—as a result of they lower every little thing.

Excessive cross filter in Logic Professional.

There we’ve it – three sorts of EQ, two approaches, and two golden guidelines. Keep in mind these and you may EQ something. Simply use your ears.

Making use of EQ to a Voice Recording

Now, let’s think about EQ in relation to voice recordings.

First, apply the final rules that I’ve simply mentioned. Transfer the EQ bands round till you discover any room resonances, and lower them by 3 dB. Transfer the bands round till you discover nice components of the sound, and increase them by 3 dB. 

No two voices are the identical, so heat in a single voice shall be in a barely completely different place to a different. You’ll have to mess around a bit to seek out what works. And there shall be distinct variations between masculine-sounding and feminine-sounding voices. Masculine voices are centered round 80-180 Hz, whereas female voices are centered round 160-260 Hz. That’s a giant distinction.

Having mentioned that, there are a couple of areas which are widespread throughout all voices. Solely use the next ideas as pointers and beginning factors. It’s essential to experiment. Use your ears and discover what works for the actual voice.

Earlier than I begin, right here’s the voice recording with no processing:

Your browser doesn’t assist the audio tag.

1. Use a Excessive Move Filter to Lower All the things Beneath 80 Hz

It is a widespread apply and one thing that you are able to do to enhance any voiceover. Something under this frequency shall be low-end rumble and noise. Take away it, and it’ll immediately clear up your voiceover.

Strive going even increased, particularly on a female-sounding voice. In case your voice recording is sounding a bit too bass-heavy, reducing every little thing under 100 Hz will actually assist with intelligibility.

Right here is the voice recording with a excessive cross filter utilized at 80 Hz:

Your browser doesn’t assist the audio tag.

2. Lower 100-300 Hz to Add poeticbusiness

Just like the final tip, reducing the bass will enhance readability. Then again, if the voice sounds a bit skinny, attempt boosting someplace on this frequency vary.

Right here is the voice recording with a lower from 100-300 Hz:

Your browser doesn’t assist the audio tag.

Right here is the voice recording with a lift from 100-300 Hz:

Your browser doesn’t assist the audio tag.

3. Lower 300-400 Hz If the Voice Sounds ‘Muddy’

It is a problematic frequency vary for many recordings—notably in music. If the voice sounds too muddy, attempt reducing someplace round this space.

Right here is the voice recording with a lower from 300-400 Hz:

Your browser doesn’t assist the audio tag.

4. A Extensive Increase Between 2-6 kHz Can Enhance poeticbusiness

If reducing a number of the bass round 100-300 Hz doesn’t add sufficient readability, attempt a delicate increase throughout this frequency vary.

Right here is the voice recording with a lift from 2-6 kHz:

Your browser doesn’t assist the audio tag.

Watch out of exaggerating the sibilance and S sounds of the voice although, which leads me to the subsequent step:

5. Lower Round 3-5 kHz If the Voice Sounds Too Sibilant

Be cautious of this frequency vary when boosting. Boosting an excessive amount of at these frequencies could make the voice sound extremely sibilant and add an excessive amount of sizzle.

Right here is the voice recording with a lower from 3-5 kHz:

Your browser doesn’t assist the audio tag.

Addressing Widespread EQ Points in Totally different Environments

When making use of EQ to voice recordings, the recording surroundings performs a essential function in shaping the sound. Totally different environments current distinctive challenges that will require particular EQ changes to realize one of the best outcomes.

The EQ decisions you make shall be completely different for voice recordings made at residence versus these made outdoor. Picture from Envato Parts.

Beneath are some widespread recording environments and tips about how you can modify EQ settings to deal with their explicit points.

1. Dwelling Studios

Dwelling studios usually have imperfect acoustics, which may result in points like room resonances, echo, or background noise. Right here’s how you can modify EQ in such environments:

• Sort out room resonance: Dwelling studios could have resonances brought on by untreated partitions, flooring, or ceilings. To cut back these, use a slim lower (round 3-5 dB) to establish and take away resonant frequencies, often discovered between 100-300 Hz.
• Excessive-pass filter for low-end rumble: In the event you’re choosing up hums or vibrations from issues like HVAC programs or visitors, apply a high-pass filter to take away every little thing under 80-100 Hz.
• poeticbusiness increase: Dwelling recordings can generally sound muffled or muddy, particularly in untreated rooms. Contemplate a large increase round 2-6 kHz to extend readability and make the voice stand out.

2. Skilled Studios

Skilled studios are typically designed to manage acoustics, so the uncooked recordings must be clear and clear. Nevertheless, EQ can nonetheless improve recordings:

• Refined changes: Since skilled recordings are usually cleaner, EQ changes must be minimal and refined. Give attention to emphasizing nice frequencies somewhat than reducing problematic ones.
• Heat enhancement: In a managed studio surroundings, you may emphasize the heat of a voice by making use of a delicate increase round 100-300 Hz, however be cautious to not overdo it, as it will possibly make the voice sound overly bass-heavy.

3. Outside Environments

Recording outdoor can introduce a wide range of points, together with wind noise, environmental sounds, and an unbalanced frequency response. Right here’s how you can deal with outside recordings:

• Aggressive high-pass filter: Outside environments usually introduce low-frequency noises similar to wind or distant visitors. Use a high-pass filter set at a better frequency—round 120-150 Hz—to remove these undesirable sounds.
• Lower mid-range frequencies: In case your recording has an unnatural boxy sound brought on by reflections from close by objects like buildings or autos, attempt a slim lower round 400-600 Hz to scale back this.
• Restore misplaced highs: Outside recordings could lack the pure brightness of a studio surroundings. Apply a large increase round 6-10 kHz to regain some high-end sparkle, however watch out to not introduce extreme sibilance.

4. Transportable Recording Setups (On the Go)

Recording on the go together with moveable gear like handheld recorders or smartphones) usually ends in compromised audio high quality as a result of uncontrolled environments. Right here’s how you can make one of the best of it:

• Take away background noise: Since moveable setups could decide up lots of ambient noise, a high-pass filter at 100 Hz or increased will assist clear up the recording.
• Tackle plosives and proximity results: If the microphone was too near the speaker, the recording might need a “boomy” high quality. Apply a slim lower round 80-150 Hz to scale back extreme bass brought on by proximity results.
• Increase readability: Transportable recorders could not seize the complete richness of the voice. A large increase round 3-5 kHz can enhance intelligibility and add readability to the recording.

Ultimate Ideas

Keep in mind that the following pointers are purely meant for use as beginning factors. Experiment, and belief your ears.

However do not forget that subtlety is essential. Spend time getting the sound that you really want while you file. Solely then must you use EQ to enhance it. EQ is a complement to make recording nice. It may’t make a foul recording good. 

Better of luck as you discover the true energy of EQ!