19 Replies Latest reply: Jan 28, 2010 10:46 AM by Vixter101 RSS

    Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?

    Vixter101 Community Member

      Hi folks!

      I'm new to the Adobe forum. I've been trying to do a voiceover in Soundbooth (I'm using a MacBook Pro and a USB mic). I can do the voiceover no problem (in terms of "functionality") but I find the lag of the audio most distracting. I'm using headphones to monitor as I speak. In the past, when I did voiceovers using analog equipment, I could monitor in real time. It was great. But, the digital lag makes it hard to stay focused on what I'm saying. Is there something I'm doing wrong? Is this the norm for digital audio recording? Is there, at least, some way I can minimize the lag?

      Thanks so much!

      Vic

        • 1. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
          redskyat Community Member

          Hi Vixter101

           

          What you are experiencing is latency... the time your voice signal takes to travel from mic to computer and out to your cans. For this reason, you can buy mics – even USB mics – which have zero latency. In this case you plug your cans into the mic and monitor there, in real time. I believe this is a mic issue, not a software issue. That is, if you were to use Audacity (free) for example, I imagine you'd have a similar problem. I use a Samson G Track, and it allows for real time (zero latency) monitoring.

           

          -Paul

          • 2. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
            Vixter101 Community Member

            Hey, Paul:

            Thanks for the info. What a coincidence... I had just been looking online at the very mic you mentioned when I checked and got your message. I'm thinking of ordering a G-Track, too. It seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. Actually, I recently purchased a Samson USB mic, thinking it would do what I wanted. It's a Samson C01U... It's a nice mic, I suppose, but what good is it really if you can't monitor what goes into it in real time? I guess I've wasted $150.00, 'cause I really don't see having much use for it. Really, what good is a mic you can't monitor? I don't even know why they would sell them (unless it's like for recording on a video camera, something like that), and this one is obviously for voice work.

            Anyways, how do you like the G-Track? Is it worth the cash?

            I guess you can not only plug in an instrument, but also another mic (analog), thereby having two mics going into your computer via USB.

            Also, what kind of computer/software are you using? I'm on a MacBook Pro, and use Final Cut Express and Adobe's Soundbooth. And, of course, Garageband. Are you using the G-Track on a Mac or PC? Is it easy to install? Plug & Play?

            Thanks for your info! I really appreciate it.

            Vic

            • 3. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
              Vixter101 Community Member

              Hi Paul,Thanks for the info. Much appreciated. I sent a message to you through Adobe forums, but not sure if I posted it correctly. I was wondering how you like the Samson G Track mic? I'm thinking of buying one to eliminate the whole latency problem. (What good is a mic that you can't monitor, anyway? If I'd known, I would never have purchase my current mic, a Samson C01U. I wasted $150.00!) Are you happy with the G Track?Thanks again.

               

              Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:56:22 -0600

              From: forums@adobe.com

              To: vicnoseworthy@hotmail.com

              Subject: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?

               

              Hi Vixter101

               

              What you are experiencing is latency... the time your voice signal takes to travel from mic to computer and out to your cans. For this reason, you can buy mics – even USB mics – which have zero latency. In this case you plug your cans into the mic and monitor there, in real time. I believe this is a mic issue, not a software issue. That is, if you were to use Audacity (free) for example, I imagine you'd have a similar problem. I use a Samson G Track, and it allows for real time (zero latency) monitoring.

               

              -Paul

              >

              • 4. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                redskyat Community Member

                Hi Vic,

                 

                I do like the G-Track, and it has been a good "starter" mic to get 

                practicing with. Listening to all the voiceover sites, however, where 

                established full-time vo artists talk about their mics (multi-

                thousands of dollars) makes me realize we're still talking a USB mic, 

                and I guess that has limitations. It does come with good instructions 

                and installation on my Mac was as easy as you'd expect. I started with 

                Audacity, because I knew it from doing sound design and editing for 

                the theatre, but a few months ago I bought Soundbooth. I also paid to 

                subscribe to Lynda.com for a while so I could absorb the many video 

                tutorials on Soundbooth. The G-Track has been a good place for me to 

                start, because I can practice and learn all I want to, and I'm now 

                auditioning a lot with it (and have been hired from auditions using 

                that mic), and best of all, you hear yourself realtime.

                 

                Best regards, Vic.

                 

                -Paul

                • 5. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                  Vixter101 Community Member

                  Awesome, Paul. Thanks for the info. Yeah, from the little bit I do know about audio, analog has its benefits, or so it seems. You sound like you're not completely thrilled with the whole USB aspect of digital mics. As for myself, I like the simplicity of it, since I know practically nothing about audio. I find Soundbooth great. Do you know if it has any kind of "limiter" that you can use while you record, so as to avoid clipping? Getting the proper levels seem to be a challenge for me.Thanks again Paul.Vic

                   

                  Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:20:08 -0600

                  From: forums@adobe.com

                  To: vicnoseworthy@hotmail.com

                  Subject: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?

                   

                  Hi Vic,

                   

                  I do like the G-Track, and it has been a good "starter" mic to get 

                  practicing with. Listening to all the voiceover sites, however, where 

                  established full-time vo artists talk about their mics (multi-

                  thousands of dollars) makes me realize we're still talking a USB mic, 

                  and I guess that has limitations. It does come with good instructions 

                  and installation on my Mac was as easy as you'd expect. I started with 

                  Audacity, because I knew it from doing sound design and editing for 

                  the theatre, but a few months ago I bought Soundbooth. I also paid to 

                  subscribe to Lynda.com for a while so I could absorb the many video 

                  tutorials on Soundbooth. The G-Track has been a good place for me to 

                  start, because I can practice and learn all I want to, and I'm now 

                  auditioning a lot with it (and have been hired from auditions using 

                  that mic), and best of all, you hear yourself realtime.

                   

                  Best regards, Vic.

                   

                  -Paul

                  >

                  • 6. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                    redskyat Community Member

                    Hi Vic,

                     

                    What I want is a full, rich sound of my voice and nothing else. No 

                    room noise, no echo, etc. So it seems to me the equation is (voice 

                    x10) + (room treatment x 5) + (mic x 2) + (software x 0). In other 

                    words, what will get me hired is mostly my interpretation of the copy 

                    through my voice choices (x10), plus the room has to be as much like a 

                    dead recording studio as possible (so  about x 5 on the importance 

                    scale), then you have the mic (which is important for sure, but not as 

                    important as the first two items), and then there is the software (eg: 

                    Soundbooth vs ProTools vs Audacity, etc) which really have no effect 

                    on the outcome of getting hired or not. Heck, even GarageBand will 

                    record faithfully. So software is not an issue. Do I find the Samson G-

                    Track limiting? No. Do I first have to deal with voice acting and room 

                    treatment? YES! Is Soundbooth better than [insert name of any other 

                    software here]? It is a non-issue.

                     

                    The simplicity of a USB mic can't be beaten. That is self-evident. 

                    But, really, if all mics in the world were 5 cents each, would I avoid 

                    a Neumann or other large condenser mic? No. I'd buy one in a 

                    heartbeat, even if that means now I'd have to deal with a pre-amp and 

                    all that hardware/geeky stuff. I'd still do it. When I record in a 

                    studio with a really good mic, it makes me sound WAAAY better than my 

                    home set-up. So simplicity is not the ultimate yardstick by which I'd 

                    evaluate a mic. A Honda accord is simpler than a Viper, but not 

                    necessarily better. Heck of a lot cheaper. But what is the point of 

                    that?

                     

                    There is no such thing as a limiter to stop clipping that I know of. 

                    Even on my Samson G-Track, if I turn down the mic gain a lot, and then 

                    yell into the mic, I will clip. And clipping is an absolute no-no. So 

                    set the gain for normal speech, as if I was reading this email to you 

                    and you were sitting beside me. Then, if the copy requires loudness, 

                    you have to either move back from the mic, or speak across the mic, or 

                    both. Now, having said that, when I am editing an audition, if there 

                    is somewhere where I am close to clipping or I actually am clipping, I 

                    just select that high-dB word in Soundbooth, and reduce the dB by -1 

                    or -1.5 to get myself back more or less in the range I want to be in. 

                    The only limiter I know of is reading this email right this moment. You.

                     

                    Best of luck to us both!

                     

                    -Paul

                    • 7. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                      Vixter101 Community Member

                      Thanks for all that info, Paul. You're very helpful. I didn't realize room acoustics were so important. Right now, there's not a lot I can do about that, but into the future, I'll likely build some sort of isolation booth. In the meantime, I'm still trying to find the right balance of those aspects I have at least some control over. For example:

                       

                      Two key issues for me are knowing the proper adjustment on the gain vs. the distance between the microphone and my mouth as I do a voiceover. As I move closer, of course the level goes up. How far away from the mic should my mouth be? Do I start with adjusting the gain, then adjusting the distance?

                       

                      How does this strategy sound (no pun intended)?:

                      I start by sitting in a very quiet room, and adjust the gain until I begin to hear "room hiss". Then, back off the gain until there's no hiss. That will give me the maximum input level I can use. From there, I can adjust my distance to the mic. I can reduce the input level even further, of course, until I feel I'm getting the right sound level. But, what about the distance between my mouth and the mic? I've noticed if I get too close, the audio begins to have too much base. And, of course, too far away and it begins to sound thin. Is there a rule of thumb?

                       

                      Not being able to monitor the sound with headphones is a real pain; I'm sure I would have a better idea about the aforementioned issues if I could monitor while I spoke   ...and, when I order my G Track, I'm sure I'll be better equipped to do a better job. But, if you have any advice about the mouth-to-mic distance issue, I would love to hear it.

                       

                      Again, Paul, thank you for your help. I really am clueless when it comes to audio. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

                       

                      Cheers,

                      Vic

                      • 8. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                        redskyat Community Member

                        Hey Vic,

                         

                        You say "Two key issues for me are knowing the proper adjustment on 

                        the gain vs. the distance between the microphone and my mouth".

                         

                        I think that is only one issue, not two. Here's why. Good sound is you 

                        and only you. No room noise, no fan or honking cars outside your 

                        window, no hum from electrics and no hiss. So normally if you are 

                        recording something that is NOT screaming or over the top G.I. Joe 

                        dialog, but IS normal conversation, then set the gain so you can 

                        deliver your lines at a comfortable distance from the mic (say 6 

                        inches or so) and NOT have clipping.

                         

                        Next, here's where Soundbooth comes in. You start recording, but don't 

                        say anything for a couple of seconds. Then begin your delivery. When 

                        you stop recording, you need to start to work on the ratio of how much 

                        of the sound is you and how much is the room. I capture a second or so 

                        of just background noise prior to my first word, and under Tasks, I 

                        choose "Capture Noise Print". Then click on the "Noise..." button 

                        beside that and decide how much of the room noise do you want to 

                        filter out. I have found if you remove 100% of the background sound, 

                        it sounds great right then, but after the next step problems show up. 

                        But before I get ahead of myself, try some amount of filtering... say 

                        80% removal. What you've just done there is important to understand. 

                        Yes you cleaned up the sound, but mostly what you did was make your 

                        voice much more dominant over the room noise. That is your objective. 

                        Big voice, nothing else.

                         

                        Problem is, if you record at levels like I do, your voice is hardly 

                        "big". So my next step is to rectify that. I grab the dB slider and 

                        ramp up the overall dB so that my tallest spikes and valleys are still 

                        some distance away from clipping, but not much. That takes experience 

                        to figure out. Now when you listen one of a couple of things will be 

                        apparent: either your voice now sounds weird/hollow/boom-y/ or echo-y, 

                        or your voice sounds GREAT! If it's the former, you have more work to 

                        do. If the latter, bingo!

                         

                        Let's say, however, by bumping the dB way up, you now have a sound 

                        file that is weird-sounding. Use Soundbooth's non-destructiveness to 

                        back up, and try new settings this time and see what you get. But 

                        think about the order of the settings you chose:

                         

                        1) You chose a gain setting

                        2) Then you chose a distance from the mic

                        3) Then you chose a volume that you spoke at

                        4) Then you chose to eliminate a percentage of the background noise

                        5) Then you chose to ramp up the output by increasing the dB for the 

                        file

                         

                        You probably don't want to fiddle with # 3 because you want your voice 

                        to sound natural.

                         

                        But that leaves all the other 4 variables that you could alter in 

                        nearly endless possibilities. Try out some of them.

                         

                        Remind yourself what the objective is: you want a big honkin' full 

                        juicy voice, and no background noise. Ratio of big voice to little 

                        room noise is where the sweet spot is. Without an isolation booth, you 

                        can only go so far. Ditto with a USB mic, but the mic is not going to 

                        be your weak link (or at least, it won't be once you can listen to 

                        yourself real time... and BTW, one simple solution is to take the 

                        headphones off while you are recording so you can hear yourself "in 

                        real time", but I'm sure you've thought of that); no, I think the weak 

                        link will be room noise. Even that you can alter with soft coverings, 

                        blankets around you, or do the whole thing in a closet, etc.

                         

                        Some things to think about.

                         

                        Good luck and have a great weekend.

                         

                        Cheers!

                         

                        -Paul

                        • 9. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                          Vixter101 Community Member

                          Awesome, Paul. Very, very helpful. Thanks. I'll surely try it (no doubt, I'll have another question or two for you.  ;^)

                          Take care,

                          Vic

                          • 10. Capture Noise Print?
                            Vixter101 Community Member

                            Hi, again, Paul:

                            I'm trying what you said, but under "Tasks", I don't have an option called "Capture Noise Print". Am I missing a step? Here's what I did:

                            I did a short recording of my voice. Then, I looked for "Capture Noise Print". Is this the correct order? Or, do I capture a noise print while I'm recording?

                            Thanks,

                            Vic

                            • 11. Re: Capture Noise Print?
                              Vixter101 Community Member

                              Okay, Paul, I found the option (I hadn't selected a portion of the clip for sampling). Anyways, Paul, what you said works like a charm! Sounds FABULOUS! Thanks a million, man!

                              Just wondering about something, though...

                              You mentioned that you use the dB slider to adjust volume so the spikes and valleys are still some distance away from clipping. Why wouldn't you just click on the "Equalize Volume Levels" button? This seems to maximize the overall audio level, without clipping anything; kind of like the dB slider, except the computer ensures you don't clip anything. Is there a reason you don't do it this way?

                              Thanks again!

                              Vic

                              • 12. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                                redskyat Community Member

                                Hey Vic,

                                Glad you figured out the "Capture Noise Print" option. I tend not to 

                                use the "Equalize Volume Levels" button because it sometimes adds an 

                                undesirable quality to my voice... not always, but sometimes. 

                                Certainly it has the potential to really save time. Can't figure out 

                                why it sometimes works really well, and other times makes the 

                                recording sound weird.

                                 

                                Best,

                                 

                                -Paul

                                PS: You might try Lynda.com for Soundbooth online video tutorials. I 

                                liked them a lot!

                                • 13. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                                  Vixter101 Community Member

                                  Hey, again, Paul! Just wanted to say 'Thanks' again, man! My voiceovers have improved ten-fold because of your advice! I really appreciate it, buddy! And, yes, I've watched a few of those Lynda video tutorials. You're right, they're fabulous. But, you can't ask a video questions! So, again, thanks man!

                                  Take care, and all the best in your recording work. I hope you get lots of contracts and make millions!

                                  Vic

                                  • 14. Re: Soundbooth Advice?
                                    Vixter101 Community Member

                                    Hey, Paul!

                                     

                                    Long time, no chat! I hope things are going well with your voice recordings (and contracts!). I've been busy with video-related stuff, and setting up my new business. Keeping my fingers crossed on that!

                                     

                                    I'm here using Soundbooth, and am a little confused. When I click on the 'Record' button and the Record Dialog Box opens, I can record (and see the level monitor), but I don't seem to be able to adjust the level.

                                     

                                    Do I do that by clicking on the Settings button?

                                     

                                    When I click the settings button, I don't seem to be able to adjust any levels. (At the bottom, there is an Audio Input section with a slider level control, but when I try to move it nothing happens. Under the "Value" and "dB" columns, no levels or other info is indicated... just a dash... perhaps suggesting no level or dB is set).

                                     

                                    As I said, I can record (and it doesn't sound bad) it's just that I don't seem to be able to adjust levels.

                                     

                                    Can you offer any advice or info?

                                     

                                    Thanks very much. I really appreciate your help!

                                     

                                    Vic
                                    • 15. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                                      redskyat Community Member

                                      Hey Vic,

                                       

                                      Let's see if I can help.

                                       

                                      I'll need to back up a step or two to ensure we are both on the same 

                                      page so to speak.

                                       

                                      Are you using a USB mic that comes directly into your computer? Or are 

                                      you using another mic with a pre-amp that then goes into your computer?

                                       

                                      Either way, you should be able to increase the gain to an 

                                      approximately Ok level before the signal even gets into the computer 

                                      by increasing the gain on the USB mic, or on the pre-amp.

                                       

                                      If this doesn't apply in your case, read on...

                                       

                                      You say you can record ("and it doesn't sound bad"), so that's good. 

                                      The normal sequence of events is to record, then adjust the levels 

                                      to suit yourself.

                                      So here's a picture of my Soundbooth (CS4 v. 2.0.1) with a file open.

                                      • 16. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                                        Vixter101 Community Member

                                        Hey, Paul!

                                        So great to hear from you, man! I figured I'd never find you (and you were so helpful to me the last time!)

                                        Yes, I am using a USB mic. It's a Samson CO1U. It's a nice quality mic, but there are no manual input controls on the mic itself. FYI, I just ordered a G-Track and should have it this week. Does the G-Track have a dial on it to adjust the input level? That'd be cool if it did.

                                        (I didn't get the Soundbooth picture you sent me or, perhaps, I'm too stunned to find the attachment?)

                                        I was reading on one of the forums that USB mics sometimes are finicky and do not allow adjustment of the input/recording levels. (Another shortcoming of digital audio recording or Soundbooth, perhaps?) In any case, as I have mentioned, I seem to be getting a good general input/record level even without any control over the input levels. Though, it seems to me that any 'professional' set-up should allow one to adjust the input levels, wouldn't you think?

                                        Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks again, man!

                                        Vic

                                        • 17. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                                          redskyat Community Member

                                          Hi Vic,

                                           

                                          I have the Samson G-Track myself. As you will see when it arrives, it 

                                          does have a mic gain knob, and it is really effective. It is almost 

                                          logarhythmic though, inasmuch as towards the top end, a very small 

                                          turn increases the gain a huge amount, and if you're not careful, you 

                                          can get into clipping situation, which are unacceptable, always. Then 

                                          you just turn down the gain, just a very tiny little bit, and try again.

                                           

                                          Sorry the attachments didn't come through. I'll try again here.

                                           

                                          Cheers!

                                           

                                          -Paul

                                           

                                          The first one is a shot of the entire Soundbooth workspace, as I have 

                                          it set up.

                                          • 18. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                                            Vixter101 Community Member

                                            Thanks for the info, Paul. I expect to get my G-Track tomorrow. Can't wait! Nice to know there are input level controls. I'm optimistic that this new mic will improve my overall sound quality. Take care!

                                            • 19. Re: Is it possible to monitor my voiceover in real time in Soundbooth?
                                              Vixter101 Community Member

                                              Hey, Paul. How's it going? I just got my new G-Track and have been experimenting. I have a question or two that perhaps you could answer?

                                              When I monitor using the headphones plugged into the mic, I only hear in one ear. When I play it back, it's fine (i.e. I hear the sound in both ears). I've read something about how the G-Track "pans all the way to the left". Is that what I'm experiencing? Is it fixable, or something I have to live with? (I can live with it if I have to)

                                              The other thing I was wondering about is this:

                                              You mentioned a good way to set the input level is to adjust the knob until you begin to notice room noise, then turn it back until the room noise is gone and then record my voice. Here's the thing: do I monitor the room noise visually (i.e. by viewing the input level monitors on the screen) or do I listen for it in my headphones? When I look at the visual monitors, there is nothing indicated. But, I do hear a kind of "hiss" in the headphones. Is this normal?

                                              I hope I'm making myself clear.

                                              Paul, thanks again so much.

                                              Vic