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Post by jonn on Feb 5, 2017 16:08:09 GMT -8
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duffyweber
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Posts: 220
I Am A(n): Professional Voice Actor, Semi-Professional Voice Actor, Audio Engineer
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Post by duffyweber on Feb 5, 2017 18:05:30 GMT -8
That looks more than good - that's a GREAT looking stand. The little wraparound isolation panel is REALLY neat! As for pop filters - she'll DEFINITELY need one. Pop filters are easy to come by, so don't spend $50 on one. The $15 ones do the exact same thing. www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/376154-REG/CAD_EPF15A_Pop_Filter_and_Gooseneck.html As long as you position it correctly to break up the air from the plosive consonants/sounds, you'll be fine. Standing up is good - it lets you access your full range. Also, WHERE you set it up as just as important. Room noise and reverberation can have an effect on the voice, and you don't want too much bounce getting back to the mic. I've never worked with a little panel like that, but my first inclination (this is only an educated guess, mind you) is that I'd set her up with her back to a padded wall, or maybe a full coat closet, and the isolation panel (and thus, the mic's rejection axis) sort of facing the room and - if there's still room noise, and it's feasible - maybe at a small padded screen/curtain in addition to it. I have to say again that's a really AWESOME looking isolation panel on that mic mount. Cheers! -Duffy P.S. This was for someone else's situation but I find it works for me a lot of times: weberconsulting.com/winnet-bin/WallPad2.pngThough if I'm visiting family for Christmas, their rooms STILL have too much bounce and I end up turning the other way around, and stuffing myself into a closet completely. XD
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Post by Rebekah Amber Clark on Feb 5, 2017 18:19:33 GMT -8
For starters, the picture you've linked shows no pop filter in place. You can buy a pop filter starting at a few dollars and going up from there -- I understand around $15-$30 is average for a decent one, but don't quote me on that. You can also make a pop filter and/or windscreen at home; I use one of those large yellow car-washing sponges cut in half, placed over the microphone, and held in place with the foot of a piece of lady's pantyhose. Total investment = $2 at Dollar Tree. I believe that's more of a windscreen (which goes over the mic) though the terms do tend to get used interchangeably, so I'm not 100% sure what's technically accurate! You can make what I would be more likely to call a pop filter using either a wire coat hanger unwound and bent into a circle, with women's pantyhose stretched across it, or even use one of those flat mesh strainer-things, again with pantyhose over it. That then gets placed between the microphone and the mouth of the voice actor, so when your neice is acting or singing, from her perspective it's like talking/singing to a flat plate. What this does is interrupt the airflow from blowing directly into the mic. Think when someone blows into a mic, and says "testing, testing" -- that harsh static sound is part of what this stops. It's also intended to soften the effect of harsher consonants that can "pop", such as P's, B's, etc. For using the mic standing up, she probably wants a mic stand, though I'm definitely the wrong person to advise you on which kind of stand to get! (I don't use one and I don't know which are good/bad.) Other than the mic stand, that curved foam-padded thing behind the mic in the picture you linked doesn't look like any pop filter I'VE ever seen. It looks more to me like something to keep sound from bouncing off the wall *behind* the mic. What does your niece's recording space look like right now? If she's got acoustic foam-treated walls in a home studio, something like that in the picture is probably redundant, I'd think. If she's recording from a corner desk in the living room, den, bedroom, etc., then you could use something like that, or you can make a "DIY portable sound booth" (really, a box with egg crate foam or acoustic foam inside.) How old is your niece? Is she completely new to online voice acting/singing projects, or has she been doing this for some time? The reason I ask is, if she's at least in her teens and has been voice acting/singing in online projects for at least a few months, she probably has at least SOME idea what would be the most useful thing to get next for her recording space; so if you haven't asked her about it yet (for example, if this is a surprise gift idea), I'd really suggest asking her about it. If it *is* a surprise, either save the shopping itself as the surprise, and give her a budget to work with and shop WITH her for what she needs, or you can just spoil the surprise and have time for whatever you get to ship in time for whenever you intended to surprise her. Otherwise, if she's very young and/or very new at this, I'd still suggest involving her as much as possible. It's never too early to learn, and knowing her equipment is probably at least as important as having it, in the long run! =)
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Post by jonn on Feb 5, 2017 20:36:07 GMT -8
Thanks for the replies. I realize that isn't a pop filter; I was just referring to the setup in general. I was assuming that a pop filter could be used in addition to that setup. I actually don't know what the stand is, though; the picture is for the reflection filter. I was hoping someone with experience could tell me or recommend a stand.
My niece is 12. She has done minor voiceover work with her online friends. She enjoys watching cover songs and voiceovers for anime and vocaloid, and wants to do them herself. I showed her the picture in the OP and she was enthralled.
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duffyweber
Member
Posts: 220
I Am A(n): Professional Voice Actor, Semi-Professional Voice Actor, Audio Engineer
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Post by duffyweber on Feb 6, 2017 13:45:51 GMT -8
The good thing about stands is, they're cheap. If that isolation screen is separate from the stand, then a $18 stand should do the trick. You WILL have to get a mount for her mic, if it didn't already come with one. I like the elastic shock mounts, myself. There are several different sizes, but this will fit: www.amazon.com/Universal-Microphone-Adapter-Diameter-Condenser/dp/B014CH1ZUA/ref=pd_lpo_267_lp_tr_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=55VS0BQ9G9918D9KKN3KAnd I'm thinking the OnStage MY430 would be right for an AT-2020 (CHECK. THE. SIZE. FIRST!) And they sell that brand in every music shop and exchange on the planet. www.amazon.com/Dragonpad-USA-filter-Studio-Microphone/dp/B008AOH1O6/ref=pd_sim_267_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008AOH1O6&pd_rd_r=5KQ04WBKK0PF994GMX4C&pd_rd_w=LVl27&pd_rd_wg=gb81Q&psc=1&refRID=5KQ04WBKK0PF994GMX4C <--here's your pop filter. ^_^ ********* For the isolation screens - I've never used one, but they all seem to be tailored for upright stands: www.amazon.com/Stage-MS7700B-Tripod-Microphone-Stand/dp/B0013V1BYY/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1486416847&sr=1-1&keywords=MS7700BAnd the one in the picture has had a combo-boom arm added: www.amazon.com/Stage-MSA7500CB-Posi-Combo-Microphone/dp/B003NWYRLU/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1486417093&sr=1-2&keywords=mic+combo+standIt's essentially STILL a straight stand, rather than a boom stand, but it's had an arm added with that extra articulation. NOTE: They make a heavy-duty stand and depending on the weight of that isolation screen, if you get one, I'd go ahead and spring for the one that won't fall over. ESPECIALLY if you're gonna do that upside-down boom-arm dealie. Also, you see how the mic is upside down in that pic? DON'T do that with the AT2020 - it's a different kind of mount and while it should hold either way, the AT-2020 is thicker at the top, and I'd leave it upright just to make sure it doesn't slip through. ***That isolation screen*** www.amazon.com/AW-Compact-Microphone-Isolation-Perforated/dp/B015183FKC/ref=sr_1_18?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1486415969&sr=1-18&keywords=mic+stand+isolation+shield <-- I've just checked. These things are kinda heavy. (I'd stick to keeping the mic upright. It seems like the isolation shields are easier to deal with when you're not hanging them upside down like that.)
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Post by jonn on Feb 6, 2017 16:02:34 GMT -8
Thanks for the beefy info!
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duffyweber
Member
Posts: 220
I Am A(n): Professional Voice Actor, Semi-Professional Voice Actor, Audio Engineer
Pronouns: Any OK
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Post by duffyweber on Feb 7, 2017 11:25:47 GMT -8
No probs! One last thing. If she's gonna be the one voice acting, you might share with her the info about noise reduction, room noise, a mic's noise-rejection axis, and all that other good stuff about setting up a mic for best results. I find if a VA understands -how- a mic setup works best, they can make their audio sound SO much better, and they get less frustrated with it because they have a higher audition success rate. ^_^
Cheers!
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