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NerdDoc
NerdDoc
Participant
August 16, 2014
Answered

I sound like I'm in a tunnel, can I fix this with a filter?

  • August 16, 2014
  • 1 reply
  • 52458 views

So I went out and bought the wrong mic for recording voice overs... which I realize only now that it's too late to bring back. I've got a Snowball with a homemade pop filter in front of it, but I still sound like I'm in a tunnel ... or a really small, cramped office (go figure!). I've been playing around with compression, but I don't know anything about audio so I'm not sure how to even describe my problem, let alone figure out how to fix it. Hoping someone can identify this "tunnel" sound for me and school me in the appropriate processing to use, assuming there is one.

Here's a short clip of my voice over

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/40199349/clip.mp3

Thanks for the help!

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Bob Howes

    First, no filters are going to fix this.

    Second, I suspect it's just that you're a bit distant from the mic in an untreated room.  Work as close to the mic as you can (without getting a boomy proximity effect) and hang some heavy soft furnishings behind you (and maybe slightly to the side but not all the way around) when you're recording.

    It's not a substitute for proper acoustic treatment but I think you'll find it helps.

    (Boring anecdotal aside...when working on news stories in hotel rooms and the like, it's not unusual for even big name reporters to record their voice overs with a duvet draped over their heads.)

    1 reply

    SteveG_AudioMasters_
    Community Expert
    SteveG_AudioMasters_Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 16, 2014

    I don't think it's the mic causing this at all - well, not directly anyway. Usually 'tunnel' effects are linked with monitoring conditions, and I don't suppose that this is any different, even though it doesn't sound quite as bad as I'd expect. First thing is that there's no way you can filter this out; you have to fix the actual problem. So, the first thing we'll need is a detailed description of exactly how you are making the recordings - how you are monitoring, particularly. The snowball mic, whilst nothing at all to write home about, can certainly make better recordings than that!

    Bob Howes
    Bob HowesCorrect answer
    Inspiring
    August 16, 2014

    First, no filters are going to fix this.

    Second, I suspect it's just that you're a bit distant from the mic in an untreated room.  Work as close to the mic as you can (without getting a boomy proximity effect) and hang some heavy soft furnishings behind you (and maybe slightly to the side but not all the way around) when you're recording.

    It's not a substitute for proper acoustic treatment but I think you'll find it helps.

    (Boring anecdotal aside...when working on news stories in hotel rooms and the like, it's not unusual for even big name reporters to record their voice overs with a duvet draped over their heads.)

    SteveG_AudioMasters_
    Community Expert
    SteveG_AudioMasters_Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 16, 2014

    Bob Howes wrote:

    Second, I suspect it's just that you're a bit distant from the mic in an untreated room.

    Possibly. It could just be the compression artefacts I'm hearing...

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