getting good audio recordings

[defaultpasbpaqc8yk3]

I know this is vague but does anyone have any advice on getting good audio recording, i'm just doing basic voice overs and i'm using a blue yeti, yet my audio seems worse than people who are recording with their phone, even after using some audio effects like dereverb it still sounds either canned low gain, or too cluttered high gain, i'm trying to get that standard clean audio every youtube channel seems to have, any advice would be appreciated sorry if this is an inappropriate post

[Ann Bens]

Good audio start with the recording:

You need a good headset, plopscreen and a good recording environment and

Audio software such as Audition.

[R Neil Haugen]

Your environment is crucial. If you're getting any reverb or other 'background' issues, hanging sound blankets around you helps a ton. And while 'official' sound blankets ain't cheap, most any moderate to heavy blanket will actually to. Hang them over a rail on say three sides, with your computer in front of you. That will probably clean up your sound a lot.

Sometimes those little 'plosive' screens between you and the mic can help a lot. This is pretty much an individual thing. Some mics and some peolple don't need them as much. Some mics and/or people need them badly.

Using Audition to capture the recording as Ann suggests can be HUGE. Over on the Audition forum, they have a lot of links to YouTube tutorials by Mike Russell on recording including doing VO work. Go check those out, great information.

Neil

[defaultpasbpaqc8yk3]

i'll look into it, appreciate the tips thank you 

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi,

May I recommend having a look at the settings on the mic itself? The Yeti can sound good or bad just based on that, I've heard. If anyone knows any good tuts on the Yeti, post them here.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Andy 1968]

A lot can be done in post. You should use noise reduction, compressor and limiter. Premiere Pro has all of them. They can be applied to the whole track or just certain clips. 

[R Neil Haugen]

Like most things you can fix in post, yea, you can ... but it's better to be improving good capture rather than fixing bad or mediocre capture ... as a general rule.

So setting up to get a cleaner capture makes the post much more "sweet".

Neil

[neil wilkes]

@Andy 1968 - no, no, no. And NO!

'Fix it in Post' is the worst possible attitude there is, and it's as bad as the audio equivalent 'We'll fix it in the mix'. Quality starts with the recording itself and a professional VO artist can get better results with a phone than an amateur will with expensive gear.

I highly recommend the book 'Zen and the Art of Recording' by Mixerman. Whilst this is aimed at music recording the same principles always apply.

[Andy 1968]

Mr. Wilkes Really? 

Are you going to deny that the audio and video clips get treated in post production? 

No one stated fix it in post? It is best to get a clean audio recordings but there is always post production work to be done. All movies and TV shows get treated in post. It is good to let the original poster know that. No one needs to spend $500.00 on an audio interface. The $150.00 interfaces will work just fine. The preamps and converters will not be as good as on a $500.00 interface but that is why we have audio filters. 

There is no need for me to read the book you recommended. Having said that it would be better for you to respond to what people actually write instead of what you wish they wrote. 

[R Neil Haugen]

I thought the other Neil's post was quite accurate to the thread and useful.

The OP gave his setup and need, and asked for any useful advice. Well gee ... the first major mistake people starting out with audio make is not having a good setup to record in. Easy & pretty cheap to do, makes a HUGE difference in both what you now get recorded, and how much fixing you both need to do (simply to get rid of Bad) and can do to enhance the final result.

Most of the pros I know and work with totally cringe at any approach to either the video or audio 'chain' that doesn't start with capture. And these are people who are rather awesome at "fixing it in post" too.

Neil

[Andy 1968]

Neil Haugen,

No one said do be sloppy during production. Neil Wilkes response is below.

ANDY1968  no no no no fix it in post is the worst possible attitude there is. 

Nobody said fix it in post Neil. You could correct Neil Wilkes's response and say Andy never stated fix it in post. No one stated fix it in post. Neil Wilkes got that wrong! That being said post production treatment for audio is par for the course. Are you saying that I am wrong and that TV shows and films never use noise reduction filters, noise gates, compression filters and limiters? Are you saying the original poster should not use any audio filters in post production? Do you kind of see my point? Lets be honest sometimes even in ideal situations the audio needs to be treated in post. A lot of people are unaware of that audio does not always sound 100% correct straight out of the camera (audio recorded). That is all I am saying. Are we on the same page moving forward? 

Mod note: Profanity removed. Please avoid it. We have minors reading here.