Voiceover demo tracking help

[SlingeroGuitaro]

I just got an offer from a client to come to his house to record his voiceover demo for animations, commercials, etc. He is a fairly established local actor but his real talent is his voice. This being my first voiceover gig I am oddly becoming a little overwhelmed at how to do this job. I think I am just over thinking the situation. My first thought is to set up a cardioid mic, good pre, to tape. Would there be any benifit to record in stereo, ala M/S for a little bigger vocal sound? What kind of room should we find? big, small, hall. granted I will probably scope out the house when I get there, I just need some starting points.

how do you guys do it? are there any basic rules of thumb?

[fifthcircle]

For location voice-over, I find that clean wins out every time. Houses are a pretty crappy place to work usually. I find that between the fridge, outside noise (gardners, airplanes, busses, etc...) there is a lot to compete with. For that matter, disc drives sitting on a table can create a great rumble in a mic (even when there is a shockmount on it). I will usually set up with the computer as far away from the mic as possible.

My location rig is usually a small diaphragm mic with a tight pattern. My go to is usually a Neumann KM140 or a Schoeps CMC64 (only because I don't have a 41 capsule). Occasionally, an RE20, Sennheiser 441 or a Shure SM7 can be the ticket... Just depends on the voice.

I'll track close with both foam on the mic and a pop screen.

FWIW, Most of my clients want 16 bit mono files...

--Ben

[SlingeroGuitaro]

i went to the house tonight to take a look at some things. the house is about 3800 square feet. i thought about outside noises creating problems with clarity- it turns out his bedroom is on the complete opposite end from the rest of the living quarters, and his walk in closet is the dead center of the house. being a bachelor he doesn't have much in terms of huge wardrobe. i thought this might be a great place to record. i think i am going to make a makeshift vocal booth with blankets in the shelves, heavy blankets hanging from cabinet doors, and foam. i am going to set the computer in the hallway vanity room on an isolated cart.i may ad lib the recording when all is said and done. he's paying a good penny for this project so i best not screw up tutt