Voice-overs?
 

What would the best program for Mac be to record voice overs and to edit audio files, like cutting them and splitting them. Do Soundtrack or Logic allow you to do this?

Acutely. I find that 'Garage Band' Is a great program for this! You can change ones voice so that it sounds like a totally different person! plus you can splice the tracks (which is nice)! I do believe it comes free with all mac's too.
Hope I helped!

Gabriel

Soundtrack, Logic, GarageBand, and if you are interested in a (IMO) better non-Apple app, Peak from BIAS are all great for this. Also there are various versions of ProTools.

Whatever you use, make sure that you have access to a compressor effect.

Here's a simple voiceover trick: put your voiceover on two different tracks. Leave one natural. Put a compressor on the other and compress the snot out of it. (Like 30:1 with a low threshold)

If you listen to the unprocessed track you'll find it to have nice peaks and dynamics, but it might sound a bit empty and quiet at times.

Listen to the heavily compressed track and it will sound full and consistent, but also dead and lifeless.

Mix the two tracks to taste. Now it's full and dynamic.

Enjoy!

What are you guys using to put your audio on the mac. I'm getting my first project that will require good voice overs. I know the mics to use and I have plenty of software...but need the best/cheap way of getting audio onto my mac

Paul

MOTU Traveller here (4 XLR inputs with preamps and phantom + 4 line inputs)

Is this a common VO trick? Or just something
you came up with?

Echo AudioFire 8 here - 2 mic/universal inputs with preamps + 6 additional line inputs + 8 line ouputs + S/PDIF & AES I/O. Echo recently intrduced an AudioFire 2 and AudioFire 4 if you don't need as many inputs and they also have the AudioFire 12 if you need more. Neat thing with Echo - if you really need more, their latest drivers allow you to daisy-chain multiple 8's and 12's if you need huge amounts of I/O - 2 12's for example appear as one 24 channel interface.

at these prices I'd just assume get another Mbox....any 100 or sub input devices out there?

Paul

Well you can have good or you can have cheap, but it's hard to get both at once. If you already have a mixer or good mic preamps that'll give you line-level outputs, the Echo AudioFire 2 gives you a Firewire interface with 2 line inputs having professional specs plus S/PDIF and MIDI for about $200.

or you could just hire a vo talent. ;-)

Hi Dave,

I don't know how common it is (the uncompressed plus conpressed trick), but I didn't invent it. I learned the trick from some of the audio guys over at the NorthernSounds forum. I've used it and was blown away by the results.

I would think that this would also work well for acoustic guitar and other recordings where you want a solid level, but don't want to lose the peaks.

yeah,
I guess I'm wanting the cheap. I have access to good pre's, good mics, talent, etc...just needing something to get the sound onto the computer...don't need midi or anything like that...just one mic line in would be enough...

Paul

Then I'd suggest a analog desktop mixer. A 2 or 6 channel desktop mixer that offers USB or RCA i/o and you'll be set.

Does anyone know if there are cameras with XLR ins and a firewire connection that could be configured as a real-time audio input device in lieu of the many dedicated firewire/USB mic/line interface boxes available?