You might find recording your own voice daunting. We did when we started doing it, but because VoiceMap is a personal, intimate medium, we think listeners respond better to you than a trained voice artist. It’s your story, after all, and you really can tell it best. Recording is also a lot of fun, once you get going.
People love David Attenborough because he sounds like a grandfather telling an engrossing bedtime story. While that might be an impossibly high bar to set, it’s helpful to imagine yourself reading for somebody who knows you, and shares your enthusiasm. You could invite them to give you a hand, if you think that might help.
Below is the final audio of the first location from Derek Spillane’s Galway City Centre tour. We’ll show you how Derek went from recording his initial sample to the final product.
Example of final audio
We’ve made the process simple and straightforward so you can get the best recording results without all the hassles. Below is an outline of the process once you are ready to record.
- Your editor will get in touch with you to request a sample.
- Once your sample is received, we’ll provide feedback on how to improve the audio quality and delivery, and request a second sample if necessary.
- After receiving a second sample, you’ll either get the go ahead to record the entire script, or we might request an additional sample, if absolutely required. Usually two samples are enough to get the recording in a good place.
- Send your recordings of the script to us. We’ll edit and mix it for you, then upload it to the tour.
- Download the tour with the final audio and test it out!
In the below example, Derek has recorded his initial sample in a room without any proper padding and soft surfaces, or setting up a blanket tent as we recommend. You can clearly hear his voice reverberating in the space. He’s made a few mistakes, but has repeated the phrases again, so we can edit them together later.
Derek’s first recording sample
For his approved sample below, Derek setup a blanket tent and sat closer to the microphone.
Derek’s approved recording
The difference between the first and second samples is easy to hear. The audio is no longer reverberating of the room, and Derek’s sounds clear and up front. The audio is now ready to be mixed and edited. Below is the final result.
The final audio track
For the final audio, we’ve taken the raw audio recording, edited out the mistakes and breath sounds and mixed it to sound louder and clearer. So you can see how getting a good audio recording from the start can make the final product that much better!