Top tips

• Speak into the mic. Each mic has its own pattern of picking up sounds, but generally the closer and more directly you speak, the better it will sound. (But not too close, because then you'll distort.)



• Practice "mic control". Try to maintain a constant distance from the mic. If you move toward and away from the mic, your volume will vary a lot. Watch a singer on live TV, and see how they move the mic back when a loud note comes, or closer for the quiet parts.



• Watch your Ps and Ss. "Pops" (when you say a P, or sometimes a T) and "sibilance" (when you say an S) can be annoying. These happen most often when you're too close to the mic.



• Remember to breathe. Sound is not magic-it's produced by your larynx, lips, tongue, and teeth literally pushing the air out of your mouth. Generally, the more you push, and from deeper in your abdomen, the clearer it sounds. Actors call this "projecting your voice."



• Add enhancement when possible. "Sound reinforcement" means adding an electronic boost before your voice is recorded. Most Broadway performers, and even opera singers, now routinely use SR in live performance.



• Work the room. "Room ambiance" means the echoes in the recording room, and can work for you-or against you. Try to avoid rooms with lots of echo. If possible use a room with carpeted floors, curtains, and other soft surfaces.



• Steer clear of "white noise" sources. Examples, fans, A/C. A recording, especially a digital one, sometimes enhances sounds you didn't even hear when you recorded. If you can't avoid it, make sure your mic is pointed 180 degrees away from it.



• Outline what you're going to say. This will cut down on the number of unintentional pauses, and unwelcome placeholders like "umm".



• If you script it, perform it. Scripting each word you plan to say can eliminate pauses, but can sound very dry if you read your script. Remember to vary your voice pitch, and to leave intentional pauses.



• Use the best gear you can afford. Some studio microphones sell for upwards of $5,000. Generally, as with most things, you get what you pay for, and it does make a difference. However, with skill, you can produce pretty good results using very modest equipment.



• Practice, practice, practice. Making voice recording is like playing an instrument. You can learn some of it by reading and speaking with others-but most of it comes by doing it, listening to the results, and doing it better next time.

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