After the pandemic hit & sent everyone to work from home, many VO artists and actors found themselves trying to figure out how to use Source Connect & other remote recording programs on the run. I’ve been recording remotely for a few years, so let’s cover some basic best practices for successfully recording at home.
Test The Waters - When possible, do a sound check of the connection you’ll be using ahead of time. Definitely make yourself available to do so if the studio asks if they can check the connection in the days prior to your session. Many agencies and studios are doing this to ensure the sound the talent claims to have is actually what they have. Always make sure whatever windows/programs you will have open during the session are running during this test. You’d rather spot any conflict here than during the session.
Early Check In- Make it a habit of logging on a few minutes prior to the session starting. Most studios will be on early to double check the connection before they loop clients in. Get your scripts where you need them & set up your DAW & other windows on your screen the way you want it - which should be whatever enables you to monitor your sound levels & connection status and still read your copy.
Then log into Source Connect & do an Echo Test around 5 minutes before your booking to double check all is well. That’s what they’re there for - to echo your sound so you can trouble shoot if you don’t hear anything bouncing back. If there is a problem - don’t panic. Work the problem step by step and use process of elimination to figure out what’s not right. Often, something as simple as reloading a program or rebootng your system is enough to get things working normally. There will be a day where things don’t boot up or load correctly, so giving yourself a few minutes of head room will help you solve problems and still be on time for your session.
Open The Pipe - Make sure you have the fastest speed you can get on your internet connection. This is your business - so your home studio needs the fastest speeds. Contact your provider to see if there are speedier connections available- and make sure to ask about small business packages - sometimes it’s cheaper to go that route than the standard residential packages. Run a speedtest (https://www.speedtest.net/) to check your computer’s connection speeds at various times during the day to see if you have a stable connection all the time and to see if you are getting the speeds you pay for.
Plug it In - NO WIFI CONNECTIONS, EVER! Again this is your business - ALWAYS plug in a Cat 5 Ethernet cord for the best results. Even if you think you have a great WIFi connection, that could change on a day to day basis. Why risk your session by running it over WiFi? Cat 5 cords are cheap, get hard wired. What’s that? Your laptop doesn’t have a hard-line connection for the internet? Get an adapter (https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC704LL/A/apple-usb-ethernet-adapter) or a hub, bub.
No Hitchhikers - I’ll say it plain: You should be the only one using your broadband while recording a session. No kids or spouses playing games or watching youtube or zooming while you’re recording a job. It’s tough right now with everyone stuck at home, but most sessions last less than 2 hours, so concessions can and must be made. I know one dad who plays Fortnite with his kids as soon as his recording sessions are done. He incentivized his kids, who are now perfectly content to read a book or watch a dvd until daddy’s done working so they can lay waste to him on the battlefield. Win/Win!
Always Have a Backup Plan - ALWAYS record the session on your DAW locally– even if the platform you are using (Source Connect or IPdtl or SessionLink Pro etc) seems stable. Let the Engineer know at the top before the 1st take that you are recording and DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOU ARE. The internet can be unpredictably laggy and even the best connections can fail at a moment’s notice - on your end or the engineer’s. Recently my engineer had dropouts & I had to send along the takes from my end to him. Remember - everyone is home right now so internet usage is at an all time high. Recording on your system guarantees the session will be intact, even if you have to send it to the engineer afterward via www.Pcloud.com or www.hightail.com or Dropbox or a similar file sharing service.
Also - SLATE EVERY TAKE. Yes, every take. Again, if there are drop outs, you will need to send your recording of the session along. If you are a pro, you’re using headphones during the session - which means the audio of the engineer won’t be on your recorded track. Therefore, if you echo the engineer’s take slate right after they do it, that reference will travel, making it easier on everyone if you must send your files along.
Back Up the Back Up - Further, make sure you practice using your smartphone as an internet hotspot so -worst case scenario- if your internet connection goes down, you can easily switch to the backup plan. It happened to me thanks to a car accident taking out transmission lines, so better safe than sorry. It’s easy to do and very quick to set up, so being familiar with the procedure is a good idea. Just like in your car, Voiceover “Spare Tires” are essential and should be tested periodically to make sure you are proficient should an emergency arise.
Yes, I know above I said no Wi-Fi ever, but if your home internet is down, you must pivot & make the session work. Absolute worst case scenario happens, you could always have the engineer & clients call you on your cell phone while you record on your system & send the file along afterwards. Be prepared to roll with the punches & solve the problem should one arise.
Back That Disk Up - Back up your booth/studio computer’s hard drive once a month. Religiously. Why? Because mistakes happen and computers get glitchy- they are designed and built by humans, after all. Sometimes restoring from a previous save is what the computer needs to get back in working order. The idea is you want to set yourself up for success in the event something fails. Those on Apple - Time Machine is your friend.
Set It and Forget It - Got your VO chain & system dialed in where you like it? Nice, sweet sound, no reverb or bounce? Everything works smoothly between programs you use during remote voiceover sessions? Great. THEN LEAVE IT ALONE. Do NOT have “Automatic Updates” enabled on your booth/studio computer. DO NOT. The last thing you need is to find out that your computer auto updated and now your DAW won’t work right when Word or Source Connect is open. This is another reason to log on early for sessions to troubleshoot unforeseen problems like this.
PRO TIP: Sometimes you need to install updates for security reasons, etc. In those cases, only do updates after you have backed up your system so you can revert immediately if any program has decided not to play nicely with others after the updates.
General best practices
Drink water & avoid alcohol. No other way to put it, dehydration is the mortal enemy of Voiceover Artists. Dehydration creates dry mouth which creates mouth noise which is your enemy. Drinking in moderation is smart, not drinking if you know you have a session in the next day or two is even better. Don’t make it any harder on yourself or your engineers - stay ahead of the game and you can keep your speech sounding crisp & clean. Hydrate early & often.
Get a Cough Switch/Mute Button. ipDTL has a nifty mute button/cough switch built in, but Source Connect and others do not, so having one in your booth is just good sense & the polite thing to save engineer’s & client’s ears. It’s an invaluable piece of kit that I fully recommend. There are many versions, so shop around & compare to find what suits your needs best.
If you aren’t familiar, they look like this: (www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SignOff--pro-co-sign-off). There are many versions, so shop around to find what suits your needs best - as long as it can mute you at the click of a button, it will be worth it., believe me. Coughing fits come at the worst time and are the bane of voice over actors & engineers worldwide. Plus nowadays coughing fits freak people out, so… yeah.
Get some rest! Sleep is key as you need stamina for long days in the VO booth. Nowadays, our schedules can easily slip beyond the norm. Do your best to increase your physical activity (while social distancing) to tire yourself while increasing your lung stamina to ensure you get some rest. If you have an exercise bike or treadmill that’s just a clothing rack these days, clear that beast off and get to work! If you have another piece of exercise equipment that is not being used, well, dust it off and get to work! You are in charge of your health and well being. Don’t let your vital VO muscles atrophy while avoiding the virus.
Be cool to your friends, neighbors and others humans you encounter - wear a mask & keep your distance! We’re all in this together and a little kindness goes a long way toward keeping everyone healthy.
