Portable Soundboard

Sep 17, 2012

kate severson
By kate severson

Im wading into the Articulate Storyline authoring pool. Ive developed a few small modules and I learn something new every day! Id like some tips on recording consistent audio narration. I have an awesome USB Blue Yeti microphone. When I narrate a course, I need to pack up my Yeti, laptop, notes and water bottle and schlep to an empty file room on the other side of the building my cubicle is too open and public for recording.

There are a lot of variables for recording, including placing the mike in a consistent location so that my voice sounds the same when I have to re-record. How do you create a portable recording environment kind of like a Soundboard To Go? Thanks in advance for your advice!

5 Replies
Brian Allen
over 11 years ago09/17/12 at 1:03 pm (UTC)

Here, some great tips on this page (I know this is a duplicate of another post) -http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/13-more-tips-to-help-you-record-narration-like-the-pros/

Also, to address your need for a portable solution, go to this page and check out the portable sound booth link under Equipment on retrogrrls page -http://retrogrrl.blogspot.com/2008/06/audio-recording-tips.html

Steve Flowers
over 11 years ago09/17/12 at 1:23 pm (UTC)

That's a great link, Brian.

I have a Snowball as well. I love it. I added these to my kit:

A pop filter:

http://www.amazon.com/Nady-MPF-6-6-Inch-Microphone-Filter/dp/B0002CZW0Y/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1347912974&sr=8-14&keywords=acoustic+foam

A boom stand (I'm all torso, so the Snowball stand is a little short for comfort. This is also adjustable to a standing position, which many narrators say is the best position for reading:

http://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Gear-MS-220-Tripod-Stand/dp/B001RMFSDE/ref=sr_1_8?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1347913045&sr=1-8&keywords=microphone+stand

I've got a pretty good / quiet room for recording but I may try out the DIY boxed port-a-booth. Should be able to mount it to my boom stand with some simple rigid plates (couple of sheets of plexi).

Brian Allen
over 11 years ago09/17/12 at 1:42 pm (UTC)

Steve, it sounds like we have a very similar set up. The pop filter and boom stand make a huge difference.

What I like about using the pop filter with the boom stand is that it addresses the issue of making sure you are the same distance from the mic each time you use it, as long as you keep your mouth the same distance from the pop screen every time you record. It just becomes natural...

I'm sure that the port-a-booth would help with this to a degree as well, but I haven't tried it. The folks I've talked with who have though all rave about it.

Bruce Graham
over 11 years ago09/18/12 at 12:38 am (UTC)

I use a Harlan Hogan PortaBotth and a mic with pop filter. I know where the pop filter touches the top of the booth, and I know that if I fold my arms my elbow to knuckle is the width of the booth. I place folded arms 2-3 centimetres from the edge of the booth, and therefore have a standard distance.

Mic stand position in the booth is marked with that old stalwart - gaffer tape, and my office has desk marks using gaffer tape to show booth positions for both mic volume settings.

Kate - this link might also help you out, although ironically the voiceovers (recorded over many sessions) are in need of a complete overhaul/normalising... :(

Bruce

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