With a professional voice over studio, you are capable of producing excellent voice-over projects for all given assignments. It happens because the studio acts as the all-inclusive production hub where quality preparation takes place.
If a studio has the right tools and personnel, the quality of audio clips produced will be captivating to hear. Such quality audio clips have a direct positive impact on the life of a voice artist as well as meeting the advertising needs of any brand.
A studio is a raw material for voice-over productions. Therefore, the studio selected will affect the:
- quality of your sound
- background effects
- speed of delivery
- overall recording experience
However, clients relying on these audio clips tend to find themselves divided between hiring a studio and setting up one. The best option between the two choices can only be known when you consider the merits and demerits of both alternatives.
Let me walk you through the journey of leasing a studio to help you make the best decision.
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This post has been updated in October 2021.
1. Leasing a Voice Over Studio
Some people tend to hire expensive items before they can build the capital to buy or build their own. For instance, they rent a house before eventually buying or building their own.
The same idea applies to studio production. Most artists will begin by leasing a studio then set up one later after saving up sufficient capital. They may even build one to enhance convenience when gigs are plentiful.
What benefits are there in leasing a voice studio?
The Benefits Of Hiring
While owning a personal studio comes with convenience, the option is not suitable for all clients. Some might want occasional services, while others might be too busy to deal with the everyday metrics of learning how a studio works.
Hence, the clientele often prefers to hire turnkey solutions like Bunny Studio instead.
As a voice artist, here are some benefits to entice you in leasing a voice studio.
- Hiring allows you to kick-start your voice career immediately. Leasing a studio means that you begin recording immediately. You can deliver on the project fast since the studio is operational.
- It is cheaper than setting up your studio– studio equipment is expensive to acquire. In case you are using software for recording, you have to purchase the apps, computers, and learn how to use all of these apps and equipment. For a beginner voice-over artist, owning some of these sound recording equipment might not be an affordable option. Their best might be to pay for the hours used in the studio. This will allow them to make their gigs are profitable from the start.
- Experienced Expertise– established voice recording studios have trained staff to assist during recording. If you have to own your studio, you will have to learn about recording software, equipment, and procedures. This learning usually takes time and affects the quality of the voice clips you produce during the orientation process. With a hired studio, however, you will have technicians ready to assist with recording enabling you to deliver the best voice clips.
- Advanced equipment– voice recording equipment is expensive to acquire. However, most established studios have already invested in state-of-the-art equipment. Such equipment tends to enhance the quality of voice clips produced. With such quality production, your career will prosper, increasing your fortunes overtime.
- You avoid paying for idle time– sometimes, projects can disappear for a while, leaving you with no voice-over recording gig. This means that your studio will remain inactive during such interludes. Such idleness translates into wasted time and resources that would have been useful elsewhere. If you had hired technicians, you’d have to pay them in addition to space where the studio is set up. Unless you have a constant flow of gigs, establishing a voice-over studio might be a waste of resources over time.
- Availability of options– most voice-over gigs may come with options that are impossible to accommodate at a personal studio. For instance, the space available might be too small for multiple actors. The client may also require you to deliver a different format or quality that your equipment is unable to deliver. Such mishaps may lead to loss of business.
Convenience and the cost of setting up a studio can compel most voice artists to lease studios.
So, if you were to hire a studio, how would you go about it?
What To Consider When Hiring A Studio
It is crucial to get the best value for money when hiring a voice-over studio. How do you choose between the many companies offering recording services? Here is a simplified guide.
- Availability of professional equipment– the quality of audio clips you produce will depend on the equipment used. You should, therefore, visit the studio and assess the quality of equipment available to handle your project. Settle for a studio with the best and latest equipment to enhance the quality of the audio clip you deliver.
- The expertise level of technicians– the sound and recording technicians operating the equipment available at the studio must be skilled. The team at the studio must know how to handle software and the voice talent to produce the best quality voice-overs.
- Cost of recording– When on a limited budget, you must look for a studio offering a reasonable price. Factors like equipment available, duration of recording, technology, and profile of a studio are what determines the cost of recording. Evaluate the price quotes from several studios before settling on the most suitable option.
- Convenience during recording– how easy will it be for you to record your voice-over? Do you have to travel long distances or wait until evening to record? Choose a convenient studio where you can record comfortably while leaving enough time for other engagements.
Thus, the quality of audio clips you produce will depend on the caliber of a studio used during recording. Once you identify a reliable recording studio, start working on your projects. Remember to periodically lookout for a better studio that will improve on the quality of recordings better than your current one.
2. Setting Up A Voice Over Studio At Home
Everyone wants to own personal tools of the trade so that they can work at their convenience while reducing operating costs. This desire is already enticing voice artists to set up a home studio as their primary foundation in their careers. A personal voice over studio is an asset to your voice career because you can record any project at will and save on the cost of hiring for the services.
Setting up a personal voice-over studio can be quite a hustle when making all the metrics work in your favor.
You may be wondering, “why would anyone go through all this trouble?”
The best way to answer this question is to look at the benefits of owning a home studio to your voice career.
What is in for You when Set Up Your Studio
A personal studio is not a vanity investment for a voice-over artist or a business. Nevertheless, setting up a workstation must not pass as a demand to invest in sophisticated equipment and station.
Whatever kind or quality of studio you set up, it should offer the following benefits to your voice career?
- It saves you the hiring cost of a studio every time you have a gig. Your voice career will be more profitable because you are retaining most of the money.
- A studio makes it flexible for you to record anytime you wish. Having unlimited time to record will allows you to take more gigs.
- You have more room in twerking your voice, like practicing accents or a foreign language without incurring expenses. The flexibility will help you to expand your voice potential.
A home recording studio is an investment that can bring more money when hired out to other artists. Therefore, it is a delightful idea to set up your home studio.
Here is a guide on how to set up a home studio and ensure that it delivers to your expectations.
How To Set Up A Home Voice Over Studio
Every voice artist has an idea of what he or she would want in a home studio. However, several factors will determine the kind of studio you set up.
These factors include
i. Space Available
Sound recording equipment requires significant space. You’ll also need to set aside some space for the voice talents to use when at work. A congested area can adversely affect the quality of production for the voice artists produce.
Voice recording should also take place in a quiet surrounding. Before investing in any equipment, ensure that these conditions are met. Failure to comply with these requirements might result in a substandard production that has noise in the background or echoes that disrupt your recording.
ii. Quality Of Recording Required
The quality of recording needed will differ from one project to the other. For instance, television stations and radio stations might require different sound qualities compared to videos for upload on the internet.
You must be sure that the studio you are setting up can meet the quality demands of the projects you will behandling. Remember that high-quality recordings require sophisticated equipment.
You also need seasoned technicians to handle the project. You will consequently have to make a significant investment if you are to produce quality recordings at your studio.
iii. Availability of Technicians
Completing a recording session alone is a daunting task for some. You will require the assistance of technicians to handle the machines, cue your lines, edit sound files, and package the clips in a way that they are acceptable to the market. While voice recording software is available, you’ll inevitably need a reliable team of professionals to support your recording endeavor. Prepare to hire technicians on a full-time basis or as freelancers.
iv. Your Budget
How much are you willing to spend on a functional home studio? The cost of setting up a home recording studio will depend on the equipment you buy.
Some equipment like mixers are replaceable with software. However, microphones, headphones, and a soundproof room have to be physically present.
In most cases, it will take a while and gradual addition of resources and equipment to set up a functional studio.
In cases where you do not hire a technician or voice editor, you will have to learn the voice-over production skills yourself.
Final Remarks
It is exciting to own a home voice over studio as an artist. Setting up a home studio would mean convenience for anyone producing audio clips regularly. If you are yet to set up one, you should know a reliable studio where you can record your voice overs. Whether you hire or set up a voice studio at home, it must meet the highest quality standards required in the industry to support and grow your career.
And, of course, when you’re ready, send us a message. We’ll be happy to have you!
