The Practice of What We Do

It’s easy to get focused on the tech end of things. Too easy.
As much as I enjoy that aspect of the VO business, the actual equipment remains only a small component of what we do. Emphasizing only the gear shifts the focus away from the more important variables.

People consistently ask “What’s the best mic?”
My simple answer: “The one you have”

I know that’s not necessarily what people want to hear. It’s not that I don’t have an opinion about equipment. There are definitely microphones I prefer to use for voiceover. But, I never want to give anyone the impression that the ticket to success lies in the brand of mic which hangs in your VO recording space.

Truth is, you can get good, usable audio with a wide variety of gear.

Which leads to the next Truth: the mic is generally not the limiting factor in our voiceover success.

I get that we want to find that One Thing To Fix. So much of what we do on a daily basis in VO is decidedly subjective. Alone in our recording spaces, we often feel like we’re stumbling through a darkened and unfamiliar place. We’re never sure if we’ve gone too far… or perhaps not far enough. We’re guessing. The act of auditioning can be like trying to solve an equation with way too many variables and far too few data points.

Fixating on equipment then becomes a focusing act. It’s hardware. It has dimension and mass and is some actual thing fixed in the time-space continuum. And that’s all kind of calming. Which is a good thing. Equipment you trust and respect gives you a touchstone – something that helps you focus. While that could just as easily be a lucky rock in your pocket, if the budget allows there’s nothing wrong with a shiny new mic to give you focus and allay any fears about your signal chain.

Your attention can then shift to what you can control: getting work out the door. Doing the difficult and imperfect task of facing down that mic and making a strong choice for what you’re about to voice.

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