Great point about fatigue. I definitely went overboard with EQ when I started recording my classroom. Fatiguing for sure. I gave myself an EQ budget to keep from going too wild and it sounds way better.
It's tricky! Sometimes you work at something for so long and it sounds great and then if you come back a few hours later or the next day it's like, "what was I thinking?!" 😅
I love that this is only 6 minutes and is packed with the info we need to help us improve our mic sound! For this I thank-you Tom, however for me its like pruning the roses how to videos it makes me wanna get someone other than me to sort it out. I'm supposed to be an adult too, lol! I deffo need to pay someone to look at mine accross the board.
Great video Tom - as always. The good thing about youtube, after it adds it's own compression to your audio, the difference between a really well processed SM7B and unprocessed SM7B is so close that the majority of people watching/listening on their cell phone, tablets, laptop, or everyday computer monitors, or boomy Beats headphones to tell a difference! A poorly processed mic can definitely ruin the listener experience. I always tell people to not use an EQ setting until you can listen to a 30-60 minute clip of yourself to ensure it isn't fatiguing. This video is a must watch for content creators! Spot on! So important to get the right mic that sounds good on your voice out of the box so your EQ is subtle in not drastic.
I've always been very curious about what TH-cam does to audio. I'm always especially curious if it does any normalizing or leveling? Your advice of 30-60 minutes is spot on!
A lot of it just comes down to personal preference (plus whatever you happen to be listening on). I like these tips because you can take them and "season to taste".
Garageband only works for prerecorded files. For live processing there are quite a few different tools out there (some paid and some free). OBS has some basic built in filters and stuff that can work quite well. And then there's always the option to use something like a Rodecaster which will process your audio externally before it even gets to the computer.
Fantastic explanation, Tom. Many thanks! This is great for post-production but what about live using RCP2, or RCV? Unless I’m missing something, even the advanced setting does not allow for more than three frequencies of adjustment so we cannot do the precise freq cut. How do you handle your audio live? Cheers, mate.
That's a great question! Even the 3 high/mid/low options still give a lot of flexibility (especially when combined with the other effects inside the RCP2). I'm also a huge fan of the default presets for different mics, so that's usually where I start, even if I'm not using the exact mic. Just find what I think sounds best and either use it as is or maybe make some simple adjustments if needed. 👍
Thanks for your always easy to understand explanations. Although I don't mess around with equalizers. It's just not something I like to mess around with. I use Fillmora with all of my microphones. My original Bumblebee, Bumblebee II, and Beecaster microphones sound great for my own voice using their preset "Rock and Roll" equalizer setting. If I ever do a podcast with someone I might try something with another person's voice. I also use some basic wind and noise reduction which really improves the audio. Btw, because of your influence (for better or for worse) I'm going to add to my Neat microphone collection with the three discontinued Neat Widget microphones which are incredibly cheap now.
Oh that's so cool! Those Widgets are awesome. It's been a bit of a bummer to see Neat sort of fade away over the past few years (definitely NOT neat at all). They did some really awesome and innovative stuff.
@tombuck you are definitely right about the Neat company. Not neat at all what Turtle Beach did to the brand. But I would bet that Neat probably got a really neat bundle of cash from Turtle Beach. Luckily there are still some Distributors out there who have some stockpiles of the originals which is how I was able to get mine.
In Garage Band, you can add AU plugins too !!! I use the Universal Audio Avalon VT-737 Tube Channel Strip UAD Plug-in.... and Oh my god, this thing is amazing at how good it makes your voice sound !!
Wow! This is INCREDIBLY helpful information. I produce a monthly podcast and until now I've been doing a lot of extra work. I also run the audio through Auphonic, I wonder if you've used it or have any thoughts about it?
Do you equalize your headphones to a flat response before editing the sound? Dynamic driver headphones usually have a mess of a frequency response. I think planar or balanced armature headphones is a better choice for audio mastering.
It's really more about the interface than the mic. The Rodecaster has good preamps, so when levels are set properly there's no real noise even before adding effects 👍
@@tombuck but i use the goXLR like most streamers or content creators used to. And they had or still have like litterally no white noise on their sm7b... thats why im thinking there must be something im doing wrong..
Great point about fatigue. I definitely went overboard with EQ when I started recording my classroom. Fatiguing for sure. I gave myself an EQ budget to keep from going too wild and it sounds way better.
It's tricky! Sometimes you work at something for so long and it sounds great and then if you come back a few hours later or the next day it's like, "what was I thinking?!" 😅
I love that this is only 6 minutes and is packed with the info we need to help us improve our mic sound! For this I thank-you Tom, however for me its like pruning the roses how to videos it makes me wanna get someone other than me to sort it out. I'm supposed to be an adult too, lol! I deffo need to pay someone to look at mine accross the board.
Great video Tom - as always. The good thing about youtube, after it adds it's own compression to your audio, the difference between a really well processed SM7B and unprocessed SM7B is so close that the majority of people watching/listening on their cell phone, tablets, laptop, or everyday computer monitors, or boomy Beats headphones to tell a difference! A poorly processed mic can definitely ruin the listener experience. I always tell people to not use an EQ setting until you can listen to a 30-60 minute clip of yourself to ensure it isn't fatiguing.
This video is a must watch for content creators! Spot on! So important to get the right mic that sounds good on your voice out of the box so your EQ is subtle in not drastic.
I've always been very curious about what TH-cam does to audio. I'm always especially curious if it does any normalizing or leveling?
Your advice of 30-60 minutes is spot on!
Oh yeah the video I've been waiting for will check it out tonight after work!!
Awesome breakdown! This is one of my favorite things to do in post production!
You're quite a master!
@ thanks sensei 🫡
@@GuilDormeusI agree. Tom is the man.
Great video! Super helpful. Would love to see more of these “quick tip” videos from you… you just simplify things so well!
I appreciate that! I'd definitely be happy to share more.
Definitely need this 😂
I hate to say, but to me, you sound better with the EQ off, thanks for the video!
A lot of it just comes down to personal preference (plus whatever you happen to be listening on). I like these tips because you can take them and "season to taste".
So Ironic that you posted this today. I've been trying to get rid of an audio issue for two days! Emailed the details. Great breakdown as always!
Well timed, have been meaning to work at this!
So helpful, thanks Tom ! By the way, are you able to use the edited Voice from GarageBand in a TH-cam livestream ?
Garageband only works for prerecorded files. For live processing there are quite a few different tools out there (some paid and some free). OBS has some basic built in filters and stuff that can work quite well. And then there's always the option to use something like a Rodecaster which will process your audio externally before it even gets to the computer.
Fantastic explanation, Tom. Many thanks! This is great for post-production but what about live using RCP2, or RCV? Unless I’m missing something, even the advanced setting does not allow for more than three frequencies of adjustment so we cannot do the precise freq cut. How do you handle your audio live? Cheers, mate.
That's a great question! Even the 3 high/mid/low options still give a lot of flexibility (especially when combined with the other effects inside the RCP2). I'm also a huge fan of the default presets for different mics, so that's usually where I start, even if I'm not using the exact mic. Just find what I think sounds best and either use it as is or maybe make some simple adjustments if needed. 👍
Thanks for your always easy to understand explanations. Although I don't mess around with equalizers. It's just not something I like to mess around with.
I use Fillmora with all of my microphones. My original Bumblebee, Bumblebee II, and Beecaster microphones sound great for my own voice using their preset "Rock and Roll" equalizer setting. If I ever do a podcast with someone I might try something with another person's voice. I also use some basic wind and noise reduction which really improves the audio.
Btw, because of your influence (for better or for worse) I'm going to add to my Neat microphone collection with the three discontinued Neat Widget microphones which are incredibly cheap now.
Oh that's so cool! Those Widgets are awesome. It's been a bit of a bummer to see Neat sort of fade away over the past few years (definitely NOT neat at all). They did some really awesome and innovative stuff.
@tombuck you are definitely right about the Neat company. Not neat at all what Turtle Beach did to the brand. But I would bet that Neat probably got a really neat bundle of cash from Turtle Beach. Luckily there are still some Distributors out there who have some stockpiles of the originals which is how I was able to get mine.
In Garage Band, you can add AU plugins too !!! I use the Universal Audio Avalon VT-737 Tube Channel Strip UAD Plug-in.... and Oh my god, this thing is amazing at how good it makes your voice sound !!
I haven't tried that one yet, but I'll have to give it a go!
@@tombuck Its normally a 300 dollar plugin... but right now, its just 40 dollars, 260 dollars off on sweetwater... I LOVE this thing !!
Wow! This is INCREDIBLY helpful information. I produce a monthly podcast and until now I've been doing a lot of extra work. I also run the audio through Auphonic, I wonder if you've used it or have any thoughts about it?
Oh yeah Auphonic is great! Especially once you make a preset you like, then it can make your workflow super simple.
WOW never heard of EQ, thanks...LOL
Do you equalize your headphones to a flat response before editing the sound? Dynamic driver headphones usually have a mess of a frequency response. I think planar or balanced armature headphones is a better choice for audio mastering.
That's definitely the legit pro way to do it! I just use my Rode headphones and go with what sounds good to me.
What if I “AHHH” into the mic recording on purpose, How would I EQ that? (Is it depends?) 😅
In that case just boost it and deep fry the heck out of it 😅
but seriously my sm7b has significantly more white noise by itself. how do you have litterally NO noise in your "unedited" example? i need to know D:
It's really more about the interface than the mic. The Rodecaster has good preamps, so when levels are set properly there's no real noise even before adding effects 👍
@@tombuck but i use the goXLR like most streamers or content creators used to. And they had or still have like litterally no white noise on their sm7b... thats why im thinking there must be something im doing wrong..
And i even tried it with a triton fethead and a wave xlr interface
Off Topic: If you can only choose one, would you pick the PSA1+ or the Elgato Low Profile Pro? 🧐
Thanks in advance! ❤
It's tricky since they're different styles, but I've been preferring lower arms lately, so I'd go with the Elgato Pro 👍