Project Reality needs British Voice Talent

the.ultimate.maverick · Post by **the.ultimate.maverick** » 2006-06-05 21:52

Try out man - we might love it

!!

Post by **sofad** » 2006-06-05 22:06

yes MrD, i need clear voices.
without any effects and changes made. just the virgin sound that you recorded..

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-06-05 22:07

As long as you sound 'army like'. Aim for something halfway between Rhino's relaxed recordings and Maverick's totally barmey ones, that should do the trick.

the.ultimate.maverick · Post by **the.ultimate.maverick** » 2006-06-05 22:10

Oi I am realistic

#

Popa · Post by **Popa** » 2006-06-05 22:10

Can "feck" be used?

Anyone got a list of phrases used in game?

the.ultimate.maverick · Post by **the.ultimate.maverick** » 2006-06-05 22:32

Nah man but improv as much as possible - make it nice and vaired.

And ye use 'Feck' and 'So it is' as much as possible - and even 'eedyot'

MrD · Post by **MrD** » 2006-06-05 22:34

tomorrow i will record a load of clean, normal sounding ones then. trying to make the distinctions between live speech and comms coded speech

Post by **2Slick4U** » 2006-06-06 00:39

Battlefield 2 Character Voice Recording Tutorial
By: [R-CON] 2Slick4U

I. INTRODUCTION

This guide is a work in progress I am writing to help you record better quality voice-overs for Battlefield 2. While I have yet to add specific tips for recording “BF2” audio clips, I have included some very valuable information that should get you going in the right direction.

II. HARDWARE & SOFTWARE

1. Microphone
Do not use a headset microphone! The movement of your jaw while speaking will cause vertical movement of the microphone, which in return will cause distortion in your voice.

It would be best if you purchased at least a mid-grade microphone. The cheap one that came with your computer is the worst thing (next to a headset mic) that you could use. They have horrible built-in pre-amps and are too noisy for voice recordings. A decent, mid-grade mic should cost you no more than $30 USD.

2. Headphones
Never use your computer speakers. If your computer speakers are on, the microphone will pick up the background sound (which is slightly delayed from when you actually speak into the mic), which will cause an echo effect in your recording (this is called feedback).

A good quality set of closed-ear headphones is what you want to use. By “closed-ear” I mean a pair of headphones that completely surround your ear and form a seal against your head, which prevents sound from leaking back to your microphone. A regular set of headphones or even ear-buds can cause considerable feedback so avoid using them at all cost.

3. Software
Fullforce wrote a good guide based on the Audacity Software program, which is one of the better free recording programs available, that covers this. See links below for more information.

- “Recording Your Voice”
By: Fullforce
http://wiki.sircommunity.com/index.php/ ... your_voice

- Audacity Software Download (Free)
http://audacity.sourceforge.net

III. SETTING UP YOUR OWN RECORDING STUDIO

1. Location
This is a very important section and must be considered prior to setting up your make-shift “recording studio”. Isolation from all outside sounds is crucial. By outside sounds I mean anything that makes a sound other than your own voice. Ever wonder why professional recording studios walls are covered in foam? Well, allow me to get semi-technical for a second:

Sounds echo off any solid object - walls, computer monitors, anything that is not porous. The only way to effectively prevent unwanted noise and cancel out echoes is to surround your recording area with objects that have mass. These “objects” can include anything from professional grade acoustical foam, to common household towels or blankets. When a sound hits these objects, the material (the thicker the better) absorbs the sounds instead of reflecting it back, thus dampening the sound and reducing background noise. While you are actually recording your voice-overs, place a thick blanket or towel directly in front of you to prevent your voice from reflecting back at you. If you are sitting in front of your computer, then once you hit the record button, have a towel near by to throw over the monitor.

Now that you have an idea on how sounds work, let’s look at choosing your studio area. You want to make sure that the area you are recording in is not to echoey or hollow. The goal in recording any voice-over is to create a clear, understandable sound which is crisp and free of any ambient noise. Obviously, your studio will be located were your computer is. So, take a look around. Turn off everything in the room, including your computer, ceiling fans, etc. Stand in the middle of the room and say something out loud close to the volume your voice-over will be recorded at.

Did you get an echo? How clear and crisp was your voice?

Do this test in various spots around the room to find the ideal location for your recordings. If you have a closet near your computer that you can comfortably walk in, use that!

2. Environment

No point in having a perfect location if you have a dog barking outside your door or a TV blaring in the background. Plan a time to record when no one is home or anytime when everything is calm and quite. The environment while recording your voice-overs should be free of all avoidable ambient sounds and background noise.

3. Microphone Placement

You should try and set up your microphone as far away from your computer as possible. Reason for this simple - your computer creates a considerable amount of noise. Even cases with the quietest fans create noise. If you simply can not move away from your PC, consider purchasing a microphone extension cord or worst case scenario; cover your computer with a blanket or towel to help dampen noise. Do not leave it covered for long or you could damage your computer due to heat. If you have hardwood floors, set your computer on a towel. This will help prevent vibrations, which are the number one cause of PC noise.

A. Alignment
The ideal location of the microphone is at nose level pointing downward at your lips. Avoid talking directly down into the microphone. If you are reading from a script, don’t position the mic dead center of your lips. Move it over to the right about 20 degrees off axis. This will leave you a clear view of the script.

B. Distance from Lips
The simplest way to improve the sound quality of your recordings is to be close the mic. If the mic is too far away, you will get an echoing effect that sounds thin and distant. If you are closer to the microphone, it may accentuate the lower frequencies in your voice which can make you sound more powerful and clear. Your lips should be in-between four to six inches from the microphone, or about a hands length.

IV. RECORDING YOUR VOICE-OVER

1. Preparation

Before you actually record your sound, you need to do a little preparation. Look over your script and say your lines out loud. Experiment with your tone and pitch to try and get the best overall sound. Place more focus on practicing lines that contain words or phrases you have trouble pronouncing.

Drink a couple of glasses of water about 30-45 minutes before you sit down to do your recording. This will help make sure your body is properly hydrated. Also, bring a glass of water with you when you do finally head into your “studio.” Also, bring a little lip balm with you. This will keep your lips lubricated and avoid the horrendous sound of lips smacking.

For once in your life, listen to your dentist and brush your teeth! I know, it seems strange, but brushing your teeth will remove any food particles from your mouth that may absorb your saliva and cause you to have a dry mouth. Flossing is optional…lol.

2. Start the Recording

When you're ready to record, turn your head away from the microphone and take a deep breath. Then exhale and take one more deep breath. Open you mouth, turn back to the microphone and begin to speak. This technique eliminates the sharp intake of breath and lip smack that often occur when you start to speak.

Speak clearly and slowly. You can always tighten up your recording during the editing stage. If you make a mistake, go back to the nearest sentence start and continue on again, even if you flub just a word or two. Cutting in a single word or phrase is difficult and doesn't sound natural.

3. Using the 3-5-7 Method

This is just a simple method to nail that perfect voice-over clip. Once you have chosen a line in your script to record, say and record the line three times in a row, taking breaths in-between each one as stated above. Make sure you record all three of them in the same audio file. Now, take a break and listen to them all the way through. If you think you nailed the line in one of the recordings, then you are finished. If you did not, go back and repeat the process again, this time recording the line five times. If you still don’t get the sound you were looking for, do it once more but this time say the line 7 times.

Usually you will nail it by the last try, but if you do not for some reason, walk away and take a break for a while, or maybe even wait and come back the next day. Then start the whole process over. This will help prevent you from getting burnt out. Typically after saying a line 15 times and not getting the desired results, you will just go down hill and make no progress.

V. CONCLUSION

That is all for right now, I will be updating this guide sometime in the near future to be more specific for recording Battlefield 2 character voices. If you have any specific questions or ideas for this tutorial, please feel free to shoot me a PM or email.

Post by **sofad** » 2006-06-06 01:34

"thumbs up" @ 2Slick4U!

great tut!

four things to add from me..

II.1.

if you cant get a (semi)professional mic, you can also use your camcorder as a mic replacement. his mic sounds alway still better than your headset. but its also only a more badly than quite compromise...

III.1.

clapping is also a good method to check for echos and reverb.

III.3.

if you can, go with your mic completely under a blanked. but watch out that the blanked itself dont touch the mic to avoid unwanted noises.

IV.2.

stand during your record session. standing is the best for the sound of your voice.

and dont forget, if you want to help us, record at 44,1khz or above, 16bit or above and mono. do no editing at your recording, except the rough cut´s. than save your work as .wav or the lossless compression .flac if you can. thank you.

Dark Ewok · Post by **Dark Ewok** » 2006-06-06 09:30

It's a wee bit off topic here but I got so inspired by Mavericks efforts that I had to contribute something...

2Slick4u, if you want this for the fankit DVD, go right ahead!

It's 1280x1024, British trooper doing his best to be heard by everyone in his squad...
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/ ... ritish.jpg

Sorry for the OT post.

Post by **Katarn** » 2006-06-06 15:45

Oh god, my eyes, ewok, my eyes! But that's a nice tutorial, slick, it'll help out more than a few people.

Post by **eggman** » 2006-06-09 03:38

OK Gents does anyone else want to submit any recordings for this?

We're gonna try wrap up pretty soon so we can get going on getting the recordings done and in game.

egg

Post by **sofad** » 2006-06-09 21:55

hey brit community, just try it pls.
the more variations we got, the more variation you all will here ingame later..

dont be so fearfully! if i dare to post with my bad english, then you should dare to record some voiceovers for your favorite mod, or what?

MrD · Post by **MrD** » 2006-06-09 21:56

i will definitely record a load of clean samples tomorrow.

Post by **eggman** » 2006-06-13 06:55

OK So I think we have MrD and Maverick as 2 very outstanding submissions.

Anyone else want to submit?

besides Rhino

Need a third voice.

egg

MrD · Post by **MrD** » 2006-06-13 11:43

right, I will be recording more to give to you, only I decided to volunteer to test the latest Vista build and all my media programs stopped working or simply refused to save anything I made! But I'm back on XP now and got my system where I want it again.

I was actually at the point of taking a tape unit into the countryside with my mic to do more as it's so hot here I had to keep the windows open and my neighbours already think I'm insane enough without adding more oil to the fire!

At least my background in drama, theatre, boarding school, military and current education including Drama class in preparation for an English degree mean that I have the confidence to do the work. So if my voice can be used, so be it!

the.ultimate.maverick · Post by **the.ultimate.maverick** » 2006-06-16 18:23

Any updates Egg?

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » 2006-06-16 18:49

you really don't wanna hear my broad Northern Irish accent cursing all the time asking for a barrage from the artillery boys, then telling them they missed to take the piss

Did that on the 7RHA lads (coz I knew em) and got the mother of all bollockings for breaking voice procedure

Mav, we NEED to get the mav rap in there too as the victory theme for your team.

MrD · Post by **MrD** » 2006-06-16 19:02

when the chopper starts playing the alarm saying it's about to blow up, can a voice sample be inserted just before or during the alarm, played once?

"Mayday! Mayday! On A F L"

Post by **Fullforce** » 2006-06-16 19:03

Dark Ewok wrote: http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/ ... ritish.jpg

Sorry for the OT post.

How dare you photoshop... me... Erm. Yeah.