Avoiding Plosives for Voice Actors: A Comprehensive Guide
Ever laid down the perfect voice track, only to play it back and hear the audio equivalent of popcorn popping? Welcome to the land of plosives, my friend, the notorious party crashers of voice acting. But fear not, we’ve got your back with a comprehensive guide to avoiding plosives for voice actors
The Plosive Problem: A Crash Course
Plosives are those annoying explosive breath sounds that happen when air from your mouth strikes the mic, often while pronouncing words that start with ‘P’, ‘B’, ‘T’, ‘D’, ‘K’, and ‘G’. They’re like the invisible gremlins of the audio world, wrecking your perfect takes with their sneaky pops and bangs.
Taming the Plosive Beast: The Techniques
Now that we’ve identified the enemy, let’s dive into how to defeat them. There are several tried and true techniques for reducing plosives, all without needing a degree in audio engineering or speech therapy.
1. The Off-Center Approach For Avoiding Plosives
Our first technique is like the social distancing of the voice acting world – the ‘Off-Center’ approach. Instead of speaking directly into the mic, aim your voice just slightly to the side. It’s about as simple as it gets, but can significantly reduce those popping ‘P’s and ‘B’s.
2. The Pencil Trick For Avoiding Plosives
Next up is the pencil trick, an old-school method that’s as straightforward as it sounds. By holding a pencil (or any similar object) in front of your mouth as you speak, you can help disperse the air from those plosive sounds, stopping them from hitting the microphone directly. Think of it as your own personal plosive deflector shield.
The Right Tools: Pop Filters and Microphone Technique
As with any trade, having the right tools can make all the difference. In the world of voice acting, that means investing in a good pop filter. These nifty devices serve as a barrier between your mouth and the microphone, catching those pesky plosive breaths before they hit the mic.
The Power of Practice
As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. This holds true for avoiding plosives as well. The more you practice, the better you’ll become at recognizing and avoiding plosive sounds in your speech. Try practicing with different microphone angles, distances, and pop filter positions to see what works best for your unique voice.
Conclusion
There you have it – your comprehensive guide to avoiding plosives for voice actors. With these techniques and tools, you’ll be well on your way to cleaner, crisper audio. So go ahead, give these techniques a try and take your voice acting to the next level.
