Improving the audio quality of voice recordings can be a daunting task when you are just starting out. However, with the right tools and techniques, it is possible to achieve professional-sounding audio with just a few adjustments. One of the most important tools in audio engineering is the EQ or equalizer.
Before diving into how to use an EQ, it is important to understand what it is and how it works. An EQ is a tool that allows you to adjust the levels of different frequency ranges in an audio signal independently. It works by boosting or cutting specific frequency ranges to achieve a desired sound.
When using an EQ for spoken word, there are a few key frequency ranges to focus on:
80-180hz is generally where the body of the voice lives. Boosting here will make someone sound larger than life and can also increase the perceived quality of the recording
180-300hz is often where tubbiness and muddiness occur, cutting here can often sound good.
300-750hz can often feel boxy and “cardboardy” cutting here can sometimes help improve quality but often consumer USB microhpones can have strange deficiencies here. However some, (i’m looking at you blue yeti) can have excessive build ups here. So use your ears to eq effectively!
750-2000hz frequencies that are often referred to as nasally live in this range. It is also where intelligibility of speech starts.
2000-6000hz is where intelligibility of speech lives and also sibilance. Too much of these frequencies and the audio can sound harsh and brittle but too little and it will sound dull and low quality.
6000hz and up is generally referred to as air. Some “f” sibilance also lives in this range. This top end of the audible spectrum is often correlated with a higher perceived recording quality. However, this is often where system noise from microphones and interfaces lives. If you have a noisy recording try cutting out some of this frequency with a roll off. But be careful that your recording doesn’t end up sounding dull and lo-fi.
Using an EQ to improve spoken word audio quality can seem overwhelming at first, but with a little practice, it becomes a valuable tool in your audio engineering arsenal. SOAP was made by professional recording engineers to help simplify the eq’ing process. It has many EQ presets built in for common problems and the most popular microphones, both professional and consumer.
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