Whether you’re creating a commercial, an explainer video or an instructional tutorial, a good voice-over can make all the difference. A high quality VO can increase sales, downloads or views of your video and boost your reputation.
There are two main types of voice-overs, narration and non-narration. Narration involves a voice describing or commenting on what’s happening on-screen, while non-narration voiceovers are used for informational and educational videos. The same basic guidelines for recording a good voice-over apply to both, but it’s important to focus on audio clarity, pacing, vocal tone and inflection, and proper pronunciation.
To begin, make sure you have a decent microphone, preferably with an attached pop filter and a pair of headphones to limit outside sounds. Then find a quiet place without much noise to record in. A bedroom, for example, is ideal because it has acoustics that are less reverberant than kitchens or bathrooms. The room size is also important; a tiny space will echo, while a large space can sound distant and muddy.
Next, practice the script to get a feel for the pacing and timing of your voice. Be careful not to pace too fast, which can be off-putting, but don’t slow down to a crawl either; it’s important to keep the listener engaged. Finally, pay attention to the inflection in your voice; a few changes can convey a lot of emotion, such as excitement or concern.
Be sure to take deep breaths from your diaphragm, which will help reduce the ‘breathy’ sound common in amateur recordings. And last but not least, don’t forget to save or export your VO in a format that offers a balance between quality and file size (WAV is best for high quality, but MP3 can be fine for shorter clips). How to do do voiceovers