This is the full view of the audio paper session in Ableton. For the voices, I have recorded them in M109 with Pro Tools. I consolidated the file to generate the stem of it so that I can take all the vocal recordings at once instead of importing them one by one to Ableton.
Voice
Before putting my voice on the DAW, I used the Izotop RX 9 to remove the background noise and the saliva sounds from the recording, as these are unwanted sounds.
My voice has been processed with different plugins, including saturation, compression and eq. Processing them removes unwanted sound from a recording or for enhancement or special effects (Ahern, 2022, P.101). To start with, I first added Gate to ensure that no background voices are leaked into my voice. I add saturation to boost the harmonics of my voice so that it sounds richer. Next, I had an EQ to boost the lows and highs and subtract the mids to fine-tune the tonality of my voice. A compressor was added after that in order to even out dynamic differences more precisely (Weekout, 2019, p.240). On top of that, I have added a De-esser to reduce the sibilance boosted by compression and EQ. At last, I added a limiter to avoid clipping and cause distortion.
With the plugins used, my voice sounds clearer, crisper, and more masculine. This avoids spoiling the flow or detracting from the connection with the listener (Ahern, 2022, p.144).
Automation
I used automation mainly for volume control or effect sends. For example, I have boosted the singing voice’s volume to create a fade in effect.
Panning
Panning in this audio paper was done to fill up the space and make use of it.
Fade in/out
Using fade-in and fade-out at the ends of each clip smooths out the transitions and avoids sudden changes in volume.
Moreover, I try to use fade in/out to create the L cut effect, a film editing technique where the audio from the previous scene overlaps the picture from the following scene. The technique adds interest to dialogue scenes (VEGAS, n.d.). Putting the idea into the podcast by mixing two audio from different sources, listeners will notice the shift and focus on the topic.
Reference
Ahern, S. (2022) Making radio and podcasts: A practical guide to working in today’s radio and Audio Industries. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
VEGAS (no date) L-cuts and J-cuts – why and how?, Using L-Cuts and J-Cuts in Video Editing – Why and How? Available at: https://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/in/video-editing/l-cuts-and-j-cuts/#:~:text=With%20L%2Dcuts%20and%20J%2Dcuts%2C%20editors%20add%20interest,the%20audience%20hears%20the%20dialog. (Accessed: 04 December 2023).
Weekout, H. (2019) ‘Mixing | Vocals’, in Music production: Learn how to record, mix, and master music. ROUTLEDGE.