Voice Evaluation time

Okay guys.

Let's get some things out of the way. It's time for voice test evaluations.

In order to determine who's got what voices suitable for what purposes, I'll be listening to a few pre-determined recorded lines.

I will be evaluating the following.

- Recording Quality:
Can you get a recording out that doesn't sound like it came out of a construction zone?

- Acting Ability:
Can you portray the emotion of a particular line without sounding like you're reading the line for the first time directly from a one inch binder that's between you and the mic?

- Voice Suitability:
Who/What do you sound best portraying?

Before I place the lines, here are some suggestions for those with little or no recording experience.

1: In order to pass Recording Quality.
- Ensure that points of white noise, such as air conditioners, and any extra computer fans are off.
- If using a cheaper mic, take a sock from your sock drawer and fold it back over itself several times over the mic. This creates a buffer that cuts out small sounds better.
- Do NOT talk directly into the microphone. Speak with your mouth away from it, and slightly to the side. This prevents air puffs that POP FILTERS are designed to block.
- Record at CD Quality or better. (44,100 kHz 16 bit Stereo)

2: In order to pass acting ability.
- First off, understand what would be going on in a particular line. Imagine what is actually happening. You aren't acting the part, you're living it. It's happening to you.
- Perform multiple recordings and listen to yourself. Most people hate the sound of their own voice, mostly because they think they sound silly. Listen to your recording several times and see if you can believe the voice you're putting out. Try and listen for actual mistakes, like stumbling on a word, or pausing too long to remember part of a line, or slurring a word. You want to be critical, but only critical of actual technical errors, not of how your voice sounds. I'll be the judge of that part.
- LEARN your lines. If you're recording multiple times, you'll usually get them down after three or four passes.
- Work alone if this is really your first attempt. If you have someone in the same room/house/building/whatever... that can hear your acting and you know about it, you will be concious of their pressence and that will make you nervous. On the reverse, you can invite them in to help coach you. A second set of ears actually seriously helping you out works. But either way, you need to be relaxed for your acting or you'll color your lines.

- DON'T SCREAM INTO THE MIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...
...
!!!
...
Microphones pick you up real well. Don't scream into them, you'll overload them and all you get is nasty distortion. Also, don't set the pickup gain (record volume) at max. Same result. A bout 1/2 to 2/3 is a good setting for the pickup. I can add/remove gain on my end as I see fit to balance pickup.

**IMPORTANT**
- Don't do any special effects to the voice. I'll be doing that myself. Letting me do any and all effects helps keep the final product uniform in quality, and style.

3: For determining voice suitability, record at least one primary set in your natural voice. No tricks, no cartooning. I need to know what you sound like first. After that, you can make new sets in different accents and voice abilities you may know. But I need at least your natural way of speaking, accent.

Anyway...

The following is a list of 'motivations', or emotions that will be tagged to lines. You'll want to understand how you want to sound when saying the lines.

CALM: Whatever you're saying is routine. It's not BORING, but generally it comes across like the chatter from an airport's Air Traffic Controller.

COMMANDING: Your voice is strong and decicive. You've made your decision for better or worse and now you expect your fully competent crew to get it done with equal snap.

WISE: A more relaxed version of the above. You know EXACTLY what you're doing, and you trust your well experienced crew to get it done without question. Your men are pros, and so are you.

TENSE: Things aren't going so well, but you're okay so far. You manage to suppress the butterflies in your stomach for the time being but it still shows in your voice as you speak a little faster and nervously than a CALM voice would.

URGENT: Multiple hull breaches across the board, reactor failing, you're losing your composure and everyone needs to get to the escape pods NOW!

PANIC: OH MY GOD! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

EXCITEMENT: You're ready to rock and roll, nobody can beat you today. Everything's a competition.

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And now...

The evaluation lines.

CALM
"L.C.T.S. under way and departing orbit, vectoring outbound heavy."

"DD at station keeping, standing by for docking lines."

COMMANDING
"Stand By. Battlecruiser enrout."

"Hold fast, dreadnaught moving to assist

WISE

"Stand by, bringing assets to bear."

"Vector strike unit alpha to target."

TENSE

"Alert, we're under attack. requesting assistance."

URGENT

"Mayday mayday! We're under heavy attack! We can't take much more of this!"

"C'mon... Hold togetheeeerrrrr...."

PANIC

"NO! I can't get out! Reactor Critical, she's gonna-"

"I'm hit! Can't... Hold her..."

"It's no use! AAAAARGGGHH!!!!!"

EXCITED

"Roger that, I see them, moving to intercept!"

"Tally-Ho! Hostile spotted! He's all mine!"

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