13 replies to this topic

[MokahTGS]

Posted 06/10/08 19:33 (GMT) by harlanrachel

I was reading another forum, and someone made the excellent comment that there should be a voice actor's database. While I don't plan on making the attempt, I thought I might set up a page here on the forum for both actors and those looking for voices.

Also, if you have tips on voice acting, like suggested mikes or recording programs, feel free to post.

Also a link to the old thread.

[Eguintir Eligard]

Hmm.. I'll try this again. I have a game completely done and just in testing now. I want to add sporadic vocals to bring it to life.

Anyone interested in doing 5 to 10 lines (male or female) and getting put in the game that will release by september email me here. or deflepp194@gmail.com


BEST MIC TIPS (Repeated):
As was said in the old thread, anyone looking for a mic should check out a cheap low price Sony mic, the kind karaoke usually uses ($15 to $20 range) it will work beautifully and not allow buzzes and other noise into your recordings. They basically look like a real stage mic, about 1 inch thick, usually black, and with a large round top with mesh around it. The cheap ones are usually pretty light.

Even a $60+ PC style mic (the skinny ones made for computers) will sound much worse. The karoakoe style ones usually come with a converter to go from big to small input that will fit your sound card on the computer. Dont wast your money on those awful PC mics, there is no such thing as HQ recording on a pc mic.

Edited by Eguintir Eligard, 29 July 2010 - 06:05 PM.

[Eguintir Eligard]

Oh and the place to find them: BestBuy, etc.

[dunniteowl]

I checked on this not too long back during the beginning of the Voice Acting 'Hub' thread, because I posted a lot of mic and recording information, which can also be found at the Citadel in this link:
Voice over and Sound Effects Specs and while they are not too specific a bit of searching in the links section will net you some more sites to check out for sound software.

Currently, my best of show, for price, functionality and ease of use in microphones is:

Sony F-V320 mic. The last time I priced it, it was like $19.00 US and it outperformed any sound card mic I have ever used, purchased or had the misfortune to try out on someone else's computer. The cord is nice and long (about 8 feet), is well shielded and the type of mic is called a Cardiod Mic, which records in a sort of heart shaped pattern with two good areas to the side of the mic to record close up (so you don't breathe right into the mic as you speak or sing) and prevents things like those Popping P's and Slushy Ssss sounds when recording.

If you can't find that one, do make sure you take the time to study up a bit. Getting one of those computer card mics with your purchase may sound cool to you, but when you record with them, it won't sound cool then. The shielding on those mics are less then stellar and you'll get computer fan hum, buzzing and tinny reproduction which will simply ruin the experience for you.

I got mine originally to plug into an amplifier to record my guitar and keyboard efforts (which, honestly, a cat's chorus probably sounds better) and have kept it all this time. I saw the same model on the shelf about 2 years ago and mine is like 15 years old, so you know it's a pretty good mic if it's still selling. It also came with a reducer plug to fit into cassette tape recorders (and it fits right into my sound card port for the microphone in the back of my computer and I can still Rock Out with all the extra cord.

Embarrasingly enough, I am actually pretty good at karaoke.

Best Buy is about the only place I know to get these nowadays. There aren't that many all in one big box stores that carry decent sound and computer gear anymore. I am sure an internet shopping search, though will yield some decent results.

Importantly: You should not have to pay more than about 30 dollars for a really decent microphone for Voice Over (VO) sound work. You can if you like, but for NWN and NWN2 purposes, the Sony F-V320 or something similar is exceptional quality, good price and great for your recording needs. Again, use a Real Microphone. Not one of those cheapo computer Skype headset things or anything else like that. They just don't have the power and shielding necessary to give a quality recording.

best regards,
dunniteowl

Edited by dunniteowl, 02 August 2010 - 09:22 PM.

[Shaun the Crazy One]

For those looking for voice actors I also recomend posting on the Voice Acting Alliance Forums.  There are alot of amuture voice actors that frequent the forum and will do voicing for independent prodjects.  There's also the VAC a similar but smaller organization, if your looking for voice actors though you may want to try both.

[Vaalyah]

Question: in the database you have linked, are available just English dubbers?

[Shaun the Crazy One]

They aren't actually databases. The VAA is an organization of professional and amateur voice actors, most of the projects people post on their boards are in English but I think there are a few people there that speak other languages. The VAC is a smaller organization of entirely armature voice actors, you'd probably have more luck with the VAA.

[dunniteowl]

Anna I canna fake it, if you needa italiano.

Actually I can read pretty well and repeat it, even if I don't know exactly what I'm saying. I bet a lot of VO (Voice Actors) who are worth their salt can do that better than I. If not, I would be willing to bet that in each country, there is a site or two similar to those above for the 'home' language.

I don't know it for a fact, but I still see plenty of French, Italian, German and Swedish films, along with more than my fair share of Japanese, Chinese and Filipino films. There's got to be places where they 'hang ou' on the internet.

dno

[Vaalyah]

To say the truth, on Friday I did the most stupid thing that I can! Since (after one month of research) I discovered that I can't recreate a voice by modify another voice with a software (a friend of mine works in a recorder studio), I wrote to the Italian dubber society and asked the email of the Bishop Italian voice.

I NEED Bishop to talk as in the rest of the game: the romance pack changes dialogues abruptly in English and with a voice totally different from the rest of the game. Maybe I can get the Italian dubber feeling pity for this crazy girl and joining the translation project?

[Avalon Aurora]

I'm willing to do voice acting for NWN2 stuff!

[Vaalyah]

I'm here, I'm here, I'm here [V is jumping on her chair, waving with her arms] reading your post! (thanks to Kev, that has told me about the update!)
So, which character/s you are willing to dubber? :-)

[Avalon Aurora]

I dunno, I'm a guy, so male voices are probably the only ones I can do. Not sure how well I can replicate voices or accents, but I can certainly do some original voices and take direction. I can also do some voice-based critter sounds and such if needed, or possibly try to cobble together some other sound effects. I can even decently sing (better than Grobnar at least ), so I could probably do a bard, although I can't write music, so don't as me to do that.

I did Veetor in this:


Not much I know, but it's a sample of a way I can make my voice at least.

[Vaalyah]

Hmmm... do you think you could watch some NWN2 videos on youtube and register you saying the same sentences of various companions? So we could understand which is the more similar voice to yours :-)

[Sabranic]

So does anyone know of any female Celtic voice sets?  Currently looking all over the Vault for use on a fey NPC.