SoniClear for video voiceover recording and audio track enhancement

SoniClear SalesVoice is a valuable video production tool for recording voiceover tracks and for audio track enhancement. Two unique features make this possible: Undo capability during recording and VoiceBoost audio enhancement.

Undo for Perfection

SalesVoice makes it easy for anyone to produce professional-quality voiceover recordings. When you make recordings in SalesVoice, you can record the script in sections. After you complete each section you can review how it sounds and re-record it if you are not satisfied. Most people are not trained to read long scripts without making mistakes. With SalesVoice, you do not have to be a voice actor to produce a flawless presentation.

VoiceBoost for Studio Quality

The digital signal processing in SalesVoice makes your voice sound like it has been recorded in a professional recording studio. VoiceBoost performs all of the functions of a $3,000 recording studio voice processor, automatically, and without requiring any special audio engineering experience. VoiceBoost processing also improves the audio quality of video productions that are webcast using RealVideo, Windows Media and QuickTime. Before encoding the video file, run the audio through VoiceBoost and ensure that the audio will sound its best after encoding and delivery to low-fidelity computers.

Experience the Difference

Try out SoniClear SalesVoice for yourself and experience creating professional voiceover tracks on your Windows computer. Download the SalesVoice Free Trial today and follow these simple How To Instructions.

How To Instructions

Your desktop video editing software can import WAV and/or AIFF audio files created by SoniClear. You create a single audio file for each voiceover track to be added to the production.

Download and install SoniClear SalesVoice, and start the program.

The default source of audio is from your sound card microphone. If your computer has a built-in microphone (typical for laptops) the program will record automatically from it. Otherwise, plug a computer microphone into the mic-in jack of the sound card.

If you are using some other sound source (such as a USB microphone or line-in from a microphone preamplifier) you will need to review the documentation instructions (see Help/SoniClear Help in the program, or the SoniClear Online Documentation).

Now create a new file for recording. Click the New button, enter a file name, select Presentation as the recording type, and click OK.

This will display "Ready to Record" in the status window, along with the length of time that you can record (based on the amount of free space on your disk drive). The program is now ready to record your voiceover track.

Click the red Record button and start speaking. The first time using the program you will probably need to adjust the record volume. If you are using the standard microphone source in your sound card, you simply adjust the "level" slider. The best level is when the record meter registers generally in the middle of the range. Too low or too high of a meter reading will result in poor audio quality.

When finished reading the script, click the Stop button. You can review the audio by clicking the Play button. If you do not hear anything, be sure the audio to the computer speaker is on. This can be adjusted by clicking on the speaker icon in the lower right corner of the computer screen.

If you are satisfied with the sound, the recording is finished. If not, you can click the Undo button and record again. Keep repeating the record and undo steps until you are satisfied with the result.

The finished WAV file can then be imported into a your video project. The process for doing this will vary, depending on which video editor you are using. Consult with the documentation for your software for detailed instructions. If your software requires AIFF files instead of WAV format, you can convert the recorded file from the File/Convert pulldown menu selection.

A useful SoniClear technique for recording voice tracks is to record in sections. Each time you record and then stop, you have the option to listen to the section just recorded and erase only that portion. Divide the script into natural groups of information. Record a section by clicking the Record button, read the script for that section, and then click Stop. Listen to that section by clicking the Play button. If the recording is satisfactory, continue with the next section by clicking Record. If the recording is not correct, click the Undo button. This will remove only the last recorded section from the file. You can then re-record that section.

SoniClear automatically enhances the WAV file with VoiceBoost processing, while you speak. There are no additional processing steps to do or commands that you need to make. SoniClear will produce the best quality sound possible, given the original quality of the audio that is being sent into the computer. A number of factors can affect the sound. The quality of the microphone is the most important point. In addition, sound cards vary widely in their quality, in terms of noise level and distortion. Refer to our notes about microphones on the Microphone Support Page. Suggestions on how to get the best quality sound is also included in the program documentation (SoniClear Online Documentation), and on the Troubleshooting Support Page.

SoniClear can also be used to impove the quality of sound recorded on location. To do this, use the video editor to extract the audio track and save as a WAV or AIFF file. Open this file in SoniClear and then use the File/Convert feature to output the file to WAV or AIFF format with the VoiceBoost feature turned on. The automatic VoiceBoost DSP will filter and compress the voice track to improve the presentation. The processed file can then be reimported into the video file, placing it back exactly where it was originally located on the timeline. SoniClear signal processing does not change the length of the audio file being processed, so there will be no synchronization problems introduced.

If the video editor does not have the option of saving tracks to audio files, you can record using SoniClear while playing back the track in the video editor (see "Using the Volume Control Program" in the SoniClear Online Documentation). This will result in some degradation of the audio, compared to keeping it entirely in digital form. However, you may find that the VoiceBoost processing provides significant improvement to the signal quality over the unprocessed audio track.

The default Presentation type Sound Quality setting is generally the best option for recording tracks for video production. If you find that different settings are required, you can create a Custom recording setting. From the Preferences dialog (Edit/Preferences), click on the Recording Options tab, and select the Custom Sound Quality type. Select Presentation from the Display Type combo box and click the Set Defaults button. Then modify the various settings to match your requirements. Set VoiceBoost to High (or turned off, for unprocessed audio) if the final video presentation will be on tape, DVD, or CDROM. If the file will be compressed (such as QuickTime, Windows Media, or RealVideo), you will need to set the VoiceBoost quality to either Medium or Low, depending on the bandwidth provided for the audio portion of the final streaming video file.