Voice Over Ultimate Voice Over 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the standard sample rate used for professional voice over recordings intended for broadcast?
- 44.1 kHz
- 48 kHz (Correct answer)
- 96 kHz
- 22.05 kHz
Correct answer: 48 kHz
48 kHz is the broadcast standard sample rate used for professional audio in TV, film, and radio production.
Question 2: Which mic polar pattern is most commonly used for solo voice over recording in a treated booth?
- Omnidirectional
- Figure-8
- Cardioid (Correct answer)
- Hypercardioid
Correct answer: Cardioid
Cardioid microphones capture sound primarily from the front while rejecting room noise from the sides and rear, making them ideal for voice over booths.
Question 3: What does the term 'punch and roll' refer to in voice over recording?
- A technique for adding vocal energy to a performance
- Re-recording from just before a mistake while the previous take plays back (Correct answer)
- Rolling off low frequencies with an EQ punch
- A method of layering multiple vocal takes
Correct answer: Re-recording from just before a mistake while the previous take plays back
Punch and roll is a recording technique where playback stops just before an error, then recording resumes so the talent can seamlessly punch in the correction.
Question 4: What is 'mouth noise' in the context of voice over, and what is a common remedy?
- Room echo reduced by acoustic panels
- Clicks and smacks from saliva, remedied by drinking green apple juice or water (Correct answer)
- Distortion from overloading the mic preamp, fixed by lowering gain
- Breath noise reduced by using a pop filter
Correct answer: Clicks and smacks from saliva, remedied by drinking green apple juice or water
Mouth noise refers to unwanted clicks and smacking sounds caused by saliva; green apple juice or water is a widely recommended remedy to reduce it.
Question 5: In audiobook narration, what is the standard loudness specification required by ACX (Audible's submission platform)?
- -16 LUFS RMS with -3 dBFS peak
- -23 LUFS with -1 dBFS peak
- RMS between -23 dBFS and -18 dBFS, peak below -3 dBFS, noise floor below -60 dBFS (Correct answer)
- RMS -12 dBFS with -6 dBFS peak
Correct answer: RMS between -23 dBFS and -18 dBFS, peak below -3 dBFS, noise floor below -60 dBFS
ACX requires audiobook files to have an RMS between -23 dBFS and -18 dBFS, a peak no higher than -3 dBFS, and a noise floor below -60 dBFS.
Question 6: What is a 'spec script' in the voice over industry?
- A technical specification document for studio equipment
- A free audition recording done on speculation that it may lead to paid work (Correct answer)
- A script written specifically for technical demos
- A licensed script from a broadcast network
Correct answer: A free audition recording done on speculation that it may lead to paid work
A spec (speculative) script is a script a voice actor records for free as an audition or demo, hoping it will result in a paid booking.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes 'proximity effect' in microphone usage?
- Increased high-frequency response when the mic is far from the source
- Boost in bass frequencies as the sound source moves closer to a directional microphone (Correct answer)
- The tendency of condenser mics to pick up room reflections
- Distortion caused by speaking too loudly into the mic
Correct answer: Boost in bass frequencies as the sound source moves closer to a directional microphone
Proximity effect is the increase in low-frequency (bass) response that occurs when a sound source is positioned very close to a directional microphone.
Voice Over Ultimate Voice Over 2
What is the standard sample rate used for professional voice over recordings intended for broadcast?