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Izzy Video 098 – The Voice Processor

izzyvideo98

Have you ever noticed how a radio DJ or talk show host has a perfect voice? Much of that is natural talent, and frequently some of it comes from running their voice through a voice processor. In this installment of Izzy Video, I demonstrate my voice processor as an example, review some of the different settings, and overview how and when you might use one (hint: normally you wouldn’t).

Incidentally, the voice processor I’m showing in this video is the Aphex 230.

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  • http://funanymore.com Evo Terra

    The Aphex 230 is both made of awesome and powered by a minor deity.

  • http://www.izzyvideo.com Israel

    Evo,

    You’re hilarious! I don’t know where you come up with this stuff, but it’s genius (one of the reasons I enjoy your Twitters).

    Anyway, I agree with you: The Aphex 230 is incredible. It takes a bit of adjusting, but when everything is set correctly, it sounds amazing.

    Thanks for the comment!

  • BenJamin Prater

    Interesting hardware!

    To be completely accurate, compression does not automatically increase the volume of quieter sounds in the mix.

    Compression only squeezes down the louder sound allowing for the overall volume of the track to be increased.

    But it is common to adjust the levels up right after compression.

    One nice advantage of an hardware compressor over doing it in software is that that it can help to catch spikes before they clip in the recording.

  • http://www.izzyvideo.com Israel

    BenJamin,

    I learn new things every day. I always thought that compression increased the softer sounds… I appreciate the clarification!

    Did the differences in sound show up in the recording? I don’t have the greatest ears, so I’m concerned that some of the adjustments didn’t record clearly…especially the de-esser.

  • BenJamin Prater

    Yep, you can definately hear your voice being compressed on the video…

    I just read the 230 manual and I can see why it looks like the compressor increases the gain — because on the 230, it does!

    Unlike a traditional compressor, where you set the threshold and the compression ratio and the the gain after compression, the 230 does everything with one knob! It’s magical, but because the unit is specific used for vocal work, it can get away with it.

    The de-esser parts of the demo is subtle and if folks aren’t familiar with how how bad sibilance can sound they might not understand how useful the de-esser is. I found one of the worst “essed” audios I’d ever heard last week, I should have saved it as a great example of bad “essing” (and how a device like this can fix it).

    The EQ stuff (Big Bottom and Aural Exciter, great names) show up great on the tutorial. In a future video, you could show the unit again and show how folks can use the parametric EQ to hunt down and zero in on a bad hum or unnecessary sound (like room hum or A/C a person can’t shut off) and minimize it.

    Great hardware, I love the tube pre-amp. I’m not going to look at the price or I might be tempted to order this thing!

  • http://www.izzyvideo.com Israel

    BenJamin,

    That has to be an Izzy Video first! I don’t think I’ve ever had someone watch a video, then read the manual for the associated equipment!

    I just read the 230 manual

    Also a good idea for a future episode. At that point, we’re really drilling into the details.

  • David

    I use Adobe Audtion where there is a vast array of options to process the voice in post. Even Garageband offers the ability to compress, de-ess, and equalize. Obviously we are not talking live broadcasting here.

    Besides “catching spikes before clipping occurs”, are there any other advantages to voice processing in hardware rather than software?