Processing Your Voice With iZotope, Fabfilter, and Waves Plugins

Voice-over audio engineer Lenny B processes a professional voice recording with completely different plugins. Two separate audio processing chains, one from #iZotope, and the other from #Fabfilter, and #Wavesaudio are used to create a custom sound. Each sound is tuned to the voice talent's voice, microphone, and room. Can you hear the difference between the final audio? Do they both deliver clarity, fidelity, and balance? Does each of the settings allow the voice talent to translate emotion? Examine the difference between the two.
Equipment Used In This Video
Shure SM7B Microphone sweetwater.sjv.io/eK1KQZ
sE Electronics Dynamite sweetwater.sjv.io/jrZ6gn
Vintech X73i Microphone Preamp sweetwater.sjv.io/g1gXV5
Universal Audio Apollo X6 Audio Interface sweetwater.sjv.io/B0bdQ9
Logic Pro Audio Editing Software
Final Cut Pro Video Editing Software
F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ by Waves: waves.alzt.net/kjVQMM
Scheps Omni Channel by Waves: waves.alzt.net/15ZNma
Equipment Used By The Voice Over Talent For The Submission:
Neumann TLM 102 Microphone sweetwater.sjv.io/m5ZyVD
Antelope Zen Go Audio Interface amzn.to/3cJezak
Adobe Audition Audio Editing Software
F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ by Waves: waves.alzt.net/kjVQMM
Scheps Omni Channel by Waves: waves.alzt.net/15ZNma
Voice Over Talent Website felixborrmann-voiceover.com
A custom processing preset by Lenny B for voice-over is a series of plugins explicitly tuned for your voice, in your room, and on your microphone. To compete in today's voice-over world, you must ensure that your demos and auditions are extraordinary. Voice-over artists at every experience level from all over the world are fighting to win work. However, if you don't have a professional sound, you will lose out to someone who does. Custom voice-over processing presets can take your audio presentation quality to the level necessary to compete with the pros. Instead of taking it upon yourself to tweak the parameters like EQ compression, DeEssing, and saturation, you can hire a professional voice-over audio engineer to create it for you. Once you have the custom preset on your system, you have "The Sound" every time you press the record button.
Submit Your For Voice www.lennyb.com/get-your-voice...
Training Courses www.lennyb.com/training-courses
Website www.lennyb.com
‪@waves‬ ‪@UniversalAudio‬ ‪@shure‬ ‪@seelectronicstv‬ ‪@andrewscheps6714‬ ‪@fabfilter‬ ‪@AntelopeAudio‬ ‪@sweetwater‬ ‪@iZotopeOfficial‬
Affiliate Disclosure
Some of the links on this page are links to affiliate websites, and I receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. My affiliates include Sweetwater, Waves, and Amazon.
▬ About Lenny B ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
I help content creators make a stronger connection with their audience. Voice-over artists, actors, musicians, and performers worldwide come to me to help improve their production quality, expand their influence, grow their audience, win more auditions, and get more work.

[@felixborrmannvoiceover458]

Hi Lenny, if you want to believe it or not. I watched it for the first time right now 😅. You did an amazing job for me. So awesome. I will get a new booth from Studiobricks later this month and I will definitely use your service again for a new preset for the new booth.

[@brettrockwood7486]

Hey Lenny. Another great video. For everyone else, I've worked with Lenny and if you're serious about getting great sound, so should you. (I say this unsolicitedly.) Lenny is no BS and he really is how he appears on these videos, he just loves what he does. Both of these examples sound great, maybe I like the Waves one more, could be because the custom processing Lenny did for me uses Schepps Omni Channel... Not to sound like a shill but if you're hesitant, do it! Send Lenny your file. Made a big difference for me.

[@DrPedroCastroLopes]

Wow, what a wonderful explanation and detailed overview on the different options to put our voices sound better. In my humble opinion , the iZotope Plugin makes the voice more natural and i think it's ideal to long term narration work like audiobooks, youtube videos, podcasts etc... The sweetness and warmness of the Wavesaudio plugin it's perfect for radio commercials , tv commercials ( spots) etc. That's the beauty of this type of content: better than seeing faces and everybody holidays photos on instagram... so much useful information. Thanks Lenny.

[@beardsandbanjos]

I definitely prefer the waves chain. The izotope sounds overly bright to me.

[@ZiMon18]

Great content! Really appreciate your work!

[@MatriarchWellness]

Constructive criticism is appreciated...destructive criticism is not your way. Love your platform. I'm learning a great deal and even when you are over my head I just listen hoping it will click. You're dope! Thanks for sharing 👍🏽

[@daggerman-dcgk]

Superb! Thank you very much for making this video!

[@Tewahedo]

Every time Lenny releases a video .. it's like Christmas!

[@iamdjtab]

Wonderful interview! Thank you!

[@LBJedi]

This is awesome. I own the mix/master suite from IZotope, so this was very helpful for me. Thanks Lenny😊

[@JohnChambers-wu9vn]

Hey Lenny. Good stuff. Our German friend’s first mistake was designing a booth with parallel opposing walls. As with speaker cabinets, the dimensions determine the “resonant frequency” of the enclosure. Wall thickness and acoustic treatment cannot defeat the room’s resonant frequency. You did a good job of tuning it out but a simple 5-sided booth, or a rhomboid 4 walls, with non being parallel, would eliminate his biggest issue. As to treatment: Flat latex paint, then add 6” “strip and bracket” shelving, with shelves every 12” measured vertically. Then go to Sam’s Club and buy a couple of the jumbo packs of the house brand, medium sized paper towel rolls. (11” is the standard length of paper towels.) Unwrap them and place them along the shelves, standing them on end. Especially a few feet above and below mic height. If they are too bulky, place the wrapped roll on a band saw and cut lengthwise, creating two 11” D-shaped half rolls. Much cheaper than Tolex or pro sculpted foam. Although, Amazon sells 12” x 12”, self-stick, 3” pyramid foam pretty cheap. I just subscribed am exploring your videos. BTW, both Glenn Beck and Alex Jones use the $125 LCT 240 Pro I see in your background. I’m interested in seeing your review. JC

[@HeyLennyB]

Hi John, Thanks for your info. The mic in the background of this video is a Rode NT1. However, I am a fan of Lewitt mics they are a fantastic value. Second, after learning much since the creation of this video, I agree with your non-parallel wall suggestion. The paper towel idea is very attractive. Someone (or some lab) should do a test to see the actual Noise Reduction Coefficient of a paper towel roll.

[@SusheelChandradhas]

Thanks for your explanations! They've helped me to understand what I'm doing when I process my audio, and to get better sound out of my newly purchased AT4040. I'll be in your inbox one of these days. :)

[@perrykeshahwalker5321]

Sounds great man. I can't wait to purchase your equipment course.

[@Ridgeback_Productions]

4th time watching and STILL learning something new each time! 💪🏼

[@halfdayofthejackal9372]

Incredible expertise and channel!

[@BryanBreeding]

Talented, open minded, great information. I'm subscribing.

[@Themorningskoop]

Great stuff, Lenny. My only complaint is that, because of your great videos, all of my free time is spent watching your videos. Haha. Great work.

[@Schpacky]

I would love for you to do a video on the slate plug-ins! Either way thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us!

[@richardsisk1770]

You are so good. The final version sounds fabulous but not at all overprocessed

[@abnaira]

I love the wave

[@MoussaMikhail]

Waves one sounds awesome

[@claudirgomesvoz]

Trabalho no brasil e achei esse incrivel canal de informação. Lenny voce é pura inspiração. saudações do brasil.

[@HeyLennyB]

Obrigado pelas amáveis palavras! Olá da Califórnia. Estou tão feliz que você achou informativo. Acho incrível poder compartilhar meu canal com pessoas do mundo todo.

Opa! Mais um brasileiro aqui

[@HeyLennyB]

Thank You!!!

[@VideoManFL]

great presentation will send my sample soon, I own no plugins

[@StudioBojiaSila]

Hello, which is better, vocal blanket or absorbent foam" for studio recording

[@HeyLennyB]

They are both mediocre good at absorbing frequencies. This may help you understand better. www.lennyb.com/blog/acoustictreatment

[@FenderLewis]

Love your stuff Lenny, always! What CAD looking program were you using for show the vocal booth?

[@HeyLennyB]

Thanks David. It's called Planner 5D. I'm not sure if it's the best app for my use yet. 👍

[@FenderLewis]

@@HeyLennyB Ah okay - thanks for the reply!

[@coachkellyfidei]

This video was so helpful. As a beginner, I'm unclear on which Izotope plugins/package to purchase for my post production cleanup for my podcast. The closest looks to be RX Post Production Suite 7, but does that come with auto updates, or do you have to keep buying the new versions? And I have several episodes with damaged audio, so would RX Post Production Suite 7 cover that, or should I get a different plugin for that? (I'm using FL Studio). Thanks for any suggestions!

[@HeyLennyB]

Hi Scrumpossible. It's difficult for me to point you in a particular direction until I hear what you're working with. Feel free to send me some audio examples. Please explain in the form, as your request is slightly different. Once I hear your "damaged audio," I'd be happy to suggest the best move for you. Better yet, I might be able to help you avoid that damage in the first place. That, by the way, will always sound better than any RX plugin 🙂👍. Please fill out the form and follow the instructions to submit an audio example here www.lennyb.com/get-your-voice-processed-submission-form

[@PaulMDiaz]

Another video Lenny B!

[@ZimCrusher]

What version of Ozone are you using, and what pluggins? Ozone looks like a full course editor for professional music mixers. I was thinking, if I'm just doing voice, then many of the features I'd never use. What do you think?

[@HeyLennyB]

Hi @ZimCrusher. I guess it all depends on the quality of your raw voice recording. If your sound doesn't need much to sound professional, you may not need many plugins. The version of Ozone is whatever comes with the Music Production Subscription from iZotope. I'm also using Fabfilter and Waves plugins in this video. Don't be hesitant to send me your voice. I'd be happy to give you some feedback. Please follow the three steps on this page: www.lennyb.com/get-your-voice-processed-submission-form Thanks for taking the time to write. 👍

[@ZimCrusher]

​@@HeyLennyB I would not want to use that Golden Ticket so frivolously. I am in flux, currently. In 2 weeks I will have a SYNCO D2, and I've been slowly buying materials for making some thicker acoustic panels for my recording area. So If I sent you a sound file, it would be like you custom painting the car I'm about to sell. To give you an idea of my set up: My recording area is a nook in our upstairs den. One side wall, near the computer has the whole wall acoustically treated with 3cm dense sound blocking/disbursement (pressed corrugated foam/wood stuff), and at speaking height I have a strips of 5cm acoustic foam (like you see in every YT video). This wall is 3 meters long. The ceiling above has 20cm cross-hatched acoustic foam. When I record, I box myself in By just creating a wall between me and the rest of the den. I got about 1.5 meters between the wall and my temp wall, which consists of a cable, and lots of blankets (think a very thick curtain spanning the room = 3 meters). I'm using a Zoom H5 to record, and Audacity to clean it up. My process has been: 1) amplify everything +5db 2) grab and use a 20 second silence and create/use noise removal 3) bring volume back down to normal. 4) Compress 5) normalize 6) reduce all breaths that are not part of the acting by 10db 7) edit as needed for best take.

[@VirtuelleWeltenMitKhan]

Amazing results. I wish I could do even half of that. I do KZbin purely as a hobby, so my budget for your service is probably far from sufficient, but for a slightly more professional direction, it's definitely a big step forward. Felix's sound, with all its boxiness, would have been too annoying for me to listen to for an extended period, but with your settings, it's a dream. It's a completely different ball game. By the way, here's the text in English, as some are always curious: Nevertheless, Robin studied the woman, who certainly had her charms. Her long black coat concealed the essentials, but he could very well imagine the curves that might have been awaiting him. "No interest" - he declined, turning his attention back to his glass. Robin downed the beer in one go and was promptly handed a new one. "Don't you want to know what I can offer you?" - the unknown woman asked. "No interest!" - Robin shouted abruptly, jumping up from his stool.

[@HeyLennyB]

Wow thanks! I appreciate the translation too!

[@asianguy6174]

I never knew you needed a mic booster in addition to a preamp. I thought the booster was to make up for not having a pre-amp.

[@HeyLennyB]

If you have an preamp like a Focusrite or something similar, you are best served by adding a mic booster for dynamic microphones. Some pro preamp have enough clean quiet gain, but most dynamic mic setups will benefit greatly from a mic booster like a Cloudlifter. Hope that helps.

[@OliverHeuler]

What a difference, wow. Ein Tipp für Felix: Kauf dir mal »Sprechertraining« von Michael Rossié. Ich wette, danach machst du weniger Pausen, an Stellen, wo sie keinen Sinn ergeben.

[@felixborrmannvoiceover458]

Hab das Video heute tatsächlich zum ersten Mal gesehen und somit auch deinen Kommentar. Da das ganze natürlich schon über 8 Monate her ist, hat sich bei mir auch einiges getan 👍

[@SidBar0ne]

Hey Lenny, what processing you got on that SM7B ? Sounds great!

[@HeyLennyB]

I'm using Fabfilter's ProQ3 and the Scheps Omni Channel by Waves. I think the Vintech preamp adds quite a bit to the overall sound too. Thanks

[@SidBar0ne]

@@HeyLennyB Cool, thanks!

[@curtdp]

You just sold me Shep’s Omni channel plug-in. :)

[@curtdp]

And thank you.

[@perrykeshahwalker5321]

I like them both however for the voice work he's doing, the waves version draws you in more for a more intimate feeling. The izotope would sound better for a commercial advertisement.

[@scumpuppies]

How much do you charge for voice-over processing?

[@HeyLennyB]

@thedogpawther Hi. To get a price quote for your custom processing preset, I first need to get a little information about your system, challenges, and goals. Once I clearly understand the work that needs to be accomplished, I will be happy to send you an itemized quote for the cost of your custom processing preset. There is no charge to demo the sound of your custom-tuned preset. As a result, you can get an accurate idea of how the finished product can genuinely optimize your voice-over sound at no cost. You can demo the sound of your custom processed voice-over free. You can submit your audio at lennyb.com. Thanks

[@zeitakulobusta9708]

Just to be that guy I'd say upper half of the Izotope with Waves lower end. For me for an audiobook the Waves would be a hard listen for very long at all. I want some natural warmth and a comfortable a mount of smooth detail.

[@HeyLennyB]

I'm using Fabfilter's Pro Q-3 EQ and the Scheps Omni Channel. Thanks