You're ready to do a professional recording after you've found a talent and have made a script. Doing a recording might seem daunting however there are some computer softwares that will provide you the tools you need to craft the whole project on your own even without the help of a videographer or a production team.

However, you need to prepare extensively for your recording. Preparation is key to make your whole project seamless. Below are some tips you can use in preparation for recording a quality piece.

1. Check all your equipment. Booking the voiceover talent for the project and then wasting several hours testing equipment will cost you. Jay Rose, the author of the book "Producing Great Sound for Digital Video" suggests that you make sure you get the right kind of equipment and test it well before production day. Even testing it a few hours before production time can reduce unforeseen delays.


2. Make sure the room does not create echoes. The only way you'll know if the room is creating an 'echoing' effect is when you turn on the microphone and shut all the doors and windows. Do some test recordings with all of your equipment to reduce the risk of the echo effect.


3. Consider using background music. In a professional voiceover, there should not be any noise between the narrator and the listener. You want to create an audio space that sounds as if the narrator is having a face-to-face conversation with the audience. If you have a lot of 'white noise', consider adding background music.


4. Look for the perfect spot to record in the room. There are no concrete guidelines when it comes to finding the best position for your mic and other equipments. This can only be done through trial and error by adjusting the position of your microphone. Find the best spot but just make sure your recordings don't sound unnatural in anyway.


5. Don't worry about outside traffic or small rumbles. Even simple things like fluorescent lighting or distant traffic outside the window can effect the sound quality of your voiceover recording. However, most mics do not pick up these sounds. If you do feel like the script is being affected by these outside sounds, consider adding a high-pass filter to the microphone for a crisper recording.


6. Switch off fans and blowers. Fans on computers, air-cons and other blower devices can affect the air atmosphere of your recording room as they produce turbulence. This is more evident in a small room than a large one. The solution to this is to switch of these equipment while doing a recording. You can turn them on in between segments.

As a final advice, oversee your production using a pair of headphones. Go to a different room and make use of playback functions to hear mistakes as soon as possible. This will save you a lot of time as it allows you to address audio quality issues on the recording day itself.

About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, MN and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Dozens of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.