Lai Shen's voice can't be mimicked by just grabbing a tool.
To be honest, the first time I heard Lai Shen's voice, I knew that this job was not simple. It's not the kind that can be made by fooling around with a voice changer, it has a special flavor, a coldness that hides a little bit of pressed strength, and the speech is not fast, but every word seems to have weight, smashing into your heart. Want to match that tone? Enthusiasm alone is not enough, you have to feel the right way, but also need to have the right tools.
I've tossed and turned quite a few times myself. At first, I foolishly used my cell phone to record directly, the air conditioning sound in the background, the dog barking downstairs, and the sound came out thin and fluffy, a hundred thousand miles away from that sense of calm. Later, I realized that for a character like Li Shen.Quiet environment is the first hurdle. Really no professional recording studio? Find a large closet to drill into, hang a few thick clothes to absorb the sound, the effect is better than in the living room, really, tested and effective.
Here's the kicker.Sound texture is at the core. Ri Shen didn't do it by yelling or playing it cool, he had that low, grainy magnetism. How does an ordinary person get close to that feeling?When speaking in a lowered voice, try to let your larynx relax and feel your voice come out from deep in your chest instead of getting stuck in your throatPractice. Practice and find that "sinking" point. Don't try to hold it in, it's a eunuch's voice, not a deep voice! When recording, get a little closer to the microphone (be careful not to spray the microphone), so you can capture more low-frequency details.
As for intonation and rhythm.The essence is in the "take" not in the "put".. He's not a talker, and his lines tend to be refined. Try this, get a line and read it in your mind a few times first, figuring out why he's saying it and who he's saying it to. Is it a warning? Is it a statement? Or is it a hidden concern?Label the accents and pauses.He was a man of the world. He often speaks the first few words smoothly, slightly heavier or elongated a little bit at the key point, and then simply and clearly end, leaving a bit of rhyme. Listen more to the original voice, not to hear a loud, is to listen to the "air mouth" and "white space".
Free tools? Don't get screwed and don't underestimate them
I know, a lot of people come up and ask, "Is there a free tool that works?" Truth be told, it's hard to get professional-grade results in one step with a free tool, butThere's no better way to get started and make decent practice pieces!, the key depends on how you use it.
Recording and basic processing:
Don't look down on cell phones! Cell phone recording quality isn't that bad these days (especially the newer models). The point is.Just find a quiet place and use your voice memo or recorder.When recording, hold your cell phone steady. Recorded when the phone held steady, the mouth is not directly in front of the microphone hole (easy to spray microphone), oblique about 45 degrees, the distance from a fist to two fists. Recorded exported to the computer processing. The computer side of the free bearer is absolutely AudacityThis thing is open source and free. This thing is open source, free, and ridiculously powerful. Use it to do a few things: "Noise Reduction" the subtle current sound in the background, bottom noise (Effect - Noise Reduction, first capture the noise sample and then apply it); feel the sound is thin? Add some "Bass Boost" (Effect - Bass Boost); Volume too low or too high? Adjust the volume too low or too loud with "Increase" or "Compressor" to the right level (don't make it pop). These operations online search "Audacity Beginner" a bunch of tutorials, looks complicated, hands-on a few times will be familiar.
Voice adjustments (leaning toward Ri Shen):
That's the hard part. Want a free tune tune?MorphVOX Junior You can try it. The free version has limited functionality, but the basics are sufficient. Focus on the "Pitch".Pull down a little bit., make the sound lower (Caution! Don't pull too much, or it will become a monster). Then adjust the "Resonance Peak" (Formant), this parameter is very critical, it affects the "texture" of the sound.Try to fine-tune the sound to find the point where it sounds thicker and more "real".. Don't expect to change the depth of your voice at the touch of a button, it's just an aid to give you a feel for the possibilities of sound change.
Another thought is to use Voicemod The free version of. It has more real-time voice changes to play games, but it also has a recording function. It has presets like "Deep Voice", "Smooth Operator", and so on.It can be used as a reference to hear the effect and then manually fine-tune the EQ (equalizer) it provides, such as attenuating the high frequencies a bit (to make the sound less shrill) and boosting the low and mid frequencies appropriately (to add thickness and warmth). Again, it's all about aiding the feeling.
Atmospheric rendering (a plus):
Ri Shen's lines often carry a bit of a scene, empty, or a bit of an echo.You can simulate it with Audacity.In the "Effects" section, find "Reverb" and select "Hall" or "Room"! In Effects, find Reverb, select a Hall or Room preset, and then select the Reverb preset. "Room preset.Turn the "dry" (original) ratio up and the "wet" (effect) ratio very, very low., probably 10%-15% would be enough. The goal is to create a little bit of spaciousness, so that the sound doesn't sound dry and plastered to your ears, but a little bit of distance and ambience, butWe can't let this become a bathhouse conversation.! It's a matter of getting this right and trying a few more times.
Tips for getting started: Don't just practice, steal from the masters.
Tools are just tools.It's the ears and the brain that count.. My stupid way is:
3. Make good use of the "compare" function of free tools: Record it again with MorphVOX or Voicemod with slight adjustments, then put it with the original and with your own unadjusted recording and listen to it.It's not about striving for the exact same thing, it's about understanding what parameters the tool tweaks to make a difference in the sound. That way you know where to move if you want it lower, and what to tune if you want it thicker. With more practice, your ears get tricky.
The upper limit of free tools is right there, if you want to achieve commercial-grade dubbing or high level of reproduction, professional sound cards, microphones, software (e.g. Adobe Audition, Cubase) and even post-production fine-tuning are not to be bypassed. But as a hobby to start, practicing vocal skills, understanding the characterization, the use of free tools is completely enough, but also can make quite a bluff sample. The key is to try, listen, compare and tune. Lai Shen that voice is worn out, the process of imitating him is also the process of polishing their own ears and ability to express themselves. Kitchen closet recording studio, can also produce a good show!
Frequently Asked Questions about Lai Shum's Voiceover (Tell us the truth)
Q: I have a naturally thin/high voice, does that mean I won't be able to match a subwoofer like Ri Shen?
A: Don't be discouraged! There is indeed a difference in range, butImitating the essence is more importantThe focus is on the "calmness", "restraint" and inner "power" of his tone. Focus on his tone of "sense of calm", "sense of restraint" and the inner "sense of power", through the speed of speech, pauses, accents, breath control to express, rather than simply the pursuit of physical It is more effective to use a tool to lower the pitch a little. It's okay to use a tool to depress the pitch a little, but don't overdo it.It's more important to express the character than to sound exactly the same.The
Q: The free noise reduction tool always works poorly, and there is still rustling in the background, what should I do?
A: Audacity noise reduction is entry level and has limited results.The most fundamental solution is to address the source - environmental noise. Record in the dead of night, or like I said, drill a closet/surround a small space with a thick blanket. If you can't, try taking a few more noise samples in Audacity, or apply noise reduction in segments (only process the parts where the noise is noticeable). Another trick is to record a section of pure ambient noise (no talking) and then overlay a little bit of it on your recording (with the volume turned down very low), which can sometimes "neutralize" it a little bit, but it takes a little bit of luck and experimentation.
Q: I always feel that my voice is fake and electronic when I use voice changing software, how can I break it?
A: This is a common problem with free real-time voice changers.The secret is "fine-tuning" and "blending.".. First, the variant parameters (pitch, resonance peaks, etc.)Adjustments must be small! Secondly.Don't rely entirely on voice-altering effects.. The sound processed with a voice changer, and your original recording (well processed in Audacity for noise reduction and other basics)Proportionate mixingThe first is to change your voice to a more natural sound. For example, the ratio of 30%-50% after the voice change, the ratio of 70%-50% of your original voice, so that you can retain the natural qualities of your voice, and only let the voice change effect to play the role of "flavor", the false electronic flavor will be greatly reduced. Try more mixing ratios.
Q: I feel like my recorded dry voice is just so emotionless, how do I practice?
A:Understanding characters and lines is fundamental. Why did Ri Shen say that? What is his mood at this moment? What emotions are hidden under the surface calmness? To whom is he saying it? Think these through. Then.Try to "be" him., imagine yourself to be him, in that situation. Take a deep breath before recording and allow yourself to settle down.You don't have to deliberately "play" low, but find a state of "speaking from the inside out".. Practice a lot, listen to your own recordings for problems, and slowly the feeling will come. It also helps to practice your expressions and eyes in the mirror!
Q: I want to try more complex post, such as adding ambient sounds (wind, rain), what free resources do you recommend?
A:Freesound.org It's a treasure trove! A large number of free sound effects uploaded by users, the quality varies, but you can find treasures if you look hard enough. Search for keywords like "wind gentle", "rain light", "room tone" and so on. Download it, import it into Audacity, and put it under your dub track.Turn down the volume of the ambient sound so low that it's almost inaudible but feels like it's there, that's what sets the mood, don't let it steal the show. Pay attention to the copyright notice and pick one that allows commercial use (CC0 or CC BY).