Let’s get to know what equipment you will need in order to record your own voiceover, mix it with music and then create a finalised audio file. There’s a good chance that you already possess some of the equipment you need!

A good quality microphone is the next most important part of your recording setup. The right microphone will mean the difference between a clear, full-bodied voice recording and a thin, harsh sounding one. 

Don’t even think about using the built-in microphone on your laptop or phone. You will need to invest in a microphone that was designed for voiceover recordings. Fortunately, these are now cheaper and easier to use than ever. In just a moment we will spend some time exploring exactly what microphone is right for you.

A microphone stand is a useful and inexpensive accessory that serves two essential functions:

1. It will keep the microphone still, which helps to ensure that your recording has a consistent quality of sound. If you hand-hold your microphone, it’s easy to accidentally let it drift from side to side or further and closer to your mouth. This can lead to noticeable changes in the tonality and volume of your voice recording – changes that can be a bit annoying for someone who is listening to you while in a deep state of relaxation.
2. It will prevent you from accidentally bumping or fumbling with the microphone in your hand. The slightest movements can cause loud thumps in your recording. Microphones are very sensitive, and they need to be held safely in a stand that eliminates vibrations.

Some microphones come bundled with their own stand, but if yours isn’t then you can probably pick one up for as little as $20. Microphone stands come in various shapes and sizes – from short desk mounted stands, which are a perfect option if you’ll be sitting while you record, to taller stands that will hold your microphone at head height if you are standing up.

In order to review and evaluate the quality of your recordings, you’re going to need some speakers or some headphones, or both. 

Don’t even think about using the tiny little speakers in your laptop for listening purposes. The resolution of most in-built computer speakers is extremely poor. In order to properly assess the sound quality of your recordings you will need quality speakers and/or headphones. 

There’s that word again: “Quality”. How on earth do we define quality when it comes to headphones and speakers?

That’s a tough question to answer. If we resort to the old adage, “You get what you pay for”, then I’d say that you will need to invest in some speakers worth more than $100 and/or headphones worth more than $50. 

That might sound like a lot of money to some people, but let’s put things into perspective for a moment. Speakers are one of those commodities that vary so greatly in quality that they can cost as little as $5 or as much as $100,000 (or more). Most professional recording studios wouldn’t dare use speakers worth less than $1,500. 

Suddenly $100 doesn’t seem quite so bad, does it? 

If you have to choose between headphones and speakers, then here’s what I recommend…

Headphones have the edge. For D.I.Y. recording enthusiasts I often recommend headphones over speakers. 

Headphones can often be purchased for much less than the price of a qualitatively equivalent set of speakers, and they also have one additional benefit: they help to block out background noise. This can be a real blessing if you, like most people, do not have a perfectly quiet studio space in which to review your recording projects. 

Headphones present sound directly to your ears, and this may make it easier for you to notice flaws in your recordings. With headphones on, you may find that errors will jump out at you in a more obvious way than if you review your recording while sitting back at a distance from your speakers. 

If you absolutely, positively cannot stretch your budget to incorporate a new set of speakers or headphones, and if you can’t borrow a pair temporarily, then yes, you certainly can use the headphones or earbuds that came with your phone or iPod. They might not be “studio quality”, but they will certainly get the job done.

I’m constantly amazed at the breadth of capabilities and immense computing power of modern-day mobile devices like iPads. For recording purposes, they can be used in place of a normal computer. 

I don’t have much personal experience recording with iPads, but I would like to offer a few comments for those who might be thinking about going down this path. 

One of the upsides of iPad recording is that iPads make no noise, so you won’t have to worry about the sound of whirring computer fans making their way into your recording. You’ll need to obtain a microphone that is specifically designed for recording to iPads, such as the Apogee Mic+ which I can certainly recommend.

There are two points I’d like to make at the closing of this lesson. 

The first is that I want you to take a deep breath and relax if you found yourself getting overwhelmed by the thought of all this new equipment. I know that some of the technology we’ve explored might be foreign to you, but once you start using it you will realise that it’s no more difficult to install and operate than a smart TV or your phone.  

Secondly, I want to strongly encourage you to move forward and not be deterred by the costs involved in establishing a recording setup of your own. The money you will spend on recording equipment is a great investment. Not only will it enable you to create an unlimited number of recordings at your convenience, you will most likely recoup these initial costs over time as you start distributing your creations. 

In any case, you probably already own the most expensive piece of equipment required – your computer – in which case the purchase of a microphone might be the only significant cost you face. The addition of a microphone and a few other accessories are going to transform that computer of yours into a creative powerhouse that will allow you to reach people all over the world.