Help with mixing voice recordings

[moonvamp]

I made a blog similar to this on my main account page here, but I figured I would also post here just in case.

I have recently been back to auditioning for new voice acting projects, but sadly for some reason, the quality in the recordings with my usual mixing effects on have been...................very lackluster as of late. For example, there now has been peaking in my louder recordings (shouts, screams, etc) despite never having an issue with my current microphone and mix program. I don't know if it has to do with my microphone, my multimixer, my microphone cord or my mixing software. So, I've been in a funk with this scenario at the moment. It's been like this ever since I got my laptop repaired.

So, I've been trying to utilize the best mixing techniques to try and make the recordings sound the same as they were before, or even better. So, if anyone has any suggestions for perhaps a new microphone, a preamp for either the new microphone or the one I currently have, or just some mixing tips with Mixcraft (perhaps with custom options for equalizers, compressors, and what not or even a certain order), that would be awesome.

I currently have the following:

Studio Projects C1 Condenser Microphone
Alesis Multimix 8 USB FX Mixer
Mixcraft 5.2
Audacity (for noise removal)

Thanks to anyone whom happens to grant me some knowledge for my current predicament. I really want to get back to recording voice work again, but I also don't want to turn in auditions with less stellar quality than what I originally had.

[SourJovis]

What do you mean with "peaking"? Clipping?

If it's clipping you should find out where exactly that happens. Audio shouldn't clip at any point or you'll not be able to fix it, no matter how well you mix it. You can mask it perhaps, but better to prevent it. Just turn down the volume somewhere. I don't know you mixer, but I saw an image and it looks fancy. Most mixers tell if audio is clipping or not. If so turn down the volume there. You said the problem occurred since you had your laptop fixed? Then it's probably your laptop. Look at the record volume settings. This usually also tells you whether sound is clipping or not. Turn it down if it's clipping. Furthermore always make sure you don't export sound at louder than 0 dB. -0.2 dB is pretty safe. I don't think it can be your microphone.

Or do you just mean some sound is much louder than other? If so you can use some simple volume curves to fix it. Alternately you can also use a compressor, or a bit of both. The curves before the compressor I'd say. Make sure you don't push it too far, or it will sound unnatural. Louder vocals like screams should never become less loud than the rest, just not too much louder.

I hope this helps a little. If not let it be know. Someone here should be able to help out.

[RobSoundtrack]

My fx chain would probably look something like this

EQ
Compressor
Maybe another eq
Limiter

Eq to make a few cuts; particularly a high pass if nothing else
Compress it to even out the dynamics just a little
If you need to do any finishing eq shelving do it here
Keep a limiter strapped around it keeping you below -0.1.

PS: Mannnnn i had that exact same interface/mixer for 10 years. It was noisy and had latency but I gotta say, it was a workhorse.