I am wondering what would be the best way to record voice over, without buying much equipment etc., i have tried just using my camera and just using the audio and also have tried my microhpone on the computer but neither seem clear enough, is there another way to adjust the mic setting or a program i can use? HELP!!!

Just out of curiosity, what are you using for a mic?

The two easiest ways are (in my opinion):

1. Use your cam and a decent mic, then import the footage into your NLE, unlink the video and audio and voila - voice over; or -

2. Buy a digital voice recorder that has USB connectivity to a computer AND a mic IN jack, record the VO and import it as a wav file into your NLE.

I've done both and both ways work well enough.

Good luck.

What cam are you using? If you want to do it cheaply, your cam is the way. zero expense. Get kind of close to the mic - you dont want to choke it down though. If you are relatively close to the mike (and off center so you dont get plosives) you should get a decent recording with a good amount of presence (that feeling that the person talking is in the room with you). Then, import the audio and add some gentle compression, a little EQ boost around 8k, and a shelving EQ all the way down for everything below about 100-150 (that will eliminate low end tape mechanism noise) and you should be getting somewhere.

Thank you for the help but i would appreciate it if jeff you could expand and tell me exactly how to do that adding the EQ bosst etc. it'd be a big help thanks

Sure thing, what program are you using for it?

Voice overs usually don't have much to do with the mic you're using, but with the room.

I've heard good voice overs recorded on those small canon ZRV(?) cameras. If you're not using sound deafening material, and a room that is acoustically well set up for voice rcording, it doesn't matter what mic or program you use.

So the question is, where and how are you recording this voice over when you do it?

We're using Pinnacle Studio 9 to edit the movie, and all I have to record sound is windows sound recorder. Also i'd be recording in my room or any area in my house. Where would you recommend I record for best sounding quality? Thanks Again!

Anyone want to please help me out I need to do this, this week!

Depending on what kind of sound you want, there are certain areas that are recommended. Rodriguez had the actor record the final narration in El Mariachi in the back of his Datsun, for a metallic, echoing tone. You might try recording in the bathroom with the door closed.

Unless you have a fairly decent mic, recording using the camera mic is the best way to go. Play with positions and distances so the levels are reasonable - the tendency in most of the projects on this site is to make the dialogue and voiceovers WAY too quiet, because the actors are either not loud enough, there isn't decent isolation, or the camera (and mic) are too far away.

Alright thank you very much Evan and everyone!

If you have a basement, use that! It works great for me because it's underground and is well-insulated.