A/R times for sidechained radio commercial voice over?

[DorphonDalfir]

Hey,

 

I'm a first year sound engineering student doing a thirty second radio ad for my course. The last fifteen seconds have the voice over and a music track playing together which leads to interference and distraction from the actual product being sold.

 

I've sidechained the V/O to the music track with a ratio of 3:1 but now I'm looking at what the best attack and release times for a near continious fifteen second stream of words over a piece of music should be.

 

With an attack of 2ms and a release of 50ms the music is being pumped too much.

 

Any suggestions?

[Weasel9992]

I almost *never* do this (and I do a bunch of VO out of my place) for exactly the reason you're running into: it's hard as heck to dial the side-chain in for a smooth ducking reaction. You're probably close on the attack; all you can really do is slow the release down until it quits pumping. I prefer by far to work EQ to separate the VO from the music bed...it doesn't usually take much, and it keeps everything mono compatible for AM.

 

Frank

[UstadKhanAli]

I do radio shows monthly, and what I do is:

 

1. Turn down the music bed so that it's not competing with the vocals

2. Choose a music bed that isn't competing...I think that this point may be more important than anything else

3. Compress the voice to increase intelligibility and evenness in volume

 

I do everything in the DAW, not using ducking or anything else because I want to be in control of what is going on. If the music gradually gets louder or more intense, I'll slowly bring the volume down, using a slow fade.

 

I'll also EQ the music if necessary, but quite frankly, because of #1-3, I usually don't have to do that. If the music is too bright and competing with the intelligibility of the vocals, I'll roll off the highs. I'll sometimes carve a trough in the midrange. But again, I rarely have to do this because of #1-3.

 

The Tibet Connection www.thetibetconnection.org if you want to hear how I do it.

[UstadKhanAli]

 

With an attack of 2ms and a release of 50ms the music is being pumped too much.

 

 

If you absolutely must use ducking, that's a rather extreme setting at both ends, don't you think?

 

For such a short commercial, I think it's best to do it by hand, but if you really feel compelled to use ducking, it's best to back waaaay off on the settings and turn down the overall volume of the music track.

[Lee Knight]

I automate the volume of the track if it's an issue. Listen to high quality TV spots and that's what's happening...

 

Like a Lexus commercial. Transparent level riding of the bed. Ducking sounds like old school, jive, over the top radio spots.

 

It's going to be HUGE!!! BE THERE!!!