The Secret of the Pause
As a voice director, I pay close attention to the pauses between sentences. My main directing tip for telephony productions is to apply the 'three-second rule' when recording options and phone numbers. When a voice says, "Press 1 for administration," a noticeable pause must follow before the next option is heard. Callers need time to think and act. We instruct the voice actor to consciously exhale after each option, which prevents callers from feeling rushed and ensures a logical structure.
Multilingualism in the Studio
Belgian companies often communicate in multiple languages, which requires a smart approach in the studio. We work with professional voice actors who are fluent in these languages. For example, our voice Sen, a man with a warm and deep Flemish voice, can also record messages in French and English. Besides Flemish, Larissa easily switches to French, English, German, or Spanish. This ensures a consistent tone across all language barriers. Our database includes a total of 92 carefully selected voices who collectively have native proficiency in languages such as Danish, Polish, Italian, and Spanish.
From Raw Recording to Clear Audio File
Once the recording sessions are complete, the finer editing work begins. We don't remove breaths entirely, as they make the voice sound human. However, we do filter out distracting background noise and vocal clicks. We optimise the sound specifically for phone systems, which often have a limited frequency range.
The process in the studio follows several fixed steps:
- We screen and adjust the script for 's' sounds and rhythm.
- The recording session, where the director focuses on correct intonation and pauses.
- Post-production, where we normalise the volume and remove distracting clicks.
- Export to the correct audio format compatible with your phone system.
