There are many reasons to do a home studio upgrade. You need to consider looking at these factors first: your booking ratio, your current success level, your equipment and software usage, and most importantly, your budget.
Here are some reasons why you should upgrade your home studio and when it is the best time to upgrade it:
You’ve been auditioning without getting the results you’ve been expecting, understanding that the industry standard is a 2-3% conversion rate (that means that for every 100 auditions you do, you only actually book two or three jobs). It might be time to listen closely to the quality of your audio. It’s possible that you need to move out of your closet and build a whisper room. You can also add some acoustic treatment and blankets to your recording space. You can access my presentation about DIY studio building and soundproofing that I did as part of the Bi-Weekly Teleconference series through the Such A Voice Wistia page.
You’ve been working for a while and have managed to book a few gigs (yay you!). You’ve just found out about the Sennheiser MKH 416 or Neumann U87 microphone and you have some money to burn. This is a great time to upgrade your equipment. It took me seven years to upgrade my mic, but I wish I had done it sooner. My Sennheiser 416 allows me to have less concerns about popping my p’s (when a voice actor pushes too much air out of their mouths when they say words that begin with ‘p’ or ‘b’). Also, with my upgraded mic, there is a clarity to the sound that my clients and I appreciate.
You find that there is a software that cuts down your editing time and leaves you with more time to do voicing. Ultimately, we should all be spending the majority of our time using our voice since it’s the one thing that can make us the most money. If your editing software is clunky and it doesn’t offer you any shortcuts for your specific needs, it’s time for an upgrade.
The decision about your home studio upgrade should always be made based upon how it will affect your clients. Will your home studio upgrade make your product and audio quality noticeably better for your clients? Does the upgrade make it easier for you to spend more time doing what makes you the most money? Does the upgrade fit within your budget? If the answers to these questions are yes, then it’s time to upgrade!
I hope that these tips come in handy throughout your voice-over journey!
You can find some upgrade options for your microphone and software in the latest Such a Voice blog here.
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About the Author
Jillian Nielsen is an expressive voice talent with over 14 years of experience in radio and television commercial and promotional voice-overs.
