10 Tips for DIY Voice Over Recording

DIY Voiceover Recording — 10 Best Practices

Recording professional-quality voiceovers using your iPhone

1. Use an External Microphone: Whenever possible, connect an external microphone to your iPhone for clearer, more consistent audio. Make sure it's properly connected and selected as your recording input. Position it 5-10 inches away from you in line with your mouth.

2. Speak Directly Toward the Microphone: Identify where the microphone picks up sound (usually small holes or openings) and speak toward that area. Maintain a consistent distance of approximately 6–8 inches, depending on the microphone. Record using a Voice Memo App so you can share it via link

3. Find a Quiet Room: Record indoors, away from traffic, conversations, fans, air conditioning, and other background noise. Rooms with soft furnishings help reduce echo.

4. Use an Approved Script: Have your final, approved script ready before recording. Avoid improvising or changing the wording unless instructed.

5. Maintain Good Posture: Sit or stand upright, relax your shoulders, and keep your chin lifted. Good posture helps your voice sound more natural and confident. Podiums are good tools for this.

6. Keep Your Script at Eye Level: Position your phone, computer, or printed script at eye level. Avoid looking down while reading, as this can restrict your voice and affect your delivery. Stack things to put a laptop/script at eye level.

7. Record One Sentence at a Time: Don't worry about delivering the entire script perfectly in one take. Read each sentence individually, leaving a brief pause between sentences. We'll assemble everything in editing.

8. Record 2–3 Takes: Read each sentence two or three times, experimenting with natural pacing and emphasis. This gives us options to work with during editing.

9. Avoid Tapping or Handling Noise: Don't tap your fingers, move objects, shuffle papers, touch the microphone, or bump the table while speaking. These sounds can be surprisingly loud in a recording.

10. Listen for Disruptions and Re-Record: Pay attention to barking dogs, passing vehicles, notifications, or other unexpected sounds. If you hear something disruptive, simply pause and record that sentence again.

Final Tip: Speak naturally, as if you're having a conversation with someone. Don't worry about mistakes, long pauses, or getting everything perfect. Our job is to bring the best takes together in editing to create a polished, professional voiceover.

Reach out if you have questions!