voice over or aside settings

[edurbrow]

 

I'm doing an opera, kind of a mix between progressive rock and classical. There are several places where a character says an aside or is thinking. I wonder if anyone has some suggestions as to settings that would convey that and distinguish it from normal singing, eq, delay, reverb etc. Perhaps someone has some experience with that? There are indoor and outdoor scenes.

Thanks in advance.

 

[David Nahmani]

That's an interesting question. Challenging to answer without hearing an example though, because it depends so much on the sound of the mix, the sound of the "normal singing" vocals etc. But yes I suppose you could give the thinking vocals their own sound. I would experiment with reverb, not necessarily a long one, more of an ambiance, to put that vocal in its own space that's different from the normal singing ones (that are likely to get a longer, sustained, more musical reverb). 

I would also try a different type of compression, maybe less compressed than the singing vocals. 

I suppose I would probably try to avoid overdoing it with delay or more colored effects like modulation based effects (phasers, chorus, flanger) etc so it doesn't become a gimmick. Keep the treatment sutble, so they sound different but it doesn't jump at you like "Oh wow those sound completely different". 

[des99]

If the aside needs a "special effect", that's one thing (and is your creative decision) but you probably don't really want to mess with speech too much. Probably 95% of the work is done by how the performer reads the lines.

[David Nahmani]

Just now, des99 said:

Probably 95% of the work is done by how the performer reads the lines.

Totally agree, I was thinking that as well but forgot to mention it, being sucked in audio treatment ideas instead. 

[Atlas007]

I'd also modify the Eq a little, making the sound a little less bright.