During the coronavirus outbreak producers are frantically searching for voice over artists with their own studio.
While other workers are adjusting to working from home for the first time we voice overs have been doing just that for quite a while – in my case since 2003.
Interestingly many searches have specified professional standard studios: not people at home with a laptop and a USB mic.

When I set my studio up in 2003 I did a lot of research beforehand on the technical aspects to ensure it was of professional standard. As a result the studio has a live room and a control room with its own seperate electrical wiring system. All mains power points have their own individual supply with cabling to a much higher spec than for a domestic supply.
I installed an Esmono live room in my basement where it provides a super quiet recording environment. One client who works on continuity at BBC radio noted approvingly how much better my studio was for sound isolation than the studios he uses at work.
The seperate control room is built around my 32 track analogue Soundcraft Ghost console. All audio cabling is to a high specificatiom and the studio has quality micropohones like the Neumann U87 and a range of other lesser but good mics including AT4033s and Rode NT1. The studio noise floor is better than -70dB.

I also installed ISDN because in 2003 any voice artist who wanted to be considered serious or professional had to have it. Although its use is declining I still have ISDN and it still just about pays for itself but increasingly internet based connections like Clean Feed or Source Connect are becoming the new norm. My ISDN can connect to studios using ipDTL too.

My existing clients already know that I have my own studio – and luckily they are providing steady work during this time of coronavirus lockdown. Encouragingly I’ve also been picking up some new work – most recently for the NHS blood donation service where I’ve been recording messages encouraging people to continue to give blood.

I’m generally available to record in my studio every weekday and also at weekends by arrangement. Contact me if you need a voice over with their own studio.

Chris Radley – Voice Over Artist