Developing On Hold Voiceover Copy

On hold voiceover copy should include elements like branding, product information, current or upcoming promotions, holiday hours and business location. Each element of the on hold voiceover copy should be recorded independently. This allows for separation between messages. In between messages the on hold service can play music or even just broadcast a local radio station. Either way, this approach is preferable to constantly bombarding customers with information–which can feel overdone and intrusive. As a rule of thumb it’s a good idea to leave anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds in between on hold messages.

ProVoice USA provides male and female voice talent to businesses for on hold message systems. With affordable, flat rates and rapid turnaround it’s possible to outfit an entire telephone system in just a few days.

Affordable Phone System Voice Overs

Beginning with a greeting and proceeding through dialing and IVR prompts and on-hold messages, professionally recorded phone system voice overs make a subtle but important impression on callers. Many audio production facilities are able to deliver the final product to clients within the same business day given the straightforward nature of the production process, but it’s also possible to add some creative flair to the project. For an affordable extra charge, the studio producing the work may be able to add background music, if desired, and set the recording levels so that it doesn’t drown out the narration.

Clients should be wary of studios or professionals who insist upon haggling over pricing or show a reluctance to provide demos. Given the competitive nature of the industry, it’s not uncommon to encounter producers who prioritize money ahead of client satisfaction. However, professionals with a solid reputation and nothing to hide will deliver excellent value for the money.

ProVoiceUSA never haggles over prices, instead providing clients with the ability to participate fully in the production process by listening to demos of the script to be recorded and making sure it’s right. Led by longtime industry stalwart Chris Davies, the Southern California-based studio has worked with many prominent clients over the years and delivers promptness and value to customers around the globe.

For voice overs, the TLM 103 is a ‘Really Good Mic’.    Nothing spectacular, but a very good mix of frequency response and saturation to give the voice over a nice neutral sound.    I sold my TLM before I got the Apollo.  Once I got the Apollo, I wanted to hear how a TLM 103 would sound for voice overs using the different preamps.   Found a never used, 6 month old TLM 103 on Craigslist near here listed for $600.   I think the guy thought he was going to be a music producer at one time, but now he needed to pay his mortgage.   I pull up and he brings out a pile of stuff, TLM 103 on a small stand, wires, boxes, etc.  Hands it all to me and says ‘here’   Sweet.  He took $550.  I took the extra Mogami cables and left him the crappy little stand.   He was happy and I was blown away by the deal.    I have to admit, the TLM is nothing great, but through the Apollo, it does sound a bit more pro than the modified MXL v67 I had been using and has some more saturation than the Mojave 201 I use on occasion.    If you have the cash, a TLM 103 will never let you down for voice overs.  Just be sure to pair it with a preamp that adds some saturation to the sound in order to tame the sometimes referred-to ‘harshness’.   I don’t think the mic introduces anything obnoxious, but if you are using a cheap preamp, it won’t flatter the TLM at all.   Good combo is the Daking mic Pre One or the apollo using a Neve or Manley preamp and the LA2a compressor to soften it all up.  For your voice over needs, visit us at here

If you’re planning to commission a voice over video for your company, there are a lot of different things to consider before going to production. Some of the most important elements include:

The Purpose. A voice over video can be an extremely effective sales tool in a lot of cases, but there are times that a voice over video is more a waste of money than it is a boost for business. Consider the purpose of the video before production. If the purpose is to educate customers or to advertise a sale or promotion, it may well be worth the money.

The Script. Once you’ve decided to create a voice over video, it’s time to come up with a script. The script shouldn’t be a lot of information that viewers can’t easily digest. It should be interesting and engaging. If you’re having a hard time coming up with a compelling script, a great formula to follow is to present a problem your clients face, show them that you have the answer to that problem, and give them a call to action.

The Talent. When you’ve got the script written and ready, it’s time to search out talent. Be sure that you find professional talent that can provide you with a portfolio of their work. They should have access to high-quality equipment so that they can provide you with high-quality productions. Consider too, though, that although you may’ve found talent that you like, they may not fit with the overall message and purpose of your video and you should find the talent that is the best fit.

The Cost. A large agency may be able to provide you with the talent that you’re looking for, but keeping them on retainer, or even paying them for just one project could cost you more than the project is worth. At ProVoiceUSA, our rates have been the same for over 13 years. We believe that you can have quality work for an affordable price. Our rates include fully edited and polished files, ready for production and our rates aren’t based on the market size or for how long the video airs. We simply charge for the work we do.

Need a video voiced over? We offer a wide range of services including on-hold messages, commercials, IVR, and more. Check out our rates or contact us now for more information.

I am always on the quest to find the next great piece of voice over audio gear.   Not that I need it, just never know what I’m missing.    A couple of days ago I did a ‘why the hell not’ purchase of a new USB audio interface after hearing a fellow VO friend mention it was a good unit.   I was using a Focusrite FORTE for voice over recording (keep in mind, only using it to convert the analog output from my audio gear to digital, wasn’t using the preamps in the unit) and I liked it.   But had heard some good things about the Audient ID14 usb interface.     Got a good deal on a ‘as new’ one ($200) vs the retail price of $299, figuring I wouldn’t loose much if any if I didn’t like it and needed to resell.    In the past I had used an RME Babyface for voice over recording, but actually found it too clean and sterile.  I know, you don’t expect a USB interface to introduce character to a voice file, but the converters can add some flavor.    Anyway, got the Audient hooked up and dialed in and love it.   It’s kind of a mix between the Forte and the Babyface in terms of some character but also very clean.    I hear good things about the preamps in the Audient interfaces, but since I don’t plan on using the phantom power/preamps, I can only attest to the sound of the converters….love it.       My ‘studio B’ setup (that I do auditions on a dozen or so times a day) uses the Scarlett 2i2 For converting and it’s a good box.    You can get those for like $100 street price.         So Audient ID14 interface,  $225 or so street price, AWESOME interface.   Not too complicated, seems solid, hope to last for many years.     Focusrite Forte, about same street price.  VERY good interface.   The drivers and digital control system can be a bit sketchy, it treated me right, but for some reason I was expecting it to start smoking at anytime.   Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, good box, many MANY voice talent use this and have great results.   I read some voice talent saying they fail after a while, so we’ll see what happens.    A GREAT portable usb converter/preamp is a Shure X2U.  This is what I use on the road and it’s a great tiny ‘in line’ interface.    REALLY a smart purchase.  I did work on the road with it this summer with my Sennheiser MKH416 and nobody noticed I wasn’t in my $8000 studio.  Here our work here and ask for a custom demo!

I’ve been doing voice overs for the last 15 years full time.   The one thing that amazes me still after all this time is how much a microphone can contribute to the feel of a voice over read.    It’s subtle, but the different sound characteristics of a microphone can change the feel of a read a LOT.     I have gathered up a selection of microphones that work with my particular voice talent style that covers most of the bases.   Things like transformers/frequency response/etc all determine how things will sound once your yap hole hits the microphone diaphragm.    There really is no ‘one perfect’ voice over microphone for all talent and all applications.  But there are some ‘fail-safe’ microphones that won’t be ‘wrong’ either.    If you want a very clean and neutral microphone that is nothing special, but will be ‘okay’ on all voice over applications would be the Neumann TLM 103.   If you don’t have that kind of money sitting around ($700 or so used), you can always go with the CAD E100S ($250 or so used) or a MXL V67G ($70 used).   All sound similar.    I sold my TLM 103 once I heard the CAD E100s.  Same sound, but for much less cost.   I didn’t use the TLM 103 that much, but wanted ‘that sound’ incase I needed it.     The MXL has similar frequency response and saturation, a great mic for the TLM 103 sound without the cost.     I’ve guided a couple voice talent to the MXL and they’ve been happy with it.      Another popular voice over microphone is the Sennheiser MKH 416 shotgun mic.    It’s the ‘lazy mans’ voice over microphone.   Pretty good to use if your recording booth isn’t very good and you don’t like to do any EQ work.    I have one that I mostly use for travel and also auditions that I record in my main open area (not my booth).   Voice talent also like the MKH 416 due to the frequency push in the upper mids that make it push through the mix….it’s okay that way but can get annoying/shrill pretty quick.   Do NO use it for long form narrations..also has a tendency to respond better to male vs female voices.     The Neumann U87 mic is kind of the ‘holy grail’ for voice overs.   However, this seems to be one of the most ‘picky’ in terms of the voice style that it makes sound good vs absolutely awful.     It’s enhances voices that have a naturally lower register.  Anyone who has a neutral voice or higher pitch will sound awful on this mic…’like ass’ due to the mid low frequency hype.   I have had talent get all excited about getting a U87, then use it for one or two session and then shelve it because they sounded awful.  Most of them had a mid range to higher pitch voice (females).     One of my favorite microphones is the Blue Baby Bottle mic ($250 used).    It can be temperamental if EQ is not set right, but it’s fairly smooth, doesn’t hype frequencies that interfere with voice overs (such as REALLY low frequencies that turn the reads into mud), has a natural push in the upper mid frequencies, but still maintains pretty smooth voice sound.    I use that most of the time for long form or commercial work.      Then a very HI-FI voice over microhophone, with a very full frequency response is the Mojave Audio 201Fet mic.    EXTREMELY clean/clear.   Not much saturation sound at all, very easy to EQ to get the rumbling low end and clean high end.    That’s the mic I use when I know I am going to process my voice over a lot with compression in post.       So these are the microphones I like most for my voice over style and what I need to do day in and day out.