Voiceover for Commercials: What Brands Should Know Before Booking a Studio
Introduction
A strong commercial campaign relies on more than striking visuals or clever copy — it needs a voice that delivers your message with clarity, authority, and brand consistency. Whether you’re producing a national TV spot, a social media ad, or a regional radio campaign, the voiceover (VO) plays a central role in shaping how your audience perceives your brand.
This guide outlines what brands, creative teams, and agencies need to know when booking a voiceover studio, ensuring you get the results you need without delays, confusion, or costly redos.
Why Voiceover Is Critical in Advertising
The voiceover isn’t just narration — it’s the personality of your brand. A well-recorded VO can:
Drive brand recognition and tone
Increase engagement and recall in ads
Convey trust, warmth, humour, urgency or confidence
Bridge visuals, product messaging, and calls to action
Influence how professionally your brand is perceived
And importantly, poor VO delivery — whether due to bad casting, amateur recording, or poor editing — can immediately undermine your message, no matter how good your visuals are.
Step 1: Know What You’re Booking
Before you contact a studio, clarify what your commercial needs:
Script length and style (e.g. :15, :30, :60)
Tone of voice — upbeat, corporate, conversational, quirky, dramatic?
Target audience — who are you trying to connect with?
Final usage — where will the ad run? (TV, radio, online, social)
Having this info up front helps studios prepare properly and provide accurate quotes.
Step 2: Choose the Right Voice
Casting is key. The right voice gives your ad life. The wrong one makes it forgettable.
Consider:
Age, accent, and delivery style
Is the voice on-brand for your campaign?
Will it appeal to your target demographic?
Does the script require character work, or a natural, low-key delivery?
Studios like Kore Sounds can either record your chosen voice talent, or connect you with a roster of trusted professional VOs suited to your brief. You can usually request demos or test reads before booking.
Step 3: Understand What’s Included in a Studio Session
A good commercial VO session should include:
Professional mic and booth setup
Live direction (in-studio or remote)
Experienced engineer to manage recording and file delivery
Real-time editing of retakes and alts
Exporting files in correct formats (WAV, MP3, or delivery-ready)
You may also be offered:
Remote dial-in via Source Connect or Zoom for agency/client review
Multiple takes with slight variation in emphasis or pace
Optional editing, mastering, or mixing to picture
At Kore Sounds, the studio workflow is tailored for commercial VO, with engineers ready to adapt to tight deadlines and evolving creative direction.
Step 4: Be Ready to Direct (Or Let the Studio Handle It)
If you're attending the session (in person or remotely), come prepared to:
Offer clear direction (pacing, tone, emphasis)
Give feedback between takes
Flag script changes or last-minute tweaks
If you can’t attend, trust the studio and talent to handle the direction — just make sure you’ve been clear in your creative brief beforehand.
Step 5: Know What to Expect After the Session
Once the VO is recorded, you should receive:
Edited, clean WAV or MP3 files
Takes labelled clearly (e.g. “Version A - Warm”, “Version B - Upbeat”)
Optional extras like mixed versions to music, or sync-ready stems
Quick turnaround — especially for time-sensitive campaigns
Studios should also store backup copies in case you need revisions or future edits.
Tips for Smoother Commercial VO Sessions
Keep your script finalised — but prepare for a few extra alt reads
Don’t over-direct — trust the talent’s instincts as well
Leave time for post-session tweaks or pickups
Match the read to the medium (TV vs social ads require different pacing)
Communicate early about file format needs and naming conventions
Final Thoughts
The difference between a passable ad and a memorable one often comes down to the voice. Booking a professional VO studio ensures:
Consistent audio quality
Faster turnaround
Fewer headaches in post
A better brand impression on your audience
Whether it’s a national spot or a single Instagram reel, a well-recorded voiceover makes your message land — and last.
Related Links
Voiceover Recording Services – Kore Sounds
Why Professional Voiceover Matters
Contact Kore Sounds
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Voiceover for Commercials: What Brands Should Know Before Booking
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Need voiceover for your ad campaign? Here’s what brands and creatives should know before booking a VO studio — from casting and recording to file delivery.
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“How to Choose the Right Studio Microphone for VO, Podcasting, or ADR”?
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How to Choose the Right Studio Microphone for VO, Podcasting, or ADR
Introduction
Choosing the right microphone for your recording session isn’t just a technical decision — it’s a creative one. Whether you're recording voiceover, podcasts, or ADR, the mic you use directly affects the tone, clarity, and professional polish of your final audio.
This guide explores the most popular microphones used in studios today, explains what makes them different, and helps you understand which mic best suits your voice and project type.
Why Microphone Choice Matters
A microphone acts like a lens for your voice. The shape of your sound, its warmth, detail, and presence — all depend on how well the mic complements your vocal tone and the recording context.
Even a world-class performance can sound flat or overly harsh through the wrong mic. And if you’re producing content for broadcast, commercial use, or film, that quality difference really matters.
Key Considerations Before Choosing
Before you pick a mic, ask:
What’s the end use of the recording? (e.g. TV ad, podcast, dub, audiobook, ADR)
Is the voice expressive, subtle, deep, or bright?
Will you be in a treated vocal booth or a home setup?
Is background noise a factor?
Will the recording be heavily processed later (mixed, mastered, dubbed)?
Understanding these factors helps narrow down which type of microphone will deliver the best result.
Popular Microphones Used in Professional Studios
At studios like Kore Sounds, a range of microphones are available depending on the session type. Here are some of the most widely used — and why they work.
🎙️ Neumann U87
Best for: Voiceover, commercial work, audiobooks, vocals
The U87 is a classic large-diaphragm condenser mic known for its rich tone and clarity. It captures fine detail and warmth without sounding overly coloured, making it ideal for broadcast-quality narration or premium voice work.
Why it’s great:
Smooth high-end
Balanced midrange
Low self-noise
Trusted for TV, radio, and high-end VO sessions
🎙️ Shure SM7B
Best for: Podcasts, vocal dialogue, conversational voiceover
This dynamic mic is known for its smooth, broadcast-style tone and natural low-end. It’s especially forgiving in untreated rooms and popular with podcasters, streamers, and radio presenters.
Why it’s great:
Great rejection of background noise
Natural warmth for voice
Works well even without a treated booth
Resistant to plosives and sibilance
🎙️ Sennheiser MKH60
Best for: ADR and dialogue recorded to picture
A supercardioid shotgun mic, the MKH60 is commonly used for film dialogue replacement. It offers excellent directivity and picks up voice clearly without excessive ambient noise — perfect when syncing to on-screen performances.
Why it’s great:
Precise pickup pattern
High sensitivity without harshness
Ideal for matching on-location boom mic sound
🎙️ DPA 4060
Best for: ADR (lav-style mic matching), voiceover with movement
A miniature omnidirectional mic with a neutral tone, the DPA 4060 is often used to replicate lavalier recordings in ADR sessions. It’s also useful when actors are moving or acting physically, as it can be mounted discreetly and worn.
Why it’s great:
Ultra-consistent frequency response
Nearly invisible when mounted
Natural, transparent tone
Commonly paired with shotgun mics in ADR
Other Considerations
Mic Preamp Pairing
High-end mics benefit from great preamps. Many studios use Neve, API, or Grace Designs preamps to shape and enhance the signal without adding unwanted colour or noise.
Pop Shields and Positioning
The mic alone won’t fix poor technique. Use a pop filter to reduce plosives, and work with an engineer to dial in the right mic position (angle, distance, and height).
Directionality
Cardioid mics are ideal for most VO and podcast work
Shotgun mics are best for precise ADR work
Omnidirectional mics (like DPA) can work for specific styles or matching lav setups
What to Use for Home Recording?
If you’re recording at home and budget is a concern, consider:
USB Mics: Rode NT-USB+, Audio-Technica AT2020USB — good for podcasting
Budget XLR Mics: Rode NT1-A, SE Electronics X1 — with an audio interface
Treat your room before upgrading gear — it often matters more than the mic
Final Thoughts
There’s no one “best” microphone — only the one that fits your voice, your space, and your project. A studio environment lets you test multiple options and benefit from the expertise of an engineer who understands how to get the most out of each one.
So whether you're tracking VO for a national campaign or ADR for a feature film, don’t underestimate the mic. It’s the first step toward sounding exceptional.