What DAW should I use for Voiceover?
This question gets asked a hundred times a day in forums and social media chats. Which DAW (digital audio workstation) is best?
I won’t lead you on. I won’t make you read a whole bunch of stuff to make you think you’ll get the magic answer for you within just a few sentences. The overwhelming answer for most things with the #VO industry is, “it depends.”
It depends on YOU!
Some software are easier to learn for some people than they are for others. Think about when, if you’re old enough like me to remember these days, you were transitioning from having a flip phone to a “smartphone” or “touch phone.” I still miss my Blackberry sometimes. Nowadays you are pretty much stuck with two options: Apple iPhone or a plethora Android based devices from Samsung, Google, Motorola, etc.
Most people learned one of these operating systems and are now “integrated” into that workflow. Some of you may fly through the latest Google Pixel with ease while I’m just stumbling around with my iPhone doing the things that it does. And there’s plenty of keyboard warrior fights about which one is best! It reminds me of the 1990’s when NASCAR had most of the folks in the Southeastern United States where I grew up arguing about whether Chevrolet or Ford was better. Each had their perks then and, like phones today, each DAW has their perks as well.
What I personally use is irrelevant to you but I will say that I have used Adobe Audition, Studio One, Audacity, Pro Tools, REAPER, Cakewalk, GarageBand, Twisted Wave, and probably fumbled around with a few others over the past decade plus of working with audio.
Can they all record? Yep. Can they all make an mp3? Yep. Can they all allow you to record at 44100hz, 16 bit audio or better? Yep.
So if they can all do ‘the thing’ then why does there need to be so many?
Workflow.
Some of them fit better price points than others, such as Audacity and Pro Tools Intro offering free versions of software, while others can be a bigger upfront cost, such as Logic Pro X being a couple hundred bucks at the time of this writing.
Does that make any of them better or worse than the other? Nope.
It STILL comes down to workflow.
Understanding your DAW, the functionality of it, how to make it’s systems work for you, it’s editing capabilities.
All of that takes time.
There is NO substitute for it.
You have to try it.
You have to tinker and fiddle. Poke around and see how things click.
Watch one of the plethora of 30 minute YouTube videos on each one you are considering and then take some action because, guess what, most of them offer a FREE trial for a certain period of time.
I don’t personally use Logic Pro X that I’d mentioned before because I am a PC and Mac user. So I need a software that goes between both. If you are only a Mac user, great! It’s a good choice for software. And, at the time of this writing, instead of forking out hundreds of bucks for it upfront they will give you NINETY (90) days worth of a free trial to check it out. Perhaps Presonus Studio One Artist 6 is more your speed? They offered thirty days (30) for free to try to full version of the software before buying it. And within that portal, once you open it up, there’s a two and a half (2:30) hour long video titled “Getting Started with Studio One” where they teach you how to use many of the features.
My point is that you shouldn’t settle for a free software like Audacity that can create workflow issues, especially for long form recording, when there are other options out there. The price of the software is a business expense. Possible coaching opportunities with many industry leaders could also be a business expense to consider and then you’ll be learning from the Pro’s who work with them every day.
I can help some people with effect chains to meet ACX specifications within Audition, REAPER, and Audacity. But I’m not a coach that can help you shape your sound or help show you how to use Software A, Software B, or Software C. I’ll leave links at the bottom to trusted industry pros who can help you with your DAW of choice.
The main thing I want you to take away from this article? It’s up to you and you should 100% take advantage of free trials so you can tinker around before making your decision. After that? Make the decision, stick with the one you have and get as good at it as you can. Get some coaching on the subject. Take a course. Your workflow will change and you’ll begin to notice yourself getting faster and faster. At the end of the day, it’s going to take elbow grease and actually working with it. Best of luck!
Recommended pros:
‘Uncle’ Roy Yokelson, Antland Productions. He specializes in Adobe Audition but also coaches Twisted Wave and Audacity. His 2 hour session and learning punch and roll is life changing for your workflow: https://www.antlandproductions.com/
Don and Donny Baarns, Red Baarns Audio and VOJumpstart. They specialize in all things Presonus Studio One and Izotope RX. Classes and individual coaching sessions available. The classes and templates are very well designed: https://vojumpstart.com/
Larry Hudson, VOHeaven. Larry has training sessions for Audition and Audacity as well as sells plans for studio booth (aka blanket forts) as well as other VO workouts: https://larryhudsonvo.com/vo-heaven/#trainings
Jim Edgar, JustAskJimVO. Jim is a wealth of knowledge and has a lot of great articles on many audio based subjects. He works with most of the bigger DAWs out there but if there’s a Twisted Wave question, I bet Jim can help: https://justaskjimvo.studio/coaching/
James Romick, Romicks Voice. James has been an audio engineer and audiobook narrator for decades. He teaches courses for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation on REAPER so if REAPER is your chosen DAW, I’d consider contacting him: http://www.romicksvoice.com/
Rob Bee, B - Double - E. Rob is the tech instructor for Gravy for the Brain. If you are in the UK or Europe, or can make the time zones work, then Rob is the Pro Tools expert. He also does Audition, Sound Forge, Logic, and more: https://b-double-e.co.uk/services/power-hour/
George Whittam, GeorgeTheTech. GTT and his crew are possibly one of the biggest “one stop shops” for audio in the VO industry. They support most of the major softwares like Audition, Audacity, Ableton, Logic, REAPER, and more while supporting Source Connect, studio advice and so on: https://georgethe.tech/