How to Voiceover a YouTube Video Like a Pro

A YouTube voiceover may sound like a simple thing to just throw together. You just talk while a video is playing, right?

Well, although that may be true, there’s a subtle art behind creating the perfect voiceover. Get it right and you can revolutionise your content and help maintain and grow your audience. Get it wrong and people switch off.

Throughout this article we will not only explain why a voiceover is an important skill to master, we will also share our favourite voiceover hacks, tools and programs. Don’t worry, we’ll cover how you can record audio as you record video too – perfect for gamers!

So, get settled and prepare to have your eyes opened to how you can voiceover a YouTube video like a pro.

What is a voiceover and why should you record one?

Simply put, a voiceover is someone speaking over a video even though they are not directly in the scene, usually. That’s the obvious bit out of the way.

But whether you’re commentating on a recorded stream or simply explaining the context behind a slideshow of pictures, a well-tuned voiceover can be highly effective.

In the kindest way possible, the viewer may not always want to watch a ten-minute video of you talking to your screen. Buy they may also get a bit confused when watching some gameplay or tutorial that you’ve recorded if there is no narrative offered through vocal explanation.

Therefore, a voiceover is a nifty way of making sure your audience absorbs the information you intended to provide, if they may otherwise have missed it.

The best bit? In 2018 anyone can accomplish a decent voiceover, even from the comfort of home, thanks to improvements in microphones, computer tech and audio equipment.

Planning a voiceover but not too sure where to start?

As ever, it’s best to begin with the basics. Though some YouTubers like to record their audio spontaneously and overlay it on their video content at the first time of asking, a more systematic approach is no bad thing.

Obviously get to know your video content very well, view that YouTube video several times. You may even decide to design a script, once you know how long you have to talk, to prompt you responding to any visual cues. Of course, you may decide to be flexible when actually recording, but it never hurts knowing the points you want to make. It should stop you umm-ing and ahh-ing too.

Once you’ve decided what you want to comment on, and what tone you wish to adopt, you’re almost ready to get cracking. However, it is also advisable to source a good microphone for recording – we’ll get on to editing software later. Many laptops will have a built-in mic, but many YouTubers and commentators prefer to upgrade and source their own.

Hit record!

This is the exciting bit – you’re ready to go! That is assuming that you’ve downloaded a decent app to record sound on your PC.

GiliSoft Audio Recorder Pro

– enables you to record audio from any internal or external source, like a soundcard or your mic, without loss in quality. It can then be directly saved in several formats, including .MP3, .WMA and .WAV.

Other key features of GiliSoft Audio Recorder Pro:

• Pre-define audio recording qualities.
• Silence detection (Voice activation).
• Schedule your recordings.
• Preview sound recording device before record.

Gilisoft Audio Recorder Pro

More information

By recording your computer sounds and microphone simultaneously this would seem like the perfect program to use when voicing over a video online. GiliSoft Audio Recorder Pro also boasts a built-in timer, as well as stacks of other useful features and handy presets.

Whether you’re an expert or a novice at recording audio, you are bound to love its user-friendly interface. Top programs like this will guide you through the process and leave you with some high-quality audio. As we covered in a recent article, How to Record Video Games on PC for YouTube, FileHippo has a wealth of video editing software programs which will allow you to overlay your audio onto your video.

From Mirillis Action! to Icecream Screen Recorder and Filmora Scrn, you’re bound to find a winning method to combine audio and video to suit you.

It’s all about audio effects

Before you upload your voiceover video, however, there are some other opportunities to boost its quality.

Remember every voiceover is only as good as the voice telling the story, in most cases. So, the more exciting, bold and dramatic you can make your intonation the better.

You may opt for elocution lessons or vocal training, but please be aware that there are far simpler ways to change your voice nowadays!

Voice changer software is a magical thing. It can help you master a dramatic intro, it can speed up, slow down or even repeat parts of audio and, basically, it can completely enhance your content.

FileHippo is home to a plethora of software of this kind, but in this article we are going to introduce two gems in particular.

AV Voice Changer Software Diamond

The first is AV Voice Changer Software Diamond

– a great piece of voice manipulation software that works both in real-time and from recordings. Essentially it allows you to do almost anything with your voice, taking this kind of editing to the next level.

More information can be found on its FileHippo download page, but some standout features include:

• Pitch-timbre controls
• Preset voice settings
• 30 voice effects, 70 background effects and 40 audio effects
• Parody maker
• Voice analyser
• File-morpher
• Improved sound quality and noise reduction
• Vowel enhancer
• Voice beautifying

This Windows program also includes advanced voice manipulation capabilities and comes in two editions. It is the latest edition in an impressive series of software of its kind.

More information

Another voice changer software that must be considered when you’re creating a voiceover is –

Voxal 1.31 by NCH Software on Mac and Windows.

It also has a simple, intuitive interface and comes with an array of diverse voices available to use. Its library is made up of 14 sound effects and it also lets you apply changes to vocal structure. This includes; pitch, tremolo, reverb, flanger, echo, distortion, chorus and amplification.

Again, further information can be found on its FileHippo download page, but here are a number of its standout features:

• Output the changed audio to speakers to hear the effects live
• Works with all existing applications
• Apply effects to existing audio files
• Vocal effect library includes; robot, girl, boy, alien, ethereal and echo
• Load and save effect chains for voice modification
• Apply effects in real-time

Overall, Voxal is a professional voice changer application with a small footprint. That’s despite the fact that it is packed to the rafters with useful features.

Voxal 1.31 by NCH Software

More information

Save and submit!

Once you’re happy with the tone and pace of your voiceover, combined with the video footage, you’re practically home and dry!

Save your work and upload to social media safe in the knowledge that with cutting-edge recorders and voice changers you’ve created something far better than simple webcam footage.

Final Thoughts

Now should have everything you need to go out there and start making great voiceover content for YouTube.

Don’t forget to head over to FileHippo and take a peek at our huge library of great software.

There you can find out more information and download the programs mentioned in this article, including;

• Voxal 1.31 by NCH Software
• AV Voice Changer Software Diamond
• GiliSoft Audio Recorder Pro

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