The truth about home studios: what you need to start in voiceover
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
BRAVA founder Melissa Thom dispels the myths surrounding home studio setups and explains what you actually need to get started in voiceover. Spoiler: it is probably less than you think. This guide covers the essentials, the useful additions that can wait, and the one thing no amount of equipment can replace: performance skill.
One of the first things many people do when they start thinking seriously about voiceover is look at microphones. I understand the impulse: nothing feels better than buying new equipment, and it feels like you're being productive. But it's usually the wrong place to start.
The one thing equipment cannot replace
No microphone, booth or piece of software can create a compelling performance for you.
The skill lies in understanding the script, identifying who you are speaking to, communicating the intended meaning and making the words sound natural rather than read.
These are performance skills, and they develop through training, practice and informed feedback. Better equipment can make a recording clearer, but it cannot make a performance more believable, engaging or appropriate for the brief.
That is why craft must come before kit.
And the most important investment at the beginning of your voiceover journey is training.
Several of BRAVA's most successful alumni started training with nothing more than a laptop, a microphone, and a quiet room.
The craft they developed is what got them their first gigs. More sophisticated equipment came later.
What a basic home setup requires
A quiet space with as little external noise as possible. Soft furnishings, curtains and hanging clothes can reduce echo and reflections, although they will not soundproof the room. A walk-in wardrobe can sometimes work well, but always make a test recording before assuming it is suitable.
A decent USB condenser microphone in the £80–£150 range. Audio-Technica and RØDE both offer well-regarded, beginner-friendly models that connect directly to a computer. If you choose an XLR microphone instead, you will also need an audio interface.
A pop shield
This reduces plosive sounds: the hard 'p' and 'b' sounds that overload recordings. Under £15.
Basic recording software
Audacity is free and entirely adequate. GarageBand is free on Mac. If you wanna go crazy, go for Adobe Audition (but you don't need it).
Headphones for monitoring Basic closed-back headphones can be found for around £30–£60. I use AKG K72s (in gold) because they are light enough to wear throughout a long working day. Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros are another popular professional option, although they cost more.
What you don't need yet
You probably do not need a purpose-built booth, extensive acoustic treatment or structural soundproofing when you are first learning.
Spending significant money on these before you have mastered the craft can make the process feel more advanced than it is, while delaying the actual development that matters.
The question to ask before you buy anything
Do I understand enough about what I'm doing to know what this piece of equipment will help me do? If the answer is no, then start with training. I cannot stress enough how you must commit to the work. After that, you can build the setup that supports the craft you have learned to master.
Craft before kit is not just practical advice; it's a founding principle of The BRAVA Method™. Every element of BRAVA training, from the VO Foundation Course onwards, is sequenced deliberately to build the skills that make the tools meaningful.
VO Foundation Course
Start with the craft. Three evenings online with Melissa Thom, £180 inc.VAT
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