Smooth It Out: Mastering the Art of De-Essing for VO

You know that sharp, glass-shattering hiss that jumps out on every “S” word—like your mic’s auditioning for a job as a snake charmer? That’s sibilance, and it’s one of the most common (and annoying) issues in voiceover recordings, especially with condenser mics, which capture everything—including what you had for breakfast.

Enter: The De-Esser

A de-esser plugin is your best friend when it comes to taming harsh S’s. It doesn’t mute them entirely (and you wouldn’t want it to)—it just politely reminds them that they’re not the main character in your performance.

Start with the settings displayed in my screenshot at the top of this blog (or use them as a general guide), and tweak from there. If you’re using iZotope’s De-ess, be sure to toggle the “Output ess only” button—this will help you solo the sibilant frequencies and make sure the plugin isn’t chewing into anything important, like your consonants or tonal clarity.

But Don’t Go Overboard...

Too much de-essing and suddenly you sound like you’ve got a mouthful of peanut butter. Not cute. Not bookable. The goal here is not to erase your articulation—it’s to reduce just enough harshness so that your performance sounds natural and polished.

Use Only When Needed

While I do like the de-essers from iZotope and Universal Audio, I fully subscribe to the “don’t use it unless you need it” philosophy. Just like you wouldn’t use a de-noise plugin if your room is already whisper-quiet, you don’t need to slap on a de-esser if your S’s aren’t causing problems.

My Approach

Personally, I manage sibilance with a combo of dynamic EQ and static EQ. My S’s? Let’s just say they need adult supervision. And while EQ is usually my first move, I do turn to UA or iZotope’s de-esser when I need a more targeted fix. Used sparingly and wisely, these tools can be lifesavers.

If you are interested in training with the UVT Coaching Team, visit our options here: https://www.uvtcoaching.com/voiceover-coaching-programs