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Tools

A Source-Connect update

General, People, Tools

Buried in Joe Cipriano’s latest blog post about Apple computers is an interesting comment about doing a session for NBC using Source-Connect.

When I was shooting the Video Seminar up at Apple this past September, I did a few voice over sessions back to NBC using my MacBookPro, Apple Remote Desktop, my mBox2 and Source Connect over their internet connection.

As I’ve written previously, I think Source-Connect and other systems with similar, or even superior, capabilities, are going to make ISDN obsolete in the near future.

Along those lines, last Friday I did my first paying gig using Source Connect and it worked just great. In this case, I needed to do a patch to a studio that needed an ISDN connection. I contacted Dave at Digifon, who took care of everything. While the delay was a bit longer than it is using a direct ISDN or Source-Connect link, it was not a problem. And everyone was very happy with the sound. One more session and Source-Connect will have paid for itself. (In truth it already has, because I’ve saved the price of the equipment, installation and monthly service fees for ISDN.)

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Winning the battle against comment spam

Blogging, General, Tools

If you blog, you probably know that comment spam has become as much of a plague as email spam. As I’ve noted previously, Akismet has been a great tool in this battle; so much so that I’ve changed my comment policy to allow comments without moderation.

Lorelle VanFossen has written an excellent blog post on this subject that is well worth a few moments of your time, even if you don’t blog.

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If you blog and use Firefox

Blogging, Tools

Then you’re going to want this tool: Performancing. I’m using it right now to add this post, while looking at their site in my browser. It’s, quite simply, an amazing tool that will allow you to blog more often and with greater relevance than you thought possible.

Seriously, check it out. Performancing. Oh, and the other really cool thing? It’s free.

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Free production music

Blogging, People, Tools

Some folks involved in voiceover just record scripts for people; but lots of us do some production from time to time for clients who need more than just dry voice tracks.

If you’re like me, you certainly want to take a moment to check out this post from David Houston on his blog. Very cool. Thank you Dave for pointing us to this valuable tool.

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Battling mouth noise

Career Advice, General, People, Tools

Mouth noises are a major problem for some voiceover talents, a minor problem for others; but everyone deals with the problem some of the time. The subject came up during an exchange with my friend Brian Haymond today. Brian, by the way, is a very talented voiceover guy as you can hear from his demos which are on his home page. (By the way, Brian blogs here and here.)

Brian and I were discussing audiobooks and he made the following comment:

I just know how many times I have to re-record something because mouth noise or something has gotten into the recording. I’m probably much pickier on that stuff than most…I try to provide crystal clear audio even though virtually all of the time there will be a music bed. But when it comes to audio book…my goodness, I bet the audio has to be pristine as well?

Brian,

Yes, the audio has to be really clean because while there are musical bridges and such, the majority of the time it’s just you in your listener’s headphones or car audio or iPod or whatever.

There are ways to minimize mouth noise, stuff that I learned at the audiobook class with Pat Fraley this summer. I take breaks when I need to. Keep a bottle of filtered water (cool but not ice cold) near and have at it. My wife sits in and listens while I record, so if I flub a word or miss something she can tell me. I just do a quick pick-up and keep going. I don’t make a huge number of mistakes so an hour of recording takes maybe an hour and 15 to an hour and 20 minutes to complete.

Then, I make a pass through the audio to clean up the pick-ups and any obvious problems. Save it into segments about 20 minutes long each and upload the uncompressed audio to my web server. The publisher downloads the files, lets me know when he’s got them all. They take care of all of final mastering and production.

Wow!!! Yea, I use an apple (really is a life saver on mouth noise), I always have room temp water (I drink about 80 ounces a day). That’s a great idea to have your wife sit in!!! Love it!
Brian

Brian,

It’s so helpful to have someone there to catch what you miss and saves a ton of punch-in and/or audio replacement time afterward.

I used to use the apple thing, but Pat Fraley gave us this little misting bottle with filtered water in it at the audiobook seminar I attended in LA. A couple of squirts as you start a session and mouth-noise-be-gone. Amazing. That, having my wife sit in with me and keeping your mouth open between sentences are the three tips that have made the biggest difference since I got back from California in July.

Now those are some cool tips…I will log that into my “keeper” file…thanks!! Question: Misting is better than just taking a drink?

Brian,

The way Pat and Hillary explained is that…mouth noises are created by the little bits of saliva in the corners of our mouths. Drinking water doesn’t really deal with that. The misting does because it applies a small amount of water directly to the area creating the noise.

Be well,
Bob

I’m sure you can find these little plastic misting bottles at a dollar store or pretty much any place that sells cosmetics and the like. If you find this suggestion helpful, leave a comment and let me know.

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Source-Connect

General, Tools

A number of years ago ISDN revolutionized the voiceover business, by making it possible to get studio quality audio from one city to another, even from one part of the world to another over digital phone lines. All that was needed were about $5000.00 work of gadgetry on both ends, and the special ISDN digital phone service ($400 to install and $75 a month for the service) installed at each location.

Now, a company called Source Elements is revolutionizing the voiceover business again with a remarkable piece of software called Source-Connect. Initially Source-Connect was only available as a plug-in to ProTools. But now, they’ve released a version that works as a VST plug-in with a much wider range of software. (A list of the officially supported host programs can be found here.)

I’m using ProTools 7.1 M-powered and this morning, after unsuccessfully fussing with Source-Connect for a few days, my friend and fellow voiceover guy Dan Nachtrab helped me over the last couple of hurdles. The magic bullet was that once we had connected with one another, I had to put my system into “record” mode so that I could hear him. Dan could hear me right away, but that’s because he already knew about this step.

Dan and I chatted with one another for several minutes, with me still using the free evaluation version of the program, and it sounded as good as or better than an ISDN session. I mean, if you’re not familiar with how that sounds, it sounded like we were in the same room. Yes, believe it. Highly recommended.

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A little microphone advice

General, Getting started in Voiceover, Tools

Joe wrote back with thanks for the advice on the M-Audio MobilePre USB device and then had a question about his microphone, an Audio Technica AT-3035.

Not sure if I have the microphone set properly for the type of work I am doing. It has switches on the bottom of microphone itself. One for 0 dB and -10dB. The other is for Low cut, with a straight line and a line that branches upwards?
As usual, confused!
Joe

My reply:

Joe,
The 0dB and -10dB refer to the electrical level coming from the microphone. I leave mine in the -10 position. The Low Cut refers to whether or not the lowest pitches (below 80Hz is a common roll-off point) are diminished or flat. With the switch in the “straight line” position the microphone does NOT diminish the lowest pitches. With the bent line, the lowest pitches are rolled-off or diminished.

To find the best settings for you, try all of the various combinations. Note that when you go between the 0dB and -10dB, you’ll notice a difference in the audio level if you don’t adjust the input level of the MobilePre. Try it without changing the input level to see what I mean. You shouldn’t damage anything.

Anyway, try changing one setting at a time, recording the same paragraph of copy. Pause Sound Forge as you change the switch. Then when you’ve recorded each variation, play them back one right after the other and see which one sounds best.

If you see something here that’s wildly wrong, leave a comment.

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The M-Audio MobilePre USB (updated)

General, Tools

I’ve commented here previously about this powerful little box and how pleased I am with it as an interface to use both on the road and in my home studio for my voiceover work. Today I received an email from a fellow named Joe, asking for some specific information about how I have my unit set up.

Hi Bob,

I was reading in one of your blogs that you use a MobilePre USB for the majority of your voice-over recording. I have just started to set up my home studio with an AT3035 microphone and the M-Audio MobilePre USB. All of this is going into a HP desktop and the recording software that I am using is Sony Sound Forge. I do have a vocal box (4 feet wide by 7 feet high-enclosed) that I have the microphone in right now.

I was just curious as to what kind of settings you are using for the MobilePre USB. I am new at recording in the home environment but do have experience in a professional studio.

Joe, first things first, download the latest drivers from the M-Audio site. Un-install what you got in your box and then install the newest version of the drivers. You’ll be very glad you did this. (updated to include link to drive download section of M-Audio site.)

Second, the answers to your specific questions:

USB record level-?

Set to 0 (zero)

Direct Monitor-?

Set to 0 (zero) also

Device Output-?

Again, set to 0 (zero) though in this case, that’s all the way up.

And the gain level you usually have set on the front of the box for your microphone.

This will vary depending on your normal speaking volume, the sensitivity of your microphone (I’m using the AT-4033) and I don’t know the specifics regarding your AT-3035. But, for my system, I have the input knob set to somewhere around 12 to 1 o’clock, closer to 12 than 1 nearly all of the time. If I have to do some really agressive pieces for station imaging, I’ll turn it down a bit; but otherwise it stays in that range.

Any help in this regard would be of great assistance.

My other suggestion would be to join the VO-BB. Read, search the archives. You’ll find an amazing amount of wisdom there.

Yours truly,
Joe

You’re very welcome, Joe. Write again any time.

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The Power of Nice

Career Advice, General, People, Tools

If you search this blog for the word “nice” you’re going to find quite a few posts, many of them about people I’ve connected with in one way or another. Not surprisingly, I like nice people. You probably do too.

But, today I want to call your attetion to a book that will provide you with some solid authority behind the idea that being nice is a winning idea in the business world. The book is called The Power of Nice by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval. It will be released on September 19, 2006; but you can pre-order a copy now. The Power of Nice

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If you manage your own website

Blogging, General, Tools

If you manage your own website, I recommend CoffeeCup Software. I’ve paid for and use their tools. Right now, CoffeeCup Software is celebrating their Tenth Anniversary by giving away 10 diamonds, one to each of 10 randomly selected customers. Read the details here. Then go here to buy their software on CD.

And, if you end up winning one of the diamonds, I hope you’ll write and let me know.

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AudioRazor

General, Tools

I’ve written a number of times before about Dan O’Day, especially about the International Radio Creative and Production Summit, held each year in August in Los Angeles.
But, just a few days ago, I bought something new from Dan’s website that I think you should know about, especially if you ever need to stream audio. It’s called AudioRazor. It’s a small, inexpensive, but very powerful Flash application that’s incredibly simple to use.
How simple? Well, it took a whole 20 seconds to set up the audio player for my demo that’s here on the right side of my blog. (updated to correct reference to demo location)

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Equipment, part 3

Tools

Along with a good studio quality microphone and audio interface, you need to have a computer that’s quiet enough not to interfere with your recording. Or a way to control your computer remotely, so it can be in a different room than your microphone.

For quality, quiet computers, I recommend two options:

If you want to buy something, plug it in and start working, you’d be hard pressed to do better than a Dell. Their computers are generally very quiet, well built and well supported.

However, if you don’t mind getting more “hands-on” with your computer equipment, then you’ll find lots of interesting ideas at EndPCNoise.com.

Once you have your computer running silently in the background, plug in your audio interface. Connect your microphone. Fire up your audio editor. And you’re in business.

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Equipment, part 2

Tools

In my last post, I mentioned how important a good microphone is. There are so many good studio-quality microphones available today that it boggles the imagination. My main mike is this one, the Audio Technica AT4033. It’s not the cheapest studio-quality mike you can buy anymore, though when I got mine it was very near the bottom of the price curve. However, it remains a very good sounding mike for voice work, and at a very good price point.

The other mike I record on a lot is the AKG 414 B-ULS. The AKG runs about twice the price of the Audio Technica, and certainly sounds good, but not twice as good.

And then there are several of my friends who love Neumann mikes, like this one or this one.

Search through the product catalogs of Pro Audio sites like Full Compass, Broadcast Supply Worldwide, or American Pro Audio to see lots of other qaulity mikes, with prices from less than $200 to the several thousands.

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Equipment, part 1

History, Tools

Back when Chuck Wagner and I were setting up our studio to record and produce the old Countdown show, the cost of setting up a professional quality home audio studio started at several hunderd to a few thousand 1980s dollars! And went up from there, quickly.

Fast forward to today, and you can add studio quality audio to any decent home computer, Windows or Mac, with this sweet little device: the M-AUDIO MobilePre USB Preamp and Audio Interface. Retail it’s not hard to find for around $150 at any decent sized music story like Sam Ash Music, Guitar Center, etc.

What I especially like about this little baby is that it takes its power from the USB bus, so you don’t have to have an extra outlet for it; and it has switchable 48v phantom power, so you can use it with your studio’s good large-diaphragm condenser mike. (You do have a good studio mike, right?) If not, that will set you back between $200 and $1500, depending on the brand you buy.

The audio quality of the M-Audio MobilePre USB is amazingly clean. With decent low-cost audio software like Sound Forge Audio Studio, or even free audio software like Audacity, you can record your voice tracks, with or without a phone patch from your client, and then save the edited audio to a format you can email or upload to your client.

I love this little box. Probably 60 to 65 percent of my sessions are now recorded using it. The rest are done in someone’s professional studio.

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