Setting Up Your Home For Remote VO Recording

Voice over recording is conducted in a variety of places and settings, even at home. To achieve a quality remote recording, you need quality equipment and a quiet space without distractions. A common misconception is it will be expensive and require advanced technical knowledge to configure and connect. The reality is recording VO remotely in your home is inexpensive and in practice now more than ever.

Keep Calm & Gear Up:

 “Voice over equipment for your home recording can be practical and affordable,” states Creative Media Design’s audio engineer, Rob Hann. “You’ll need several items, including a microphone, headphones, and software to perform voiceovers at home. Here are some recommendations and tips to get you started.”

Headphones: Sony MDR-7506 Headphones $99.95

“You should use over-the-ear headphones, NOT ear-pods. You must be able to hear what the producers are saying while recording. With this type of headphone, you will not have “bleed” from producers during the recording, which comes through the headphones. Avoid Bluetooth headphones; there is a delay in the audio signal.”

Microphone: Rhode NT-USB Condenser Microphone $169 (“not the mini version”)

“Look for a large-diaphragm condenser microphone. The older XLR connection will require additional equipment; however, many modern mics use USB to plug into the computer.”

Microphone Stand: Amazon Tripod Stand $17.54

“You’ll want a full-length stand. Voice talent should be standing. When sitting, you are not using your full diaphragm. Standing provides a better tone and more voice control.”

Music Stand: Amazon Music Stands ($11 to $40+)

“A music stand will hold an iPad or printed script and free up hands while performing VO.”

Software: Pro Tools $299 to $599 Garage Band (free with Mac) Audacity (freeware)

“Pro Tools is the industry standard; however, Garage Band and Audacity will work. No matter which software you choose, you must use a computer, not an iPhone or iPad. They do not have the speed, computing power, or connectability required for remote recording.”

Remote Connection Software: Source Connect (free)

“Source Connect is free software that allows remote voice over artists to connect to people around the world. Use Google Chrome to access Source Connect.”

Quality gear and the right type of software are necessary to record quality audio in your home remotely.

Home Is Where The VO Is:

After the audio gear is purchased, an appropriate space for home recording is required. “Start by finding the quietest room in the house free from external noise,” states Hann. “Usually, it will be an interior room and without hardwood floors. A bedroom with carpet has fewer reflective surfaces for recording quality audio. A walk-in closet is an ideal place, but if you don’t have a walk-in closet, put the mic in the closet, surround it with clothing to deaden the reflective noise, and speak into the closet from the room.”

“To start recording, you should be standing up with your mouth about 1 to 1 ½ feet from the mic, so you are speaking at the same height level as the mic. Make sure any people in the house know that you’re recording, and they need to be quiet and not disturb the process. When recording, let the producer know if a truck or plane goes by your home so you can start recording again without the external noise.”

Voice over audio production can be achieved in almost any home with the right gear, software, and recording space. If you need help with your VO projects, CMD can assess your recording setup, review your recording process, and provide casting services and VO production. Contact us at info@cmdnyc.com

Directing Voice Overs In A Remote Recording Setting

From commercials to video games, voice overs are a significant part of media production. Getting it right requires experience and having a broad network of voice talent for consideration. The direction of the voice talent brings it all together to create the final version.

Directing Remote Recordings – No Problem

Most voice over sessions are conducted remotely with the voice talent, sound engineer, and creative director. Sometimes there may be multiple voice over talents in one session. However, these are typically conducted separately then all the parts are produced together. A Creative Media Design (CMD) director will attend the session to help with timelines, script changes, and other issues that may come up during the recording.

Matching The Voice To The Vision

The project begins with a specification from the client to use as a guide for the project. The specification includes a talent description example:

An urban male voice in his 30’s with high energy

Additional guidelines describe the product, service, or genre of the production (i.e., video game voice over). These details help to find the voice talent for the project. CMD has been doing this for 20+ years and has developed a vast network and process to match the right voice(s) with the client specification.

CMD offers a wide variety of voice over talent for any project,
including a great selection of Urban voice artists.

https://www.cmdnyc.com/urban-voice-over-talent

The client’s creative director typically provides the script along with a creative brief that describes the project. The director will have a vision of the tone and delivery required. CMD will take the direction and begin to pull together the talent examples and provide any additional advice or guidance to help get the project started. As an example, a medical commercial would be vastly different from a video game voice. The script and creative brief provide a guide to develop the final recording.

Some clients may request a demo, especially for larger projects. The demo involves the voice talent to read a portion of the script, which is more common for video game voice overs where the voice is a “character” in the script.

On occasions, the client’s creative director has a hard time envisioning what the voice should sound like and requests a demo. CMD has extensive experience with all these situations and helps guide the client through the selection process. The process can be very time consuming without a consultant who has experience casting and directing voiceovers in a wide range of genres and for diverse applications.

No Language Barrier

Sometimes the project requires a foreign language voice over. Depending on the budget, the client will request a translator. Other times the client will already have a translator to help with the script. Most voice over actors speak English as their native language, so everyone can understand what is being said during the production.

CMD can help you find the language that perfectly fits your production
with every language, from Armenian to Yugoslavian.

https://www.cmdnyc.com/foreign-language-voice-over-talent

Directing Remote VO - Start To Finish

Creative Media Design manages the entire project, from selecting the right voice over talent to remotely directing the project and all production aspects. The extensive network and directing experience sets CMD apart and enables a seamless production process. To get started on your project, contact us at lia@cmdnyc.com.

Finding The Right Voice Over In A Remote Environment

The ability to bring people together through the internet has removed physical distances while maintaining high-quality interactions. The remote location isn't a major factor for recording; it comes down to finding the right talent for the project. Voice overs (VO) are used in commercials for companies looking to market, promote, or advertise their business, as well as informative podcasts.

Internet searches and word of mouth are the most prevalent ways to search for voice over talent. Various keywords and phrases are used to conduct internet searches. These may vary due to the type of project or talent required:

·         voice over casting

·         voice over artist

·         voice casting

·         voice actor websites

·         voice over talent

·         voice over agencies

·         voice overs

·         best voice actors

·         voiceovers

·         voice actors for hire

·         voice project

·         voice over online

·         voice talent

·         female voice actor

·         voice over actors

·         voice over studio

The search results will lead to a particular source or voice talent to consider for the project.

Using A Studio For Voice Over Casting

At CMD, we cast talent for voice overs and maintain an extensive archive of examples. The studio is sent a set of specifications for the project – i.e., a "typecast" for a product. The information provides direction for the voice over search.

Typecast example: Female, mid-thirties with high energy

Various voice over categories on CMD's website helps to narrow down
the talent searches and provide audio examples for each voice talent.

CMD consults with the client and does the "leg work" to find the project's right voice over talent. The talent pool is vast and requires a deep dive into databases, connections, and resources to find the right voice over talent. The studio provides the client with options and examples to help make the project more impactful and streamlined.

Creative Media Design's website features individual
voice over audio examples to help find the right talent.

Just What The Doctor Ordered

Medical Narration is a highly specialized field that requires the expertise of a company immersed in the discipline. The words and phrases are much harder to pronounce. An experienced medical voice over talent is utilized to ensure the best results. CMD has extensive experience with the medical field and can quickly match the voice talent to the specification.

Medical voice overs are complex and require experience.
CMD's website provides many examples for both male and female medical voice overs.

For years, pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Wyeth, Novartis, and AstraZeneca have entrusted their medical voice overs to CMD. We combine the best medical voice over talent with experienced producers to ensure the project will be completed with accuracy, precision, and style. Our pronunciations are guaranteed, and, in many cases, we can turn a project around the same day.

Putting It All Together

Part of the selection process is coordinating the production logistics for the project. Setting up the schedules to ensure the voice over talent availability with the recording date and editing, music, and other variables require experience and resources. The audio portion of the project is produced more quickly than other elements. The average timeframe is approximately one week for completion for larger projects and as fast as same day completion for smaller projects.

Creative Media Design will work with you to determine what type of voice your project requires then cast and record the perfect voice talent. To get started, contact us at lia@cmdnyc.com.

Podcasting Versus Traditional Advertising

Podcasts have quickly become a compelling platform to tell your story and have become a convenient and fun way for listeners to access a vast selection of content. Individuals and businesses alike are producing podcasts on an ever-increasing scale.

"More businesses are becoming interested in producing podcasts, and their audiences are growing at accelerated rates," states Creative Media Design (CMD) President Michael Zirinsky. "We're seeing a trend, especially in Banking & Financial Services, Pharmaceutical Companies, and Law Firms in transitioning and supplementing podcasts for more traditional ad platforms.  Podcasts can reach a more targeted, engaged audience, and their listener base stretches across a wide age range.  They're an especially effective way to connect with the younger audience, who, in many cases, may not have cable and typically don't listen to traditional radio."

Podcast Advantages Vs. Traditional Advertising

• Easy to reach an audience quickly and respond to an event/situation

• Accessibility to a much more targeted audience

• Analytics to track ROI/effectiveness

• Podcast platforms are varied and easily accessible by anyone

• On-demand vs. random or scheduled programming

• Only require a host, or a host and a guest

• Can be recorded remotely

• A host can be recorded separately on their schedule and then edited together with the guests' recording

Cost advantage and ROI

Zirinsky notes, "Compared to developing a tv commercial, podcast production is much less expensive and doesn't require a complete crew to produce. Some provide a call to action and phone number to get immediate response from the engaged audience. Another trend we're seeing is companies are moving event budgets to podcasting. For other industries, podcasts are not a replacement to traditional ads but a supplement to their overall customer outreach."

Types of Podcasts

The term podcast covers a wide range of audio content. It is any type of audio file that users can stream or download. Podcasts are typically distributed in a series (season one, episode one) or on an ongoing basis to subscribers who can get automatic downloads.

Podcast in progress with a professional production system

Most common types of Podcasts:

• Interview

• Solo

• Round Table

• Repurposed content

"Some clients are creating podcasts for informational purposes while others are using them specifically with a call to action," states Zirinsky. "Creating a series with 4 or 5 participants is becoming more common for commercial/enterprise purposes. In our experience working with enterprise clients, we see podcasts produced as often as weekly, which tend to be shorter in format and longer format content produced every other month. We're finding podcasting is especially a great fit for industries with consistent news and updates.  For example, the financial sector effectively uses podcasts to update consumers on the state of the markets and its potential impact on them."

Podcast Ads and Platforms

"Podcasting continues to evolve, but for most podcasters, the challenge of generating ad revenue to support their podcasts remains consistent," says Zirinsky. "CMD produces podcast advertisements and most of the ads are tailored to support two distinct client types: podcasters; who rely on ad revenue to support their podcast, and corporations; that are not necessarily trying to monetize their podcast, but instead, provide general information and promote their brand."

Typical types of Podcast ads:

• Pre-recorded ads (usually voiced by a hired Voice Over artist), scripted

• Host endorsement in real-time, scripted

• Host & Participant(s) endorsed through a more conversational approach; hybrid scripted/unscripted. Can be live or pre-recorded

Common Podcast ad placement:

• Pre-roll ads generally happen before the episode begins

• You will hear mid-roll ads as an intermission toward the middle of a podcast; Mid-roll placement has become the most common

• Post-roll ads occur after the episode

Podcast Hosting Platforms:

You can find many commercially produced podcasts on a company's website, several other popular platforms used for hosting podcasts are:

• Acast

• Buzzsprout

• Podbean

• Simplecast

• Castos

How To Create A Podcast?

Not sure how to create your podcast or voice your podcast commercial? Let the experienced producers and engineers at CMD help you. CMD provides exceptional Podcast and Radio Show recording studio services to storytellers from all industries. Bring your story to life with creative input from our experienced engineers, editors, and sound designers. Contact us at 212-213-9420 or info@cmdnyc.com.

Podcasting For Business

Most corporations use podcasting for branding purposes, not to sell products or services. Businesses want to expand their current reach or try to connect with audiences that they have trouble reaching. They also need to focus on making content easy to find and convenient to consume for the current audience.

Many corporations will integrate High-Level Executives into the messaging during a podcast. The company President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and others are typical executives involved in the podcast. Often, the host will interview the executive; other times, the podcast host may be the high-level executive. In any case, the podcast series generally keeps the same host for consistency.

Brand Building Using Multiple Participants:

A growing number of corporate podcasts have a host with several participants. While developing the podcast topic, the host will gather information from each participant to showcase their expertise.

Challenges:

• Time is valuable and limited

• Participants want to avoid commuting to a podcast/recording studio

• The host is the high-level executive

To offset these challenges, Creative Media Design (CMD) offers an Executive Podcasting Service that includes setting up a podcasting studio in a convenient company location or at the corporate office. Sometimes, the studio is set up in the high-level executive’s home.

A home podcasting studio provides more convenience for executives with time constraints.

After assessing the podcasting needs, CMD makes recommendations on what equipment is needed and can handle sourcing, purchasing, and delivery. After delivery, a CMD sound technician will travel to the company location to set up and test the podcast studio as well as train staff and key podcast participants. While the space does not need to be a professional sound booth, the technician ensures the designated area will accommodate high-quality audio.

A podcast studio can be set up in a company’s office location for convenient access to participants.

A podcast studio can be set up in a company’s office location for convenient access to participants.

Connecting Executives With On-Demand Recording:

Most high-level executives have low schedule flexibility. Additionally, the priority level to conduct or participate in a podcast may also be low relative to other demands. To address these issues, CMD will work with the company’s producer and record each participant separately, on their schedule. There is usually a host plus one or more guests featured in a podcast.

The questions are typically prepared and sent to the participants in advance. CMD consults with the client for the best connectivity platforms to optimize audio quality, given their remote podcasting needs. After the participant records their part, they send the audio file back to CMD. The audio is edited and transcribed, so it sounds conversational.

Several business podcasts are available to review on CMD’s “Podcasts For Your Business” webpage.

CMD’s podcasting process brings high-level executives together on their schedule.

Some topics are better suited to having all the participants together at the same time during the recording for better “back and forth” conversations. CMD provides expertise and guidance to set up the best connection for participants who are in remote locations to record the podcast.

Podcasting is a growing trend in banking & financial services, pharmaceutical companies, law firms, along with many others. By having a podcasting program in their marketing quiver, businesses are connecting with audiences with more frequency and higher engagement than traditional forms of advertising or branding.

Reaching The Younger Generation With Podcasts

Content that is "time-shifted" or "on-demand" enables listeners to consume podcasts on their schedule, unlike radio or other broadcast mediums. In turn, this attracts younger audiences, especially listeners who rarely listen to broadcast radio. Applications like Spotify and Apple Music are commonly used to search and listen with YouTube as a primary source for video podcasts.

Keep It Long N' Sweet

Most podcasts range in length of time between 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours depending on the context and topics. This type of "long format" content makes it easy to passively consume without focusing both your ears and eyes, the way a movie or instructional video would be experienced. Additionally, by only listening to the podcasts, users have a more intimate experience and feel "closer to home" versus watching large budget videos.

My Time. My Schedule.

The beauty of podcasting is that it exists between loyal fans who like to "save the date" and tune into live streaming or on-release podcasts, while more casual fans can choose when they want to listen.  Many podcasts are set up as a series to keep audiences engaged, versus a single feature. This approach keeps audiences coming back for more. The empowerment of the audience is both helpful and challenging to people wanting to market to an audience.

Younger audiences want the flexibility of listening to podcasts when and where it works for them.

Creating Awareness

Platforms like Facebook are generally less oriented towards promotions and may be less effective in creating awareness. Many podcasts build interest with users on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter that are more likely to consume new content.

Advertising To The Younger Generation

The needs of listeners (especially young people) are hyper-specific. Guided ads, ads that air on specific podcasts, will help brands meet consumer needs in a way that the younger generation is open to accepting.  A podcast is more intimate versus TV and radio, where commercials are expected and mostly tuned out. The goal should be to meet the audience "where they are" instead of "strong-arming" them into an ad or irrelevant offer.

Time For Action

Podcasting is growing each year, and the younger generation is at the forefront of the trend. Podcast listeners are more engaged, emotionally involved, and likely to remember a brand mentioned during a podcast, versus one mentioned in a TV or radio commercial.

Not sure how to create your podcast or voice your podcast commercial? Let the experienced producers and engineers at CMD help you. CMD provides exceptional Podcast and Radio Show recording studio services to storytellers from all industries. Bring your story to life with creative input from our experienced engineers, editors, and sound designers. Contact us at 212-213-9420 or info@cmdnyc.com.

Remote Audio Voice Recording During The COVID-19 Lockdown, Part 3: Comparing Source Connect Now, ipDTL, & Session Link Pro

by Bob Kirschner

In my previous post Remote Audio Voice Recording Part 2 I took a look at the top two platforms for remote voiceover connections in the audio post industry: ISDN and Source Connect. In today’s post I will do a similar comparison on what I’m referring to as my ‘Group 2’ platforms: Source Element’s Source Connect Now, ipDTL and Session Link Pro.

As a reminder, these are the remote technologies I’m writing about, and how I am grouping them for comparison purposes:

Group 1 - Highest Audio Quality

• ISDN

• Source Connect

Group 2 - Very Good Quality (Google OPUS codec)

• Source Connect Now

• ipDTL

• Session Link Pro

Group 3 - Acceptable Quality (standard audio over IP)

• Skype

• Uberconference

The three ‘Group 2’ platforms have many things in common, but the most important point is that these are all based on the open-source codec developed by Google, the Google Opus codec. Opus supports a wide range of bit rates and sample rates, making it very flexible to implement. And the audio quality of its compression is very good. So, as far as audio quality is concerned, these three platforms can be considered practically identical (assuming the connection settings are the same).

What makes these technologies different? The major differences are price and features. I’ll start with an overview for each platform:

Source Connect Now is a free platform with much fewer features than the others. It connects two parties, and lets the user do in-app recording. A registered Source Connect user can invite anyone else to connect. Easy and straightforward.

ipDTL is subscription-based, and the basic subscription cost is $80 annually for an individual. Costs increase depending on the features you need, and there are many amazing features available! ipDTL supports multiple parties (up to 5 simultaneous connections), telephone number dialing, ISDN compatibility, video connections, and in-app audio mixing and recording. An all-in subscription is in the neighborhood of $500-$600 annually. Their custom browser provides and excellent user interface. And they have an excellent FaceBook group for support from ipDTL and users. One down side to note - registered users can only invite other registered (paid) users unless your subscription plan includes guest invitations, which is an additional cost.

Session Link Pro is also subscription-based. This platform is widely used in Europe but is not used much in the U.S. Cost annually is 200 Euros (about $228 USD). They have a Recording package which connects up to three parties and includes features like in-app recording and MIDI support (a benefit for remote musical collaborations). They also have a separate Conferencing package which connects up to four parties but at a lower bit rate. Video is supported in both packages. The user interface is excellent.

Now let’s take a look at some specifics to see how these platforms compare:

App/Browser Support

The Google Opus codec is supported by a few different browsers. But to use these remote connection platforms Google Chrome is required for full support. ipDTL has developed their own custom browser (free for Mac and Windows) which is recommended for their platform. Generally, desktop and laptops are fully supported, but tablets and mobile devices are not.

Audio Quality: Bit Rate & Sample Rate

All platforms support 48K Sample Rate. So It’s the Bit Rate that determines the overall quality of the connection. All platforms support multiple bit rates, and you should use the maximum available bit rate unless you don’t have the fastest internet speed, in which case you can connect with a lower bit rate. So what are the maximum bit rates?

• Source Connect Now - 256 kbps per channel in mono and stereo

• ipDTL - 260 kbps in mono, 320 kbps in stereo (which means 160 kbps per channel in stereo)

• Session Link Pro - 256 kbps in mono, 320 kbps in stereo (which means 160 kbps per channel in stereo)

How Many Parties Can Connect?

While Source Connect Now allows two parties to connect (user and one guest), Session Link Pro in Dual Mono provide connections for the user and two guests. But ipDTL stands out here - with their Gold subscription the registered user can connect with four guests. This allows for a scenario where a studio or producer/engineer can host a podcast or interview recording, and send invitations out to four guests to join. Additionally (and incredibly), the producer/engineer will have access to the isolated audio from each connected guest. The isolated tracks can be combined later for mixing and post production. Session Link Pro also offers this same access to isolated audio for their guests.

Guest Invitations

Connecting with ‘guests’ (non-registered people) who you’d like to record is a common thing to do. Both Source Connect Now and Session Link Pro allow connections to guests. But as I mentioned above, ipDTL doesn’t allow guest invitations unless you pay more for this service, called ‘Send A Link’. You can connect with any other paid ipDTL user no problem, but if you want to connect with a guest you’ll need to double your subscription cost: If you have the $80 subscription (Bronze) it will cost you $80 additional to ‘Send A Link’.

So in summary, I will say without a doubt that ipDTL is the most feature-rich and flexible platform of this group. From a studio or producer point of view, allowing you to record a host and four guests with isolated audio is really incredible. ipDTL covers pretty much any need you may have, including adding a dial-out telephone feature, and ISDN compatibility. Their support is excellent as well. For someone with a career in audio post, ipDTL’s service is well worth the cost. For someone just starting out in remote session work, Source Connect Now is a very good platform that is free and easy to use. Session Link Pro, while not having much presence in the U.S., seems to have some features more tailored to musicians and group conferencing. But the cost is perhaps a bit higher than a similar level of service at ipDTL.

That’s a wrap for my ‘Group 2’ comparison. In my next post I’ll discuss voiceover recording using consumer conference connection platforms like Skype. Stay tuned!