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Trusty Trunk

February 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

“If only I could remember what he said!”
“I wish I had a record of THAT phone conversation!”
“No, you said $500, not $350 for that job!”

Once you get your head around this particular tool, you’ll start to see how it can help your VoiceOver business in many ways.

CALL TRUNK  “…captures your spoken conversations by automatically recording your phone calls and securely storing them on the web…”  Store that conversation on DropBox, Evernote, and Box.net. Compatible with SKYPE. Once recorded, you can manage, annotate, share, delete, or transcribe as needed.

Call Trunk works with iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and on the web.

Log into your account, dial the number, press “call”, and Call Trunk makes the connection and calls your phone.  After the call, you can go online and listen to it immediately.

Ways to use Call Trunk?

1) As part of your customer service – double check all spoken details
2) Keep a record of phone behavvior
3) Understand resolve disputes
4) Use with landline or mobile phone
5) With confidence, recordings are encrypted
6) To monitor sales calls or training
7) Transaction assurance
8) Interview records

OK, some of this is already available on  Skype and other services, but nowhere does this suite of features fall under one heading or with this kind of service-integration.

You get a free trial when you sign-up.  Call Trunk puts $1 in your account, which gives you 25 mins of free recording. That gives you an idea of how affordable the service is.  Pricing is quite creative, and offers several options, including monthly, yearly, with-or-without Skype, and transcriptions.

Disclaimer:  I’m a user, but I benefit in no way by promoting Call Trunk.  I’m not an affiliate…just passing along a helpful tool.  However, if you mention my name and email address ([email protected]) when you sign up, I get a 50-cent credit.  (wow!)

CourVO

Filed Under: Software, Technology, Web Resources Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

SoundCloud Grows Up

January 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

“The YouTube site for Sound”…that’s what some are calling SoundCloud these days.

The Berlin-based company launched in 2008, and now has 10-million users…and has just raised 50-million in venture capital funding.

From an article on TechCrunch:  Soundcloud “…has had over five million official SoundCloud iphone/android apps downloaded and over 10,000 third party apps have been developed on SoundCloud’s open platform (recent additions include integrations with professional music creation software Pro Tools and Cakewalk).”

The site is certainly a good fit for voice actors. You can store your demos there, then share, embed, post, link, email, and get social.  Follow other SoundClouders and get followers.  Join groups, and converse in forums.

Embedding any voice file anywhere is easy (or link).  You can even customize your embedded player to the color and size you want.  (See my embedded demo on the home page of this blog)

Not content to rest on their laurels, the developers at SoundCloud Labs are now coming out with what anyone would expect might be a next-gen step:  STORYWHEEL.  Using pics from Instagram (voted most popular iPhone app of 2011) to provide the pics, and SoundCloud to match with the audio, StoryWheel shows promise.

SoundCloud offers modest functionality for a free membership, but you’ll probably want to choose one of their other 4 premium plans ranging from ~$37.50/year (~$11.66/mo) to ~$610/yr ( ~$76.50/mo).

CourVO

 

 

Filed Under: Software, Technology, The Cloud, Web Resources Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CES for VO’s

January 12, 2012 By 3 Comments

My total time at CES this week was 4 hours one morning…maybe more like 3 hours and 25 mins.  That may sound like a lot, but time goes like:

(I think you get the idea).

The microcosm of the Exhibit Floor is like a futuristic city of commerce with all the finest in hucksterism, sales, presentation, hype, sex appeal, and product that you can stomach…and thousands of people — like ants — bustling around like they know where they’re going, and they have something important to do….most of them on their smart phone trying to text or call someone, and finding it pretty hard, ’cause there aren’t enough cell phone towers in the USA to handle all that concentration of traffic in one place.

I put together a little video of a few shots I took while I was there to give you a flavor of the scene.  Its only 1:10.  Check it out, and then I have some unexpected meet-ups with VO people to tell you about.

You saw my story about the Blue Microphones yesterday…after visiting that booth, I wandered.  I had no plan of where to go next, and at CES, that’s bad; you can get lost.  From the cavernous South Hall, I meandered my way to the behemoth Main Exhibit Hall where the Microsofts, the Sonys, the LG’s, and the Panasonics hang out.

A Voice actor named Christopher Flockton had briefly written me on FaceBook that he was working the Haier booth next to Panasonic, and I should stop by if I had the time.  Christopher turned out to be a wonderful conversation.  He was actually working as a spokesman for Haier.  These are good gigs to get as an actor…they pay well, but you’re exhausted by the end of the day.  Christopher had memorized the schpeel for his presentation…which he had to deliver several times during the day.  I’ve done similar work at NAB before with an ear-prompter for presentations, but I actually think memorization is easier.

I had barely said goodbye to Christopher…and walked about 50 yards, when I bumped into Steve Savanyu who (among other things) is the Director of Educational Services for Audio Technica.  I’d first met Steve at VOICE 2010.  He’s a technical whiz, and audio expert, who can quickly get you lost in hi-fi verbiage that maybe only George Whittam and Nikolia Tesla can understand.

In my mind, running into John P (yesterday’s blog), Christopher, and then Steve in an exhibit hall PACKED with thousands was not only beyond coincidental, but underscored for me the place audio and especially VOICE has in the consumer world of  hi-tech.  We matter as a profession, and as a force within the world of entertainment, advertising, elearning, publishing, and on and on and on.

And THAT quickly… 3.5 hours was gone!  On my way out, I stopped by the TwiT.tv location in the main hall.

The set-up was a veritable audio/video delight…mics and cameras everywhere.  And there was the man himself:  Leo LaPorte just ambling about talking to people.  In Las Vegas, some people call me a celebrity, but to me Leo LaPorte is a celebrity.  So, yes, I was shocked when Leo called me by my first name and started a friendly conversation.

‘Turns out he watches me when he’s in town.  I am so grateful for my life…it’s  not all good, but parts of it are amazing.

Thanks for taking the time to read about my wanderings at CES2012.

CourVO

Filed Under: Conferences, Hardware, Technical, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Quick Click Tricks

January 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is why I’ll never be rich.

I love technology, but apparently do not have the foresight to get ahead of the innovation curve.  I’d like to think I keep getting close enough to surpass it, though.

In the meantime, I love being able to pass along new “discoveries” for my VO friends.  Tools, I like to call them.  Some may work for you, others not so much.   So see what sticks to the wall in your own situation, and toss the rest.

Latest finds:

DROPBOX AUTOMATOR

Sure, DropBox is the next best thing since sliced thumb-drives, but could it be even better?  That’s the thinking behind DropBox Automator.  The concept and the site are as simple as dirt.  You configure DropBox to do some certain function to the files you upload, and DropBox Automator does it.  Like, it could convert all uploaded .doc files to .pdf.  Or if could email certain files to a pre-determined address (a client?).   No, this thing will not change the world as we know it until the apocalypse comes later this year, but it could be a handy and time-saving robot.
WIRED article on DropBox Automator
Geeky-Gadgets article on DropBox Automator

 

IFTTT

Along the same lines as the above tip, IFTTT is gaining a lot of traction with internet denizens lately.  It stands for:  IF THIS, THEN THAT.  In other words, you can harness the internet to automate all sorts of tasks…kind of like a web-macro.  The “if/then” statement depends on CHANNELS.  Those channels would be the different social media platforms, plus email, and even phone calls.  One of the examples the IFTTT website gives is:  Whenever you take a picture on your iPhone with Instagram, the photo gets sent to DropBox.  They actually make it very easy to understand on the site: http://ifttt.com. (see?  toldja it was easy).  Sign-up is also free and easy, and then you can get busy making things work for you!

 

HOW TO COPY MUSIC FROM  iPHONE, iPAD, or iTOUCH TO YOUR COMPUTER FOR FREE

I found this tip on LifeHacker, and could not begin to do a better job of explaining it than they do, so I’ll just provide the link below.  I can tell you that their formula works for Windows, Mac, or Linux, and does not involve iTunes in any way.

Here’s the link.

 

‘Got another tip we should all know about?

CourVO

 

 

 

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tascam iM2 Arrives

December 16, 2011 By 25 Comments

Here we go again… the never-ending search for a hi-quality usable/sharable audio file recorded on a smartphone or tablet computer leads us to this:  The Tascam iM2.

Up to this point, the Alesis iODock is the only device this reviewer evaluated that really met the minimum recording quality most voice acting pros would be comfortable sending to client…and it’s not that portable.

A caveat:  ANY $3,000 microphone will not fill the bill if your recording environment sucks.  So the Tascam iM2 is no panacea if you’re recording in the men’s bathroom at Target.

Having said that, though, the iM2 is the closest we’ve seen to making the grade with portable, on-the-fly, smartphone-device recording that you won’t be embarrassed to send to your best VO client.

Right now, it seems to be available only from B&H Photo.  $80.

See my video below for a quick look at the device itself.  My previous blog on the iM2 gives the specs.  Most importantly:  this device plugs into the 30-pin connector on the bottom of the iOS device (works with iPhone 4 & 4s, iPad, iPad2, and iPod), giving it the best possible shot at a decent recording since the Blue Mikey.  Apple changed the internal wiring when it moved from the 3Gs to the iPhone 4, rendering the Mikey unusable going forward.

(ed. note:  see a similar review of this device by Beau Weaver in the comment section of this blog)

Match the iM2 with Twisted Wave’s iPhone/iPad app for the optimal recording.  Twisted Wave also gives you powerful editing and post-production tools, and lets you share by FTP, iTunes, DropBox, email, or Wi-Fi, but does not record in .mp3.  Instead you can convert it to mp3 through a service online TW supports. Save in .wav, AIFF, CAF, or AAC.   Not quite as good, but getting close in quality are the apps:  FiRe,  Monle and  MultiTrack.

  • The dual-positioned mics rotate so you can direct these condensers to the direction of sound.
  • The unit works best when you set your iPhone to Airplane Mode, avoiding any interruptions.
  • The unit is also very sensitive to movement, so you need to get a comfortable grip and not move the phone around, nor move your fingers on the unit while recording.
  • To listen to what you’ve recorded, you must then UN-plug the iM2 to hear the speakers.
  • The iM2 does not come with it’s own headphone jack.
  • If you have the Apple-supplied earphones plugged in the phone will prioritize the built-in mic on the headset cord, and not record through the iM2.

Now the mic comparison.

I simultaneously recorded a couple of sentences holding the Tascam iM2/iPhone4 as pictured.

The saved .wav file on the iPhone, I uploaded to DropBox, opened in AA3.0 and converted to .mp3.

The Studio Projects C-1 recording was into the AA3.0 DAW through a Steinberg CI2 USB interface.  That recording was a  native mp3.

The ONLY tweak was a boost to the gain in AA3.0 for the Tascam recording.  Even though I had the volume control on the iM2 at max, the two comparison sound waves were not equal in gain.  I had to boost the Tascam recording by about 30%.

Below are the two comparison sound files.  I think you’ll agree that while they are not equal, the Tascam recording — standing on its own — would probably pass muster for an acceptable audition, or even a final cut.

The first soundfile is the Tascam iM2/iPhone4 recording.  The lower soundfile is the Studio Projects C-1 recording.

Tascam-iM2 against StudioProjectsC-1 by CourVO

 

StudioProjectsC-1 against Tascam-iM2 by CourVO

Pretty close, eh?

LA voice acting pro Beau Weaver has also previewed this device extensively, and his analysis is included below in the comment section.  Absolutely a must-read if you are interested in the deeper technical side of this issue.  Beau is very thorough in his critique.

CourVO

Filed Under: Apps, Equipment, Hardware, iPad, iPhone, Mics, Software, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Speak Text For Me

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The issue of Synthetic Voices has garnered as much or more attention on this blog as any other one topic.

There are unique challenges and advantages in this area to the voice actor.  I’ll get to that in a minute.

First, a little backstory:  I’ve blogged about this at least 6 times in recent years:

*Synthetic Voice: Revolutionary or Repugnant?

*‘Touched a (Synthetic?) Nerve!

*More Writing On the Wall

*Synthetic Voices — this time with digital code!

*This VO Issue Won’t Go Away

*Convert Text Speech

Well, here comes another one.

Speak Text For Me.com and the Speak Text iPhone app lead you to the same service…a software solution that claims to read out loud anything you highlight on a website or a document in 20 different native languages, and that can translate from English to 30 different languages.

Google translate offers much the same functionality, but not spoken (that I know of).

Certainly the technology exists, and it’s better than ever.  The best examples of this sit at the top of a long history of software development that essentially defines the best of artificial intelligence based on powerful algorithms.  Dragon Naturally Speaking, now owned by the Software company NUANCE, is advanced in this.  From the start Amazon’s Kindle has offered the feature of text-to-speech.

But Speak Text For Me seems to go one better.  From their site:

Innovative Features:
1. Speak & translate the touched words on web pages and documents.
2. Speak & translate the whole page from start or touched words to the end sentence by sentence.
3. Search and speak the whole page from matching words to the end sentence by sentence.
4. Switch to available Google or Microsoft translating service automatically.
5. Support powerful speaking repeat, pause and speed options.

Features:
- Speak & translate web pages and documents
- Web pages
- Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- Apple iWork: Pages, Numbers, Keynote
- eBook (epub)
- Text, RTF document

Why VO’s should care:

#1.  Growing acceptance of synthetic voices may cut into our services.  These new innovative software products often feature outright computer-simulated human voices, replacing the need for a real human voice.  Critics claim listening to these artificially-created voices becomes monotonous and tedious.  Others listeners like it for it’s neutrality.

#2  Growing acceptance of synthetic voices may create more VO opportunities.  Example: Siri…the new artificial intelligence app in the iPhone 4s.  In every country where this app is sold, a voice-actor was contracted to speak the thousands of responses.

#3  These programs can aid in quick pronunciation help.  Sometimes in audiobook work, I spend valuable narration time doing research for foreign or difficult technical pronunciations.  A program like Speak Text For Me can be invaluable as a resource in this task.

What’s your take on all this?

CourVO

 

Filed Under: New Paradigms, Software, Technology, Trending Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Google Search Algorithm Changing – Faster, Fresher

November 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

My thanks to VO friend Steven Lowell for pointing out this article to me.

This has the potential to change the way a lot of people handle their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEM (Search Engine maraketing).

It also leaves open some real possibilities to garner greater search success for your marketing/product if you constantly push out fresh content  (at least that’s how I read it).

See this Amp at http://selnd.com/tyK1rX
CourVO

 

Filed Under: Marketing, Published Articles, Social Media/Networking, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CourVO Droid App Launches!

October 25, 2011 By 4 Comments

Fast on the heels of last week’s launch of the CourVO iPhone/iPad app comes today’s release of the CourVO Android App…good for all Droid smartphones and tablets.

You can download the CourVO app from the Droid marketplace.

Or just go to the Marketplace from your Droid device, and use the search term:  COURVO.

Now, this thing doesn’t solve quadratic equations or anything, it just reflects all the content from this blog.  You can read the full article, comment on it, respond to it, and share it however you like.  It pulls all the latest content from the blog’s RSS feed.  Plain and simple.

Just for the record, the Android app was infinitely easier to build, submit, and launch than the iPhone app.  That presents good and bad realities.  The iTunes team closely guards a high standard with its apps…no fluff, no porn, all high quality.  Android apps don’t go through much screening, and I think the quality suffers.  In this case, I submitted the same build to both formats, so you get the iPhone quality in the Android platform.

I hope to augment this app along the way…developing it to the point where it will display and play my demos, and even become a portal for my clients.

Let me know how you like it!

CourVO

 

 

Filed Under: Software, Technology, Web Resources Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Google Groove

October 23, 2011 By 2 Comments

Google’s star is reaching solar flare status.

Among the handful of true corporate dynasties that sprang from the last twenty years of internet/dot-com/computer/social media ascendance, Google continues break ground faster and farther than most of the others (possible exception:  Apple — and even that’s up for debate).

On today’s Voice-Acting in Vegas blog: a few Google-related developments that you might find useful for your voice over business.

First:  Are you on Google+?  You should be.  Since July, Google+ has grown to about 50-million subscribers.  That’s faster growth than FaceBook, Twitter, My Space or any other social media platform can boast.  On Google+, you can creat your own “circles” of friends.  I have circles for “Vegas”, “Journalism” and others…among them:  Voice Over.  In my voice over circle are some 350 voice over talent.  I’m sure that’s not all the voice talent on Google+, but it’s a start, and now when I want to get a sense of what’s going on in the VO world…or when I need to ask a question or get a word out…that’s a great place to go.  If you need an invite to get on, just email me at [email protected], and I’ll send you an invitation.

Second: How to keep up with all that Google does?  Simple:  go to the official Google Blog.  It’s updated frequently…several times a day even, and always features the latest moves by this company.  (BTW, Google should NOT be referred to as “…that search engine company…”  It is SO much more, now!)

Third:  Don’t take my word for all this…see this latest article entitled: 5 GREAT HIDDEN GOOGLE SEARCH TIPS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT…including “Search for People’s Profiles”, and “Read Articles Without Paying”.

Fourth:  Last week, I launched the “CourVO” app for the iPhone and iPad.  Although it was an inexpensive process, there were plenty of hoops to jump through.  By comparison, creating the CourVO ANDROID app was brainless.  That’s right…the new CourVO Android App is now available. (BTW, both the iPhone and the Android app are free, and reflect the daily changes in the content on this blog…on your smartphone!).

Fifth:  Most everyone has at least a perfunctory Gmail account…it’s the portal to much of what you want to do on Google.  Watch for a big change to the way Google Mail looks very soon.  In the meantime, please consider trying either one of two add-ons to Gmail that will immediately double or triple the information you can glean about anyone who writes you an email.  both GIST and XOBNI offer integration to Gmail.  Both of these 3rd-party programs will analyze any email you receive for information about the sender.  LOTS of information about the sender…especially their presence on the other social media, along with contact information, frequency of posts, recent e-mails and even metrics about their presence on the web.  I find both these programs extremely helpful in managing connections…even the most typical time of day when events happen.

CourVO

TECHNOLOGY

5 Great Hidden Google Search Tips That You Should Know About

Filed Under: iPad, iPhone, Links, Social Media/Networking, Software, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No TLM103?…No Problem!

October 11, 2011 By 8 Comments

Can you really simulate all the nuances and rich sounds of a Neumann TLM103 with software?

Anteres seems to think so…and not just the TLM 103, but 124 other top-name microphones:  Lawson, AKG, AT, Blue, EV, Marshall, Rode, Sennheiser and more.

Their “Mic Mod EFX” software package claims to match the subtle sonic characteristics of classic and exotic microphones.  Their VST and RTAS plug-ins for Mac or Windows not only promises to be able to match the specs of all those mics, but offers all the controls, switches, and properties of each.

From their website:  “Does the mic have a low cut filter? If so, it’s in the model. Wind screen on or off? Close or far placement? Each option results in the same sonic effect that it would have with the actual modeled mic. And for that final touch of perfection, you can even add some tasty tube saturation.”

Install the plug-in (works with AA3.0, Pro-Tools, Cubase and others…but not Sony Sound Forge…see the list), record your sound, and then apply the effect.

On the left side of the Mic Mod EFX, you choose your source mic, and on the right side, you choose the mic you’d like to Model.  The controls include orientation, proximity effect, pickup pattern, low cut filter, output level, and even tube saturation.

Below, I’m supplying a sound sample.  I’m using a soundfile without the effect, then the copied soundfile WITH a TLM 103 effect.  I’ve recorded the original with my Studio Projects C-1 through a Steinberg CI2 USB interface on AA3.0.  I applied no other effects, no gain, no normalization or processing to either of the files.  In applying the TLM103 effect I did choose to sweeten the tube saturation to a level of 3.5, and set the proximity at 6 inches.

Interestingly, during installation, you’re asked to agree to a statement that says, in part:  This product is not guaranteed to produce, and will not necessarily produce, audio results that are consistent with or match audio results that could be achieved using any of the referenced microphone models.    

Also, you must have a I-Lok account and USB I-Lok dongle to make this plug-in work.

CourVO

Here’s the soundfile:

Anteres MicModEFX Sample Comparison by CourVO

Filed Under: Software, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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