Equipment | Dave Courvoisier's Blog

FocusRite iTrack Solo

April 2, 2013 By CourVO Leave a Comment

focusrite Just ricocheting a post from Alan Curry of PieHole that I thought had merit in case you didn’t see it.

Alan hails the new FocusRite iTrack Solo with the following comment on my Voice-Over Friends FaceBook Group: “…it’s never going to replace a properly equipped studio, nevertheless I’m impressed with it so far and can’t really fault it as a portable or temporary solution. Indeed, for certain projects like web video, on-hold & IVR, I’d even go so far as to deem it perfectly acceptable…”

Banking on the legendary FocusRite reputation, and selling at a reasonable $159 at online shops like Sweetwater, the FocusRite iTrack Solo is touted as being compatible with Mac, PC, iPhone and iPad.

From the website: “…A supplied cable connects iTrack Solo to the iPad, and it is powered by the included USB cable that delivers the power necessary to run the iTrack’s high-specification components. If you are using iTrack Solo with a Mac or PC you don’t need to connect it to the mains, your computer will supply enough power via the USB cable….”

Here is the link to Alan’s SoundCloud audio sample using the iTrack Solo: https://soundcloud.com/alancurry/ipad-itrack-solo-audio-sample/s-rZeD8

Thanks Alan!

CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment, Technology Tagged With: Alan Curry, focusrite, focusrite iTrack solo, iTrack Solo, Piehold, VO, voice, voice acting, voice actor, voice actors, voice artist, voice artists, voice over, voice overs, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover talent, Voiceovers, voices

Studio Suit: Installed!

January 25, 2013 By CourVO 9 Comments

suit Dan Lenard’s Studio Suit got its first install the other day.

Dan — The Home Studio Master — made the sojourn to Chicago in sub-zero temps to find his first ~~victim,~~ er, uh volunteer for the occasion.

I wrote about the Studio Suit just last week. Dan wasn’t talking about it much ’cause he was wanting to get that first real-world application under his belt. But I took the cue from his website, and so he shared with me some video he took of that install in a friend’s closet in Chicago…turning it from an echo chamber to a dead-space studio.

It only takes 3 minutes to watch this brief, instructive demonstration of the transformative power of the studio suit. Be sure to slide the player control back ‘n’ forth to listen to the “before” and “after” sound.

Thanks, Dan! Good luck with it!

CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment, Studios Tagged With: Audio Studio, Dan Lenard, Home studio, Home Studio Master, studio sound, Studio suit, VO, voice, voice acting, voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice talent, voiceover, Voiceovers, voices

Under the Surface

November 30, 2012 By CourVO 3 Comments

In the exploding tablet wars, one new entry stands out…and it’s from a familiar name: Microsoft.

The global computing giant made it’s fortune on software…not hardware. The most serious hardware offering it had heretofore was a series of keyboards, mice, and webcams.

But with the almost simultaneous launch of it’s newest operating system – Windows 8 - MS also released it’s first serious hardware/software device: the Microsoft Surface. (manufactured by Asus).

Ive had the chance to put this tablet through its paces. As context, I also own an iPad, and an Android Tablet, and well…you know me…I’m a geek who gets off on this stuff, so I think I have a pretty fair foundation to comment.

In a word: AWESOME.

In fact, our Manager of Digital Media here at the TV station — who is even more of a gadget guy than I am (if that’s possible), spent a half-hour with the Surface, and said he was sorry he bought the newest version of the iPad. He was that impressed.

There are a TON of reviews of the Surface, so I won’t try to add to the chatter, but let me give you a few hilites from a voice-actor’s POV.

Incredibly crisp display: 10.6″ ClearType HD Display, 1366×768 pixels, 16:9 (widescreen), 5-point multi-touch. The first thing you notice is that it’s “longer” than the iPad. Of course, the screen automatically adjusts to a vertical or horizontal orientation, but in vertical…a LOT more copy fits on the screen…that’s good for use in your VO studio, as you read from the device.
Inputs/Outputs: Finally! A USB port! Works great. The device immediately recognizes the input, meaning you can store stuff on an external USB thumb drive or a Terabyte external drive. You can also run Surface apps from the USB device. The Surface also has a mini-HDMI output slot, a micro-SDXC slot (accepts up to 64 Gig storage), and stereo speakers. Completing the package: rear/forward facing cameras (720p HD LifeCams), a headphone jack, magnetized power cable, and magnetized 3-prong touch keyboard connector.
It’s FAST! Quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3, 2GB RAM. Noticeably fast and smooth.
Extras: Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass. Nifty “touch” keyboard, and built-in stand, as well as a built-in SkyDrive connection.

Negatives:
No question the Achilles heel of this device is a deficient universe of available apps. This is growing by the day, but some things you’d expect just aren’t there yet. DropBox for one. However, it does have the full Microsoft Office Suite as part of the package…and not just an evaluation copy: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Fully functional. Also, since Microsoft owns Skype, the Surface has the most advanced version of this program…it’s a pleasure to use… and works flawlessly.

This tablet — like no other I’ve seen — approximates a laptop. The touch keyboard even comes with a built-in mousepad, so you can touch the screen, or use the mouse. Also, with one touch, you can get to what looks for all the world like a Win7 desktop screen.

One other note, sadly, is an absolute absence of any available (decent) recording or editing software (DAW). There are some rudimentary voice-recording apps…but this void is a drawback for voice-actors using the Surface as a mobile recording device, and especially frustrating in light of the possibilities afforded by the external USB port.

Remember, though…anything you can call up on the internet, you can utilize as a web-app on the internet. I have yet to explore those options. Some downloadable Windows programs are not compatible with the ARM processor/Win8 OS available on the Surface.

Final word: A delight for everyday use. Perfect for browsing and use as a resource and reading device in your studio, but a failure as a mobile recording device (so far).

CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment, Hardware, Microsoft, Technology Tagged With: Microsoft, Microsoft Surface, MS Surface, Surface, VO, voice, voice acting, voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice overs, voice talent, voiceover, Voiceovers, voices

Geeky Christmas Buying Guide for VO’s

November 13, 2012 By CourVO Leave a Comment

You can see the holiday shopping buzz building already.

If ever a price was going to be knocked-down on hardware items it’s between now and the end of the year.

Below is a brief collection of some stuff I’ve noticed in just the last day. Tools like this can make your VO job easier, and even more fun, but it’s gotta fit in the budget to make good on your ROI.

Skype Preview for Windows Phone 8 Yeah, yeah, I know…you love your iPhone, or your new Samsung Galaxy S III….but if you’re shopping for a new smartphone this year…you might want to consider the Windows Phone 8. Nokia is going full-tilt with Windows, and remember, Microsoft owns Skype now, so their new OS will bring the greatest functionality for this program. I personally saw a demo of a Windows 8 Phone the other day and was duly impressed.

SweetWater’s new DEAL ZONE. This restructuring of Sweetwater’s site claims to offer a new and improved way to find the gear you want with price drops, demos, B-Stocks and deals…over 1,500 according to this site.

Commun.it. This Hootsuite-like social media interface has some nice little features…not the least of which is a daily report sent to your email that summarizes a lot of the Twitter and FaceBook metrics you should probably be watching. Free to sign-up!

Wireless Wifi HD. Wireless streaming access to a batter-driven external Hard Drive for your laptop, Android tablet, iPad, or Smartphone. Half a terabyte for $200. Pocket-sized and portable.

WiFi w/ Built-In HD. This particular model from Netgear combines a Wireless Access Point with a built-in 2Terabyte HD that you can access from any device that connects to the internet. Yes, that means you can back up virtually all your wifi-enabled devices to this monster hard drive, and do it wirelessly. It also means you have a common access to all your files in one place easily accessible from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. I’m telling my wife to get me this for Christmas!!!

Microsoft Store. The new Win8 is said to have the best handling of an audio signal yet. See their official store for some of their latest offerings. (sorry, you knew I was a MS guy, didn’t you?)

CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment, Hardware, Microsoft, VO Hardware/Software/Tools Tagged With: Microsoft, VO, voice, voice acting, voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice taleant, voiceover, Voiceovers, voices, Win8, Windows 8

15+ Top Sites to Shop for VO Equipment

October 25, 2012 By CourVO 1 Comment

C’mon…admit it! The thought of adding a new…er… something …to your audio chain holds a magic allure. It may, in fact, actually improve your sound, but even if it doesn’t…the effect it has on your morale and attitude is worth the price, no? Well, not always…so that’s why you have to shop smart.

One word of advice: no matter which site you shop…ask for the same sales associate each time. Make a relationship with them. Get them to remember you and what your needs are. Tell them about the VO business. They just want to make a sale, and when they have special pricing on that Neumann TLM103 or Behringer mixer, they’ll remember you and call.

Most of them are very knowledgeable, too, and can make excellent comparative suggestions about similar equipment under different name brands. The audio interface I use most, was suggested to me by a SweetWater rep, and his advice was spot-on. These people know their product lines, but they don’t always know what special considerations a voice actor has…so educate them, and the relationship will benefit you in the end.

Now, here’s my list of the top 15+ Audio Equipment sites:
I’ve narrowed this list to the best composite online sites, not those individual equipment companies with specified product lines — for a complete list, see my blogroll: Equipment/Supplies. This list is alphabetical.

I’m sure I might’ve missed a site. Please comment below with your favorite equipment site, and I’ll add it to the list.

CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment Tagged With: audio, audio equipment, pro audio, VO, voice, voice acting, voice actor, voice artist, voice talent, voice-over voiceover, voiceover, Voiceovers, voices

Whittam Launches VO Studio Tech

September 14, 2012 By CourVO Leave a Comment

Everybody’s first choice in audio technical help is stepping it up.

George Whittam is re-branding his top-flight audio services as VO STUDIO TECH.

This is a smart move by George, and certainly shows a growth in his expertise, his clientele, and his ability to build off EWABS noteriety.

Read more about the announcement here: Eldorado Recording Services is now Studio Tech.

Either way, think about contacting George when only the best advice will do on your home studio, technical and equipment considerations, audio chain troubleshooting, Source-Connect or ISDN configuration, and much more.

By the way, I’m not just shilling for George because he’s a friend. I’ve depended on him, and never been disappointed. Besides, he IS a friend…of all voice actors.

VO STUDIO TECH

Great going, George!

CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment, Hardware, Home studio, Technical Tagged With: Eldorado Recording Services, Eldorec.com, George Whittam, VO, VO Studio Tech, voice, voice acting, voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice talent, voiceover, Voiceovers, voices

A BETTER Booth? Can it Be?

August 29, 2012 By CourVO 10 Comments

You wouldn’t believe the shameless way I’ve prostrated myself to request prizes from people and organizations all over the VO map for VOAToday.

Luckily, I didn’t have to beg too hard, ’cause at every turn, I’ve gotten nothing but cooperation and generous donations for prizes that go above and beyond.

James Alburger and Penny Abshire of the VOICE2012 and VoiceActing Academy fame are not only offering a performance coaching session, a consultation on home studio, or help with marketing that can be done in person at our studio or over the telephone…but they’re also premiering their new business logo during the September VOAT event.

The newest participant helping with a crazy-good prize package is Harlan Hogan’s VoiceOver Essentials. As you know Harlan has provisioned many a voice-actor’s home studio with his 1-A Signature Series microphone (available on the site), but his development of the Porta-Booth Pro and Porta-Booth Plus has been THE answer for mobile recording. But (lucky us) just as we’re about to launch VOAToday for 2012…Harlan is launching his new 3rd-generation Porta-Booth Pro…hot off the production line!

Harlan is obviously proud of this baby, and sent along the following features list:

Only 7 pounds / rugged 600 denier fabric – New!
120% larger than the Porta-Booth Plus ®
Unique sonic stage “Auditorium” design
Includes heavy-duty travel bag with zippered exterior storage pocket
Auralex Studiofoam® covers all interior surfaces – New!
Two way zippered bottom and rear slots for shot-gun mics, cables & boom arms
Anti-sway strap & Booth Lifter for boom arm mounting – New!
Pre-slit bottom foam provides a solid base for desktop mic stands
Articulated Script-Clip LED light with 2 mounting pouches
Four diagonal corner straps add rigidity
Assembles in seconds – Just close two zippers
Fleece audio hood for extra noisy environments
Air travels as checked or carry-on luggage
Assembled: 20″ High x 21″Wide x 16″ Deep
Folded: 21″ High x 21″ Wide by 7″ Deep

One of these 3rd-generation Porta-Booth Pros is on our prize list, and will go to a lucky winner, just for participating in our Q & A format each week. (winners chosen at random, be sure to include your email for awarding of prizes)

Beyond that, Harlan is also including a patented ABS – Adjustable Boom Stop. As you know today’s boom arm stands use a ten cent washer to keep the boom from falling, inevitably they fail and many a mic is ruined – this little invention is cheap protection for your mic and also allows your favorite height and angle to be marked for an instant re-set.

All that, and you won’t believe the prizes that the guys from EWABS are showering on this event. More about that in the days ahead.

You’ll want to check it out beginning labor Day, Sept. 3rd at VOAToday.com. Your comment automatically enters you into the drawing for prizes.

CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment, VOAT Tagged With: 3rd-generation Porta-Booth Pro, Harlan, Harlan Hogan, Porta-Booth Pro, VO, voice, voice acting, voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice talent, Voice-Acting Academy, voiceover, VoiceOver Essentials, VoiceOver Essentials.com, Voiceovers, voices

Another “Take”

March 9, 2012 By CourVO Leave a Comment

On the whole, we voice actors seem unnecessarily obsessed with obtaining that perfect “on-the-road” mobile recording experience.

How many of us actually NEED that? Naw, forget that question. I understand being prepared, and I’ve got my methods…my portable unit. I pay attention to what Dan Lenard — The Home Studio Master — says on EWABS.

No matter how hard you try, you still can’t match the fullness of your home studio, it seems…but we keep trying, don’t we?

Well, here’s an interesting perspective from a whole different professional standpoint.

I stumbled across the article below from the Knight Digital Media Center…which is a journalism resource…and the author comes awake to the question of dealing with ambient room noise when he’s reporting in remote locations.

I smiled inside when I realized THEY HAVE NO CLUE how other professionals are dealing with this very issue in great depth…and yet their improvised solution is not all that far off an appropriate answer.

There may be hope for journalists after all!

Read: Reduce Ambient Noise When Recording in Home Studios

CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment, Home studio Tagged With: Dan Lenard, EWABS, George Whittam, Home Studio Master, portable recording, remote recording, VO, voice, voice acting, voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice talent, voiceover, voices, vokce over

Mics From NAMM

February 1, 2012 By CourVO Leave a Comment

Voice Acting is apparently not big enough to prompt equipment makers to hold their own convention just for us (YET)…but NAMM comes close.

NAMM originally stood for North American Music Merchants, but now it’s an international show for manufacturers, affiliates, resellers, and other vendors in the world of audio.

On the heels of CES in Las Vegas, NAMM was held this year in Anaheim, CA, and broke previous records for attendance.

If you saw my quick review of the new Blue Microphones at CES, well, NAMM is that…on steroids… times ten.

Apparently USB mics continue to be the darling of any recording set — vocals, voice-overs, or musical instruments. Most audio engineers agree it’s not possible to get the same high quality fidelity from a USB microphone as you can with a XLR input, but that isn’t keeping manufacturers from trying. That’s mostly driven by the insane pace of iPhone and iPad sales, and the realization that these devices can actually serve as excellent portable/mobile recorders.

At CES and NAMM, many of the name mic vendors bring their prototypes to show off, and then make vague promises that they’ll be on shelves “mid spring”, or “sometime in March or April”, or “just before Summer”…as was the case with the 3 new “Blue” mics I reviewed.

The mic pictured above, though — the MXL Tempo — is available now. You can even get it in red and black, and it’s being priced all over the place at $59. MXL also touts it’s iPad-compatible TRIO USB mic.

There are others, of course.

The iRig MIC Cast Mobile Microphone is a nice unit, but plugs into the earphone jack of your iOS device…not the 30-pin connector.

Finally, the Editors Keys SL150 USB mic comes with a kit that lets you plug right into your iPad for recording.

So many choices! So little budget! It almost makes you wanna hope for a road trip just to justify the expense of a USB/iPad mic to your better half!

CourVO

Filed Under: Conferences, Equipment, Hardware, iPad, Mics Tagged With: Blue Microphones, Editors Keys, iRig, MXL, MXL Tempo, NAMM, Shure, Tascam, VO, voice acting, voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice talent, voice voices, voiceover

Tascam iM2 Arrives

December 16, 2011 By CourVO 35 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