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New Artist App

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

For iOS users (iPad, iPhone), there’s a new app available that just might be the ticket for developing your business in a very productive way.

My thanks to voice talent David Sigmon for bringing this program to my attention.  It’s called Artist Growth, and is available in the App Store.  Their website is also ArtistGrowth.com.

Let’s be clear at the outset.  This app was designed with musicians in mind, but the feature set of the program is such that I believe it could be easily adapted to the needs of a voice-actor.

From the website: “:…Artist Growth…is a groundbreaking mobile software platform that gives both amateurs and seasoned professionals the tools to manage and track daily tasks, coordinate multi-dimensional projects, and grow a business steadily – all in one robust interface. The platform uses proprietary technology to integrate finances, gig calendars, inventory, industry contacts, social media, performing rights organizations, and even provide mentoring resources from some of the industry’s top experts. It puts the business of artist development directly in the artist’s hands…”

Signing up for the 30-day trial means a .99-cent charge, then $4.99/mo.  That’s a  modest fee if it works for you, but check out the website AND the app before sinking your hard-earned bucks into it.

By all accounts, the developers have done their homework in designing a site and an app that is logical, easy to navigate, and aesthetically pleasing.

Check it out and let me know if it suits your needs.

CourVO

Filed Under: iPad, iPhone, Technology, Web/Tech Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Gee! The New Apogee MiC

February 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

My thanks to VO Pro Joe Cipriano for posting on my Voice-Over Friends FaceBook group about the new Apogee MiC.

At CES, we saw a trio of new USB and iOS-compatible mics.  Then, just a couple of days ago, I ran down a few of the new mic offerings that were exhibited at NAMM.

Now Apogee steps forward with the MiC, that is due for distribution this month.

Apogee has an excellent record for producing peripherals that specifically work well with Apple devices.

Cipriano shows a comparison using his Sennheiser MKH416 and an Avalon pre-amp vs. the Apogee and an iPad.  Follow the links below in the conversation thread, and listen for yourself…pretty amazing!

CourVO

Filed Under: iPad, Mics Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mics From NAMM

February 1, 2012 By 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tascam iM2 Arrives

December 16, 2011 By 30 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For Your VO Christmas

November 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Holy Grail of mobile VO computing /auditioning: a hi-fidelity recording on your smartphone or tablet computer.  Most would likely agree that the leader in the software part of that solution is  Twisted Wave for the iPhone or iPad.

On the hardware end, many devices have launched over the last year, mostly for some version of the iPhone or iPad.

I’ve blogged about a number of these:  the iRig Mic, the Blue Mikey, the Tascam iZX, the Vericorder XLR Adapter Cable, the Alesis iODock, and probably a few that I missed.  Trouble is, only the Alesis iODock offers a means of input through the 30-pin connector at the bottom of the device…anything else is poor quality.

A guy who’s way ahead of me on the technology of it all — SoCal based professional voice-actor Beau Weaver – recently explained it this way in response to a thread about the technology in question: “…The audio input via the 3.5mm connector has a radical EQ curve built in, attenuating everything under 150hz and above 7khz…..which is to say “telephone filter” quality. There is no way around it, other than to introduce a reverse eq curve to compensate, which raises the noise floor. The work around with the camera connection kit USB adapter worked on the older version of the iOS operating system, but no more. The only way to get pro quality audio in is through the 30 pin connector. Several devices are in the pipeline, but none are shipping yet. For iPad, the Alesis iODock is the only thing that works…..at this point. iOS may be a pro recording platform at some point……but it is not there yet…”

So, why don’t equipment manufacturers develop more products that take advantage of this market?  Beau had an answer for that, too, when I asked him about it: “…they are just afraid to make a commitment because Apple keeps changing the API and  rendering their devices obsolete.  Case in point:  the Blu Mikey….which the second version of iOS broke, with no warning, and no recourse.  Equipment manufacturers are wise to be warry of making mac accessories……because there is a good chance apple will pull the rug out from under them…”

Still, apparently, some audio-equipment companies are willing to take the chance.  Case in point: the new Tascam iM2, seen above. 

It uses the 30-pin connector available in the iPhone and iPad, and according to the product website:  “…a high-quality stereo recorder.  A pair of condenser microphones – the same high quality as TASCAM’s best-selling DR-series recorders – plugs into the dock connector of your Apple device.  The microphones are adjustable over 180 degrees for the best sound placement.  The uni-directional elements are arranged in an AB pattern for detailed stereo imaging while capturing the ambience of your room.  The iM2 contains its own microphone preamp and analog-to-digital converter for low noise and great audio quality.  Unlike mics that use the built-in iPhone preamp, the iM2 can handle up to 125dB sound levels…”

Tascam certainly has a track record of making quality portable recorders like the DR-40, and the DR-07mkII…but this is a bit of a departure for them to release a hardware product that depends on the hardware/software of another device for their success.

Check it out.  I am.  When my unit arrives, I promise an evaluation with sound file samples.

My thanks to Beau Weaver for his help in this blog, and agreeing to my excerpting his comments.

CourVO

Filed Under: Hardware, iPad, iPhone 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Introducing the “CourVO” App!!

October 19, 2011 By 12 Comments

Didja really think I’d be able to resist the inevitable march of progress?

The COURVO app is now available in the iTunes store.  It’s free.

Now you can read all the great content of this blog on your iPhone/iPad.

You can also do a search for the app from your iPhone App Store icon by searching for “CourVO”. There’s apparently an app named “Courvoisier” too.  Not mine.  (the actual name of the app is CourVO’s Voice-Acting in Vegas)

The app presents all the branding and content of this blog by pulling the info from my RSS feed and displaying  it in a simple interface.

This was actually not brain surgery at all, and almost anyone can do it.  Visit AppMakr.com to see about doing your own.  There were some costs involved:  about $100 for the Apple Developer’s license, and some minimal AppMakr fees.

This was actually slated for launch a couple of weeks ago, then Apple announced iOS 5.o.  Immediately, all apps considered for review were rejected for rebuild to be compatible for the new operating system.  S’OK…the result is pretty much what I wanted.

  • From the app, you can:
    comment back to the blog article
    share the article on Twitter
    share on FaceBook
    “like” the article
    see the original blog layout in a browser window
    email the article

Some functionality of the app is still in development.  You’ll see that if you select the “camera” icon, or the RSS icon.  Pressing the ATOM icon will bring you back to the list of articles.

I hope you’re reading this blog on your iPhone.

BTW, the Android version of this is coming…likely within a week.

Let me know what you think.

CourVO

 

Filed Under: Apps, Branding, iPad Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Gizmo Alert!

October 6, 2011 By 6 Comments

Blame Billy James.  I swear the guy does this to me just to get my reaction.  (BTW, Billy has a pretty great blog, and you should be reading it…great writer!)

He’s a geek, too…but not as frivolous with his discretionary cash, apparently.  So he lives vicariously through my wanderings up and down the virtual aisles of online geekdom.

The latest is Tascam’s iZX microphone interface for iPad, iPhone, and iPod.

For $50 this is a sweet little gem of a portable unit for recording.

Or is it?

Well, that, my friends, is for you to decide.

First, for the hard-core among you…some hard-core specs:

Input Level                     -42dBu～ +2dBu
Maximum Input Level       +2dBu
Input Impedance             2.4kΩ
Nominal Input Level         -21 dBV
Maximum Input Level       -10dBV
Input Impendance            470kΩ

Now, watch the video below, where I introduce you briefly to the hardware, then scroll down further to listen to a quick sound recording using the iZX with my iPhone4.

CourVO tests the Tascam iXZ from Dave Courvoisier on Vimeo.

Now, listen to the brief soundfile I recorded using a AKG C300B mic, a standard 5-foot XLR mic cable, the Tascam iZX, and my iPhone 4, recording with the Twisted Wave app.  The input volume on the Tascam unit was at about 2/3rds maximum.

I uploaded the resulting .wav file to AA3.0, edited out the breath sounds, boosted the gain a little, but applied no other effects.  The result is here:
TascamiXZ Sample Courvoisier by CourVO

Filed Under: Equipment, Hardware, iPad, iPhone Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A New Day, er…DAW for iPad

August 9, 2011 By 4 Comments

SOMEONE keeps coming up with this stuff, and I can’t resist!

MultiTrack DAW by Harmonic Dog is available on the iTunes appstore for $10.

Here’s the specs:

* Per track EQ (2 bands parametric, 2 bands shelving, 18db boost and cut) (3GS or later).
* Per track Compressor (3GS or later).
* Ability to monitor the input signal with effects (3GS or later).
* Fade in and out per region (editable fade points).
* Open/copy email attachments (mp3, m4a, AAC, wav, aif, ogg).
* Improved input selection allows spitting stereo input onto 2 mono tracks.
* Retina display for iPhone 4 and iPod 4th gen.
* New Hotbox ‘Slice’ tool splits a region at hotbox location or playhead location.
* Increased control of sliders and handles.
* Restore in-app purchases onto other devices.
* Hotbox ‘Trim’ and ‘Move’ buttons unified to single ‘Edit’ button.
* Fader controls now accurately use decibel scale and allow a real +12db of gain boost.
* Track download on wifi webpage has option to include effects in track rendering.

For some reason, all that doesn’t mention that you can do a mixdown of all the channels, and you can export to email, SoundCloud and via WiFi to your computer.

Aside from all that official verbiage, I can tell you from personal experience that this is an easy-to-use, intuitive interface.  Help files are a cinch to find and use, but  I didn’t need them.  I pretty much found everything I needed by exploring.  It has the feel of any of a numer of desktop DAW’s that allow you to add channels, mute, arm, set volume levels, add effects and more.

I will say that editing a wave form is not quite easy as Twisted Wave.  Not terrible.  Just not as easy.  The multi-track capabilities of this app are a no-brainer…and the graphics interface is pretty slick.

One more thing…. the MultiTrack DAW by Harmonic Dog works just great with the Alesis iODock…the recording quality is at least as good as Twisted Wave.

CourVO

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

Auditioning the Alesis iODock

August 5, 2011 By 12 Comments

How many times have I blogged about this?!!   Uh, four times in all…the earliest being January, then March,  then a couple times in July,

Alesis was slow bringing this to market, even after April NAB attendees here in Las Vegas raved about it in the exhibit hall.  I’m not sure what the hold-up was but it’s out, and its distribution seems to be in fits and starts.  In fact, through a complicated misunderstanding, I was delivered two of them in one day.  One from Sweetwater, the other from BSW.  I plan to keep one and give one away.* (see below for details).

The purpose of this blog is to SHOW you the equipment, then to let you HEAR a soundfile recorded on the unit.

First, though, you can see many of the specs and the Alesis promotional write-up on their iODock site.  The unit was, and still is designed to fit the original iPad.  To use it with the iPad2, an adaptor is available, but right now the adapteo does not ship with the iODock, and you have to order it separately (they include an informational flyer with info in the packaging).  I’m attaching a .pdf of the two-page quickstart guide in English, which basically identifies all the inputs/outputs on the item, and give a brief description of the switches and knobs.  Alesis_iODOCK_specs.

For you audiophiles,  the Signal-t0-Noise ratio is as follows:

Main Outputs:               102 dB (A-weighted)
XLR Mic Inputs:           92 dB (A-weighted, -35 dBV Input level)
Balanced Line Input:  92 dB (A-weighted, -1 dBV source level, input gain knob at min.)

Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±0.7 dB)

If you’re interested, you can watch this quick video of  the iODock, with a quick personal explanation of it’s general “feel”.

CourVO gives a “hands-on” intro to the Alesis iODock from Dave Courvoisier on Vimeo.

Now, here’s a listen to a brief soundfile I recorded on the iODock through my AKG C3000B mic using a windsock, a standard XLR cable plugged into the 2nd mic input (using phantom power), recorded without filters onto the Twisted Wave app on my original iPad.


The master volume control on the iODock was at ¾’s, and so was the volume knob dedicated to that XLR input.

I saved the file as .wav, and quickly, efficiently sent it to DropBox using the built-in “send” feature on Twisted wave. (this is not a demo for TW…there ARE other ways to send files through this $10 app, though.)

I edited out some obnoxious breath sounds and one bad take, but otherwise, I applied no effects,  nor did I adjust the amplitude, and I didn’t normalize.  I did not touch the native sound…only edited out the breath sounds.  That’s it.  Oh, I did bring it down to an .mp3.  Here’s the original .wav if you want, though: CourVO_Alesis_ iODock_Sample

Personally, I think this is the first do-able, usable soundfile that I would not be embarrassed to send to someone as an audition from a hotel room.  Would it suffice for an entire E-Learning course of 50-mins?  Probably, but it’d be much easier to edit that soundfile on a laptop I think.

___________________________

*Now…about the extra Alesis iODock that I have.

Remember NVOM (National Voice Over Month) last September?  Well, it’s coming back this September with a new mission, a new interactive look, and prizes.  Yup…prizes!   I’ll be working on it all month, and I’ll have hints about when where and how…but I know you’ll want to participate.

That’s all I got for today.

Have a great weekend!

CourVO

Filed Under: iPad, Technical, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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