For the next 10 days…until January 31st, their long-standing price for Source-Connect Standard is going up.  Right now it’s at $395 with a 6-month service contract, but on Feb. 1st, it goes up to $650.

OUCH!!

Yeah, this would definitely be the time to move on it if you were going to.

Click HERE for more info, then click on “pricing” for the word on that deadline.

CourVO

Grats to my fellow VO Blogger Bill Pryce for keying me into a fantastic set of instructional videos courtesy of George Whittam of Elorado Recording Services (EldoRec).

Click HERE to go to the exact page for easy-to-understand vids on Pro Tools, iLok, and Source-Connect.

By the way, when you leave here, I want you to scoot right on over to Bill Pryce’s blog "Life in the World of Voice Over".  Do it everyday.  He has a very active site.

CourVO

   I emerged from a long weekend of worshipping at the altar of reinstallation, a much more self-aware geek…but no longer the pimple-faced paradigm of pubescence that I once was.

OK, so much for the alliteration.  3 years of pounding away with the comings and goings of what seems like thousands of software programs (I tend to push my computers to the max), I decided it was time to wipe out my DAW’s hard drive and start all over.

Yes, I’m a PC guy (please…don’t), and I run Win XP Pro, ‘cause…well….I’m used to it, and it’s stable, and almost everything still runs on it.  But things were going South on me — starting slow, running even slower…programs were crashing, and the BSOD (blue screen of death) was becoming a daily occurrence.  Pro-Tools was barely running…Source-Connect wasn’t, and AudioTX had to be coaxed and cajoled to work decently for a few minutes of connection time.

These are seminal moments.  I started with a trip to Fry’s for a brand new HD, to add to the drive already in my tower, so I could fall back if  the new installation attempt went to hell in a handbasket.

Actually, things went quite well…not only did I succeed in almost all my goals over the weekend, but I also mounted a dual-boot with Windows 7 RC (release candidate).  The “new” DAW is nimble, starts up fast, and runs like a deer.

I’m going to try to refrain from “dumping” everything into the computer this time.  Lean.  I want to run only audio-related software and nothing else to the extent that I can.  Of course there will be browsers, and some anti-virus, Word, and a FEW other things, but I really don’t need to put photo, FAX, and FaceBook in there with my Sound Forge…so that’s my plan.

Below, a couple of observations along the way you might find helpful:

1)  Google Chrome has arrived. It’s lightning fast, stable, and innovative.

2)  Source-Connect is a pain…and what the heck is Q-Manager??!!  Even the tech support person said it’s not needed to run the Source-Connect program. 

3)  Source-Elements Desktop is not much better.  I’m still wrestling with the wireless network configuration.

4)  Pro-Tools is even worse. All that I-Lok stuff, and proprietary hardware.  Built for MAC and they tried to adapt it to PC.  I wouldn’t even bother ‘cause it’s WAAAAAAY more than a voice-actor needs, but I paid the $250, so by gum, I’m gonna install it.

5)  GREAT FREE PROGRAM!!  Magical JellyBean Keyfinder.  Need to know what those cryptic registration codes are for all your single-user-install MS programs?  JellyBean Keyfinder.  Free, quick, simple.  It does one thing and does it very well.

6)  Win 7.  See LifeHacker.com for a really great synopsis of how to approach a fresh, or upgrade install of Microsoft’s newest creation.  This one, they really got right!

That’s about it.  I’m cruisin’ with my “new” computer.  “Made me wonder why I waited so long.

CourVO

It’s all his fault.

He put me up to it.

The Nashville-area voice talent and prolific VO blogger approached me a couple of weeks ago with the idea of doing a Q & A about social networking.  He with the "Q".  Me with the "A".

Well it took me long enough, but I finally finished.  Good questions…wordy answers.

We agreed to sort of share the wealth…so if you want to get the full impact of my pithy musings about social networking, and its value to voice actors, you’ll have to visit BOTH sites. 

I recommend you start with Stu’s blog: The Creative Mouthpiece.  Click HERE.

Then see the link underneath my name, below, to read more.

Thanks, Stu, for coaxing me to really think about the value of social networking to my business.  I hope by sharing what little I know, someone may gain some momentum.

CourVO

Their “about” page describes it as: “…the largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the Web.  It is constructed and maintained by a vast, global community of volunteer editors. The Open Directory was founded in the spirit of the Open Source movement, and is the only major directory that is 100% free.  There is not, nor will there ever be, a cost to submit a site to the directory, and/or to use the directory’s data.  The Open Directory data is made available for free to anyone wo agrees to comply with our free use license.

Kinda sounds like Wikipedia, but remember, it’s a directory, not an encyclopedia.  (I just haven’t figured out where the acronym DMOZ comes from in their URL.)

With such an ambitious mission statement, you’d have to expect there might be mention of a good many resources for Voice Actors, and you’d be right.  Not only that, but apparently, I’m VERY late to the party.  TONS of links, references, resources, names, agents, coaches, production houses, talent…you name it.

On the site, you’re encouraged to submit your own website for approval, but they’re also big on you volunteering to help edit submissions.

Click HERE for the page that reveals results of a search for “Voiceover” resources.

….and….volunteer!

CourVO

 Deb Munro writes with the latest updates and offers if you want to have great cruise AND learn a bunch about voiceovers from real pros.  VoiceLympics.

See her e-mail to me below…an amazing line-up, and some incredible offers!

CourVO

Last chance to save BIG on the VoiceLympics Workshop Cruise
If you haven’t heard already, this is an opportunity to work with 5 top coaches (Deb Munro, Bob Bergen, Bill Holmes, Joyce Castellanos, Julie Williams) for 5 days and 4 nights on board the beautiful Norwegian Pearl.   Set to sail Sept 21 -26, 2009 from the most BEAUTIFUL CITY ON EARTH (Deb says it’s really true), Vancouver, B.C., Canada – Astoria, OR. – San Francisco, CA.  – Los Angeles, CA.

There are some amazing surprises planned:
-Bob Bergen’s one man show, “So, Heres the deal” will be a part of the Ships entertainment and all participants will receive complimentary tickets
-Deb Munro’s 40th Birthday celebration
-Work with Elaine Clark at Voice One in San Francisco (Studio tour and optional workshop)

LA is full of surprises so book an extra night on Sept 26th so you can take part

–    Marc Graue Studio tour for each participant and guest's)
–    4 mini workshops with 4 LA Coaches (optional)
-    VoiceLympics Wrap Party hosted at Marc Graue Studios.  This will include a free BBQ and evening affair.

More surprises to be announced but you only have a few more days to SAVE

-Save $100.00 off your workshop fee until the end of this weekend  (discount will apply when you book)
-Cabin prices are INCREDIBLY low but only until June 1st.  Our group booking will be released to the public so cabin bookings will be on a first come first serve option (open to the entire public) so we cannot guarantee prices or availability after June 1st.

For more info  go to
www.VoiceLympics.com
Contact our travel agent to answer any questions or to make your reservations

Schedules and Travel information will be sent out to all participants very soon

Also don’t miss your chance to work with Deb Munro in LA June 6/7th with her special guests, Bob Bergen, Bill Holmes and George Whittam.  Two days, Two Studios, two workshops  one incredible price $345.00 till June 1st ($395 regular)

Workshops:  Selecting Styles – Choosing the right delivery  &  Talking Audio – Long format voice projects….a lucrative industry

This is a great opportunity to see for yourself what Deb Munro and her guests can offer you.  Training is key and if you haven’t had the chance to work with these amazing professionals, you don’t know what you’re career is missing!  These coaches truly care about your results and want to see you succeed.  After all that is how they measure their success, but the success of their students.  

Many other opportunities available no matter where you live.  Www.Micnme.com

I'm back now…mostly 'cause I was buoyed by faithful readers of my blog…many who reminded me they find my missives through RSS feed.  DUH! 'Forgot about that.  I'm sure there's a way to track that too, but I haven't figured it out yet. (anybody?)

Not only am I back, but I've set in motion some actions that will soon result in a vastly better blog in appearance, design, visual appeal, arrangement, and logistics.

Sorry.  Same crappy content.   ;-}

That's all I'm gonna say for now.  One of these days, you'll visit to find something at this address so engaging and compelling, you'll even tell your garbageman to check it out.

In the meantime.  The next few posts will seem uniquely un-VO-like.  I'm off to Champaign, IL for the marriage of my sister's oldest daughter (yes, I know….it's my niece).  It's alternately a family reunion as well.  I'll try to stay sober enough to deliver compelling pics on my iPhone and some pithy lines of narrative here 'n' there.

So, thanks to all those who commented and supported my efforts here.  Y'all are fantas-tick!

CourVO

But….just one more…really!

As a voice actor, you will LOVE this one.  It blows me away, actually.

Poddio is a voice recorder, yes, but it's also an audio editor…'very powerful one at that.

What really got me…was the quality of the sound.

Listen to this soundfile:

That file was recorded on my IPhone, transferred via the Poddio Software to my laptop by way of my home Wi-Fi as a .wav file. I opened it with AA 3.0 to listen to it. I added absolutely NOTHING. I applied NO effects, volume, amplitude, normalizing, compressing, or equalizing. Heck, I didn't even edit out the breath sounds (although Poddio has the editor to do that). I then saved it as an .mp3 and uploaded it to TypePad.  That's what you're hearing.

I don't know whether to be impressed with Poddio, or the IPhone microphone…but I think that sounds pretty darn good!

Poddio comes as a free version, or pay $10 for all the bells and whistles.  My opinion:  $10 buys a lot here.  Visit the Poddio website to see their full schpiel.  They  had musicians and podcasters in mind when they designed this software, but it can do most things your Audacity editor could do.

Possible use for voice-actors?

1) 'Client calls while you're indisposed away from your studio and wants a quick read to see if you've got the chops for the spot.  You read his e-mail on your IPhone, scribble out a few lines, go to a closet, and deliver your audition into your IPhone…then e-mail it back to him in a flash.  Quality is better than Skype, I think.

2) Quick on-the-run interviews for a podcast.  Take 10 minutes to edit out the guest's curse words, and some fluff while you were interrupted on the convention floor, and you've got a passable podcast.

3) Collect real-life sound-effects for use later in a demo.

4) Record answer-phone messages for friends, and send them by e-mail.

5) A regular client wants to change a tag for a low-budget spot, but you're in Dyersburg, TN getting gas on your way to Stubenville, OH to see a date you found on FaceBook.  He's not particular about quality, but when he gets your Poddio file, he says, "Hey, I thought you said you didn't have your equipment with you?"

OK…last one may be a little far-fetched…but you get the drift.

CourVO

NEVERBLUE is all about affiliate marketing. 

Don't ask what that is.  I haven't quite figured it out yet. But I know some people swear by it. (someting about getting rich repping other people's products on your site…kinda like franchising online)

Here's their pitch: "Neverblue is a premier global lead generation network that delivers
millions of profitable customers to clients from all over the world.
Experience better affiliate marketing."

OK, that clears it up.

But Neverblue has apparently figured out that voice actors actually have value, and in THIS blog, they lay out several scenarios in which a smart person would want to hire a voice actor for professional product.

They make pretty good sense.  'Might even be worth a cold-call?

CourVO

Then…R U a member of Stephanie Ciccaarelli's VOICE ACTING HUB on FaceBook?

If not, you should be.  Stephanie's great, and always posts quality material.

Click HERE to go….there….and if that link doesn't work, just go to "Join Groups" and search for Voice Acting Hub.

CourVO