Pocket Studios

[jsgilbert]

I just got me one of those cool new Motorola Droid phones and it is pretty amazing. I won't get into any of the iphone vs. thisphone discussions. Let's just say that ownership of an iPhone wasn't a good enough reason for me to move over AT&T. In my neck of the woods, my friends and aquaintances tend to get kicked off calls on iPhones about every 3 minutes or if they walk or move more than 17 yards in any direction.

The Dorid isn't my first smartphone, it's just a heck of a lot smarter than ant other smart phone I had before. My first smartphone was a big thing, but it was cool becuase I could play my demos and videos wherever I was for anybody and then send them an email with a demo attached on the spot. A great toy for goin to mixers, tradeshows, etc.

It was a bit clumsy, but still pretty cool. The 5th or 6th day I had the phone, my agent called asking if I could do an immediate audition for a client request. I was in the middle of nowhere (luckily a nowhere with reception), but I mentiuoned I could try it on my phone and send it and if it wasn't terrible, they could send it to the client.

Make a long story short, I was one of 3 talent they asked to audition and I did indeed book the job or should I say jobs, becuase it turned into spokes work, which lasted three or so months. That one little ability earned me enough to pay for my phonebill for the next few years.

Around the same time, a fairly sophisticated setup for PDA recording came about. I've included a link to an original article.

Core Sound PDAudio Portable Digital Audio Recording System

Now it would seem with micro usb fairly standard on the newer phones and 16 gigs being somewhat standard, that the ability to hook up a quality microphone toa Palm Pre, Android or iPhone and be able to edit and apply effects, etc. should be just around the corner.

Effectively one can leave for a trip with one of these phones, a simple interface and a little microphone and have themselves a shirt pocket audio recording studio.

Any thoughts about this. A good or bad thing? Or just a natural progression.

[captain54]

Now it would seem with micro usb fairly standard on the newer phones and 16 gigs being somewhat standard, that the ability to hook up a quality microphone toa Palm Pre, Android or iPhone and be able to edit and apply effects, etc. should be just around the corner.

.

Audio Recording iPhone Applications

[jandrade]

Hi JS,

Interesting topic. With the quality of the Blue Mikey and as Captain pointed out, the software to record auditions on your phone being available to everyone, I think a portable system with laptop and USB mic, might be a thing of the past for many. I currently don't have a smart phone so its still VAIO computer and Audio Technica USB mic for travel, but when I do make the switch I think it will be the Mikey and iphone.

Joseph

[catcampion]

No comments on this topic in over a year? Really?! Seems like it would be a big topic of conversation these days.
Well, I am ready to upgrade to a smartphone and DO NOT want to switch to the over-priced and/or poor service of Verizon and AT&T. I'd like to stick with T-Mobile - so this Mac Enthusiast needs to either unlock an iPhone or buy an Android.
Anyone who has been auditioning from their smartphones want to share with me your experiences - with phones, software and mics?

Much obliged,
Catherine

[Mike Sommer]

At the very least, being able to record an audition is not a reason to have a smart phone. Sure it's nice to be able to pop out an audition while on vacation, but what the
point of going on vacation if you still have to work?

And when we are not on vacation, we are seldom no more than a half hour from home, it can wait till I get home.

To me it really is a non issue.

[jsgilbert]

I suppose it's all how you look at it. Spending a half hour or so doing auditions in the morning or evening when I'm on vacation doesn't feel like work to me. In fact, the parts of what I do that deal with craft tend to be more like "play". It's the other 90% of it - marketing, managing, pitching, doing proposals, etc, that tends to be what I need the vacations from. I've paid for a couple of these vacation vis a vis one of those auditions.

I've been using a tiny Vaio for the road. It's a Windows 7 computer that is a touch bigger than a number 10 envelope. It has a 256 gig SSD drive and USB ports, which lts me hook up the micport pro and a modded Oktava microphone. It can all fit into a coat pocket.

I also just picked up a Philips pocket recorder which interfaces with Dragon Naturally Speaking. It connects via a minin USB connection.

When I am out during the day, I am often contacted with a request for an immediate audition. I am thinking that the Philips tiny recorder could work fine for recordig and then transfer the file to my little Vaio, for purposes of editing, cleanup and sending as an email attachment.

My old phone allowed me to put the chip from my HR4 Zoom recorder into the phone and email it that way. The Motorola Droid wont let me do that and I am not revisiting things until Verizon has 4G available in smart phones.

Unfortunately, the better interfaces for th iPhone tend to become crippled everytime Apple comes out with a new model, and this is being done quite on purpose. Hopefully the open architecture of the Droid will allow someone to develop a good solution soon.

[captain54]

Well, there's this sucker... a handheld electet condensor that records to an iPhone... $59.99

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...&CJPID=4172241

I for one, would be all over a super portable rig for quick recording of auditions on the road.... there are days when I have 5-10 auditions in my inbox to crank out before end of day, or
by beginning of next day... I find that if I am out and about most of the day, (which happens often), then everthing gets piled up when I return, including actual paid work.. It would be very very convenient to be able to utilize those 1-2 hour blocks of time between appts and go back into the car or whereever to crank out a few auditions...

[catcampion]

Thanks for the feedback, guys!
Who said anything about vacation? What is that, anyway? The way I see it, when your life is one continual holiday, you needn't take a break from it!
So, what I am really looking for is (like the Blue Mikey) pocket-sized. I ride my bike all over L.A. - to auditions, meetings, sessions, yoga, band practice, gigs, parties, etc. When your agent sends you an audition for a 5-figure job that is due in within the hour (as just happened to me last week), and riding to the agency in Beverly Hills or to your home studio in Historic Filipinotown is not an option...having a super portable "studio" of sorts would come in handy. I realize I'd have to find a suitable space in which to record, but I am a very resourceful little sprite! I also have been know to travel by (fairly sound-proof) Volvo, in which case I'd be all set. Just need to find a decent, tiny mic...
Oh, and to clarify, I need something Android (not Mac) compatible.

[chucktaylor]

This won't help you cause it's not android, but I have the Blue Mikey and an iPhone and it has helped me many times over. I work in radio in Texas and go to a LOT of music festivals. When you're back stage or on the bus with an artist, you can't be lugging a laptop and a mic around, but I can pull out my Mikey and pop it in my iPhone and do a quick interview or get some liners. Once I get back to my studio I can either transfer it via wifi or ftp and POW I've got a near studio quality piece of audio to work with. LOVE IT!

[jsgilbert]

Chuck, any chance you can read a couple lines on the Blue Mikey and let us hear it straight oout unprocessed. I've heard the recording at their site and it sounds a little too good to be true. I'd be curious to hear what a recording might sound like from a treated and untreated environment. I'm sure others would too.