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05-07-2008, 10:08 PM
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#1 (permalink) |
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User
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2
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Waiting, Preparing
Good Evening All....
A virgin, yes, but while new to VO, I am a veteran of many stage productions, Local Access Cable shows, toured the country giving technical seminars and 20 years as a Auctioneer and Host for the local PBS TV TV Auction. In the past 15 years I have been a computer geek and ISP, but after a few interesting turns of events, I have sold the computer company to my partner and am off for a career change. I have a buffer of funds to help me get a start, but also will likely wait some tables or do some geek work on the side to augment the cash flow. At the realistic expectations headquarters that occupies a decent percentage of the brain pan, there is no consensus or clue, but if someone were to say, it'll take 2-5 years to reach income potential and some real luck to make serious cash.. well we would not be surprised... In cash spent, I have on order a Shure SM58 w/ wind guard, an ART Tube MP Project w/USB out, a table top tripod boom stand ( a kick drum stand actually). I have a decent enough PC with a gig of ram and a higher end sound card.. ( creative ) As I type I have a trial of Adobe Audition downloading, and in looking around find that the people that are serious about sound seem to use Cubase or Audition. Goldwave or Dexster are two programs at less than $50 each... but there is too wide of a gap between the $400 or so for Cubase/Audition that it makes me wonder what the cheapos won;t do that I'll wish I had. See "one" set of reviews here Audio Editing Software Review 2008 My talent is indeed my voice. I can do many accents and character voices as well as having quite a closet full of other noise and sound effects.I have a good sense of pace, good diction and the ability to speak very fast and clear... not that speed is everything...... I honestly feel I could step into Prarie Home as the sound effects person, and plan to send them a targeted audition. I do not have and expectations other than expecting to venture forth with a decent plan.. IE building a website, with demo's available and gettign good demo material together and being aggressive in marketing myself...... In the meantime, I am in sponge mode. Feel free to comment suggest or flame as needed..... I am glad to have found this website, as I have been a part of many other web based discussions forums, and I feel at home. Last edited by JasonS; 05-07-2008 at 10:13 PM. Reason: clarification |
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05-08-2008, 10:00 AM
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#3 (permalink) |
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Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 926
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Hey Jason - glad you found us!
You've got a lot of past achievements that will definitely help with a VO career, esp. the Theatre and public speaking. Even the tech stuff may come in handy if land a job with multi-sylabic words... Like your audio setup - I use an SM58 myself (with a TubePre). Seems like you've got a good head on your shoulders (what are you doing in VO? lol ;-) Welcome to the forum, Joe J Thomas www.JoeActor.com |
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05-08-2008, 02:29 PM
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#4 (permalink) | |
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User
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2
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Quote:
HI Joe... thanks for the kind words... I am a repressed actor. At 17 I went to audition at the NC School of Dramatic Arts... at the time my sense of self esteem was not up to the wall of passion exhibited by those I encountered at the Audition. I saw many hungry budding entertainers who actually had some serious talent and self confidence. In hindsigth, I had the talent, but not the cajones. I've since grown a pair. I have also been in and out of two other careers and find myself at a crossroads.. I already did the midlife crisis at 39, so this is truely a fulfilling my desire move. I've always been a noise maker... I do a very nice trombone! Animal sounds galore and all manner of accents. I think I am a natural for the industry.. however, I am also schmaht enough to realize that what *I* think doesn't alwsy translate into a paycheck. The gear should show up tomorrow or monday.... I spent the last few days browsing software choices, but haven't found a review that quantifies the difference in programs... obviously Cubase and Audition and PT are all good if not expensive choices, but there seem to be many $50 programs that get good reviews, but these reviews seem to ignore the expensive programs and vice versa.... If you could only give me one book about the VO industry, which one would it be? thanks....Jason |
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05-08-2008, 02:46 PM
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#5 (permalink) |
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Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 926
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Hey Jason,
Yeah, I got bit by the acting bug around 15. By the time I graduated high school I'd done a dozen shows (can't believe I had that much energy!) As for software, Audacity is free and not bad. I use Sound Forge (from Sony). They have a $70 version I believe that handles a lot... Also use Magix Audio Cleaning Lab - pretty good at around $40. One book? I'd have to go with "Word of Mouth" - check out the reviews section for more books and reviews (department of redundancy department chair). Someday we'll have to have an Animal Showdown... Joe J Thomas www.JoeActor.com |
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05-08-2008, 07:54 PM
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#6 (permalink) |
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User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 9
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Hi Jason,
Welcome aboard! Sounds like you've got some major life experience behind you. I'm about to arrive at midlife crisis myself...at 39 next year! If you would allow me to address the Audition vs all the other recorders, I'll put in my two cents. I've used Audition for several years. I love the program. It's powerful and fast. When I say powerful, I mean it has LOTS of bells and whistles and presets that are helpful. If you don't have much audio recording experience however, you could easily drown in it! One of the major features I use a lot in audition is that it is a multi-track recorder/editor. You can layer and stack lots of audio tracks with SFX and voices and instruments. ME PERSONALLY? I wouldn't say it's a necessity for VO. It's fun and all that, but it's complete overkill for a voiceover, some music and a SFX or two. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I've used a voice dictation program called wavepad. I downloaded it when it was a free program (there may not be a free version any more, but I'm not sure). I use wavepad to record professional VOs several times a week (my 8-5 job is in video production at a cable company) on a laptop computer. When using the same mic, it sounds no different than audition. Wavepad is limited to one voice track and a few effects like compression, noise reduction, pitch shifting and a few others, but it is BARE BONES and it works. I'm not recommending or discouraging either program...but just throwing in some thought. I like Sound Forge too and i have a friend who swears by Goldwave. So I'm sure I've muddied the waters abit... and I guess I'll see ya 'round!!!! One more comment here, I'm glad to hear that I'm not a complete oddball. You and Joe both have mentioned using the SM58. I have to admit, it's hard to go wrong with one. I've got access to a few different mics including the EV-RE20. For me personally, I don't like the RE-20 because it "squashes" the emotion right out of my reads. I can barely tell I'm inflecting at all! That mic is known for reducing the proximity effect (the closer you get, the more of a bassy sound you record)....for me it reduces more than just the proximity effect. It reduces my satisfaction level! Still, it's a good mic...just not for ME. Ya gotta find the right one for your own voice...SM58 does fairly well for me, and I have a Peavy somethin' something' (can't remember the numbers) that I like too. Again, welcome to the boards. --Jay |
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