Remote Audio Voice Recording During The COVID-19 Lockdown

by Bob Kirschner

The Corona Virus stay-at-home rules have drastically impacted our audio post production industry. Without the ability to gather together in a recording studio, group voice recordings that rely on multiple people interacting simultaneously need to make use of remote audio (and video) technologies to connect people in real time while recording the audio tracks. Voiceovers, narration and podcast recordings are the common types of recordings that are taking place. These recordings are done by both professional voice actors as well as non-professionals. There are a number of different remote platforms available, of varying audio quality. Some platforms lend themselves to professional use while other platforms are more suited to non-professionals for things such as internal business use and podcast purposes. In this and a series of future articles, I will describe and compare the various remote technologies that audio and voiceover professionals are using to record from their homes. I’ll go into the techniques involved to ensure the best audio quality, and cover options that allow non-professionals the ability to get their audio recorded with minimal technical issues.

I’ll start with a summary of the most commonly used platforms for remote audio voice recording.

1. ISDN - Historically this has been the most commonly used technology for broadcast-quality audio connections. But in the past decade ISDN usage has seriously declined, and has been mostly replaced by internet-based technologies. ISDN requires copper telephone lines (it doesn’t work on fiber) which are being phased out by communications companies, and is very expensive for companies to maintain. The COVID-19 situation has definitely increased the speed of its decline and as such, it doesn’t appear the professional audio community will be using ISDN much longer.

2. Source Connect - Created by Source Elements, this proprietary broadcast-quality remote technology has become the industry standard for audio and voice professionals. There are a few different ‘flavors’ of Source Connect, but all versions require that each connected party purchase their own Source Connect license. The technical setup is somewhat involved, but it allows users to connect to other users while also recording audio on their computer workstation. For professional voiceover actors working from home, Source Connect offers the highest-level platform for remote audio quality.

3. Source Connect Now - Also created by Source Elements, this free remote platform uses Google’s OPUS open-source codec. Users can register for an account, then invite anyone else to connect via their Google Chrome browser. This free platform only supports a connection for two parties, one of which typically is the audio engineer handling the recording, the other is usually the voice talent. All audio is transmitted via Google Chrome browser.

4. ipDTL - Meaning “IP Down The Line”, this platform, also based on Google’s OPUS codec, has probably become the most commonly used remote platform during the COVID-19 shutdown. ipDTL is a paid subscription service, and works via a browser or their stand-alone application. Their feature-rich platform includes professional features like on-board recording, audio playback during connections, the ability to connect up to four parties, ISDN connections, and telephone service, some of which are available at an additional cost. I’ll be going into this platform in more detail in a later article.

5. Session Link Pro - This remote platform is more commonly used in Europe. It’s also based on Google’s OPUS codec, and has a feature-set similar to ipDTL.

6. Skype - A household name primarily used for video conferencing. But also used in the professional audio community to allow remote parties to connect in to recording sessions for listening and providing direction. Skype audio quality is not great, but since this is a free platform it is an option to easily allow non-professionals to record a group-style podcast by connecting in conjunction with an audio engineer who can record the audio.

7. Uberconference - This is a remote conferencing platform that is a replacement for a traditional telephone conference service, and supports video connections. It’s a low-cost subscription plan that offers unlimited calls and an unlimited number of connections to each call. The audio quality is similar to Skype, and is another option to easily allow non-professionals to record a group-style podcast by connecting in conjunction with an audio engineer who can record the audio.

If we want to group the above platforms into similar types for audio quality comparison purposes, I would do it as follows:

Group 1 - Best Audio Quality

ISDN

Source Connect

Group 2 - Very Good Quality (Google OPUS codec)

Source Connect Now

ipDTL

Session Link Pro

Group 3 - Acceptable Quality (standard audio over IP)

Skype

Uberconference

That about wraps up my summary of the current remote platforms for voice recording. Stay tuned for follow up articles that compare the features within each of these groups; for a deep dive into ipDTL; and for a look at what equipment I recommend and how to get the best sound out of your home recording.

Building A Podcast Listenership

by Dylan Dagenais

How does one discover podcasts? As someone in the industry I get asked this all the time. Is it Subway advertisements? Social media? Podcast hosts always want the key to getting people to listen.

 The simple answer is that the number one way that people decide what podcasts to listen to is listening to other podcasts.

Above is a sample of how a listener comes to find the podcasts that they like. I was introduced to the podcast improv comedy Dragon Friends by my sister and by listening to that came across every podcast on this chart.

Let’s further breakdown how a listener comes to their next podcast obsession.

1.     GUESTS

Guesting on a podcast is the number one way to get new listenership. The good news is that podcast hosts are always looking for guests, as often the formula of the same one to five hosts every episode gets stale.

A good example is the Shockwaves film podcast. Every episode features an interview with a film director, writer, actor or icon and gives it the feel of an edgy news show.

 Another example is Michael Hing and Ben Jenkins’s podcast Free to a Good Home, a comedy podcast based around internet classified ads. Though some episodes feature only the dynamic of the two hosts, most episodes have a guest come in to bring their own humor, stories and perspective to the topic.

2.     PLUGS

 A plug is more or less a shoutout to a podcast that a host is friends with or works with in some capacity. The fast-growing company Luminary uses this technique to keep their listeners listening to their podcasts. As a subscription service much like Netflix, the idea is to have a ton of great content to work through. The podcast we work with, On Second Thought with Trevor Noah, is one of these programs and Luminary’s catalogue of shows keeps their listeners discovering.

 This can be within a network/company or just among podcasts hosts with similar goals.

 3.     PREVIOUS LISTENERSHIP

 Many podcasters have more than one podcast in their time. Cross-promotion is key and especially when ending one podcast it is a good strategy to have the next lined up and ready to go. That way listeners can transition seamlessly from one listening experience to another.

4.     PRODUCERS

Line producers tend to work on a lot of podcasts. For example, Leon Neyfakh broke open the podcast world with his podcast Slow Burn and now works on both Trevor Noah’s show and a new podcast Fiasco. Alexei Toliopoulos has been a podcaster for several years, but grew his listenership after doing the slightly more mainstream comedy/investigative podcast Finding Drago for ABC’s podcast network. The ABC audience enjoyed his narrative voice in Drago and then went back and found goofier podcasts like The Mike Check. In addition to this, he went on to produce The Ladies Guide to Dude Cinema, now enjoying a great listenership from fans of their work and Alexei’s.

Having a producer who has podcast experience is a sure feather in the cap of any podcast, not only for their knowledge of the form but also for the listeners that follow their work.

5.     LIVE PODCAST EVENTS      

 A podcast with a devoted following often has a live event at some point and records a “live podcast”. Grouping these events is becoming more and more frequent, to the point where we may see podcast festivals in the future, much like Ozyfest right here in New York. These types of events work like a concert; if you like listening to it it’s exciting to see it live. The opportunity for discovery and building listeners is huge and the added bonus is having live-recorded content that can be used as exclusive content for your podcast.

Podcasts are just coming into their own as a free-standing industry, and it is important that the listener have more and more content for their commutes, road trips and leisure time. Make sure your podcast is next in the queue.

How to Edit a Podcast

Editing your podcast can seem like a daunting and even tedious task. We all want to look and sound professional in our chosen career and podcasting is no different. How do you achieve that polished sound without throwing money at the issue? Our industry professionals here at CMD have all had successful voice over careers and are trained to give you the skills necessary to build a successful podcast and attract listeners. In this BLOG we’ll share some industry standard tips and tricks to giving you the sound and finished product you’re looking for.

5 Successful Editing Tips

There are some professionals who choose not to edit their podcasts as they want an authentic sound. However, if you aren’t as adept at public speaking or cold reading, editing will make your podcast easier for your listeners to follow and will better hold their interest. Here are some of our top editing tips:

1. Watch your tone. One of the most noticeable editing mistakes comes when there is a shift in vocal tone. Often you are required to edit together two different segments of audio, merging sentences. Watching your tone and volume, and making sure it is as consistent as posible, will make editing much easier.

2. Spacial awareness and pacing. The pace and vocal spacing in your podcast is essential for ease of the listener. Too much space can seem unnatural and cause your listener to become disinterested. Too fast a pace can make your delivery seem choppy and unfocused. Find a flow that feels natural for you and your guest. Natural pauses are necessary to allow the listener to internalize information.

3. Breathe Naturally. One common mistake when editing is cutting off a breath too quickly or not allowing for one at all. Watch for double breaths, missing breaths or a cut off a breath as these stilt the natural flow of your podcast and sounds unnatural. Try increasing the size of your waveforms in the DAW to spot breaths. And be sure to listen to each edit with a good amount of pre-roll to hear it in context.

4. Check your F’s and H’s. When you’re watching for those breath mistakes, be sure you don’t cut off the end of a consonant. “S” consonants often look like a football on a waveform. “F” and “H” consonants are a bit more difficult to spot on the waveform. When editing separate takes together, consonants make great places to do that because consonant tones usually don’t change much.

5. Music edits. I know, why do you need to know how to edit music, podcasts are about audio. While 90% of your podcast will be dialog, there will usually be a music intro or finale with music during transitions. One of the most noticeable editing mistakes is mis-edited, ill flowing music. Find an ideal loop point in the music where elements stay fairly static and line up two transient points in the waveform. If your edit sounds jarring just try again until it feels smooth.

CMD Will Professionally Record and Edit Your Podcast!

At CMD, we have helped a plethora of corporate clients professionally edit their podcast. While we typically provide services to professional organizations and producers, we also strive to publish meaningful information like this for those individuals who might not have the budget to utilize our Manhattan studio.

With our state of the art sound and mixing equipment, professional voice over coaching and innovative courses, you can’t go wrong with choosing CMD. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by due to fear of the unknown, call 212-213-9420 today!