Use Your Voice: Recent Episodes
Alison Pitt
A resource for independent voice artists and audio producers. I look at news and topics that come up in my day-to-day, and I share them with you. In return, I hope you'll share some of what you're doing with me.
A London conference tackles women in music production, Gimlet Media is, like, really serious about that HBO of Audio thing, and your favorite AI assistant and mine, Siri, gets a new feature that will read you the news...Kinda.
- Association of Independent Musicians (AIM) Women in Music conference
- Gimlet hires Jenny Wall, former SVP of Hulu, as CMO
- "Give me the news" for Siri is out of Beta
Today's topic for discussion is all about pod-fade, why it happens, and how to get over it, and I want to hear from you about how you've overcome the doldrums. Because, you know, it's never happened to me, hashtag winky face.
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This week's Use Your Voice is a quick note to explain that I am putting the show on hiatus until 17 January 2018. In the meantime, please go and follow me on Twitter @alison_pitt. You can also continue to hear me weekly on Priority One: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast.
And don't forget to subscribe to this show so you can pick up right where you left off!
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As you’re listening to this show, I’m actually travelling. It’s the week after Thanksgiving here in the States, and I’ve got places to be. You know, important stuff. For grown-ups.
Because of that, I’m skipping the news, and we’ll pick up on that again next week, but I do still want to talk to you about the DeBreath plugin, as I promised, and before I get to that, there’s one other hot topic I want to address – Net Neutrality.
- FCC Plans to repeal Obama-era Net Neutrality rules
- Net Neutrality guidelines, 2015
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COMMENT NOW: Official FCC comments website for net neutrality
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Waves DeBreath plugin
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It’s a podcast-palooza this holiday week: “Super-listeners” are the next big thing, Shortcut is a new open-source web app for sharing clips of podcasts on social media, and SoundCloud introduces a new metric for their platform, that measures algorithmically-driven plays.
- The Rise of the “Super-Listener”
- Shortcut web app lets listeners clip and share audio from podcasts
- Soundcloud Introduces new stats to monitor algorithmic discovery
This week’s topic for discussion is all about the difference between loudness, RMS, and peak amplitude, and to what levels you should be mastering your audio.
Further reading:
- ITU-R BS.1770-4
- Loudness Normalization for Radio: Guidelines and Practice
- The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (CALM)
- “The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carroll
Special offer this week: Adobe Creative Suite 20% off, was $49.99/mo, now $39.99/mo
The Recording Academy publishes guidelines for producing hi-res audio, and a mysterious music production course has turned up on the web at a stunning 96% off…but where did it come from? I’m bringing you a few of the highlights from the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences awards last weekend, and sound engineers are experimenting with how object-based audio and personalization can help improve the listener experience, both at home, and at major events like the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea.
- The Recording Academy Producers & Engineering Wing issues new high-resolution recommendations for audio recording
- The Ultimate Music Production Bundle…but where does it come from? (via Mashable, The Daily Dot, and Geeky Gadgets)
- Highlights from the Society of Voice Arts & Sciences Awards 2017
- Orpheus project aims to improve lister experience by combining object-based audio and personalization
- How South Korea is gearing up to broadcast using immersive audio for the next Winter Olympics
This week’s topic for discussion is why you should prepare to pay for a good editor, and if you’re a podcaster, what you can do instead, if you can’t afford one.
Special offer this week: Adobe Creative Suite 20% off, was $49.99/mo, now $39.99/mo
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IBM tries – and fails – to put voice actors out of jobs, Google is bringing 3D audio to mobile devices, and Disney announces some powerhouses as the voices behind its upcoming Lion King remake. In podcasting news, Al Jazeera is experimenting with using Facebook Watch as a marketing tool, and as promised, I’m reviewing the latest update to Adobe Audition.
- IBM developing Virtual Voice Creator
- Google developing spatial audio toolkit for apps
- Lion King announces voiceover cast for live/CGI remake
- Al Jazeera’s new podcast network launches; pushed Facebook Watch as new medium
- Opinion: update on Adobe Audition
This week’s topic is all about how I got started on this crazy train of voice and audio work, and the spotlight is just a bit of fun from me.
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Adobe pushes some great new features for Audition CC, Voices.com upsets unionized voice artists with an expansion to their services, Spotify knows you’re listening to podcasts when you should be working, and LeVar Burton is out of legal trouble, but you don’t have to take my word for it.
- New updates for Adobe Audition (and more from Adobe CC)
- com introduces platform for producers to access Union voice talent
- Spotify: Podcast listening peaks midday, but not for everyone
- LeVar Burton is legally allowed to use his catchphrase on his podcast, LeVar Burton Reads
This week’s topic for discussion is why I think Apple Podcasts should ditch the five-star rating system, and in place of the spotlight this week, I’m challenging you to ramp up your podcasting skills.
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There’s good news this week for voice artists who speak languages other than English, as Netflix continues its push for content globalization. Upwork releases a study that claims that 10 years from now, the majority of American workers will be freelancers, and the IBC profiles two visual effects studios using cloud computing and remote collaboration to push the limits of their art.
- Netflix is making shows for international audiences using localization
- Upwork releases Freelancing in America 2017 study
- Creative services are making use of remote working too
In today’s topic for discussion, come down the rabbit hole with me. I’m looking at the history of the 440Hz “standard pitch”…and why anyone should care.
Further reading:
- Concert pitch
- Scientific pitch
- A440 (pitch standard)
- “A brief history of the establishment of international standard pitch” by Lynn Cavanagh
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The Proms
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Is Google upping their game on podcast delivery? CastBox aims to disrupt podcast discovery with its new transcribe-and-search feature, Amazon’s TV adaptation of the podcast “Lore” hits their streaming service, and the new Kindle comes with Audible…But why?
- Google buys audio startup 60dB
- CastBox unveils smart podcast discovery based on audio, not keywords
- Amazon turns ‘Lore’ podcast into a TV show
- New, waterproof Kindle Oasis comes with Audible built-in
Today’s topic for discussion looks at why the 44.1kHz sampling rate in digital audio is so popular, and I’ve got a spooky spotlight from a fellow podcaster telling stories, 10 minutes at a time.
Resources:
- 600 Second Saga on iTunes
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insani-x.com
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A sports audio company from the UK is blazing a trail for object-based audio broadcasting, Ford and Harman get together to create awesome audio for cars, Blue Apron makes a podcast of their own, and Gimlet Media wants to rule the podcasting world.
- Salsa Sound is pioneering NGA for broadcast
- A look inside how Ford and Harman create great car audio
- Blue Apron launches its own podcast with Gimlet
- Gimlet Media wants to be the HBO of Audio
Today’s topic for discussion is why you shouldn’t be in such a hurry to edit out all of your “ummms”, and I’ve got a spotlight from a pair of podcasters from New Zealand who really love listener mail.
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Anchor has secured $10 million in Series A funding for its growing audio social network, SAG-AFTRA has reached a tentative agreement with video game companies over contracts for voice actors, and Bruno Mars could send your kid to camp. How cool is that?
- Anchor secures $10M in new Series A Funding
- SAG-AFTRA Reaches Agreement with Video Game Publishers
- Bruno Mars to Sponsor More Children to Grammy Camp
Later, this week’s topic for discussion is an introduction to how music works in independent audio projects: what does “royalty-free” mean, what are the different licenses, where can you go to get music for your project, and who’s trying to disrupt the market in favor of creators?
Resources:
- AudioJungle
- FreePD.com
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SAG-AFTRA and The Actors’ Fund team up to help hurricane victims, Dolby Atmos is coming to the new Apple TV…at some point, and PRX’s Podcast Garage looks set to expand, but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.
- SAG-AFTRA Foundation, SAG-AFTRA Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund partner with The Actors Fund for Hurricane Relief
- Dolby Atmos coming to Apple TV 4k
- PRX aims to replicate Podcast Garage success in other cities
- September 30th is International Podcast Day
Today’s topic for discussion is a slightly mathy explanation on how to shrink the filesize of your wav’s…and in the creator spotlight, I’m showing off one of my recent commercials.
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The IRS extends tax deadlines for those affected by hurricanes, Spotify’s already hired someone to replace Tom Calderone, and the Creative Arts Emmys celebrate excellence in voiceover. IBC’s highest honour goes to Dolby, object based audio is the next big thing, and is it going to be Battle of the GarageBands between Apple and Microsoft?
- Extensions for Tax Deadlines for Hurricane Irma
- Tom Calderone’s Already Been Replaced at Spotify
- Creative Arts Emmys Winners
- IBC Show Awards International Honour of Excellence to Dolby Laboratories
- Object-based Audio for Broadcasters
- Is Microsoft creating a new DAW?
- Merriam-Webster Time/Traveler
This week’s topic for discussion is all about why Anchor isn’t really for me, and our spotlight this week is a technically challenging piece from audiobook narrator James Allison.
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Three weeks into a new podcast and I get derailed by a hurricane…This week is a little different because for the past week, my day-to-day has mainly been living through Hurricane Irma. I promise I’ll get back to my normal format next week, but this week I wanted to share with you a little about what it’s like to actually live through the most intense hurricane ever recorded. Today is Wednesday, September 13th, 2017, and Hurricane Irma passed over my house just three days ago, on Sunday, September 10th.
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There’s relief available for performing artists affected by Hurricane Harvey, Morgan Freeman is honored by the Screen Actors’ Guild, and Spotify’s Head of Video and Podcasting leaves the business. Podcast tech company Art19 raises $7.5 million dollars, and I’m following up on last week’s story about podcastmusic.com.
- Actors Fund help available specifically to performing arts and entertainment affected by Harvey
- Texas residents: call 323-933-9244 ext 455 or email intakela@actorsfund.org
- Louisiana residents: call 212-221-7300 ext 119 or email intakeny@actorsfund.org
- Morgan Freeman honored with SAG Life Achievement Award 2017
- Spotify’s Head of Video and Podcasting Leaves
- Art19 Raises $7.5m in Series A funding
Topic for discussion: Why Upwork’s 20% fee is 100% worth it
Spotlight: F-16 narration sample from Don White
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I’ve got the winners and the super-winners from the Academy of Podcasters Awards, presented at last week’s Podcast Movement conference. The BBC World Service is getting twelve bigger, and audiobooks for dogs is somehow a thing now. This week’s topic for discussion is all about that mysterious unit: the DECIBEL, and our spotlight is a fantasy book excerpt from narrator Scott Bennett.
- The Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame 2017
- The Academy of Podcasters Awards 2017 category winners
- PodcastMusic.com launch
- BBC World Service expands to 12 new languages by end of 2018
- Audiobooks for Dogs is a thing now, apparently
Topic for Discussion: It’s all about the decibels, baby!
Spotlight: The Dragon’s Curse: The Sorcerer’s Saga, Book 4
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In this inaugural episode of Use Your Voice, I'm introducing you to what you can expect from this show, and telling you how you can get involved!
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