Migrate Sound Audio post

I know a pro when I see (or hear) one… Big shoutout to Natasha Marchewka! We’re producing a new voice-over demo for Natasha for which she recorded herself. Her recordings are off the chart! Levels are impeccable, the acoustic is irreproachable, and her organization skills are the hallmark of her strengths as a voice-over talent. This may seem like a ponderous post made to praise the talent of my colleague and good friend, but it is more than that. The reason I decided to write it is because a majority of the recordings I get are not like Natasha’s. This isn’t me complaining (well, maybe a little) this is me saying that everyone can achieve the same level of professionalism… All you need is a goal and enough motivation to make a difference. How, you ask? 1. Check your levels BEFORE you record yourself, so you don’t have to rely on audio processing to make you sound “better” on the audio export. Plugins are like spices… Less is more because it’s all about the quality of the ingredients. 2. Make sure your mic is positioned correctly. Optimizing placement in the booth and proximity to the microphone will ensure good audio quality and limit the need for another plugin… EQ. 3. If your audio is for listening purposes only, you can export it using a compressed audio format like mp3. If your audio will be used in post, you should export it using an uncompressed audio format such as WAV or AIFF. 4. Each take should have its own file. In other words, every time you start a new take, it should be a new clip on your timeline. If you prefer to press record once and let it roll for the entire session, quickly separate each take into multiple clips before exporting your audio. 5. Following my previous point, organize your takes and label them accordingly. In addition to an audio slate (take 1, take 2, etc.) label each take with your name, the name of the brand or the product, and finally the take number. Doing all this will grant efficiency and peace of mind that the preferred take is used. I hope this helps. Thank you Natasha for always being so professional. In addition to being an exceptional voice-over talent, you’re also an amazing audio engineer 😉 #VoiceOverDemo #VoiceOverDemoReel #VoiceOverRecording #VoiceOverSkills

I often see young actors auditioning and reading their copy from their phone. I may be old-fashioned but I can’t imagine this being a very efficient method… And that’s because it’s not. In fact, I always advise and train voice actors to either print their copy or use a tablet. Reading copy on a small screen requires too much visual effort. The energy spent reading such small characters is better spent on the audition itself, like focusing on the message and the brand, finding the right voice and emotions that will speak to the audience. I recorded a narration piece yesterday with voice actor Jaswant Dev Shrestha for a new documentary. Though I had the entire script printed and ready for him, he chose to read the copy on his computer. The large print allowed him to focus more on his delivery, and less on the text itself. In other words, more acting and less squinting… It's good for everyone, and even better for old eyes like mine ;) To each their own! #VoiceOver #VoiceOverRecording #VoiceOverCopy #Auditioning #VoiceOverTraining #VoiceActing #VoiceActors

Getting ready for a new documentary record on this beautiful Sunday morning. Weekend or not, always excited to record such talented actors and provide inspiring content to the world! #VoiceOver #Actors #RecordingSession #RecordingStudio #Documentary #Inspiring #RecordingEngineer #ProductionStudio

Pop filters are very useful to minimize basic speech sounds such as harsh sibilance, mouth clicks, and popping consonants. However, when they are not specifically needed for sonic improvement, they can alter the resulting quality of your audio in a bad way, and SHOULD NOT BE USED. The mid range of your audio can drop significantly between 2 and 4 KHz. That’s your vocal presence and well, vocal presence is pretty darn important for an audition. Furthermore, the high end of a recording can disappear completely, and that’s where clarity usually resides. To compensate for such frequency loss, we resort to audio processing such as EQ. We bump up certain frequencies but all that does is add more noise to the recording. 90% of a good recording can be achieved during the recording, with ideal mic placements and proper mic techniques. I have a very simple rule about audio processing: less is more. Don’t use a pop filter if you don’t have to, and adjust your microphone accordingly. This will save you a ton of time during the mixing and exporting of your audition. #VoiceOver #VoiceOverRecording #Audition #PopFilter #MixingAudio #ExportingAudio #AudioFrequency #VocalPresence #VocalClarity #Voice

This totally made my day! I love getting those unexpected feedbacks and praises from the people I work with. I feel extremely grateful to play with the very best in the field. Jim Pratt, right back at you pal! Your undeniable talent is a huge asset to every audio ad we collaborate on. My job is a lot easier because of professionals like you. Oh and, about that plugin? I hope it is never invented… At least until I decide to retire 😉 Cheers! #Praises #Reviews #Teamwork #Professionals #AudioAd #AudioAds #AudioProduction #VoiceOver #Talent

Transitioning from Fairlight Xynergi to Fairlight Blackmagic is hard enough, and yet someone thought it would be a fun joke to switch the position of the UNDO and REDO buttons on the new system… Seriously!? #Fairlight #Xynergi #BlackMagicDesign #DaVinciResolve #Transition #StudioUpgrade #KeepUpWithTechnology #KeepingUpWithTechnology #EngineerLife #DAW #DigitalAudioWorkstation #Audio #SoundSystem

When prepping the production of a new ad campaign, there's absolutely no need to do it inside the studio... Time to get some fresh air! #WorkingOutside #VitaminD #EnjoyWorkingOutside #WorkTrends #NewWorkTrends

After four full weeks of using my new Blackmagic Fairlight audio system and DaVinci Resolve, I feel an optimistic outlook for the studio’s efficiency and overall productivity. That wasn’t always the case. After day 2, I was seriously questioning my ability to master the intricacy of ALL these new and updated functions. But now, the view from the top is looking more and more hopeful as time goes. This particular upgrade is ranking Migrate Sound amongst the larger players, in terms of capability and deliverability. The sheer power and processing quality of this new system is by far the biggest enhancement gap I’ve ever achieved from one system to the next. Blackmagic did an amazing job in keeping the integrity of the original Fairlight interface, while integrating the new bells and whistles of the new technology. I am an avid Fairlight fan and Blackmagic did not disappoint. Fairlight peeps, if you are considering upgrading your system to the latest and greatest that our industry has to offer, feel free to reach out and ask me questions. #ProductionStudio #AudioStudio #AudioEquipmentUpgrade #StudioUpgrade #BlackMagicDesign #Fairlight #FairlightConsole #DaVinciResolve #Hopeful #FingersCrossed

My new audio system comes with a “Create Radio Ad” button! OK, that’s not entirely true. There’s no button but I do create radio ads. The ads that come out of this studio are meticulously handcrafted and organically produced by yours truly 😉 And I’ll continue to do it that way for as long as I can! Until that button becomes a reality. Then it'll be time to retire! #Radio #RadioAdvertising #RadioAds #HandCrafted #Produced #ProductionStudio #Advertising #NoAIHere #Arts #AI #ArtificialIntelligence

Done with the installation which included some minor rewiring. Now it’s time to learn a new system! #Audio #StudioUpgrade #ProductionStudio #RecordingStudio #AudioGear #Fairlight #FairlightConsole #BlackMagicDesign #KeepUpWithTechnology #NewAudioSystem #DAW