Sound Design and Audio Wizardry

Hey I'm Brad. I do sound design. https://bradcolbroock.com/#sound

[holographicva]

Audio drama is a weird industry to work in because one person's low budget means "We have $100 ever. Maybe $105 but only if we really need that extra 5 bucks." And then another's "We cannot justify the $30,000 console and $10,000 worth of mics we wanted to use, so we're making do with the $1200 mixer/recorder combo and $1500 worth of mics in Steve's basement studio." And then every once in a while you'll run into a guy from a Hollywood background whose low budget is "we're really only willing to spend $100k on this unless it blows up."

But the really insane thing is that these people will interact and think they all have the same version of low budget, leading to a "budget" mic recommendation where the shock mount alone is more than the person is willing to spend on their entire season.

Anyway, if you're asking for budget audio recommendations, it really helps if you throw out a number rather than "not too much."

[kadharonon]

Every time I go to Costco now I think about [redacted because that season of @noadventurespod hasn’t even started airing] and I start giggling.

[noadventurespod]

[luvnotpercival]

Alright guys its happening - im putting together a life plan before i become a fully fledge adult (if that word is even real). I have a question for all you voice actors and audio drama people:

What microphone would recommend to use for recording?

See, i am starting out and i would eventually like to try my hand at voice acting at some point in the future (even though that isn't my true passion) but i realise that even if i don't act at some point i might like to do introductions and/or qna episodes where i might possibly need a mic.

Since i dont have a job, im not looking for anything too expensive, but then again i am willing to save up for a few years in order buy something good quality.

I also would want to look for something beginner friendly as well - I'm not sure what the entails but im sure i could make a wrong turn somewhere.

If there is any software/mic setup stuff anyone wants to recommend (all hail wardrobes, closets and duvets) as well that would be super!

Over and out!!

[holographicva]

The Razer Seiren Mini has been considered the minimum VA entry spec for a few years now - alongside the Neat Bumblebee it's one of the only sub-$100 mics that gets consistent recommendations without brand shenanigans, and both have come down pretty drastically in price over the last few years. Buy one of these to make sure you like voice acting before investing in a more permanent setup.

The next step up is probably going to be the Rode NT USB Mini, which is also plug-and-play but is actually built for podcasters over gamers.

If you're willing to spend more than $100 you'll probably want to go with an entry level interface and XLR mic. The dirt cheap option that won't crap out on you is likely a Minifuse One and an XM8500; if you can drop a few hundred and skip the upgrade tree I'll recommend interfaces from SSL and mics like the AT2035, SM58, or LCT 240 if you want a brighter sound.

Skip the Blue Yeti; it's overpriced for its use case unless you're planning to do a bunch of ASMR (and frankly there's better options for that as well). Its abominable little cousin the Snowball is also not worth your time unless you plan to do an insane amount of room treatment for a USB mic.

[toroidalearthtruther]

there seems to be a fundamental disagreement between microwave oven manufacturers and the producers of microwave meals over whether the customer should know the wattage of their microwave or if such details should be abstracted away from them

[tpwrtrmnky]

The least useful online space to hang out in is the type that's designated for "aspiring [creative skill]" with no users in them who actually make a living doing that skill. Someone who's been aspiring to create something without actually making anything for significant amounts of time has no useful advice for you if you actually want to do it.

[tpwrtrmnky]

Don't get stuck preparing to make something forever. Start making something, finish it quickly and move on. The first thing you make will suck, and then in the process of making it you'll have learned a whole bunch of stuff, which will make the next thing better.

[eowynwise]

[firagasoap]

Broccoli Knuckle Duster by David Delahunty

[ma-gpie]

[shop5]

let’s be real the pressure to use AI as an adult is exactly what they said the pressure the do drugs as a teenager would be like but the people that told us that caved immediately for the AI and definitely did not just say no

[shinraalpha]

AND nobody is offering me drugs, smdh

[starplanes]

Inching close to selling 100 copies of my book! You can help Number Go Up at ko-fi.com/s/a661c14fe2

[fixaidea]

Bahh. I see how it is. When the dangerous crow boy eats plastic he's 'doing great' and 'doing his job', but when I, the humble housecat...!

[noadventurespod]

Managed to get through 5 years of making Absolutely No Adventures without baking a single thing IRL. That changes today.

[a-kind-of-merry-war]

friends, if I can give you one piece of advice for those of you who are new to work, or are about to enter the workforce, especially if you have any sort of office job:

Do not work on your days off.

"But--"

DO NOT WORK ON YOUR DAYS OFF.

[theprofessional-amateur]

Do not work on your breaks

Do not “answer a few emails” on your vacation

Do not work off the clock

Doing this doesn’t reward you with more money or whatever. It rewards you with more work.

[pigeon-girl-punk]

Additionally: TAKE YOUR BREAKS P L E A S E

[boombox-fuckboy]

I would love to start making fiction podcasts yet I'm only 16 and am worried that's too young and will make it harder. At what age do you think it would be best to start making them and do you think that younger people (16-18) have more struggles in production? I do have friends who would happily voice act but im also worried that people wouldn't listen to younger voices and that. wouldn't be able to find older voice actors eho would be willing to work with me if needed (hence limiting myself and my work). I doubt i would try producing one until 18 but I am keen on writing scripts and planning stuff out.

Sorry that this is quite long x 😅

Hello!

My turn to write a very long reply.

I should probably preface this by saying that I've never made an audio drama either, so I do not have a complete perspective on this. There are creators around who can likely give better insights, but I'll do my best.

I don't think there is a best age to start learning any particular craft. A newbie at 16 and a newbie are 46 are both still new, right? We've all got to learn some time. That said, I've heard from other new creators that before you start on a long audio drama, trying to make a 3-5 episode complete short series is a really great way to get used to everything involved with the craft (writing for a set length, new software, mic setup, audio editing, acting, time management, etc etc) without getting overwhelmed.

However, being younger might limit what you have access to: a space to record, for example, is something you could probably build a blanket fort for (this is a common strategy at any age) if your living situation allows for it, but you might not be able to access a professional space if you're after one (though it's worth checking if school or local library has one you could use). Some people even use a closet (just, please don't overheat).

At 16, you're also probably pretty close to graduation: if you live in a country where it's normal for people to disperse after highschool, be aware of that when casting (this seems to be a pretty common issue), because it might shake up availability when it happens. High school is also a hell of a commitment time-wise, so while I won't say you for sure should wait, I also wouldn't blame you for waiting a few years.

As for whether people would want to listen to young voices: there are podcasts that were made by people your age that are pretty well appreciated. InkWyrm, for example, is a hilarious sci-fi rom-com that I believe was pretty popular while it was releasing. My advice when making something is always going to be to make something you enjoy (either the process or the product, or both), and then let the people who will enjoy it find it too. It can take quite a few episodes for shows to gain traction (even the ones we think if as big today), so don't be disheartened if they don't find it right away.

Tal Minear has some important tips for younger creators too that I feel are worth linking:

💬 0  🔁 136  ❤️ 202 · If you're under 18 and doing indie audio drama - I love and support you but please watch out for people taking advantag

And they have a lot of good resources on their website that I feel more people should be aware of in general:

Podcast Producer, Voice Actor, and Sound Designer.

Hopefully this at least partially answered your concerns, but feel free to send another ask if there's anything you'd like clarified or if I can help with finding anything.

[holographicva]

I will fully endorse making a scrappy little show with your friends so you can figure out how to do it. Start with a standalone piece that you may never even post to wider internet so you can figure out how to use your mic, your recording software, find out just how much noise lights and fans make, and most importantly whether or not editing audio is in fact a wildly unbearable task that you will have to hire out because it makes you want to shatter your laptop. Yes I have seen that many times before, why do you ask?

Back when I was voice acting I got cast in plenty of projects that turned out to be run by teenagers, and that usually followed this cycle: -Group of friends decides to get some actors from the internet -Scripts take a month or two to actually get written (should have waited to cast) -Group independently comes up with a recording plan that may or may not mirror any industry standards -An episode or two gets recorded and maybe even released -School starts in the fall and the project dies to never be seen again

That last part's really most of what you're fighting against. You can largely avoid it by casting friends at school where you're all vaguely aware of each other's schedules and can pile into a living room rather than doing everything remotely with people you've never met. When you're making something as a big collaboration with a bunch of strangers on the internet, you wind up doing a lot more project management than actual creative work. You will also find very quickly that this takes longer than you are expecting.

I've said this before but it bears repeating: A lot of creators still maintain an 18+ requirement for paperwork reasons regardless of content. Hiring teenagers above board, especially in performance roles, and especially if there's any money involved gets really complicated really fast and is probably legally supposed to involve your parents. That's more hassle than most indie creators want to deal with, and it's way easier to hire someone who can sign a contract and definitely control their own finances than taking a gamble on explaining the concept of audiodrama to a stranger demanding to know what it is. That will definitely be a roadblock to business style growth, but don't let that stifle any achievable creative vision.

[holographicva]

Just finished helping with some first round auditions and I'm noticing there's a little tip that some newer voice actors need to know:

Saying "I use an XLR microphone" is not the same as telling me the actual model you are using, and it definitely isn't industry jargon for "I have a good mic."

If someone asks what computer you use, they probably want to know "Windows, MacOS or Linux?" and maybe a processor spec or model year. If you tell them "One with HDMI" you've basically said "I use a commercially available computer." It's not relevant unless you're plugging it into their equipment.

XLR is just a connection type, and it's been the default for studio microphones for decades. You can find it in $3000 mics packed with features...

...and you can also find it on $20 objects that are technically a microphone. Like this one I bought as a donor body. Originally it was about the same size as the mic above. It has two wires, was soldered directly to the XLR pins, and picked up a wild amount of interference. I would prefer any of my USB mics to this thing.

A 416/U87/SM7B does not a great actor make, but it's great shorthand for two things:

If you have have hundreds or thousands of dollars to invest in an industry standard mic, you probably also have the money, time, and room to set up a reasonably permanent recording space. No, it's not fair, I know.

More importantly, you know, at minimum, enough about your equipment to operate it, and have enough information that if you need live troubleshooting I can find the manual online. It's easier to find tech specs for a TLM103 than a HyperXQuadCast than a gaming mic than a white label microphone. When you're recording remotely and acting as your own recording engineer, these both matter.

9 times out of 10 the name of the microphone is going to be written on the actual mic body. Write out the numbers, not just the brand name, and certainly not just the connector.

[ponett]

you just don't get shit like this with 8-episode streaming seasons

[trekheritageposts]

star trek heritage post (October 17, 2024)

[aureumalchemist]

Went into "Carmilla" knowing that the internet says that the titular vampire is a lesbian and figured that was just the internet being it's horney self, but, boy, were they spot on! Only four chapters in and it is nigh impossible to not see it.

[theygender]

You know I'm gonna be honest. I don't think all these apps really need access to my precise location