READING & WRITING
Summary of 7 Secrets for Getting Pro Sounding Vocals article
Perhaps because I’m a budding audiophile everything I read, especially short articles of the list or tip variety, I seem to soak up. At a minimum I realize that what I may not fully initially from an article, I can review and explore later. We’ll, guess what? 7 Secrets for Getting Pro Sounding Vocals is another keeper …. another gem! Read it — especially if you have or think you might have any reason to do better home recordings or up your audio game. I know that I want to up my audio game . . . “Way Up Hi” in fact which is the name of my upcoming new trial music playlist podcast. Because I will be shortly posting how to access my inaugural, trial “Way Up Hi” podcast this blog, some of the information that 7 Secrets provides seemed especially and directly aimed at me!
- Oh, and did I say home recordings earlier? Still good, but for some reason I actually focused on the general audio take aways of this article as opposed to its vocal specific ones. Even the article’s singer-focused backdrop picture didn’t initially clue me in.! Oh well! I think that I will like the songs that I present in my music podcast so well that it will be extremely hard for me not to overlay my own vocals and comments right over top of the songs!
- Continuing Mr. Gaetani offers seven (7) good tips for my further development: 1 – Get in the zone. 2 – Hack your bedroom. 3 – Position your mic and pop filter correctly. 4 – Get the right mic levels. 5 – Do several takes. 6 – Be careful with your vocal editing and 7 – Know when (and when not) to process your vocal sound. Tips 1, 3, 4, and 5 were more intuitive for me. I will need to, however, research and let tip 6 (e.g., Autotune? and Melodyne?) and tip 7 (e.g., plug ins for DAWs?) marinate a bit longer.
- Bottom line this was a good short, digestible reference article! I particularly like Gaetani’s opening comment that with “some production knowledge and little bit of patience, you can get your home recordings sounding extraordinarily close to what a professional studio might deliver”. The entire piece was educational and informative for me. I now have more confidence in “what could be” because of it. There’s hope!
Summary of Editing Audio for Video article
Like the consummate b’ball player who has the complete game – starting with defense and offense I desire certain things. For example, I’m pretty sure I want to have a solid video and audio game. So, when Hal Robertson opens his article saying that audio sounds too often take a back seat to images on the screen, I get that. No Quincy Jones here “but”. Just saying. Important to any successful endeavor, Hal mentions having a good attitude. Check. Heaven forbid that you have to collaborate with your audio project, you will need to build a good culture. Check.
- A-Roll, B-Roll? Terms are now getting not just slapped around, but defined. As tech writer that’s what I do. Ensure that terms are defined. Check. Never heard of A-Roll but now this newbie is getting enlightened regarding what a A-Roll and a B-Roll is. A-Roll apparently has to do with your critical video footage. Footage that will very likely make the final production. B-roll, as the name implies, is supplementary footage that may or may not be used in the finished product. I think the point that I learned here is that the associated audio that goes with the A and B-Rolls is just as important as the video. Have plenty of it.. . . Don’t neglect the audio! B-Roll are filler pieces that reinforce the topic of your video and the words spoken by the on-camera talent. Two examples are the sounds of traffic movement or a mountain stream.
- In terms of learning, this Editing Audio for Video article was not as cogent and coherent, for me as the previously reviewed 7 Secrets for Getting Pro Sounding Vocals article. The latter was more intuitive and had more straightforward takeaways. This Editing Audio for Video article was more wading through scenarios, which can definitely be useful, but you have to dig more for “the point”. Never-the-less, I was able to extract and glean the following:
Edit for Audio: Expected more to be organized under this, the title of the article. Two points?
1) Using your A-roll footage, capture and import only those clips that tell the story, and then assemble them on the timeline in a logical order.
2) Use (audio?) clips to (emphasize) and tell the story.
- The rest? Snip and Clip – i.e., trim your video with down and dirty details provided. Ear Candy – i.e., note that most video editing software offer sophisticated audio tools to help you (presumably the ear candy?) The Picture – more down and dirty details on how to fix your images once you are happy with the video. Fade to Black – Author’s way of saying “conclusion”?. A key point here is editing the audio first is a great way to approach almost any video project. Sidebar: Post-Process Your Audio – Saw this more as some good points, rather than a sidebar. The key high-level idea seems to be to use audio post-processing to sweeten your video soundtrack. Great idea!
RESEARCH TO INFORM
Best Video Clips
Like my “Best Audio Clips” reviewed earlier in Module One we have all similarly experienced projects that have both audio and video in them that have moved us in some way. Probably just that much more exciting right, because now you’re adding the visual element. The following audio and video tracks really resonate with me — some of them going back decades! Again, I hope that you will appreciate one or more of my best clip selections also. I bet you will!
1 —— “Dragon Clip, LinkedIn Ad” —— Shhhhh. Quiet. 
I was going to keep this one under wraps but if you can keep this just between us I’ll go ahead and try to share this clip. I tried unsuccessfully about a few weeks ago to figure out how this clip was done . . . tried contacting the company and its CEO the pitchman who did the ad. Engaging? Oh. Yes. It engaged me. Caught me off guard a bit. Well produced? I would say that. There’s a reason I have listed here as “number one”. Elevates the content? Yes, for sure. This although I would have considered the content almost no matter what this ad was selling. I can see a plethora of applications to judiciously use this type of engagement for. Enough, enough. The link follows. ==> https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-roi-shop_not-your-fathers-roi-calculator-click-here-ugcPost-6884679244656590848-NehT
Hopefully you don’t have to have LinkedIn to view the above link. It would be a pity if that is the case.
3 —— “A video clip from the original Terminator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger” —— A true 80s scifi/horror its already hella scary enough when, as a viewer, you have to deal with a Terminator’s various “antics”. A weapon that can variously pull himself back together, slowly and drop-by-drop from the ashes of burned, molten metal. A weapon that can also softly and very deceptively disguise his voice as your mom over the telephone to lure you in.
I don’t much remember much ambient audio or over-the-top sound effects per se in the movie. I do remember, however, the constant very low, base and distinct “imminent heartbeat” sound that is strategically placed whenever the Terminator is about to appear. Totally engaging. Opening night had to be crazy. Yikes! The link here ==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k64P4l2Wmeg
4 —— “The soundtrack from the movie the Poseidon Adventure” —— This movie and how it’s professionally executed musical score seamlessly contributes this to its visual elements, is something to be admired. Ever increasing vibrant drums and strong horns leading into more calm recognizable thematic runs contribute to a very memorable experience. A new appreciation for audio’s roles helps me to appreciate the final product even more. This quality and skillful interplay between the scenes and the music continues to lure me in. The human condition when in a crisis mode, is on full emotional display here. I’m very much drawn into the characters and how they deal with the sinking ship’s situation. The music undeniable helps to draw me in: sometimes the music is appropriately low. Other times – to punctuate or underscore an upcoming dramatic scene, event, or mood for example – the music morphs upbeat or theatrical.
Just even thinking the orchestra-quality, musicality and strategic placement of the Poseidon Adventure’s
scenes move me. Excuse me while I grab some popcorn and watch this link again! It’s like the movie’s score is always buried deep in my mind. When I hear a few recognizable notes or see a related picture or video —- my emotions pretty much all come roaring back. The link here ==>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DxZFFsmdKk
CREATE
Ever hated waiting for a radio host or DJ to play “your song” or the surefire one that will get everybody poppin’ on the dance floor? You had to make that request, didn’t you? Could you stand to up your Spotify, Pandora, or Apple play list game but don’t have time to keep up with the latest artists or discover those old 70s, 80s, and 90s hits that you thought were just for Gen Xers or Baby Boomers?
Do you like a little Gospel or even a little Country music? If you answered a definite yes to any of these questions, then raise your right hand. Time to get initiated to your new musical tribe. You should give the Way Up Hi, my new, trial podcast a listen. It is a specially curated, eclectic podcast that offers authentic opinions about the songs and music of musical legends as well as up-and-coming stars. Reviews of selected songs of Earth, Wind, and Fire, Bruno Mars, Adel, Lee Ann Womac, and The Canton Spirituals are anticipated.
You can access my abbreviated, inaugural podcast episode that I created by clicking on this link ==>https://soundcloud.com/user-362063462/kp-wuh-minipodcastdemo-mixdown-for-quinnipiac-508-audio-video-class?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing.
Enjoy! — Kevin
