DB Cooper Featured by Seacoast Online

For a woman born in California and raised in Hawaii, DB Cooper (Deirdre Williams) is heavily entrenched in the Seacoast. She’s a voice you know, even if you can’t put a face to it.

Cooper is a longtime, regional radio personality and has acted and directed for film and stage. These days she’s still “the voice” performing as a staff announcer for CBS Radio Boston, WBZ, one of four employees doing company commercials.

She actually makes a living with those pipes.

“Pat Fraley (my business partner) says I’m the poster child for the successful voice career from the hinterlands of America,” she says, laughing.

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Tips from Neumann Brand Manager on Preserving Microphones

A wide range of studio condenser microphones has recently been developed to meet the needs of home and project recording engineers. If you’re about to purchase your first condenser mic, you should be aware that while they sound great, they also require quite a bit more care than dynamic mics. This article will explain how to maintain the best-quality recordings from your condenser mic for years to come.

Many engineers are unaware that microphone diaphragms are “working” even when the mic is not plugged in, which means there is mechanical movement at the diaphragms 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To avoid possible damaging noises and conditions, and to keep your condenser mic in tip-top shape, take the following precautionary measures.

Use a Dust Cover
Microphones not in operation should never be left on the stand unprotected. By design, condenser mic capsules and the amplifier circuit are of an extremely high impedance. Dust, ash, smoke, and other pollutants can degrade the insulating properties of the materials used for this part of the microphone. A non-fluffy dust cover will help protect the mic from dust settling on the capsule.

Use a Pop Screen
The pop screen does more than eliminate the plosive noises in vocal recordings. In close-miked vocal applications, such screens also can efficiently protect the diaphragm from almost anything, including breath humidity and food particles.

Discard Aging Windscreens
Foam material used in mic windscreens ages and degrades over time. With very old windscreens, the material decays, becomes brittle, and sheds. The particles can then settle on the diaphragm. To test for this, hold the windscreen over a flat surface and wring it in your hands. If particles show up on the surface, you should discard the windscreen.

Functional Testing
Modern condenser mics cannot be harmed by high sound pressure levels (SPLs) found in the studio. Still, there is no need to blow directly onto the diaphragm to see if a mic is working and present on the console. Normal speech is the best test, as only scratching the mics by rubbing a fingernail against the grille may not show a dropped cable leg or even gross distortion. Also, pop testing can produce SPLs at the capsule that exceed 140 dB, which may damage your studio speakers.

With older microphone types, be aware that some diaphragms can indeed be damaged by excessively high SPLs. The Neumann M50, KM53, KM54, KM56, SM2, SM23, KM88 and TLM50 all have nickel diaphragms that can be damaged by high SPLs. Also, older U47s and M49s may still have PVC diaphragms, which become brittle with age. Even transporting microphones from one part of the studio to another and the subsequent rush of air over the capsules can cause huge SPLs at the diaphragms. When moving the mics from place to place, enclose them in a case, a box or even a plastic bag.

Long-Term Storage
When not in use for a longer period of time, the mic should be stored in a case of some kind. One specific recommendation is to store condenser mics in sealed plastic boxes (like Tupperware) along with a silica gel desiccant pack.

Regular Servicing
Sending in microphones for servicing can help detect potential damage early. Slight soiling can be removed much more easily than a layer of nicotine that has been embedded firmly in the diaphragm. Regular check-ups of microphones on loan or those used in dusty or smoky environments can prove especially beneficial, as the cost is small compared to that of a major overhaul.

Expense of Do-It-Yourself
Attempting your own repairs on a delicate condenser mic can often do more harm than good. For cleaning soiled capsules consider referring the work to a trained and experienced professional.

Also, certain parts of condenser mics may be specifically selected and cannot be replaced with standard components.

Once you’ve invested in a studio con-denser mic, it’s wise to send any defective or damaged microphones directly to the manufacturer or authorized service centers for repairs. These providers can accomplish repairs in a timely, professional manner.

Following the tips in this column and exercising some common sense, you should enjoy a long life of excellent service from your studio condenser microphones.

Karl Winkler is brand manager for Neumann / USA. Contact him at kwinkler@neumannusa.com, or for more information, visit the Neumann Web site at www.neumannusa.com.

Source: DiscMakers.com

Therapy Gives Singer Her Voice Back

Emelia Cowans depends on her voice. In addition to radio and voice-over work, she is a PR spokesperson, actress and singer. But early this year, all that appeared to be in jeopardy.

Cowans went to the Duke Raleigh Hospital’s Voice Care Center for help.

“I couldn’t hit all of my notes above middle register C any more and I was like, something is wrong,” said Cowans. “This was effortless before and now it requires a lot more effort.”

Using a specialized diagnostic tool, Dr. Seth Cohen found that Cowans had lesions, or sores, on her vocal cords.

“Vocal cords are very fluid structures and there is really nothing else quite like it in the human body,” said Cohen. “Once those vibratory layers are inflamed or diseased, the body can’t make new vibratory layers.”

Vocal injuries are often caused by overuse, but can result from neurological conditions or medical treatments. Sometimes, as in Cowans’ case, allergies and gastric reflux can cause irritation that leads to injury.

Cohen works with a voice specialist/speech-language pathologist to design a treatment plan for each patient. Cowans has regular therapy sessions to learn new ways of singing and speaking that won’t strain her voice.

“It is in part about building technique,” said Leda Scearce, voice specialist and speech-language pathologist. “But it’s also about working on the voice in a way that will allow the injury to resolve, but still enable that person to fulfill their vocal obligations.”

Traditional treatment for vocal nodes has been complete vocal rest, which wasn’t an option for Cowans, and surgery to remove vocal nodes. Cohen says therapy often allows patients to avoid surgery and the downtime required for the delicate incisions to heal.

Patients at the center range from singers and broadcasters to teachers and clergy.

How Can You Prevent Voice Injuries?

Hydrate. Voice Specialist Leda Scearce of Duke Raleigh Hospital recommends two liters of water per day for singers and anyone who wants a healthy voice.

Minimize alcohol and caffeine. They are dehydrating and make the vocal folds drier.

Minimize voice strain. Yelling and screaming, throat clearing and coughing, and talking in noisy situations are vocal misuse that can lead to injury.

Get proper training. Singers are vocal athletes, should have training whether pursuing it as an avocation or profession.

Learn to use your speaking voice in the same way as a singing voice.

Source: NBC17.com

Corey Burton, Man of 1000 Voices, Interview

If Lon Chaney was the man of a thousand faces, then Corey Burton is the man of a thousand voices. A much admired voice-over actor, he is also a self-professed “socially awkward, scatterbrained geek,” — one whose IMDB listing reads like a compendium of audio-visual pop culture.

Burton has stepped into roles such as Star Wars’ Count Dooku, a Transformer here and there, and even Brainiac. He’s the go-to guy for Disney. You may know him as the ghost host of the Haunted Mansion ride, or the familiar narrator in the Goofy short How To Hook Up Your Home Theater.

Burton is professional, knowledgeable, and he is… nice? Yes. Burton is highly approachable and makes it clear through his own writing at coreyburton.com that his concern and passion extend to the entire industry. I was thrilled to have the chance to hear what he would have to say to the aspiring artists, voice-over actors, and geeks of the world. Burton’s insights extend to how he got his start in the industry, what it’s like to work under George Lucas’s “prime directive,” and why he’s uncomfortable with the idea of prank phone calls.

To read the full interview at Animation World Magazine, click the source link below:

Source: Animation World Magazine

Aviom Speaks Volumes at Cotton Hill Studios

Cotton Hill Studios in Albany, NY has been busy with automatic dialogue replacement (ADR) sessions for a number of high-profile clients for such television shows as “Battlestar Gallactica,” “Flash Gordon,” “Jericho”, and “The Kill Point.” In the middle of it all, making the jobs of the actors and engineers easier and more productive, is Aviom with its Pro16 Monitor Mixing System.

A typical ADR session involves not only the recording studio and voice talent, but often producers, directors, and vocal/dialogue coaches located in other parts of the country. Remote parties participate via ISDN, allowing everyone to interact in real time. The artists need to hear the original set dialogue, music, sound effects, directions from the production team and coaches, cues, playback of the re-recorded parts, and talkback from the control room. With the Aviom Pro16 Monitor Mixing System, actors and engineers have control over their own audio environment, so they don’t miss a cue or a direction and still have the ability to monitor their own performance.

“It’s not unusual for us to have seven or eight different sources to feed to a talent when working on an ADR session for broadcast or movies,” says Margherita Petti Krug, the studio’s general manager. “Our engineers treasure the flexibility that the Aviom mixers afford, especially when it comes to ADR and ISDN broadcast sessions. The individual control we have over the different signals allows us to help an actor complete an ADR session comfortably and efficiently.”

Ray Rettig, president and chief engineer of Cotton Hill Studios, Inc., adds, “In the world of ADR and ISDN, when you are feeding seven or eight monitoring signals, nothing gives you more control or makes it easier than the Aviom personal mixers.”

Cotton Hill Studios has been quite busy these days. Actor John Leguizamo was there for two projects recently: Working with Wildtracks Studios in Los Angeles, Leguizamo recorded replacement dialogue for the USA Network television drama “The Kill Point,” and he did dialogue replacement for his movie Love in the Time of Cholera with the production team located in London. Cotton Hill, with Aaron Scher engineering, also worked in conjunction with Larson Sound, a Burbank California studio, via ISDN to record actor Michael Gaston’s dialog for an episode of the CBS hit show “Jericho”, where Gaston plays Gray Anderson, a main character on the show.

Aviom is the world leader and pioneer of personal monitor mixing technology with the popular Pro16 Series, as well as the exclusive developer of the revolutionary Pro64 Series of audio networking products. All Aviom products are powered by A-Net, the company’s groundbreaking high-speed digital audio transmission protocol. Aviom products solve problems in a variety of different environments, including live sound reinforcement, audio recording studios, houses of worship, theater, broadcasting and post-production facilities and a host of commercial installations. Aviom’s entire line of high-quality professional audio products are designed and manufactured in the USA.

Source: BroadcastNewsroom.com

Stars to Give Car Park Voice-overs in the UK

THE squeaky voice of comedian Joe Pasquale will soon ring across a town centre - reminding motorists to lock their cars and take valuables with them.

The high-pitched funnyman is one of a number of celebrities whose voices will be given to “talking ticket machines” in Tunbridge Wells.

Reminders will be given to motorists as they wait for their tickets to be printed at Pay and Display machines.

Others voices used include Boycie from Only Fools and Horses, characters from the television show Little Britain, Elvis Presley and cockney actor Michael Caine.

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Rodney Saulsberry Opens New Travel Site for Voice Industry

Voiceover celebrity and author Rodney Saulsberry has launched a travel website called Rodtalks Travel. This new venture is geared to serve the travel needs of his fellow friends, fans and voiceover artists who travel to his voiceover workshops in Los Angeles, as well as other voiceover events across the country and throughout the world.Customers are also able to customize their business trips and family vacations on this user friendly travel website, with great rates comparable to Expedia, Cheap Tickets and Orbitz.

Book your next trip to one of Rodney’s workshops, http://www.rodneysaulsberry.com/register.php or several other voiceover events taking place all over the country at: http://www.ytbtravel.com/rodtalkstravel

Saulsberry– the voice of the Zatarain’s Man as well as several other national television and radio commercial campaigns, is also the author of the bestselling books, You Can Bank on Your Voice: Your Guide to a Successful Career in Voice-Overs and Step Up to the Mic: A Positive Approach to Succeeding in Voice-Overs. Rodtalks Travel office is located in Agoura Hills, California and online at: http://www.ytbtravel.com/rodtalkstravel.

Source: Rodney Saulsberry

Borderline Radio Network Syndicates “Old School With Bryan Cox”

Borderline Radio Network is proud to announce the addition of Old School with Bryan Cox to its blue-ribbon line-up of nationally syndicated programs broadcast to approximately 1 million listeners. Bryan dominates evening radio in more than 70 markets nationwide and internationally - among men and women 25-54.

“I’ve been working with Bryan for a few years and have seen his on-air presence and can’t wait for station reaction,” said Mitchell Keller, President/COO, in announcing the acquisition. “Our talent leads the pack in music programming through the evening for both Country and rock music format.”

“His infectious smile and sense of humor makes him a friend to literally thousands of listeners, proving that women and men will choose radio as their medium of choice in the evening,” Keller added.

Bryan Cox has that smooth-toned voice when it comes to imaging, “The Back Porch Show.” Cox has 25 years of media under his belt, from imaging radio spots to hosting his first radio show, where he called upon Charlie Daniels to be his first interview.

Bryan, a successful comedian who has opened for the likes of Tom Jones and is heard online each week on the feature “Road Stories of the Real Highway Comics” by an audience of 3 million people, prefers working with clients from his home recording studio, one on one.

Source: Bryan Cox

Voice Talkers Video Gets Thumbs Up From Voice Actors

To say that the video “Voice Talkers : Living the Dream of a Voice Actor” by New York-based comedy troupe POYKPAC struck a chord with the voice acting community would be an understatement.

Little did they know that the brief video “Voice Talkers” featuring Taige Jensen, submitted to YouTube’s Sketchies II contest would turn into one of the most interesting and close-to-home snapshots of families with multiple voice actors.

Professional voice actor Dan Nachtrab remarked, “It’s as if someone put a camera in my house.”, suggesting that the video hit very close to home and the crew from POYKPAC had done a bang-up job presenting the realities of working in the voice over business.

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Incredible Hulk Game in the Works, Celeb Voice Actors

SEGA brings the film’s A-list actors to the game to create a more authentic experience. Edward Norton (Fight Club, The Italian Job, The Illusionist) plays scientist Bruce Banner, a man desperately seeking to rid himself of the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk. Liv Tyler (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Strangers) is Dr. Betty Ross, Banner’s love interest, while Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction) voices Emil Blonsky (alter ego of The Hulk’s archenemy, The Abomination). Tim Blake Nelson (Syriana, Meet the Fockers) portrays Dr. Samuel Sterns, and William Hurt (Into the Wild, The Village) plays General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, the man who wants to capture The Hulk and brutally exploit his power.

Fast-paced and action-packed, the blockbuster franchise and comic book saga will unfold for the first time on next-generation platforms, as Banner scours the planet trying to find anything to help him fight his involuntary rage.

Source: WorthPlaying.com

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