When getting started with voice-over recordings, the budding audio producer may wonder what makes a great mic.
Here’s what you need to know before making a mic purchase.
There are two main things to consider.
The first is that for all of the tens of thousands of mic choices it’s important to remember that microphones are designed for different purposes. For example some are designed for use with a video camera, others are designed to record drums, and some are also created for specific musical instruments. For voice-over narrations you need one that is designed for spoken voice (which is NOT the same as a mic for singing voice.)
Here is the second consideration. When you are recording direct to your computer, you now have the choice of using a USB microphone rather than one that is designed to be connected to an amplifier and mixing console. The advantage of using a USB mic, is that a high quality sound card to convert the audio into a digital signal isn’t required. This is because you’re going directly into the computer with the audio signal.
Even with these two requirements there are still plenty of microphones to choose from. So let’s narrow the field a bit further. The best quality mics today continue to be made by microphone manufacturers. They have much more R&D to draw from, and in most cases many decades of experience at designing and producing great quality microphones.
Although you’ll find that many companies who manufacture computers accessories (for example a mouse or a webcam) are now producing headset mics (and the like), the best bang for your buck - and still the best quality, comes from manufacturers such as Rode, Shure, Samson, Electrovoice, AKG, Neumann, Marshall Electronics, and so forth. And the great news is that most of these manufacturers realize that there is a market for USB recording mics.
Remember those K-Tel compilations of greatest hits that used to be advertised on television? This new package is a little like that. Where it’s similar, is that you can now get many of the most requested and most popular Royalty-Free music packages created specifically for internet marketing - all in one collection.
But that’s where the similarities end.
Having thousands of productions available from the catalog, I couldn’t create a package that spanned a decade, (or worse yet two decades). There’s just too many to choose from. So this package contains only the most popular from 2007 and 2008.
Also different … last year’s TWO top tracks have been re-mastered, re-mixed, and new varations are now available.
Adding up the original prices of each of these selections, is well over $120 - but through this greatest hits offer - now available for the low low price of only $19.77.
It’s very common in the world arts whether it’s dancers, painters, actors, and even singers and musicians too. Yes Children who inherit the same creative talents as their parents often follow in their footsteps.
In my own family I know this to be true also. My Grandmother was a professional singer (on my dad’s side), and both of my parents were professional musicians/entertainers but are now retired from the biz.
My daughter who is now seven has shown obvious signs of musical gifts too, so of course it’s hard not to be excited by that and want to encourage her. She loves coming into the studio here and recording her own material. Writing music comes very naturally to her.
Even at the tender age of seven, my daughter has written and produced a fantastic package of royalty-free tunes. Here’s what others are saying:
“I have to say that the quality of your daughter’s music is nothing short of astonishing.”
Johnathan Phillips
“Great job on the tunes”
Kelvin Brown
FANTASTIC JOB! I don’t even CARE that you are only 7″
Lisa Preston
“Great Job Awesome tunes and beats.”
Sid Ritchie
I’d like to invite you to listen to the quality of her creative works, and please feel free to comment and encourage her!
Video can be a little plain and boring if it’s just a talking head or maybe some action with no voice over narration.
One way to spice up your videos is to add some stock audio and/or stock video footage. There are lots of sources for audio and video, but to avoid copyright issues be sure you are getting it from a source where you have permission to use it. Royalty-Free Music catalogs always come with a license which explains how you can and can’t use the music.
There are lots of other royalty free sources for music and video that you can find in the search engines. One of the best sources of stock video footage is Digital Juice.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving both the volume and quality of traffic coming to a web site or blog. The traffic is “organic” or “natural” as opposed to paid traffic, and is derived from web searchers seeking certain keywords.
Because search engines use the words and characters that are typed on a page, when it comes to audio and video seo, it proves to be more of a challenge. Since google can’t scan through your audio or video file searching for keywords, then it’s important to take some additional steps to make sure your audio or video are indexed …. and result in some great targeted niche traffic.
Since targeted traffic from youtube and other video sharing sites is HOT, adopting a few seo principles will ensure better results for your video traffic.
One of the most important things to do, is to make sure your video is in youtube or google video. It has been said, that youtube and google-video are the two places that google obtains its video feeds.
Next, be sure to include keywords and a well-written description in your video details. At youtube.com this can be done either at the time you upload your video (in the video info) or you can modify it later if you prefer.
AUDIO: To learn more about video SEO click and listen to this audio:
A lot of people think that in order to learn how to create voice overs for video you have to have in-depth technical knowledge or study audio extensively, the truth is you just need to have a clear voice, good script, a dependable mic and just record your voice and insert it into your video editing software.
Sounds simple eh?
Unfortunately, it takes time, proper technique and a bit of talent to create some really good voice overs for video and most of us don’t have those luxuries.
So I would like to teach you the top 3 Techniques How to Create Voice Overs for video:
1. Just Watch Your Video and “Explain it” into a microphone.
This is very simple. Just watch your video and record your voice while explaining your video, don’t worry about grammar and what to say, you can edit it later on.
One common question that other internet marketers often ask is, “what type of music should I use in my info products?”
To answer the question you first need to look at what your product is.
For example, if you are producing a video for a squeeze page, then the goal is for your site visitors to TAKE ACTION. The type of music you’ll need for this is energetic and motivational. For examples, listen to the POWER TRAX and INTERNET MONEY PACK.
Music in an e-book intro on the other hand should be slightly softer with less impact - something with wide appeal to most audiences. Repeat the same music at the end of the book, fading it in as you approach your promo and “about the author” section of the e-book audio.
Youtube videos? If your youtube video is promoting your product or service, then again energetic motivational music is a perfect choice. Something unique is best. One way to stand out, is with orchestral music. It portrays a classy image. When orchestral music is combined with modern instruments and beats it makes a winning combination.
The best podcast music is completely original and custom. Since your podcast is part of your brand (your identity) and you’ll be re-using it with each episode, it is ideal to have music that is completely unique - custom created just for you. To find out more about custom music, watch this short video.
Whether you’re brand new to video production or you have been producing internet videos for years, there’s no doubt that you have had an opportunity to view some online videos for yourself.
Online, video can be used as a product, as a method of communication, or even as a promotion method such as on a video sharing site like Youtube.
One of the challenges that every video producer has … is that your video MUST achieve a level that meets or even exceeds that of your competitors. If it doesn’t, then it simple makes YOUR product or brand look cheap and substandard.
In addition to top quality visuals, a video MUST have great audio.
Although voice overs make the communication easier, they aren’t completely required. A clear and concise message can still be communicated easily with the use of great music, and some quality text on the screen.
Regardless of whether voice is part of your video or not, you still need some quality royalty-free music. Here are three brand new royalty-free music packages, just released.
Power Trax - 5 energetic music clips, each under three minutes (which is the ideal length for a promo video). Click on Power Trax Music to listen to samples.
Orchestral Impact - 5 orchestral music clips with massive orchestral builds to provide drama and impact to your videos. Click on Orchestral Impact to listen to samples.
Internet Money Pack - includes 6 clips and was written specifically for internet marketers producing their own videos and audios. In your promotions, use these tracks for ideal performance. Click on Internet Money Pack Music to listen to samples.
