0064: Make Your Equipment Come To You, Not You To Your Equipment

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Show notes:

Hey there, hero!

I usually run all of my private VO coaching calls on Zoom with both of our cameras turned off. That way, I can save bandwidth to get clearer audio.

But sometimes, I’ll hear something odd about the sound I’m listening to, and I then ask my clients how their gear is set up.

And sometimes, it’s so weird that I’ll ask them to fire up their cameras so I can see how they are addressing their microphones, where their mouth is in relation to the pickup and what position the mic is in.

And I’ve seen some pretty contorted talent, trying their best to work in small closets, scrunch under stairs or even trying to adjust, through their own twisted and awkward posture a mismatch in the height of their mics and tables and chairs.

Let’s bring an end to this unnecessary and painful nonsense right now – your gear was mean to serve you, not the other way around. You and your final output will be the better for it.

Do you suffer from any of the situations I talk about in this episode? Watch or listen then let me know in the comments below.

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Responses

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  1. Hi, David!
    I cannot agree more with your advice. When I started back into this business in 2010, I thought I could get away with good gear but makeshift environment. I sat at my office desk and computer and recorded and edited from the same position.
    I had to make do with setting up and taking down every time I wanted to record.
    It didn’t take long to realize that my working environment was just as important as talent and performance. I also realized that making excuses was not allowing me to invest in my career. I also found out that it doesn’t take a lot of money to create an excellent, quiet and comfortable environment.
    Thanks for putting this out so everyone can benefit.

  2. Thanks for the reminder and for giving me “permission” to make my space more workable. The more comfortable the setup, the easier it is to use. Simple brilliance!

  3. I just adjusted my mic for my Dungeons & Dragons podcast. I sit there for hours playing and I was leaning forward a little. Now I just sit comfortably and bring the mic toward my mouth. Much more comfortable.

  4. David, You have this knack of helping me and probably other voice actors, do what I call “coughing up the hairball!” It’s when there’s a bothersome thought that’s surfacing intermittently, but never fully being dealt with.
    Case in point: My booth set up sounds really good. I worked on it hard. I got a boom arm for the mic stand, so I’m close enough to the mic. I just get a little uncomfortable because although I can put the small table I have my computer, interface, headphones, etc. on, into place very quickly, the way the table is constructed doesn’t allow me to move around much. I also don’t have the option of recording standing up, which for commercial scripts, I’d like to do. I can raise the mic to standing height, but them I can’t see the copy down on the computer. I could hold an iPad on a music stand, but that starts to be a juggling act pretty quickly because to hit record and stop I have to bend down to the computer on the table. So consider the issues fully acknowledged, but with no practical solution yet. Ideas from all heroes are welcome.