Customer Reviews

The Voice Actor's Guide to Home Recording

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Man, I should have checked the dates on all the positive reviews of this book. Had I done so, I would have saved myself the purchase price.

3 years ago, when it was published, I'm sure this was a fabulous reference, however, it is now SO out of date as to render more than half the book almost useless. To the author's credit (and the book's ultimate downfall) he includes a high level of detail on things like computer hardware and software, microphones, and other studio technology, but in any techno-based treatise, one year is a long time and three years is an eternity. The very detail that would have been fabulous three years ago is totally irrelevant today.

I found myself skipping more than half the text of the book primarily because it was so out of date. Recommendations like a computer with a Pentium 4 processor with up to a 40GB hard drive and a minimum of 256MB of RAM were appropriate at the time of publishing (early 2005) but not now. Step by step instructions on how to use programs that have long since been upgraded (or even changed ownership) are of very little benefit in the year 2008. What I have in my hands is a 180 page book with maybe 80 pages of pertinent information.

Another example is in the area of ISDN connections. Again, the authors couldn't include programs like Source Connect or Audio TX, both VOIP type programs and neither of which require an ISDN line and associated hardware/software/expenses to function in this book because they had yet to be released, but I go back to my original statement that if a book is going to be technology-based then it is incumbent on the authors to keep it up to date. Harlan Hogan himself has written a very good discussion on Source Connect and Audio TX that can be found at the CommercialVoices.com web site where he discusses the place non-ISDN communication solutions currently occupy and where they will be in 5 years, and it's critical everyone understand this BEFORE making the substantial investment in ISDN.

I don't fault the authors because they wrote an exhaustive and definitive guide covering the subject at the time, but when one publishes a book like this, you need to make a concerted effort to keep the content up to date. I would think an eBook, with a living chapters would be more appropriate than a paper and ink volume like this. Harlan Hogan's web site is very helpful, and in fact, I learned MUCH more from his web site on the topic than I learned from his book.

My bad, like I said, for not checking the dates of the reviews and the date of publishing.

There is still some information in the book that is of general value regarding how to set up a home studio and get started in the business, but I feel there are other books out there that may be more complete and more importantly, more up to date on this score. On the positive side, the authors write in an enjoyable and humorous style which makes reading the book a positive experience.

This isn't a terrible book, but it could be a GREAT book if it were current.

As I was getting back into voice overs after a ten year hiatus, I needed a book to direct the assembly of a basic--but servicable--home VO studio.

There is a veritable plethora of material available on setting up home recording studios but none of them deal with the specific needs of voice actors.

Written by a VO veteran and a computer recording engineer who teaches at the college level, the authors combine to assist any voice over actor with all of the tools necessary to get started and set up with a very good VO studio.

And the tools and techniques they espouse won't cost you a lot of money. Their wisdom is practical, witty and to the point, and highly recommended for VO novices and pros alike.

I have Arlan's/J.P. Fisher's latest book and it's just fantastic.

I am a working pro for a number of years. I have read a number of VO books and they don't touch his stuff at all, the rest are for dreamers and the inept. A. Hogan writes passionately from the soul !!

His no non-sense but whimsical point of view flows from beginning to end as in his first book on "Tales & Techniques".

It's not about making lots of money but his hands on approach to the Voice-Over biz. He won't let you down. Read it!!

Peter Mason

I am a part time voice artist, working my way up to doing it as a career. Harlan Hogan and Jeffery Fisher have written an invaluable book for anyone trying to get into the VO business via a home studio.

The strongest points in the book are the very clear technical aspects. My experience with sound recording was very limited, including a couple of classes in college and some playing around with the abilities my PCs have natively. Once I bought a Digidesign Mbox with ProTools, I was overwhelmed by the complexity of the technology (and in my day job, I AM a technologist with a major bank!). This book stripped away all the madness of ProTools, which admittedly is a little bit of overkill for what I am doing, and gave me the very core of what needed to be done to make a quality voice recording. Because there are no ProTools books that focus soley on voice, this book has been a godsend. Thier very simple suggestions on how to clean up a recording, how to easily do isolation, and more filled in the gaps in my knowledge with a lighthearted style and informative manner. And to top it off, email questions to each of the authors were answered promptly and congenially.

The hardware and software suggestions are also quite helpful. Because I had already cast my lot with the Mbox, I was not looking at many of the mixer/interface options they offered, but they clearly can be of great use to someone who needs it. On the mic front, I bought an Audio Technica AT3035 based on this book's recommendations, and I have been thrilled with the results. Kudos to Mr. Hogan and Mr. Fisher again.

There is no substitute for playing around with the tools and software in this learning process. But this book will point any potentential home studio voice actor in the right direction, with references to vendors, manufacturers, and services that can become as indispensible as the book itself. I heartily recommend it.

This is a must-have for any aspiring Voice Actor (or Singer who does recordings at home).

This book advises you on how to set up your basic home studio:

- recommendations for good microphones to suit different budgets
- other things to look for (Interface / Preamp / mixers ..etc)
- acoustic treatment recommendations (from cheap to expensive)

This book also advises you on digital sound editing (what software to use and the basics of using them) and thus achieving that top-notch professional sounding voice-over. Naturally, it also includes recommendations on how to make a great voice demo. I honestly have never heard of royalty-free music/sound effects until I read the book; but thankfully, the book contains useful web-links to good suppliers of sound equipment and royalty-free media libraries.

For those of you who have cash to spare, this book also advises on how to set up your home ISDN / telephone patch, and the costs you will be expecting.

I honestly can't think of anything that this book has missed for new studio-starters who know little about sound equipment.

Most importantly, apart from the occasional but necessary technical jargons, this book was easy to follow, and the font size was pleasant to the eye.

This is a sensational book for setting up a voiceover studio - with everything from equipment recommendations from Fisher, to audio editing and v/o techniques from the talented Harlan Hogan, this book shines loud and clear.

Superb resource, highly recommended - makes a huge difference to see what needs to be done to set up pro sounding audio recordings. This is one book I'll be using as a reference for years.

Great job, guys!


Regards,

Ken Calhoun

As a VO artist not living near major recording studios, I wanted a professional guide to help me actually put together a working home studio to reduce travel time. Fisher and Hogan are experienced veterans who cut through the hype and provide in a concise, witty manner lots of practical information you can really use on all aspects of home recording for the VO artist. The results are much better and the costs are significantly less than expected to do this the right way. If you never hear of this reviewer in the VO business, it won't be the authors' fault.

While there are many books available for home music studios there is limited information on assembling the proper equipment for the voice over artist. Easy to understand without having to know all of the technical intricacies of audio production this book give the reader the confidence to intelligently select equipment for their home operation. Putting together a home studio is like making cake, its success depends on the ingredients and this book helps to you to understand the recipe.

I bought several books recently prior to setting up a home studio. This one went with me to the store when I was selecting equipment. Thorough and precise without being overly technical (read: boring) it provided exactly what I needed to know. An invaluable book to anyone seriously interested in this topic.

If you are a new to either Voice-Over or Audio Recording, then I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It will give a decent overview of what can be a complicated and multidisciplined field.

If you are looking for a more indepth view as to what you need to know, then it will teach you where you should do extra research - before spending your hard-earned cash.

As someone who has worked in "the business" for quiet a few years, I believe that tthis book should only be seen as a starting point and not become "your Bible".

My own motivation for buying it was to give me a back-to-basics overview for a class that I teach in Postproduction Audio. When you've been doing something for a long time it can be hard to reduce things to basic principles... something that this book does well. Recommended reading!