OSA Interview on Speak Clearly Online

by Christy on August 24, 2010

Despite my relative silence here on the blog, I’ve been busy. Now, you can hear the results of some of that busyness over at LaVonne Ellis’s Speak Clearly Online site. LaVonne interviewed me about online audio and how to make it better.

I hope you enjoy the interview. Feel free to drop any questions you have in the comments.

You can find the interview here.

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Video … on an Audio Blog?

by Christy on June 1, 2010

Yep. You read that correctly.

I’m going to talk about video.

Sort of.

I’m actually kind of a dunce about video. That’s why I leave the expert advice on this to my friend and colleague, Karen Yaeger over at Open Sky Video. Firstly, you need to know that Karen knows her stuff about video. She has won Daytime Emmy awards for her knowledge and general awesomeness. More importantly, she gets the whole “I’m trying to turn my passion into a living” thing.

In other words, she can help you.

A lot.

And, as of today, she has released her very first ebook on the subject. You can find the link to it on this page.

Check it out. I am.

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Editing Audio – Part 4

by Christy on April 8, 2010

Today we’re on to audio editing software for the Macintosh. Someday, perhaps we’ll live in an OS-agnostic world, but that day is not today. But fear not, there are excellent audio editing software packages for both Mac and Windows (though my favorites are on the Mac … but then I’m biased in general toward the Mac). For you Linux folks out there, I have to be honest that I’m a bit at a loss for you right now. I’m still trying to find a Linux flavor that I like so that I can start playing!

I’m going to cover three different packages here. This is not because I think less of all of the others available as it is that I only have so much time to write blog posts. My criteria for choosing are based upon cost, intuitive interface, and functionality for spoken-word editing.

Just as a reminder, most professional editing packages are designed (understandably) for music studios. They have the needs of mastering an album or 20 or even 100 tracks in mind. If you’re creating a podcast or a spoken-word audio product, you can use those products to achieve the goal, but you really don’t need all of that to do it. And you don’t need to spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars either.

Number 1

Amadeus Pro

The makers of Amadeus Pro refer to it as the “swiss army knife of sound editing.” I might say that that’s just a touch of hyperbole, but it is my current favorite to actually use.

The Amadeus Pro Interface

I personally find Amadeus Pro to be highly intuitive (I started using it without looking at the tutorials, which is something I can’t say for most other packages out there), and it does what it says it will do with a minimum of fuss in getting it done.

It’s fast, allows the joining or splitting of tracks with ease, and is just plain simple to use. And at $40 USD, it’s inexpensive. Amadeus Pro also offers a very nice trial to give you a good sense of the program before making your decision.

Number 2

WavePad Sound Editor

If you’ve been reading this series, you’ll note that I mentioned WavePad in the Windows section of editors. The clever Aussies who make WavePad have both Windows and Mac versions. They continue to support PPC Macs (which I am clinging to with my every breath). They also support Linux. I gave the disclaimer that I’d not used the Windows version. I have, however, played with the Mac version.

Clean interface of WavePad

The interface is quite simple and clean to use, though I did have to look at the manual to understand the way they interpreted some of the functions. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just what I had to do. I think that WavePad is probably right up there with Amadeus Pro, and if I had all the disposable income in the world, I’d probably have both of them.

One of the things I really like about these folks is that they offer a free non-commercial version. So if you’re just podcasting, you can download a free (does not expire) version. It is a bit crippled, but the crippling shouldn’t prevent you from creating your podcasts.

WavePad offers a free trial, and if you purchase it before 15 April 2010, it’s on sale at $40 (okay, $39.95 … same difference). After 15 April, I presume it will go back up to the normal $80. However, if the good folks at NCH are reading this, I’d be happy to propagate a coupon code here on Online Sound Advice if you like.

Number 3

Twisted Wave

Twisted Wave is pretty new to me. Actually, Twisted Wave is pretty new to most people, since it’s only been around for a few years, and is developed by just one guy, Thomas Thiriez. According to the site, Thomas started selling Twisted Wave in 2007 as a part time gig, and has since converted it to his full time work. I admire anyone who is able to follow a passion and turn it into a job. Go Thomas!

Just an additional note of pure shock . . . Thomas offers a telephone number for support. Yes, I said a telephone number. Of course there’s email too, and Thomas is in France, so mind the time difference, but holy cow!

Back to the actual program.

The Twisted Wave interface

Although I’ve only played a tiny bit with it, I like what I see (Twisted Wave is ending up on this list based upon a recommendation from someone I know and trust). The interface is clean and simple to use. You can do basic functions quite easily and without going through the manual. Overall, it’s a  little light on bells and whistles, but honestly I’m a fan of light on bells and whistles, because most people don’t need them for the work they’re doing.

Twisted Wave supports nothing prior to Leopard for the Mac, and it looks like he updates the program slowly. This is not necessarily a criticism, because too many software developers slam out updates day after day, and none of them are well thought through and sometimes they just don’t work.

You can download an uncrippled demo for 30 days, or purchase the program for $80. Thomas also offers an unconditional 90 money back guarantee, one more thing I highly respect.

There you have it.

Three audio editors for the Mac. If you think I missed something important, speak up in the comments.

Just remember that there is a learning curve to any sound editing software. Don’t expect to download any/all of these programs and be able to use them straight away, unless you already know how to use these sorts of software. Be patient, and don’t jump into these programs with a hard deadline in mind. You’ll just make yourself crazy if you do.

Take your time, experiment, find the program that works for you and go for it. Half the fun with sound editing is playing around to see what you can come up with.

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Editing Audio – Part 3

by Christy on April 6, 2010

Time to delve into some Windows-only audio editing software packages. As I’ve mentioned previously, there are many, many, many packages out there. Some are way more than you will ever need to edit together an audio product or podcast. Others are well-intentioned piles of code slop.

Last week, we talked a bit about Audacity. It is a good place to start. But you could also start with any of the products I’m about to list. It’s not that Audacity gives you training wheels; it’s that it’s a free way to get your feet wet (and to mix a metaphor, apparently).

The three software packages below are all Windows-only (we’ll cover three Macintosh packages next time). When choosing three to list here, my criteria included cost, intuitive interface, and functionality for spoken-word editing.

Most professional editing packages are designed (understandably) for music studios. They have the needs of mastering an album or 20 or even 100 tracks in mind. If you’re creating a podcast or a spoken-word audio product, you can use those products to achieve the goal, but you really don’t need all of that to do it. And you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars either.

Number 1

Sony’s Sound Forge Audio Studio 9

There are quite a few people who favorably compare this package to Audacity. “Like Audacity without the bugs” was one I found.

The Sound Forge interface from the Sony website

I’ve played with this application once or twice, and I found it intuitive, easy-to-use, and the sort of program that most people will be able to pick up quickly. There are a number of plugins that you will need to install as your skills improve and grow, but that’s easily accomplished.

They have some excellent tutorials that walk you through how to accomplish a task with screen capture video, so you know exactly how to do it.

It’s much faster than Audacity and you can download a free trial from Sony’s website. If you like it, you can purchase the package for somewhere around $55.

Number 2

Adobe Soundbooth CS4

Soundbooth is based on the old Cool Edit program (which Adobe purchased several years ago). Cool Edit was a perennial favorite with many folks, and while some don’t like what Adobe has done with the product, I believe it’s still a good editor.

At $199, it’s significantly more than Sound Forge, but you do get that wonderful Adobe integration with every other program they make. So if you’re creating full interactive mulitmedia ebooks, this may well be the way to go for you.

Like the Levelator that works with Audacity, Soundbooth can match sound levels across multiple tracks as you’re mixing them together. This saves you time fiddling or re-recording, but it also does it with a cleaner finished sound than Levelator does.

Adobe Soundbooth product screen shot

This product has some more complex features than does Sound Forge, and that can be good and bad. If all you want to do is create your weekly podcast, this may well be more program than you need. If, on the other hand, you want to do more intense production work, Soundbooth is very much worth a try.

As with Sound Forge, Adobe offers a free trial of the program so you can determine for yourself whether you like it.

Number 3

NCH Software’s WavePad Sound Editor

I have to be up-front and tell you that I’ve not used this program in the Windows version. I have, however, given the Mac version a try, and I think it’s worth mentioning here. It doesn’t have the massive commercial backing of either Sony or Adobe, but it’s still a clean, stable program that will get you up and running for some time in your production environment.

WavePad's simple, clean interface

I apologize that the picture above is the Mac interface . . . their website is smart enough to know that I’m writing this blog post on my Mac instead of the Windows machine. Still, the controls are clear, straight-forward, and it’s easy to make the edits you need to make without pulling your hair out.

At $79 it’s still a good price for putting together your audio product cleanly and easily. They also have a free trial so you can take it for a spin.

To Sum Up

There is a learning curve to any sound editing software. Don’t expect to download any/all of these programs and be able to use them straight away, unless you already know how to use these sorts of software. Be patient, and don’t jump into these programs with a hard deadline in mind. You’ll just make yourself crazy if you do.

Take your time, experiment, find the program that works for you and go for it. Half the fun with sound editing is playing around to see what you can come up with.

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Editing Audio – Part 2

by Christy on April 1, 2010

Choosing editing software for your audio project is a lot like choosing a flavor of ice cream . . . it depends on what you like.

I’ll start off with one disclaimer and one sweeping statement.

Disclaimer: I learned how to edit with a razor blade. Literally. That and multiple machines and a smooth hand for cross-fades. In other words, I learned how to edit sound before computers became integral to the sound production system. The advantage this gives me when we’re talking about software is that I am not drawn by the bells and whistles that some software has created. Sure they may be interesting and fun toys, but toys are not what you want or need when you’re trying to get a project done.

My bias is toward simple, “anybody can learn this,” sorts of software. You need software that you control; not software that controls you and your production flow.

Sweeping Statement: If you read this blog or if you were to hire me to help you with your audio production issues, you do not now, nor will you ever, need ProTools. The one exception to this is that if you’re still in middle school and you’re just getting your hands into this world, you might choose it for a career. For the rest of you  . . . save your hard-earned money.

Don’t misunderstand me, ProTools is an amazing hardware/software package for editing. But unless you’re making a feature film, mixing a Grammy-level album, or creating broadcast television shows, you just don’t need it. And, I am inclined to argue that even then there are alternatives to consider.  But then this is a Sweeping Statement, so take it with as much salt as you like.

Where to Start

Many people start with Audacity. If you want to dip your finger into this world without spending money, Audacity is a perfectly reasonable place to start.

Benefits: It’s free, it’s Mac and Windows compatible, it’s Open Source (which is good to support), it’s reasonably easy to use, and it has some decent tutorials you can access online.

Challenges: The interface is a tad clumsy (non-intuitive), it is subject to the down side of Open Source (infrequent, sometimes odd updates), when you discover a serious bug (which I have) your entire project can go completely off the rails with little recourse than to find another software to fill the gap.

To Sum Up: Audacity is a great place to get your feet wet. You can learn the basics of cutting and joining and all of the core things you need to create your podcast or audio product. As you grow in your skills and your needs, however, you will likely begin to wonder things like “but how do I do X?” And that’s okay.

You have to start somewhere. So if your projects are simple and you need a place to start, download Audacity and get moving. Because if you don’t start, we know for sure that your project will never be completed.

Tried Audacity and Want Something More?

There are literally dozens of software packages out there for editing audio. I don’t know all of them. Not by a long shot. Some are Windows-only; others are Mac-only. In trying to figure out how to organize this series so as to not overwhelm myself in writing it, or you in reading it, I’m keeping the individual parts short.

Therefore, next up will be three Windows software packages. The one after that will hit three for the Mac. I’m not going to cover everything, so if there’s something specific you want me to cover, please ask. I have no idea how many parts this series will end up being, so speak up and I’ll do my level best to include it.

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Editing Audio – Part 1

by Christy on March 30, 2010

You can learn the basics of editing an audio file pretty much on your own in about 10 minutes time. It’s really not hard. The challenge is doing it well. And by “well,” I mean that hard-to-define quality about the finished product that marks the difference between a “good” edit and a “great” one.

The way to go from “good” to “great” has a tremendous amount to do with practice and honing your instincts.

If you’re editing down a larger presentation into either bite-sized chunks or just a smaller product, you need to capture the essence of the larger presentation in this smaller format. That requires more than just familiarity with the content; it requires the discernment to know what can go and what is vital to keep.

Before you cut a word

Listen to the whole recording. Assuming that you’re recording something other than a book or short story written by yourself or someone else, there are going to be bits that you can take away (on books and short stories, I strongly suggest that you do not create “abridged” versions). In a live presentation, for example, you will inherently have the occasional “um…” or vocal tic that you want to get rid of. If it’s an interview or a teaching module, there will be parts that just don’t need to be there.

This process is very much like editing your written text. Not all of the words in a recording are golden; no matter who is saying them.

Listen to the flow of the recording. Find the heart of the message and make sure that you’re cutting away everything that does not support that heart.

Make a plan

Have a rough finished time in your head. Remember, recordings that last more than 30 or 40 minutes at a go are hard for most people to sit through (unless they have a hellishly long commute and a fully-charged iPod).

As you listen, write down the rough time code of the bits that are really good. Also make note of the parts that you can easily cut out. Listen again, finding more  that can go away. When you think you’re probably within 10 minutes of your goal time, go ahead and open up the editor you’re using.

Editing

Using your notes, cut away the parts you know you can cut away. Don’t worry if the resulting edits are a bit choppy, this is just your rough cut. See how close your edit ends up being to your goal time. If you’re like most people, you’ll still be over time by a measurable amount, but that’s okay. For now.

Make sure you’re saving your edited files separately from the source audio, but also separately from one another. Each round of editing should have a separate saved file. Sometimes you make a nice clean cut in one version, buggering it in another. You want to have these options available going forward.

Go for a walk. Write some emails. Do something to get your head out of the edit. Ideally, you’ll give yourself a day or two before you go back to it.

When you do go back to it, listen again. You are likely to hear more that can go easily. Cut it out.

Once you’re pretty close to your target time (remember … you will still need an intro and an outro and perhaps some theme music, so take that into account with your timing), start cleaning up your edits.

When something sounds a bit choppy, clean it up. Listen for the breath of the speaker before and after the cut you’ve made. Try to make that breath flow from before the cut to after it.  The cleanness of your edits is best judged by the silences. Does an unedited break in speaking sound like the edited break? If so, you’ve done a good job. If not, keep trying.

Practice, practice, practice

Unless you’re among the bizarrely gifted, your first edits will sound sloppy. That’s okay. You have to keep at it in order for you to improve. Editing regularly will improve the quality of your edits (and the speed with which you are able to execute them). Just don’t give up. It will get easier.

Oh, and one last note. Just as it’s really, really, really hard to edit your own written words, it is really hard to edit your own spoken words. Either give yourself enough time between recording and editing to forget about the recording or presentation, or find someone else to serve as your editor.

Up next: Editing software. How to choose.

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Watch This Space

by Christy on February 8, 2010

I’m going to give you a little secret hint about something really cool that I’m part of. It’s coming up soon, so I want to let you know before everyone else finds out. Because, you know, this is my blog and it’s not like the whole universe can read it, right?

The amazing and talented Karen Yaeger of Open Sky Video and I are preparing a teleseminar just for all of you. Details are forthcoming very, very soon, but it promises to be informative as well as actually fun.

We’re going to explain some of the basics of putting together multimedia products without totally geeking out on you, plus we’ll be taking questions from the peanut gallery.

If you are an old hand at creating and selling multimedia products via your website, this might not be the perfect teleseminar for you (though I’m pretty sure we could teach you some things). We’re working up some more advanced stuff for the future.

If, on the other hand, you’ve done one or two, or none at all and just want to get into it, this teleseminar is just the thing for you.

Make sure you’re following us both on twitter so that you catch the announcement of our sale page going live.

It’s going to be ridiculously affordable and, as we are the peanut butter and chocolate of multimedia production, you don’t want to miss it!

If you have questions you know you want answered, feel free to start asking them in the comments. We’ll do our level best to get to all of them. Promise.

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Music

by Christy on February 1, 2010

Have you ever seen a cut of a particularly powerful film that doesn’t have the musical soundtrack edited into it yet? Sometimes you can get hints of this watching special features to a film, but it’s much more  powerful to see a whole movie without a note of music laid in.

It changes the experience of the film. Music adds a palpable emotional element that lessens the entire story by not having it present. Scenes that create the need for an entire box of Kleenex seem flat and boring without the soft swell of violins in the background.

Music matters.

And it might matter to whatever sort of audio product you’re creating. At the very least, finding and using a “bumper” (a very short bit of music that is typically used at the beginning and ending of a segment or product) can create an identifiable musical signature for your brand.

A good one can subliminally put your audience into a positive state of mind as they begin listening to your product.

A bad one … well, we’ll assume you don’t choose a bad one.

Finding Your Music

I’m going to assume that you’re not a composer or professional musician. And if you’re not one of these – or married/living with/have indentured to you one of these folks, you ought not make your own from scratch.

So where do you go?

Well, if you know a musician, you can ask her or him if they have something you could license for use on your audio products. Most musicians will jump at this, because most musicians don’t have fat record contracts paying their bills.

If you go this route, be able to play for your musician acquaintance no fewer than four or five examples of the kind of music that you think fits your personal groove. This gives your musician/composer someplace to start. Heck, you might get lucky and she’ll have something already done that will work perfectly for you.

Another path is to license something from one of the plethora sites that are out there on the internet.

One source I’ve come to really like is called Magnatune. These folks work with indy musicians, offering up some really incredible music at reasonable prices. Even better, you can listen before you buy, and they have appropriately-priced licensing agreements for commercial use (which is what your audio product is).

With this sort of source, you’re going to be pulling no more than 45 seconds out of a larger piece of music to use as your bumper. If this is something you’re uncomfortable doing, you can license the music and ask a sound editor to help you find the right bits.

There are also sites that specialize in bumper music … small musical bits composed specifically for this use. One site I know of in this vein is Royalty Free Music. One nice thing about this site is that you purchase the license, but don’t have to continue paying royalties for sales you make against the music.

Whatever you do, Just Don’t Steal

Whatever path you take to adding a bit of musical pizzaz to your audio products, just don’t “borrow” music without paying for it. Just as you want and expect your audience to honor your creative rights to the content you produce, so too do the musicians who create really amazing music.

I know it’s hard to remember this sometimes, given the fact that you can find anything just hanging out there on the interwebs, waiting to be downloaded. But it’s not cool. Ever.

Plus, if you’re stupid and steal from the wrong person, you’re looking down the wrong end of a lawsuit.

The Point

Music can and will add an intangible something that helps your audio products hang together more than they do with just the dulcet tones of your own voice. Add some music and make it your own. The identifier will strengthen your brand, and help your audience instantly engage with every new product they purchase from you.

Do you have sources for purchasing bumpers? Share in the comments. It helps everyone.

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A Frog in Your Throat

by Christy on January 29, 2010

I’m in the process of getting over a two-week bout of some vile and disgusting respiratory Thing. (“Thing” being a technical medical term in this case.) It went from a dry hacking cough that prevented me from breathing, to my voice transforming into a Harvey Fierstein-esque gravel, to that productive part of a respiratory Thing that involves icky things I won’t describe here.

In the midst of this, it occurred to me that sometimes folks who want to create and produce audio products get respiratory Things too, and sometimes this (inconveniently) happens when you’re scheduled to record. This also applies to in person seminar-like presentations or speeches.

What to do?

How to cope?

I have some thoughts.

Thought 1

Reschedule.

No one does her or his best work when not feeling well. If it’s at all possible, put off recording until you’re feeling (and sounding better).

If we’re talking about a seminar or other in person dealio, I know that rescheduling may be impossible. But if you’re recording an audio product, you probably can. Yes, even if others are involved. Trust me, pretty much everyone is understanding of sickness. And if they’re not, do you really want to work with them anyway?

Thought 2

Plan ahead to increase the time needed to edit.

If you’ve got a one-off shot to interview someone amazing and otherwise inaccessible, you may have to go ahead with the recording. Or you may have to do the in person gig (the one you planned on editing on the back side to make into a product for those who couldn’t be there in person).

Plan now to double or even triple the time it will take to edit. If you’re doing it yourself, it’s just a matter of reordering your personal schedule. If you’re paying someone to do the editing, expect a bigger bill.

If you can’t do this, please refer to Thought 1.

Thought 3

Prep your voice.

You need to take care of your voice at all times, but if you’ve got a respiratory Thing, it’s even more important than normal. And “better living through chemistry” will often have side effects that, while you may sound okay, will cause you to make no sense. (Think narcotics here, folks.)

I’m not a doctor, so this isn’t medical advice. These are tricks I’ve used forever for public speaking and necessary recording times.

Tea.

Hot tea with honey and lemon. NO MILK.

Why? The heat is good for you. It helps to loosen up your chest. The lemon is an astringent which helps with the goopy stuff that you don’t want ejecting from any membranes while you’re working. The honey (and yes, I mean honey; not sugar or sugar substitutes) coats your throat, reducing the pain.

Ibuprofen or your personal pain reliever of choice.

A pain reliever will help you push past fever and soreness and actually pay attention to what you’re trying to say. The kind of pain killers that require a prescription because they are nonsensical-vision-inducing are not a good idea. Just saying.

Drambuie (this is my father’s favorite solution to a respiratory Thing)

Any viscous liquor will have a similar effect as honey. And the alcohol, because it’s a system depressant, can calm your cough reaction as well. But again, remember, you don’t want to not be coherent, so use with caution!

Thought 4

Take many breaks.

This one applies more to recording than it does to live stuff.

Plan on stopping every 10 minutes or so for about 10 minutes. When your throat is sore, using your vocal cords only exacerbates the situation. Take many breaks to ensure that you can make it through to the end.

The live version of this is to have access to enough water so that you can consume the equivalent of a glass of water every 15 minutes or so. Yes, you will need to pee more quickly, but that will help keep you on schedule.

To Sum Up

Getting sick stinks, more so when you have plans to record a product or present to actual 3D people. But by taking some simple steps you can get through it, without creating something that is entirely unusable for future product sale.

And just for the sake of saying it … no, no one will want to buy an audio product that sounds like absolute rubbish unless you happen to be someone like the Dali Lama, providing the secret to life, the universe, and everything. And frankly, he’s important enough that he can reschedule.

Do you have tips or tricks you use to get through a sore throat or respiratory Thing? Please share in the comments.

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Buying Gear

by Christy on January 19, 2010

I get asked a lot where to buy the gear I recommend. The answer isn’t as easy as you might think.

There are several things to keep in mind whenever you are making a purchase of professional (or near-professional) level equipment.

Firstly, you need to understand that this equipment isn’t something you’re going to find at WalMart or Target. They just don’t carry it, because their core demographic doesn’t buy it.

So you can look at your local chain music store … think Guitar Center or Musician’s Friend or Sam Ash Music or similar. That’s an okay option, but as a chain, they tend to have only certain things in stock and while they’ll special order something, you often can’t return it. Also, and this is my personal opinion based on my own experiences in those stores, their employees are often musicians who need a day job, and they won’t necessarily “get” what you need, given the fact that you’re developing a product; not an album.

Yes, there’s always Amazon. I certainly use Amazon for things. I freely admit that. They’ve got tons of stuff, but I’d be willing to guarantee you that, if you could get customer service on the phone, they wouldn’t be able to help you pick the gear you need if you paid them. And while they sometimes have the best price, I would like to suggest that it’s often worth a few dollars more, when you get more than you’re paying for anyway.

Christy’s Theory of Economic Sustainability

Buy local. When you don’t have a local resource, buy from a company that is local somewhere.

Seriously, you’ll help your town or city stay afloat by helping the local merchants stay in business. This means doing business with them. The bonus for you in this is that – assuming that the proprietor is running a professional operation – you will have a resource you can easily access when you run into trouble.

But not all of us have a good locally-owned and operated gear store in our neighborhood or town. So what do you do then?

Well, there are two main companies with which I have done business that I would recommend.

Full Compass

The folks at Full Compass know what they’re talking about, and love to talk to others about it. They have a wide range of gear options, and their sales folks are exceedingly useful in helping you pick one item over another.

Based in Madison, Wisconsin, they are a woman-owned business that (if you look at their news releases page) gives back to the local community in both time and money.

Sweetwater

The Sweetwater sales and service folks also know what they’re talking about. Many of them are engineers and musicians who actually use the gear they sell. Just like the Full Compass folks, they can help you pick if you need some help deciding.

Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sweetwater has been growing steadily over its 30+-year history, and provides employment opportunities for many, many local folks.

Which to Choose?

If you don’t have a local shop (as I don’t), I actually go back-and-forth between Full Compass and Sweetwater. They each have excellent service. Their techs can answer pretty much any question you have.

Sweetwater offers a significant bonus in giving a 2-year warranty on nearly everything they sell. So unless you’re a total knucklehead and drop your live ribbon mic in a tub full of bubbles, they’ll help you out with any problems you have.

I buy from both based on who has what when I need it, who has the best price, and who’s giving free shipping. I feel comfortable with both of these retailers.

An Interesting Approach

Both of these retailers do something that, if you’re not accustomed to highly technical industries, will sound strange. When you establish an account with either of these retailers, you are assigned to a specific person as your sales person. That individual gets to know your needs/goals and keeps in touch to make sure all is going well.

If you get weirded out by that sort of contact, they may not be for you, but personally I find it useful to know that I can contact “Bob” whenever I’m stuck on finding just the right thing. It makes the process personalized, and builds my confidence in the company as my go-to.

Let Me Sum Up …

You can find many items that I recommend on Amazon. And you have me to call upon for help setting things up and trouble-shooting. If, however, you buy from Full Compass or Sweetwater, you have a much larger team available to back you up in the event that I’ve gone off deep sea diving (which I’ve never done, but it sounded really cool to write it here).

No matter what you choose, make sure you choose gear that will improve your sound quality, make your recording process simpler, and give you less to do in editing. If whatever gear you buy doesn’t do those three things, you’ve got the wrong gear.

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