#How To Set Up Your Recording Space Since creating a good recording space is so important I have been looking into it. I thought I would share some useful websites and information with everyone. How to build your own vocal booth : https://www.musicianonamission.com/diy-vocal-booth/ Useful information regarding making Vocal Booths : https://www.youtube.com/@Vocalboothtogo I have been told that Packing Blankets can be used. I haven’t tried this yet. Here are the links I have been sent regarding this: Sure-Max 8 Moving & Packing Blankets - Ultra Thick Pro - 80" x 72" (65 lb/dz weight) - Professional Quilted Shipping Furniture Pads Black : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CJHH7J8 To hang the blankets (I presume that if you are creating a booth using PVC Piping you probably won’t need these) : YeYeBest Double Curtain Rods 30 to 87 Inch, Metal Extendable Double Drapery Rod Set for Windows, Black : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QFV4KG5?th=1 Curtain Rings with Clips 1.5 Inch Set of 20 Heavy Duty Curtain Hooks for Drapes, Caps, Pictures - Rustproof & Decorative Black Curtain Rings for Bathroom, Living and Guest Room : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KWM35C2?th=1 I hope that this information is useful.

I have been thinking about practising reading. Essentially I plan to just practice reading so that I can get use to my recorded voice. I am not worried about the quality if these practice recordings. So I have an idea. My phone has a recorder on it. So I can just record myself reading using my phone. This would enable me to have practice sessions while I am on lunch break. What do you think of this idea?

Since the recording environment is important I have been looking into building my own “Hobo Fort”. However, space is a bit of an issue for me. So I have been looking into building a small “Hobo Fort”. I thought I would share my thoughts with you. My current idea is as follows: 1. Get a “BXI Portable Sound Recording Vocal Booth Box” (https://www.amazon.co.uk/BXI-Portable-Sound-Recording-Vocal/dp/B09NZY9SRC) 2. Using some blankets to cover the back (and my head) when I am recording. Something like Sure-Max 8 Moving & Packing Blankets - Ultra Thick Pro - 80" x 72" (65 lb/dz weight) - Professional Quilted Shipping Furniture Pads Black : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CJHH7J8 Ultimately the result will look like the picture in Step 8 on this site https://rachelcorbett.com.au/blog/diy-voice-over-booth/. What do you think of this idea? Do you think it would be suitable for voice over? I would appreciate all advice offered regarding this.

Hey guys! What DAW do you use?

I'm super sad, looks like I will miss today's AMA! Take full advantage of Earl's time, it's invaluable :-)

Earl reminds us that our recording space is the most important thing to focus on. It doesn't have to be fancy or look good. It just has to work. It would seem that you can even make a good recording space with a cover. https://youtu.be/3VRlubjTUBo

My friends seem to find it amusing that I want to spend my time in a small padded space talking to myself.

Since some of us are already reading scripts for practice. How about we have a contest here, say around March. Winner has bragging rights. Who can enter? Member of the group only? So if you are a total newbie if you has a mic and your DAW and you think your ready step on up. Than come down. I'm thinking a three person judge (TBA) I'll have to work out with the Judges how they will rate the script, Along with why one was pick over the others. And No, I wont be a judge. Cause the fun part is in submitting your audition. And I can't do that a be a judge to boot.😏

Hey guys thanks so much for your well wishes and prayers. Right now I have a cheek full of cotton and am on some pretty heavy meds for pain but all in all I’m fine. As I have been laying here all day I did think that the link below may be of some help. It is a playlist I made some years back called “How to start voice acting”. Let me know your thoughts 🤗 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu0VuUfrsEIA1eT20VItCkC8lOhf1LeYV&feature=shares

Still dealing with a swollen jaw and some pain but you know we #grindanddontquit I have so many things that I want to do and share. You guys keep me inspired with all your posts and interactions. I hope to be back with you all soon. 💙

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers

Hello everyone!! Excited about this opportunity. Have a peaceful day 😊

Hello guys. I am dealing with a medical issue so I have to cancel today’s live and the Saturday AMA. I will be fine but I won’t be able to these two events 😞

How many pf us could be comfortable enough to take a raw vo file and edit and master it for a demo... not even a paying client. And could meet the turnaround time of 4 hours??

1. Invest in acoustic treatments – Acoustic treatments such as foam panels, egg crates, and bass traps can be used to improve the sound quality of your space and help reduce unwanted noises. 2. Set up proper equipment – Make sure you have the right mic and audio interface for your setup. If you don’t already have the necessary equipment, you can pick up an affordable bundle that includes the basics. 3. Insulate the walls – Use thick curtains or blankets to dampen the sound of your voice and reduce echoes. You could also invest in soundproofing foam or acoustic tiles. Show us a pic here of your setup and an explanation of it so we all can get ideas 💡 🤔

Thanks for creating this community Earl! I'm excited to dig in and find all the valuable info you have shared.

After today's AMA session I started thinking about my whole plan regarding voice over. So I thought I would share these plans with you. The initial plan is that I will create the voice overs for my own products. Once I have established products I will start offering voice over services to clients.

Today I have been reflecting on 20 years of long distance running and the lessons that I have learned over those years. I thought I would share my thoughts with you. 1. You can achieve more than you think you can. I think we often let our own self-doubts limit what we can achieve. I know that this is something that I have been guilty of. But when we start working towards our goals we often find that we can achieve more than we ever thought possible. There is a quote by Marianne Williamson about our deepest fears https://www.appleseeds.org/Deepest-Fear.htm 2. Don’t compare yourself to others. When I started running I kept looking at other runners and thinking “If only I was as good as them”, etc. The problem with this is that it can make you feel inadequate. Other runners told me that my only true comparison was myself. I was advised to compare my race times to my previous race times. So I started comparing myself to myself and I found that it really did make a difference to my running. I still notice other runners and I am happy for them. I just take more satisfaction from my own improvements. Be happy for others. But focus and celebrate your own improvements because those are the only ones that count. 3. It’s ok to make mistakes. Things will go wrong. You will make mistakes. There is nothing wrong with this. I think it’s only wrong if you beat yourself up over the mistakes. I think the best approach is to treat all failings as learning opportunities. After all FAIL is an acronym - First Attempts In Learning. Learn from your mistakes and then leave them behind. 4. Don’t worry about being perfect. I think we can get hung up on doing things perfectly. The best piece of advice that I was given was “Don’t worry about perfection, you won’t achieve it”. And it makes sense because once you have achieved your “perfection” you will realise that you could probably do better. Just accept that you will improve over time.

The “Act as if” principle is a concept that has been popularised by the “Law of Attraction”. The idea behind this is that if you want to achieve something you need to act as though you have already achieved it. Acting as if you have already achieved isn’t lying to yourself or ignoring your current reality. It’s about focusing your mind on the present and on what you want to achieve with the aim of achieving it. As Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Obviously you need to temper this with realism. I can’t fake having a million pounds in my bank account (although I wish I could). Ultimately this isn’t a new concept. “Faking it until you make it” has been around since before 1973. And “Act as if” does have support in research into “Behaviour Intervention” (Disclaimer: I am not a psychologist). If you are interested in finding out more about this I would suggest that you Google it. There is a lot of information on the Internet. So if you are finding it hard to get off the starting block perhaps this may help you.

Has anyone got one of the new M1 or M2 Macs? What are they like for voice over, etc? I am especially interested if you have a MacBook Air. I would imagine that having no fan would be good for voice over.

Guess what ups dropper off this bright sunny day. They even ring the door bell.

I've done it! I've finally created my first demo!! It's far from perfect, but at this point, it's still better than I was with zero demo 😄. And I kinda like how I mixed the music in and yeah, for a newbie, I think I did ok.

In 2016 I decided that I would run in a 100km race in 2017. I have always planned my own training and have performed pretty well without a coach. Running 100km was new territory for me. With that in mind I decided to get the help of a coach. It was the best decision that I have ever made. The race went better than I expected and other areas of my running improved. I achieved things that I never dreamt were possible. The way I see it is that you can do well in any field without a coach. However, a coach will help you to raise your game above your expectations. We are lucky to have access to the wealth of knowledge and experience that Earl has. What are your thoughts about this?

WOW! Check out you guys moving up the leader board. The Leader Board is focused on participation in the group. If you are participating in the group and adding value to the community by posting, commenting, liking, etc. you move up the leader board. This is a great community and the VOs in it are amazing. You do have something to contribute so feel free to do so and add even more value in this amazing community. OF COURSE WE HAVE THE CONTEST!!! At the end of each month, I see who is at the top of the leader board and they will get either a #grindanddontquit hat, shirt, or mug from my store. https://partner.spreadshirt.com/shop-area/101578203/shop

@Earl Hall What software do you use to record your videos? Can it record what is on the screen along with the computers internal sounds?⁣

I have been wondering if it is possible to earn a good living without joining a site. My current plan (in another posting entitled "My Plans") is essentially to do the Voice over for my own products. After that I am considering reaching out to the members of professional bodies/groups that I am a member of. Any thoughts regarding this?

Thanks guys for helping me select the book cover. I am really happy with it. The Guy I selected on Fiverr was really great and I will definitely be using him again. I am excited to be working on this book and will be releasing it no later that March!

Hey guys I would love your input on the book cover for my new book. Which do you like best? 😊 Left to right do you like 1, 2, or 3

I was just looking through my media files when I came across a recording. To cut a long story short, the choir that I am a member of decided to make a "Virtual Choir" video during the Covid lockdown. Each of us recorded our parts using our mobile phones. I managed to find a USB adapter and was able to plug my Blue Yeti microphone into my phone. We then submitted it and the video was produced. I must admit that I recorded my part a number of times. Mainly due to mistakes that resulted in lyrics, some of which were "colourful", that were not correct or part of the song. Anyway, I thought I would share this with you because I think it is amazing what you can produce with mobile phones. I hope that you enjoy it. Mr Blue Sky : https://youtu.be/zmEvFTgxK14