EDsound

29/08/2024

sound design or voiceover services by EDsound

09/08/2024

Voiceover showreels should be seen and not just heard!

Everyone is on 'socials' and that includes your potenital clients, so it only makes sense to have an accompanying video of your MP3 best bits.

If you're a voiceover that needs help writing, recording, producing and now seeing a showreel, then feel free to harass us on the following:

email: [email protected]
phone and Whatsapp: 07946 586090

01/08/2024

I think they're all on the Olympic site now :-)

28/07/2024

One for the CV.
Voiceover recording and sound design for the Olympic games.

Paris 1924... In Colour

09/07/2024

Totally mistook the weather for autumn and have organised the EDsound Christmas prezzies. 🎄🦌

11/06/2024

THIS!.....or should that be "HWN!"

03/06/2024

Wobbly Waveforms!

I get my fair share of emails that start with “does this sound ok to you?”
The vast majority of responses are “No, but with a little bit of tinkering…”. Attached to the reply is an audio file so polished you can eat your dinner off it!
Every now and then though, a real head-scratcher comes along. I received an audio file last week that had been recorded too low, had background noise and a voltage offset that looked like something out of Alton Towers. Normally, voltage offsets are consistent and can be eliminated by adjusting the bias but this was far from consistent. The usual tools and AI couldn’t handle a moving bias so I deployed a graphical adjust to level out the spurious voltages before using a mixture of NS1 and dxRevive to get it to a shape where the usual tools would work.
Attached is a pic of before and after.
Quite proud of that one.

hashtag hashtag hashtag

28/05/2024

Headphones Review.....Finally!

After a years worth of broadcast battering and audio abuse, the headphone results are in!

Sometimes when you're editing sound, there are just too many distractions and you have to plug the cans in. On those occasions, I tend to reach for one of the following: AKG K92, beyerdynamic DTX, Sony ZX110, RØDE Microphones NTH100 or Focusrite Scarlett HP60.

But are they any good?

Eric, myself, a HA400 headphone amp and some minimalist German techno put them to the test.

First up were the AKG K92's. They look great and are very light which is handy if you have to wear them for a few hours. As a set of cans for guests in a podcast, they're fantastic but for editing, they're not. This is only to be expected given their price point. I found if they weren't perfectly aligned with my lugholes, things started to sound 'plasticy' very quickly. They're more of a salad than a main course. Useful but not what you really want.

BeyerDynamics DTX in-ears. In-ear headphones aren't for everyone but I've had these for years and they refuse to die. I can't wear them for more than an hour at a time but they're veeerryyyy good. They're a bit bass happy but only get better as you increase the volume. Being in-ears means you can operate them at a higher volume without annoying anyone nearby too. The best way to describe their sound is "tight and punchy". Audio is thrown at your ear drums with the same scant disregard that a toddler throws spag bol all over a beige carpet. I'd listen to them more but they hurt my ears after a while. The same goes to toddlers.

Sony ZX110. They're cheap, they're cheerful and they fold down small. This is literally all you need to know.

Rode NTH100. Looooove these but they do have flaws. They're fantastic for editing but are heavy compared to the rest. Despite their heavy set, they're easily the comfiest I've used. The sound is bass heavy but in a more obvious way compared to the Beyer's. As long as you remember this when you're editing, you'll be fine. The first pair I had broke but Rode are amazing and replaced them with zero hassle. If perfection is Cadbury Dairy Milk, these are Galaxy Smooth.

HP60's. These came with a Focusrite I bought yonks ago. They're surprisingly good given how cheap they are. Sound, size, build and comfyness are all above average. The sound lacks detail but they're fine for editing large voiceovers or rough mixes. They're the first ones I reach for if I need to check something. These are the Massey Ferguson of my headphone collection.

If I had to pick just one pair of headphones it would probably be the Rode's but they all have their uses....apart from the Sony's.

20/05/2024

Dear social media,
THIS is how you make a good video. Please enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkssYHTSpH4

yours sincerely

Me.

It's a tricky question, but I hope you enjoy the answer.Written & Directed by James HoffmannCo-Producer: Daisy CollarileDirector of Photography: Ben Saffer -...

13/05/2024

I’ve had a lot of plosive-heavy audio to edit/salvage recently.
If this is your current view, you’re too close.

Follow me for more in-depth voiceover knowledge drops.

10/05/2024

19/04/2024

Here's another meticulous plugin review. This week is 's dxRevive Pro. The mother of all turd polishers! Get the Pro version though.

19/04/2024

Well this is bonkers! Kinda hoping it doesn't become a new standard. I don't think the ceiling is big enough or strong enough to suspend them all :-)

25 Genelec 8050B studio monitors and four HTS4B subwoofers reside at the Studio for Research in Sound and Technology at Rhode Island School of Design.

08/04/2024

Here's another in-depth review.
Today is EQuivocate plugin.
Get it. MATCH EQ is so good for cutting in amends.

02/04/2024

That was weird! Installed 2024.3. Lost vid engine and plugins. Removed it and went back to 2023.9. Nothing worked. Removed it and tried 2024.3 again. Vid engine back but not Waves. Tried the repair option in Waves Central. Everything good again.

Panic Over. Time for tea.

06/02/2024

Said “Yes, that’s right!” for the first time this year in a script.

06/12/2023

Tis the season!

04/12/2023

Oooh!

NEW LISTINGS ADDED TO OUR SHOP
Some lovely new items have been added so go and check them out over in folksy. We have some lovely stud earrings, stunning set of cufflinks, pendants to die for (well not literally but they are nice!) and something a little different. All showing in the new listing section of the folksy shop.

https://folksy.com/shops/seaburdjewellery/collections/327126-new-listings

28/11/2023

The council are removing several potentially dangerous trees that could fall into the road. They’re using multiple chainsaws and woodchippers. I’d estimate they’re about 25metres from the studio window.

Session starts in 15mins.

02/11/2023

Right place, right time!
My trusty Rode NTG and I managed to capture the full force of Storm Ciarán.

31/10/2023

Equanimity.

Recording 9k words of Danish voiceover using a Dutch guide track while simultaneously playing the reference video to the clients and not speaking either language. Oh, and delivering fully edited, in sync audio files the same day.

11/10/2023

This is properly good….

At times, it can be obvious when someone is struggling to cope. But sometimes the signs are harder to spot. Check in on those around you. ...

09/10/2023

....writing words out loud.

14/09/2023

In todays positivity news: & my bank are talking to each other again, update went in super smooth and the wife has just returned with coffee and biscuits.

24/08/2023

Shiny things have been ordered from Studiospares!

04/03/2023

Meet the new head of music at EDsound. He’s called Eric and he’s just added to the playlist.

09/02/2023

Shiny things from

have just been ordered. !

27/01/2023

This!

Create, distribute, host, and monetize your podcast, 100% free.

18/01/2023

To celebrate 10,000 days of experience in audio production, I’ve just gorged myself silly with about 10,000 calories worth of crumble and ice-cream. Be still my aching thighs!

Voiceovers, Radio and Audio Production

31/12/2022

New Year’s Resolution.

Every year we make them and every year we break them.
It could be to get fitter or lose a bit of weight. Declarations that are easily declared after the seasonal excess of Quality Street and mulled wine but the old habits soon kick-in and within a month we’ll all be scoffing ever decreasing Easter eggs.
For me though, I believe 2023 is going to be different.
I’ve been inspired by a recent FB post in which I saw Rachel Ashley pose a question about “mediocrity replacing excellence”.

As I flicked through the hundreds of TV channels such as “Instantly Forgettable”, “Instantly Forgettable +1” and “Instantly Forgettable Ultra HD”, I realised Rachel was right!
Average has been replaced by “it’ll do”. Watching the news is depressing, watching the smart-meter is excruciating but they’re still more engaging than what passes for entertainment.
The solution: up the ante, massively.

There is a real impetus to turn absolutely everything up to eleven!
Efficiency and a rapid turnaround are normally in the driving seat but 2023 is going to be driven by “anally retentive sound excellence” which has the unfortunate acronym of A.R.S.E.
“Think EDsound, think A.R.S.E.” doesn’t really work as a slogan but nevertheless, I’m going to smash the A.R.S.E. off of 2023 and I would like all of you to do the same in your respective A.R.S.E. fields.
It won’t stop the war in Ukraine, it won’t stop spiralling living costs but if we all raise our collective A.R.S.E’s it just might mean there’s something decent to watch on the box next Christmas.

Happy New Year to you all!