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0980 – The Diction-ary of Voice - C Part 2
Season 3, Ep. 980
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2023.09.07 – 0980 – The Diction-ary of Voice - C Part 2
Clipped – when a recorded signal has gone past the 0db threshold (or any other maximum recording level set by the engineer) and the computer software has no more ‘headroom’ to record. This is often heard when a voice actor shouts, or when the microphone is too close to a speaker, or in a field recording, when a large vehicle passes by. To the ear the sound is heard as distorted. On a DAW, the waveform has its top ‘cut off’ and appears flat rather than in various peaks and troughs. Clipping is undesirable and should always be avoided by reducing the input sound.
Clipped - when audio is missing the beginning or end of a sound element or word by a split second
Co-anchors – two presenters working together in partnership with an on-air role divided between them
Cold copy – a previously unseen script. You may be asked to ‘read cold’ or ‘read a cold script’
Comb filtering (also called ‘phasing’, or ‘colouring’) - when two versions of the same sound play at slightly different times (measured in milliseconds), for example when two mics are live / recording and the voice of one speaker is heard not only though their mic, but also very slightly through the other. This can cause some frequencies to be cancelled out and slightly distorts the true sound. It can be fixed by reducing the possibility of one voice being picked up by two mics: lowering level of the second mic, moving them further away from each other, having a screen between them, or most simply, turning the mics slightly so each pick-up pattern works in an optimum way
Coming out – ending a broadcast or recording: “we’re coming out in 30 seconds”
Compression (file) – file compression reduces the file’s size. Very different from compression of sound (below)
Compression - a process applied to audio recordings, which 'level-off' the peaks and troughs of a waveforms. This is done with a ‘compressor’ (below)
Compressor - a device or plugin/tool in a DAW, which automatically boosts quieter sounds and supresses louder ones, so there is less variety in the levels, according to a set threshold. Doing this will mean that the listener has less manual work to do in adjusting levels when hearing the audio. Using a compressor is an art and over-doing it will make the whole track, well, over-compressed and restricted
Condenser microphone – a mic which reproduces sound with the help of an electric circuit and so needs a small amount of power to operate, either from a battery or from the recorder. See ‘Phantom power’, and ‘Dynamic (microphone)’
Contractions – I’d suggest you’ll want to add abbreviated words to scripts so they’ll sound conversational
Control room (also ‘gallery’, ‘ops’ or ‘operations room’) – the room outside the studio where a director or producer may sit. Sometimes used to refer to the area where the main servers for a radio station are housed
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1000. 1000 - The End
05:12||Season 3, Ep. 10002023.09.27 - 1000 - The EndThanks for the loan of your ears, for one-thousand consecutive daily episodes. All of my contacts are here: https://linktr.ee/Peter_Stewart999. 0999 – The Diction-ary of Voice – V and W
08:08||Season 3, Ep. 9992023.09.26 – 0999 – The Diction-ary of Voice – V and W**VVerbal tic – the repeated use of words or phrases such as “like” or “y’know what I mean?”Velum – the soft palate at the back of the roof of the mouth. The back of your tongue touches the velum when pronouncing letters such as ‘k’.Vocal elements – the various ways (such as inflection, pause, pace and phrasing) that one can make the spoken word more engaging he techniques for making a voice interesting and effectiveVocal fold – located in the larynx, a multi-layered fold of tissue that vibrates to produce sound when air passes over themVocal loading – the amount of impact of the stresses and strains on the vocal folds from talking or singing. The loading can be affected by the amount, volume or the tone of the sound, and also by the speaker’s levels of stress or tensionVoice actor – different from a ‘voice over’, who tends to be an ‘anonymous voice’, an actor will appear in audio dramas, audio books, computer games and so on, where they are reading the lines to be spoken by a character in a specific situationVoice guide – a director in a recording situation who will read a script, perhaps line-by-line, for the ‘voice talent’ to repeat ‘parrot fashion’, and mimic the cadence. Usually used when the actor is inexperienced in script reading, but has a great voice or high-profile name that is wanted for publicity reasons. A voice guide may also be the temporary voice-over track, recorded so video editors can choose shots and time their cuts to which the ‘professional’ voice talent can talk to laterVoice of God (or ‘VoG’) - loud and large, stentorious and dramatic reads, reminiscent of 1950s (American) radio announcers, and often heard at sports and showbiz eventsVoice over – the reading of a scrip, or narration over a videoVoice quality – one’s personal vocal attributes and characteristicsVolume - the loudness of a voiceVowel - speech sounds of a, e, i, o, and u **WWatermark – or more accurately, an audio watermark. This is a snippet of sound (such as a tone or ‘beep’) used to protect your recording, sample or audition. The sound briefly overlaps with your voice at points during the recording say veery few seconds, or over the brand name. This protects your audio from being misused for example, without payment Whisper phonation – the proper term for when you are whisperingWindpipe – the trachea.Windscreen – the covering over or in front of a microphone to eliminate unwanted noises such as that made by plosivesWowing – the changing in pitch of a sound causing distortionWrap - the end of a recordingWrap — a recorded news or other content feature, of interview clips linked (or ‘wrapped up’) by a presenter or reporter **XXLR - a type of cable connector, very common on microphones.998. 0998 – The Diction-ary of Voice – T
06:45||Season 3, Ep. 9982023.09.25 – 0998 – The Diction-ary of Voice – T**TTag (or ‘slogan’) – the branding phrase at the end of a commercial Take (as in ‘go for a take’) – a recording. Also see ‘pickup’Take a level (or ‘take a bit for level’) – the instruction given by an audio engineer to a presenter to ask them to say some words so the volume on a mic channel can be checkedTalk back – the push-to-talk microphone in a gallery/production area, via which a director / producer will talk to you while in the studio.Tape - recorded audio, almost never on tapeTempo - the rate of speechThin – a voice which is weak, with a lack of air, energy and resonance. It may be trained to become stronger and fuller with exercises in the areas of posture, relaxation and breath controlThoracic cavity - the area enclosed by the chestThrow – a passing link made from one presenter to another, “And now with the latest weather here’s Susie Celsius”Throwaway (as in ‘a throwaway line/word’) – when a speaker gives little or no emphasis on a word or phrase, reducing its significanceTonal quality – the overall timb re, resonance of a voiceTrachea – commonly called the ‘windpipe’, along which flows air from mouth to lungsTrack – a layer of recorded audio (or an empty ‘lane’ where recorded audio will sit), which can be adjusted independently of other layers before being mixed (or merged) together in a final mixTransients - very short sounds, such as the beginning of a drum hitTX – used to mean ‘transmission’ **UUnidirectional microphone – one that only picks up sound from a single direction997. 0997 – The Diction-ary of Voice – S
04:45||Season 3, Ep. 9972023.09.24 – 0997 – The Diction-ary of Voice – S**SScratch Track - a temporary recording that is a ‘place-holder’ for the final voice-over. Not ‘broadcast quality’ it is used to help producers feel the pacing and style of a project before a final voice over is addedSelf op (‘self op studio’) – when the presenter controls their own technical equipment, they are ‘self operating’Session – the single block of time (say, an hour or a day) spent recording with the voice actor, who is often paid ‘per session’SFX – short for ‘sound effects’Shock Mount - a microphone mount that tries to minimize handling noise by using shock absorptionSibilance – excessive ‘s’ sounds (fricatives) while speaking which are prone to becoming unpleasantly loud in audio recordingSing-song delivery - when a speaker’s voice rises and falls in cadence in a predictable ‘nursery rhyme’ type fashionSoft-sell commercial – a script that is read with low volume, low emphasis and in a natural, low-key styleS.O.T – ‘sound on tape’, what’s been recordedSound-alikes – these voice actors are similar to celebrity impersonators, but whereas impersonators usually perform exaggerated and comic impressions of the star, sound-alikes create the vocal tones and mannerisms (style, cadence and inflection) for short retakes or dubs in movies, tv and radio, and commercials. This saves the cost and time implications of getting the original star in the studio to re-record just a few words. Sneak - to slowly fade up or outSpeech personality – one’s individual speaking-styleSpilling over – a distortion caused by too loud a noiseSplit-track – audio with different content in the left and right channels, to allows for independent control of levels during production, for example, two guests. Audio must be ‘mixed down’ before it can be broadcastStand by – the verbal ‘get ready’ direction given just before a programme or recording startsStraight-read commercial – a script presented without flourish or over-emphasisStroboscopy - an advanced way to view the vocal folds. This usually involves a scope that goes through your mouth to properly identify and define vocal problemsSupercardioid - a microphone pick-up pattern that is most sensitive to sounds in front of the microphone, even more so than a cardioid996. 0996 – The Diction-ary of Voice – R – Part 2
09:21||Season 3, Ep. 9962023.09.23 – 0996 – The Diction-ary of Voice – R – Part 2Riding the gain (or ‘riding the mic’ or ‘riding the levels’) – the constant adjustment of the input levels as the sound unexpectedly (and often unprofessionally) varies in volume dramaticallyRoom Tone - the ‘indoor ambience’ or background noise in a room, which should be as close to silent as possibleROT (‘rot’ or ‘R.O.T’) – a recording of what went out on air: Recording Of/Off Transmission Royalty Free Music – music that can be used (with varying restrictions) after paying a one-off feeRP – Received Pronunciation (‘The Queen’s English’, ‘BBC pronunciation’, ‘Standard English’) and English accent without ‘perceived’ regional accent, usually of the type heard in south east England995. 0995 – The Diction-ary of Voice – R – Part 1
03:53||Season 3, Ep. 9952023.09.22 – 0995 – The Diction-ary of Voice – R – Part 1**RRate – the speed of someone speaking or readingRate – the amount paid to a voice-over for a day, hour or scriptRaw audio - unprocessed recorded audioRead (or ‘take’) – a recording of a script (or the ‘copy’)Reaper – a DAW Red-line the meters – to push the audio volume level to the maximumRender – saving and/or converting your audio so others can access itResiduals – payment over and above the initial payment, based on the number of times a commercial is runResonance – a full-bodied voice (not necessarily a deeper voice), achieved through the sound of one’s voice vibrating in different parts of the body such as the mouth, throat, nose (sinus) and chest areas – collectively known as ‘resonating chambers’Resonant cavities – the parts of the body which enhance sound and in which resonance develops. Ribbon microphone – the mic type which picks up sound by the use of thin (ribbon-like) metallic elements, suspended between magnets. These vibrate when sound is detected, and converts it into electrical energy994. 0994 – The Diction-ary of Voice – P
08:24||Season 3, Ep. 9942023.09.21 – 0994 – The Diction-ary of Voice – P Polyp - usually unilateral (one vocal fold) mass that grows off the surface. Can be hemorrhagic (filled with blood) or not, and’s usually due to voice misuse or overuse. Pop – when a plosive sound is too close to the mic and causes distortionPop guard (or ‘pop screen’, ‘pop shield’, ‘pop stopper’) - a fabric, foam or metal shield between the mic and the mouth to help disperse ‘breath blasts’ from plosives and so reduce the likelihood of distorted sound being recorded Post - the point at which a voice appears, or the start of a sound or part of a sound, for example, a specific drum beat in a ‘bed’: “make sure you hit the post”, that is, stop talking a beat before the drum comes inPost (‘post-production) - the final step in a recording process, including the editing, mixing. “It’s OK, we’ll fix that in post”Predictive eye – the name given to the process of scanning ahead as you read to give prewarning of what's coming upPre-produce - to mix or record a piece or interview in advance of a live show, perhaps for technical or timing reasonsProducer - the producer can have more than one role (much like a director), but usually the one who hires the voice actor and other staff, and liaise with clients and agenciesProduction master – a final, ready audiobookProduction studio – where programmes are recorded rather than go out liveProduction value – the ‘effort’ (including duration, complexity, and post-production) put into the making of an audio or video show. One lasting an hour with several guests, archive footage, and theme tunes would have ‘high production values’. A single presenter ‘read’ lasting just a few minutes is likely to have a ‘low production value’Pronunciation - a general term for the way a word is spoken (see: ‘enunciation’, ‘diction’)ProTools - the accepted professional standard for a DAWPSA - Public Service Announcement such as a government or charity appealPTC – Piece To Camera: style of a video presenter, looking directly at ‘the viewer’ Punch – an energetic reading style Punch and roll - a form of ‘continuous editing’, where you scroll back and record from a convenient break, and then start re-recording where the mistake was made993. 0993 – The Diction-ary of Voice – P - Part 2
07:20||Season 3, Ep. 9932023.09.20 – 0993 – The Diction-ary of Voice – P - Part 2 Pharynx – the area between the larynx and the nasal cavitiesPhonation – the process of making sounds into words, which articulation turns into recognisable speechPhonemes – the different smaller sounds which when combined form a wordPhrasing – delivering groups of words within a sentence to enhance meaningPickup – when you go back to re-record a small section of content, such as a sentence, because of a slip, trip or mispronunciation. A ‘take’ is a longer piece of content. Whereas a Take may be annotated 1, 2, 3 a Pickup will be marked A, B, C, so you may have “Take 21, Pickup C”, which helps the producer keep track of the ‘best bits’.Pickup pattern – the three-dimensional area in which a microphone will best detect soundPitch - the relative highness or lowness of the register of voice, determined by the frequency of the vibration of sound: the faster the vocal folds vibrate, the higher the pitch that they create.Placement – where you put your tongue in your mouth to create certain word-soundsPlayback on smalls – playing back a recording on small sub-optimum speakers to replicate how people will hear the produced version, at home or in the carPlosives - the group of sounds in the English language which cause a small ‘explosion’ of air from the mouth, often at the start and end of words (‘stops’) such as b, d, g, k, p, t. (Put your hand in front of your mouth as you say these letters and feel that rush of air.) Plosives are sometimes called ‘breath blasts’, and travel from a speaker’s mouth directly into a microphone’s diaphragm, causing a moment of deep distortion992. 0992 – The Diction-ary of Voice – N and P
08:08||Season 3, Ep. 9922023.09.19 – 0992 – The Diction-ary of Voice – N and P **NName check – saying your name on airNarrative non-fiction – a true-story podcastNarrative voice - the voice you use for the storyteller/author part of the story, rather a character voiceNasal sounds – speech sounds heard in words with m, n and ng letters: ‘many nice singers’, when the back of the tongue is raised against the roof of the mouth (the soft palate) thereby closing off to sound the resonance chamber of the sinus cavitiesNatural – a delivery which in itself is not noticeableNodules (‘nodes’) - bilateral (both vocal cords) callouses that form on the vocal folds due to voice misuse or overuse. Usually these are reversible with corrections in vocal techniqueNPC – Non-playing character in gameplayNSV - Non-Scripted Vocals: any kind of vocals which don't actually contain scripted dialogue, for example, pain hits, exertions, breathing and so on. **OOmissions – when a speaker leaves out certain sounds in their speech omitted such as “cal-forn-ya’ (California)Omnidirectional microphone – one with a pick-up pattern that is equally sensitive to all directionsOptimum pitch (or ‘home tone’) – the tone at which someone is most comfortable speaking; their natural pitchOvermodulation (or ‘over-modding’) - distortion caused by too loud a soundOver-the-top – a presenting style for emphasis or excitement. Not always done deliberately or appropriately**PP2P – ‘pay to play’, online casting sitesPace – the speed of a readPad – extra talking usually ad-libbed to “fill for time” that is, until a pre-determined end-time is reachedPan pot – the ‘potentiometer’ is an additional dial (rather than a fader) on a sound channel. Turning it to the left or right (‘panning’) will cause more sound to come from (or be recorded to) the left or right channel of a stereo mixPatter – informal, adlibbed, unscripted talkPeak - the maximum instantaneous level of a signal or audio waveformPer hour – the hourly rate based on the length of time you spend at the studio (rather than ‘per finished hour’, when the level of pay is based on the duration of the finished production, which is usually much less especially in audio book production) Per project - a flat rate for a script, regardless of the time spent recording or producing itPer session - a flat rate for the time spent in the studio regardless of the number of projects recordedPer spot - charging a flat rate for each commercial spot, regardless of the time spent recording itPfh - per finished hour (see ‘per hour’)