MUSICAM Gives Artist a Voice
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By Kevin Pierce Owner/Voice-over Talent Pierce & Associates |
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SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla.
I remember the first time I ordered something over the phone, paid with a credit card and had it delivered the next day. It was a perfect example of technology shrinking distance and saving time.
It seemed easier to order something from far away than it was to drive across town. Likewise, my RoadRunner ISDN audio codec from MUSICAM USA has eliminated the challenge of overcoming distance by transferring my voice in "real time" into studios and broadcast facilities everywhere.
Studio owners and broadcasters benefit from the same, distance-squashing and timesaving process to bring in voice talent or other important audio in real time from virtually anywhere.
I am a full-time voice-over artist with a project studio for light audio production. My work ranges from broadcast station liners and commercials to documentary narrations and voice for industrial films. I also produce news features for public radio stations.
Sending out DATs and CDRs via overnight delivery eliminated one drawback of distance, in that it did not enable me to compete for time-sensitive work in distant markets. This includes TV news promos, recorded and on-the-air an hour later, fast paced, high-volume TV voiceovers, such as the dozens of regional commercials required for an auto manufacturer’s dealer group campaign and zero-deadline, frequently revised political commercials.
To compete in this business, I decided to add on an ISDN codec to my voiceover studio. Prices, however, gave me a digital nosebleed. Then I discovered the RoadRunner with a list price of $2,800.
Why the low price? The RoadRunner is mono-only unit. This might make it unsuitable for someone who needs to send music of other stereo program content. But for my voice-only work, mono is great. And it works with the most commonly used compression algorithms such as MPEG Layer 2, MPEG Layer 3 and G.722. In essence, the RoadRunner can communicate with virtually all ISDN codecs except APT-X and DolbyFax.
A key concept behind the product is that it is self-contained. A built-in ISDN terminal adapter (an extra option on other codecs), two built-in mic preamps (as well as line input), two built-in headphone outputs (with independent and variable mix between the local signal and the return from the distant studio) are included.
Even the settings for more than 40 common communications parameters are build into the RoadRunner's memory.
Setup was truly plug-and-play. I plugged in two audio cables, a phone line and a power cord and dialed MUSICAM USA’s 24-hour test line. I heard near CD-quality audio from the company’s facility in Holmdel, NJ, in my Florida office.
Opting for my own, high-end mic preamp, line input for the RoadRunner comes from my mixer’s aux send. The output signal from the distant studio goes to a channel on my mixer, which I monitor in my headphones via an alt bus. Other voice-over folks have found it simpler to use one of the two headphone outputs on the unit itself. Each output has independent controls for mixing local and return audio.
The ISDN line comes straight from the wall jack into the RoadRunner’s built-in ISDN interface/terminal adapter. I also use a third-party A/B phone line switch, costing $15, which lets me use the ISDN line for Internet access or voice calls when the RoadRunner is off-line.
Usual protocol for voice-over work has the distant studio originate the call. We agree in advance on communications parameters for the codecs (usually two lines, 128 bit rate, 48k sample rate, MPEG L2 algorithm). All I have to do is speed-dial an ID number, which would be 18 for this example, and wait for the studio’s call.
In addition to voice-over work, I also produce some news and interview programs for public radio. For these projects, I initiate the call to a distant studio where an interview subject waits. It is as simple as selecting a speed-dial setting for the appropriate parameters, punching in the two phone numbers and waiting for a connection. I store frequent numbers in the unit’s memory.
Having heard horror stories about how finicky ISDN service can be, I’m pleased to say that with dozens of connections on a daily basis, the RoadRunner has performed flawlessly, every time. My only ISDN problem occurred when Telco arbitrarily dropped my long-distance service ¾ obviously, it was unrelated to The RoadRunner. Having the other studio dial me solved that one-time problem.
The RoadRunner is built for easy portability with a reinforced case and three-position carrying handle that doubles as front legs for positioning the unit. Although I’ve only used it in my studio, MUSICAM touts the RoadRunner with its three-channel mixer and dual headphone outputs as a "one box, remote broadcast solution." My wife threatens legal action if I try to bring it on vacation.
Has the RoadRunner helped me compete for time-sensitive voice-over business? Absolutely, I can name several jobs where my voice and demo CD got me the call, but the ISDN codec and short-notice availability got me the booking.
I have also traced an increased number of "hits" to my Web site since adding "ISDN voice-over" to search engine information. Obviously, producers are looking for this capability. For someone who talks for a living, the RoadRunner is a moneymaking tool.
Editor’s note: Kevin Pierce is the owner of Pierce and Associates Communications
Group and provides full-time voiceover talent. His clients include Mobil, Dupont, Mizuno Golf,
CellularOne and the Miami Herald. He can be reached at 941-472-3663,
via e-mail at kevin@kevinpierce.com
or on the Web at www.kevinpierce.com
The opinions expressed above are the author’s alone.
For more Information Contact:
Cindy DeVito
Marketing Coordinator
MUSICAM USA
732-739-5600
732-739-1818 fax
info@musicamusa.com e-mail