Audio Branding
Keeping a consistent sound in how you present your company really is the "hidden gem" of marketing. But audio or sonic branding influences us in many different ways and in many different places within our lives. Education is key! I explore that here, both with my own observations and by interviewing knowledgeable professionals in the field of advertising, marketing, music, technology and science. Want to be a guest on Audio Branding? Do you contribute something unique to the world of sound? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/jodikrangle and we'll talk.This podcast uses...
S1 E283 · Wed, April 16, 2025
The Power of Communication and Sound: A Conversation with Jem Fuller- Part 1
“ When I’m in there working with leaders, it’s around communication, and how do they communicate initially with themselves? What’s that like? And then with the people around them, because without communication, communication underpins our ability to be successful in anything that we do. When I say successful, I mean to, you know, to get the results we’re hoping to get. And whether that’s in a personal relationship and the result is love and harmony and connection and rapport, or whether that’s in a professional context and the, air quotes, ‘result’ you’re wanting to get is to have a team of people that flourish and thrive together and do great things, our ability to communicate is really underpinning all of that. So, it’s more important than most people give it time or consideration. And I think because communication is so fundamental, it tends to get overlooked a little bit.” – Jem Fuller This episode’s guest has lived a colorful life, from barefoot backpacker to corporate leader, from fire dancer and traditional tattooist to kindergarten teacher and motorcycle courier, from masseuse and reflexologist to laborer and travel consultant. For more than twelve years, he has run his own executive leadership coaching practice and international retreat company in the Himalayas, Bali, and Australia. He’s a dedicated partner and father who loves surfing and meditation, the author of the award-winning book The Art of Conscious Communication , and a TEDx speaker on YouTube. His name is Jem Fuller, and our talk will offer tips for better communication, discuss his experiences with sound, and explore how sound can make the world a better place for us all. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Power of Communication and Sound Our conversation starts off with a look at Jem’s life in Australia, including his very first memories of his musical family. “As a young person from forever,” he recalls, “you know, from a baby right through, I would quite often be going to sleep to the sounds of a capella harmonies.” We talk about his admission to the National Institute of Dramatic Art and his early work as a television act
S1 E282 · Wed, April 09, 2025
Strategies for Captivating Your Podcast Audience: A Conversation with Arielle Nissenblatt - Part 2
“ I am a huge advocate for trailers for podcasts for a number of reasons. I can talk about the marketing aspects of it, but first, let’s do the content. So, I think they should be short. And the reason I say I think, even though I claim to be an authority on this topic, is because there is no right and there is no wrong. You can do whatever the hell you want and that’s the beauty of podcasting. However, I think that they should be between thirty seconds and ninety seconds, something quick to whet the appetite of a potential listener. Bare bones, what they should say is your name, your show, when it’s dropping, why you’re making it, who it’s for. When in doubt, you can spoon-feed your listeners everything they need to know about your show via the trailer. If you have more time, more resources, more money probably, you can get a little bit more creative with it, but at the very least, it should have the above elements.” – Arielle Nissenblatt This episode is the second half of my conversation with podcasting expert and founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective Arielle Nissenblatt as we talk about making a first impression with podcast trailers, whether video or audio previews make a bigger impression on young listeners, and how, when it comes to driving audience engagement, brutal honesty can sometimes be the best policy. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Podcast Trailer Length and Visual Elements Arielle and I continue our conversation with a look at podcast trailers, and how effective they can be for grabbing the audience’s attention right from the start. “So you can upload that, make sure your feed looks good, make sure you are findable on all the podcast listening apps,” she explains. “You can start even sending people to your show to subscribe or to hit the follow button, even leave ratings and reviews before your show launches.” We discuss whether YouTube is the new kingmaker for podcasts and the perils of betting too much on a viral video. “You use all the right hashtags, you use all the right captions and you try to hit the algorithm,” she tells us. “You might not hit the algorithm and that’s okay, but it also c
S1 E281 · Wed, April 02, 2025
The Journey from Radio to Podcasting: A Conversation with Arielle Nissenblatt - Part 1
“ Yeah, for me personally, I love anything that tells me... I find myself drawn to shows that are like, ‘We’re gonna make something interesting that’s not interesting at all.’ And then they’re like, ‘Let’s talk about broccoli.’ And then they’re like, ‘Let’s talk about cement.’ And then the next episode is, ‘Let’s talk about neon.’ And I just love that. Maybe they do the history of it. Maybe they weave in the person who discovered neon. Can you discover neon? I think you can, because it’s on the periodic table of elements. Might need to be manipulated. Either way. These are the kind of things, these are shows that I find myself going back to time and time again.” – Arielle Nissenblatt This episode’s guest is a Big Fan of Podcasts™ and the podcast industry. She’s the founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective, a podcast recommendation newsletter, the host of several podcasts about the podcast industry, including a show about podcast recommendations and a show about podcast trailers, and regularly appears on podcasts about podcasts to talk about – you guessed it – podcasts. She’s on the Board of Governors of The Podcast Academy and speaks at conferences around the world on podcast marketing and community building. When it comes to podcasts, she knows her stuff. Her name is Arielle Nissenblatt, and you’ll want to hear her perspective as a long-time advocate for the podcasting industry – both on what’s happening now, and where we’re heading in the future. If you’ve ever thought about starting a podcast of your own, or you want to find out how to get the most from your current podcast, then keep listening. This is one conversation you don’t want to miss! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - Exploring the Power of Podcasting We start things off with Arielle’s early experiences with sound, and particularly the impression that radio made on her compared to streaming platforms like Spotify. “I think the excitement for me about radio is the serendipity,” she explains. “A song that I would skip if it came up on my Spotify, I would not skip. I would be more excited about it, even if it were, like, a mainstream song.” She recall
S1 E280 · Wed, March 26, 2025
Making a Difference with Operation Smile: A Conversation with Mark Climie-Elliott - Part 2
“ Sound is probably one of the most prevalent things that we focus on with our children at Operation Smile. And you know, they’re so thankful that they have, they work as hard on their homework for speech therapy as they do in school, right? And, you know, as both of us sort of being maybe teased and bullied in school, maybe we were actually, excited about doing our homework. And maybe we did study a little bit harder, and we did our homework. These kids are amazing pupils when they know that they’re getting this free therapy to help optimize their speaking, and then you go back a year later and then you hear the kids again, and you understand every word that they say. It just puts a smile on your face.” – Mark Climie-Elliott This episode is the second half of my discussion with CEO and Chief Smile Officer of Operation Smile Canada Foundation Mark Climie-Elliott as we talk about Mark’s work with Laura, a particularly memorable patient who’s gone on to make a positive influence of her own, the time and effort that building language skills can take even after a successful cleft-palate surgery, and more about Operation Smile’s plans to open a hundred new hospitals around the world over the next five years. This conversation is being released during Podcasthon, so thank you to Jeremie and all the wonderful staff there putting this initiative together. And if you’d like to learn more about Podcasthon, and maybe participate in it next year, be sure to check out podcasthon.org . As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Operation Smile Volunteer Opportunities and Impact The second half of our conversation starts as Mark tells us about how people can reach out to Operation Smile and the need for volunteers on every level. “We are always looking for trained and skilled pediatric specialists,” he says, “in anesthesiology, in plastic surgery, specifically if you have cleft specialty, we’re looking for educators.” We also talk about Laura, an Operation Smile patient who’s continuing to make a positive impact. “There’s Laura,” he recalls, “sev
S1 E279 · Wed, March 19, 2025
The Impact of Operation Smile’s Global Mission: A Conversation with Mark Climie-Elliott - Part 1
“ Anyone who needs surgery around the world will be able to do it and get it and survive from it. And we’re making significant impacts by delivering cleft surgery care and by educating and training more and more people each week. The numbers just increase and we’re about to... launch something very special as this podcast is being aired, where we’re going to really build and strengthen one hundred district hospitals around the world.” – Mark Climie-Elliott This episode’s guest is the CEO and Chief Smile Officer of Operation Smile Canada Foundation. Operation Smile is one of the world’s largest volunteer-delivered global medical charities, serving children born with cleft conditions in low and middle-income countries. Prior to joining Operation Smile, he spent more than forty years serving in a variety of leadership roles in the non-profit sector, children’s rehabilitation, and international hospital start-ups in the Middle East. His name is Mark Climie-Elliott, and you’ll want to hear where this discussion will take us. From helping children make sound to his philosophy on the importance of sound and why it matters so much to the kids his Foundation helps, there’s a lot to cover. But I was extremely honored to help get the word out about this very worthy charity, and I hope, after you’ve listened to how passionate Mark is about this cause, that you’ll check them out too. This conversation is being released during Podcasthon, so thank you to Jeremie and all the wonderful staff there putting this initiative together. And if you’d like to learn more about Podcasthon, and maybe participate in it next year, be sure to check out podcasthon.org . As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Sound, Surgery, and Changing Lives Our conversation begins with Mark’s early memories of sound, an experience that may have been as memorable for his neighbors. “The first time sound really got into me,” he recalls, “was when I found the pots and pans underneath the counter and I found the wooden spoons. Oh and let me say, sound resonated not just
S1 E278 · Wed, March 12, 2025
Uncanny Audio: Is AI-generated Content Music to Our Ears?
Artificial intelligence has come a long way over just the past few years. It can hold conversations and manage social media, it can create art and edit videos, and it can even write blogs (though not this one). Every aspect of our lives has been touched by AI in one way or another, and that’s particularly true for sound. While many podcasters, including some of my guests, now use AI tools for research and sound editing, it’s also front and center in sound, from cloning voices to writing its own songs. Royalty-free music is already starting to give way to copyright-free AI music, and a variety of powerful audio content generation tools are scheduled for release later this year. But can computers replace human composers? Will listeners be able to tell the difference? And how did we get from vinyl records to virtual music? It may seem hard to believe, but the very first song written by a computer is older than cassette tapes. The Illiac Suite , or “String Quartet No. 4,” as it’s officially named, was created in 1955, using pioneering techniques still found in AI today. The ILLIAC I (ill-ee-ack one) was one of the world’s first computers. It was built in 1952 at the University of Illinois, and it filled an entire room. The ILLIAC I weighed five tons and used over two thousand vacuum tubes, some of which had to be replaced each night. A pair of music professors, Lejaren Hiller and Leonard Isaacson, programmed the ILLIAC to compose a string quartet using what’s called “stochastic music,” music that’s written using probability calculations and mathematical sequences – in this case, Markov chains – instead of human inspiration. One of the researchers who helped build the ILLIAC I was Saburo Muroga, who also built the MUSASINO-1 later that year in Japan. And, as it happens, another breakthrough in computer-generated music would emerge from Japan exactly fifty years after the Illiac Suite’s release. Synthetic voices were the next step in creating digital music, and in 1961 the IBM 7094 became the first computer to sing a song, “Daisy Bell.” Another computer voice that could sing was called Perfect Paul, and it was one of the voice settings on 1983‘s text-to-speech DECtalk device. This is the speech synthesizer Professor Stephen Hawking used in his later years, and it was based on the voice of MIT researcher Dennis Klatt. The next decade brought us Auto-Tune, which can digitally modulate singing voices in real-time and has become, for better or worse, a staple of pop music. These developments all came together in 2004 as “Vocaloids,” synthesized voices that can talk and sing with perfect pitch. The most famous of them by far is Crypton Future Media’s Hatsune Miku, a second-generation Vocaloid who debuted in 2007. While there have been four more generations and many more voices since then, Miku is the one who captured the public’s eyes and ears. Arguably the world’s first virtual celebrity, she’s opened for Lady Gaga,
S1 E277 · Wed, March 05, 2025
Exploring Sound’s Emotional Connection to Marketing: A Conversation with Lowry Olafson - Part 2
“ It’s interesting that you say that because, you know, you’re back to what we were talking about a second ago with why people don’t have their own song brand or why they don’t do that, because all of my clients are early adopters. It takes courage, right? Even back in the days when I was doing it, I called it the theme shop, where we would come in and do it, write a song for the organization as a team building thing. And I can’t tell you the number of times I talked to a CEO and they’re like, ‘Oh, this is such a great idea.’ And they’d phone me back an hour later and say, ‘Oh, the team won’t do it.’ And it’s like, well, who’s in charge and, and what’s the point? The point is for them to feel discomfort, for them to try something they’ve never tried together and see how that will bring them together and find out, you know, what the common ground is. I mean, that’s the whole point.” – Lowry Olafson This episode is the second half of my conversation with songwriter, keynote speaker, and founder of SongBrand Lowry Olafson as we discuss what sets sound apart from other forms of advertising, why Lowry isn’t worried about audio AI, and what sonic branding can bring to a business team. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Impact of Sound in Advertising The second half of our discussion picks up as we talk about the hurdles in building a strong audio brand, and the power of sound to create an immediate impact. “You know, if the fin came out of the water and there was no soundtrack, that wouldn’t happen,” he says about the movie Jaws. “We haven’t even seen the fin yet and you’re already on the edge of your seat because of the sound.” The topic turns to the uses he’s found for AI in his work, and we discuss some of the most memorable marketing campaigns in recent years and how they rely on sound rather than imagery. “You can create any emotion,” he says about sound, “and you can’t do that with a two-dimensional thing.” (0:04:51) - The Power of Sound in Marketing We talk about whether AI can replace human composers, and Lowry explains why he prefers to handle the creative work himself.
S1 E276 · Wed, February 26, 2025
Empowerment Through Music and Branding: A Conversation with Lowry Olafson - Part 1
“ Yeah, so I started writing songs for speakers to walk on stage to their own song, and then when they had their sizzle reel, people would hear their song again. And then if they went to a training, you know, they would hear the song again. And so there was this audio consistency that also had the effect of lifting the person, the speaker themselves. They would say to me, you know, ‘When I walk on stage to my own song, it’s like, I don’t show up small. This is who I have to be to walk on stage to like, mind switch, I’m ready to fly.’ Right? And they’re, you know, they are making their brand. People are walking out of there with their song stuck in their head, not a Katy Perry song.” – Lowry Olafson This episode’s guest is a professional songwriter who has toured the globe, released nine albums, and led over six hundred songwriting sessions with more than 15,000 speakers, entrepreneurs, and businesses. He helps his clients make a bigger dent in the universe by creating their own signature song to build trust, authority, and connection – and to make their message literally unforgettable. His name is Lowry Olafson, and he’s created something called a SongBrand. We’ll be talking about how businesses and individuals can use a SongBrand, and how his background has led to a unique form of songwriting that allows his clients to communicate their truth with the world. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Power of Sound Branding Our conversation starts with a look back at Lowry’s earliest memories of sound and what drew him to a career in music. “My earliest memory of making my own music,” he says, “was, as maybe a three-year-old, on the prairies and uh, listening to the meadowlarks and trying to imitate them, whistling, trying to imitate them.” We talk about some of the musicians who most influenced him, such as Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot, and how he’s helping bring sonic branding down from commercial jingles to a more personal level. “It used to be that the only people that could afford to do this,” he says, “were the big people that, you know, had big advertising, big advertising budgets, and TV and radio and
S1 E275 · Wed, February 19, 2025
The Hidden Influence of Sound in Marketing: A Conversation with Joe Sauer - Part 2
“ Don’t just produce a single ad, produce three or four ads that are all related to each other in a campaign, because you get that familiarity, you get that consistency, you get that storytelling narrative that spans a single spot and starts to reach across the entire campaign, and it’s consistent across touchpoints. But then when it comes to the sound, they don’t apply exactly the same rationality. And it’s just because we haven’t had the data that supports it. But now that we do, we can push it into the marketplace and hopefully start to support a very different decision-making process when it comes to sound in branding or sound in advertising.” – Joe Sauer This episode is the second half of my conversation with audio research pioneer and founder of Emotisphere Insights Joe Sauer as we talk about setting the right audio budget for both moviemaking and advertising, striking the perfect balance between making an exciting impression and building a brand clients recognize and trust, and what sad music reveals about humans and AI. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - The Power of Audio Branding Our discussion continues as we look at the audio budgets of both movies and marketing campaigns, and Joe reveals that advertising comes up surprisingly short in comparison. “If they’re spending less than half of what moviemakers are spending,” he says, “and they’re still generating audio tracks that are influencing behavior, imagine what they could do if they simply ratcheted that up a percent or two.” Joe tells us about some of the famous sonic branding projects he’s worked on, such as adapting AT&T’s famous audio logo to a global market. “Over the course of what felt like decades but was really several months,” he recalls, “we accomplished the task. We were able to reposition that brand effectively through sound, without losing any of the recognizability or the durable memorability.” (0:12:58) - The Evolution of AI in Research We discuss AI’s emerging role in research and how often branding becomes a balancing act between making a big splash and feeling like an old friend. “One of the things that w
S1 E274 · Wed, February 12, 2025
Sonic Branding, AI, and the Power of Sound: A Conversation with Joe Sauer - Part 1
“ Does that sound like a robot or does that sound like AI? Does that sound synthetic? Does that sound human? When we think about it, we can’t tell. But when we rely more on those primal, very basic human responses, we can tell. And what’s fascinating to me is even after we told people which voice was which, they still couldn’t tell the difference between two voices. Um, but again, on a subconscious basis, they could. And so it’s just a fascinating piece of research that, uh, is definitely time-boxed, right? I think these voice generators will get better in quality.” – Joe Sauer This episode’s guest is a man who proves you don’t need to be a rock star to master sonic branding. How does a self-described guy with no musical talent become an expert on all things audio? The answer, he says, is data, data, and more data. He’s devoted his career to understanding the impact of emotion on consumer decision-making, and, for the last decade or so, he’s focused specifically on optimizing the impact of sound and music in branding, advertising, and UX design. His award-winning neuro-based research approach has become the gold standard for audio measurement, partnering with top sound studios globally to ensure that brands don’t just sound good but actually resonate with their audiences. His name is Joe Sauer, and in this episode’s discussion, we’ll be entering the world of beats, brands, and brainwaves to understand some of the hard science behind audio branding. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Impact of Music on Emotional Response Our conversation starts with Joe’s early memories of sound, which include learning all about the power of music as a nervous teen on the dance floor. “That very visceral anxiety and fear of embarrassment and then relief that floods in,” he recalls, “when you find yourself with a partner on the dance floor. It was all triggered by music, not even a full song, just the first couple of bars of music.” We talk about neuromarketing techniques and the role they play in everything from movie trailers to music albums, and how they’ve changed since the early days of brain scans and electrodes. “The techniques that we’ve evolve
S1 E273 · Wed, February 05, 2025
The Future of Sound Design in Electric Vehicles: A Conversation with Johannes Luckemeier - Part 2
“ What I did is also in the beginning with my prototypes, I did those science-fiction sounds. I watched all the science-fiction shows and I was like, yeah, let’s get those spaceships in there, I need to do spaceships. And it was fun, I’ll be honest. My wife hated it. When she was in the car with me, she was like, ‘Hey, everybody’s looking, please. No, no, everybody’s looking at us.’ But then when I really started releasing the product to the market, giving the first MVPs or prototypes to testers, to influencers, and had the first customers, paying customers, I got the feedback, like, all these futuristic alien noises, it’s all fun, but could we have some real car sounds?” – Johannes Luckemeier This episode is the second half of my interview with audio inventor and founder of Glydsphere Johannes Luckemeier as we discuss the process of creating custom vehicle sounds, how audio design helps set high-end vehicles apart, and whether a sound, all by itself, can be copyrighted. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Power of Audio Branding As our discussion continues, Johannes tells us just how different each car company’s sonic branding can be, and how much more room electric vehicles have given them to make a distinctive impression. “For a Tesla, you only hear, like, white noise. You can barely, actually, you don’t hear it. If you don’t know about it, you don’t hear it, but it fulfills the law,” he explains. “But if you look at BMW, Mercedes, AMG, Porsche, they have, like, this sporty, sci-fi sound because they had the feeling this is the way to go.” We talk about his process for developing custom engine sounds that are inspired by everything from Star Wars to The Jetsons , and how he’s working to give drivers the tools to modify and even create their own vehicle sound profiles. “The idea, really, is to give the user, the customer, whatever you want to call it, the driver, freedom of choice,” he tells us, “freedom that he or she can have any sound he or she wants. And hey, if you want silence, you just turn it off. If it’s too loud, you turn the volume down. If you don’t like the spaceships, you use a differen
S1 E272 · Wed, January 29, 2025
How Sound Can Shape Your Driving Experience: A Conversation with Johannes Luckemeier - Part 1
“ There are a few perspectives from which you can see this. One would be you pay a premium price for a premium car or premium product in general. So basically, if you just look at the numbers, you pay for people like me at BMW, now doing this. But then also what you mentioned, you’re buying a premium product, you’re expecting a premium experience. And obviously sound, it can be, you can relate this to every field or to every part of the car. You want a premium experience. Means every part, every piece of the experience or of the car, so to say, somebody needs to put some brain into it.” – Johannes Luckemeier My guest for this episode was born and raised in Germany, where he learned the guitar as a teenager and later took piano lessons. He received his Master’s in Music Technology from Ireland before going into the car industry in Germany as a sound designer, applying and developing sound designs and audio algorithms for premium car manufacturers. During that time he bought a Tesla, and he was unsatisfied with the nonexistent engine sound experience – so he developed a system from scratch to create personalized engine sound for electric vehicles. Now he’s selling the system directly to consumers from his company, based in Texas. His name is Johannes Luckemeier and I’ve been waiting for the chance to talk with him about the sounds of cars inside and out, something that electric cars are going to have to master. Whether you’re a car or sound enthusiast, I think you’ll really enjoy this conversation. We still have so much to learn about sound’s influence in the places we spend the most time, including our cars. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Role of Sound in Cars We start things off with Johannes’ earliest memories of sound, such as listening to Chuck Berry on the radio and dreaming of becoming a rock star. “I started with an acoustic guitar,” he recalls, “picked up an electric guitar later on, and I also had like a keyboard as a kid which, I’ll be honest, I mainly used for prank calls.” We discuss how the recession changed the direction of his studies and career path, and his work in the auto industry a
S1 E271 · Wed, January 22, 2025
How Sound Affects Modern Media: A Conversation with Sherene Strausberg - Part 2
“ It’s just the way music is consumed. My kids went to summer camp, and they wanted to, like, bring music with them. But they’re not allowed to have electronic devices, like, they can’t bring a phone. And my son was, like, ‘Oh, I’ll just take my phone.’ And I’m like, ‘No, you don’t understand, like, you’re not going to have internet.’ And they’re like, ‘Well, how do I get the music from, like, Spotify, like, on my phone?’ I’m like, ‘You can’t without internet.’ And just the whole concept, like, you used to carry a record or even a cassette or a CD, and it was physical, and you had it.” – Sherene Strausberg This episode is the second half of my conversation with Emmy-nominated art director, sound engineer, and founder and creative director of 87th Street Creative Sherene Strausberg as we talk about her work to bring diversity to sound, how streaming audio is creating a generation gap and what that might mean for marketers, and whether the days of going to the movie theater have come and gone. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Creating Audio for Visuals Our conversation picks up as Sherene shares her approach to combining visual and sonic elements for an effective branding strategy, and her recent work on a particularly compelling, and challenging, animation project. “It was for a nonprofit named Womankind, the opening part of this animated video I did for them was about, you know, these really devastating statistics,” she tells us. “But then it kind of changed tone... and so we needed a real shift, and no track was able to really do that in the timing that we needed. So I ended up using two different tracks and through the power of music editing we were able to very smoothly change that tone.” She tells us more about her work with diverse composers and voices, and partnering with such groups as One Percent for the Planet. “I make animated videos,” she explains, “I can’t clean the carbon out of the air with my business, right? That’s not what I do… but it’s finally getting me to put sort of, like, you know,
S1 E270 · Wed, January 15, 2025
The Journey from Film Scoring to AI and Music: A Conversation with Sherene Strausberg - Part 1
“ I can go back to when I was sixteen, and I was at a movie theater and I was watching a really great scene in a movie where the violinist was, like, moving his bows, you know, the camera was like panning around him. And I got to the end of that scene, and, like, he lifts his bow up, and I started clapping in the theater. And I realized that that film had just totally taken me out of the movie theater and put me in, like, a concert hall. And I was like, ooh, I want to do that. I want to basically use sound to bring people to another world, and I pretty much at sixteen decided I wanted to be a film composer.” – Sherene Strausberg This episode’s guest is an Emmy-nominated art director and a unique creative, combining her experience in film, music, and sound engineering with graphic design and illustration. She creates animated videos for her clients at the company she founded almost ten years ago, 87th Street Creative. She knew at the age of sixteen that she wanted to be a film composer, and, after ten years of pursuing that while also working as a broadcast engineer at National Public Radio, she changed careers, first to graphic design and then to motion design. Motion graphics returned her to her true passion of how sound and moving images together can immerse the viewer and listener. Combining this with her desire to work with clients who believe in sustainability and social justice, 87th Street Creative has worked with nonprofits and businesses that help make the world a better place. Her name is Sherene Strausberg, and our conversation covers a range of topics, from how sound enhances visuals to the role sound plays in helping her clients promote their brands. Whether you’re an ad creative, have a company that’s looking for an innovative way to reach your clients, or you’re just interested in the power of sound, we could all learn a thing or two from her experiences. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - From Film Scoring to Animation Our discussion starts off with a look back at a pivotal memory in Sherene’s life, the moment when, as a teenager, she realized she wanted to work in sound. “I was watching a re
S1 E269 · Wed, January 08, 2025
The Psychology of Sound in Marketing: A Conversation with Howard Lim - Part 2
“ So what we found out about the Flying Dutchman, for example, they’ve been in business for forty years and they simply didn’t know how to grow. But one thing I’d found out when I went to the original Flying Dutchman store is that people like to gather there, but they didn’t have anywhere inside the store to gather and sit down. Everyone sat down on the sidewalk and hung out outside. So that’s what gave us the idea, why don’t we have it we could build the community inside and everyone did feel like family, and it was a place that everyone could actually say hi to one another, right? So, it was taking what was existing but magnifying it as an actual location for people to gather. – Howard Lim This episode is the second half of my conversation with innovator, author, and award-winning brand architect Howard Lim as we discuss the challenges of audio-based SEO, how insurance companies have paved the way for audio branding, and figuring out your brand’s favorite music. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Exploring Audio Branding and SEO Trends The second half of our conversation starts with a closer look at Howard’s book Authentic Branding and how web design has evolved since the days of Adobe Flash. “It made a big difference as far as the overall experience,” he says about those early, more audio-focused sites. “Now websites, they’re so flat as far as introducing it to your senses, because now you’re just using your visual sense.” We talk about the ongoing challenge of tying SEO and audio together, and we discuss Howard’s approach to helping companies find the right sound for their brand. “One of the questions I ask,” he explains, “when I’m in a strategy session is what if the brand listened to music? What music would listen to and why?” (0:09:55) - The Power of Sound in Branding Howard tells us more about his work with such companies as WSS and Flying Dutchman and shares some of the success stories in building their brands. “It expanded them,” he recalls his work with Flying Dutchman. “I think it was three years to five franchises, where [before] they couldn’t grow for forty years
S1 E268 · Wed, January 01, 2025
Influencing Branding Through Sound: A Conversation with Howard Lim - Part 1
“ For example, like, even commercials, there’s that one commercial for the Indian casinos. And my wife loves the song, and she knows it’s actually a singer that’s produced it. And she always thinks about that casino, you know, she doesn’t gamble, but every time she hears that song, it goes back to that feeling like, oh yeah, it’s about the good time. It’s about, you know, gambling, right? So now we’re moving to association. So, the sound has a lot of association to, um, that, to that ‘expectation’ or the actual experience itself.” – Howard Lim This episode’s guest is an award-winning business and brand architect who designs businesses from the inside out. He’s a disruptive innovator who shifts paradigms, and his boutique, full-service firm, How Creative, partners with business owners worldwide to develop and execute world-class, leading businesses and authentic brands. He’s been a highly sought-after speaker, author, and organization advisor for over thirty-five years, and he’s represented everyone from emerging entrepreneurs to established Fortune 100 companies, including Apple, Disney, Paramount, Xerox, Oracle, Cirque du Soleil, Mattel, AT&T, and HP. His contributions have added billions to clients’ profits while increasing both brand value and company equity. His name is Howard Lim, and in this discussion, we’ll be getting his perspective on how the large companies he’s worked with are using sound for better brand recognition and to make deeper connections with their potential clients. We’ll also find out where he thinks companies could take this into the future. Things are changing fast these days, so keep listening so you can learn what you can do to keep ahead of the game. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - Influencing Branding Through Sonic Sound The first half of our conversation starts as Howard shares what a childhood crush and a memorable Bob Dylan song taught him about the power of sound. “Every time I heard that song it put me back in that space and that time and that exact location,” he says. “So music has definitely influenced my experiences and my memories.” Our discussion turns to his recent work wi
S1 E267 · Wed, December 25, 2024
Podcasting, Podfest, and Public Speaking: A Conversation with Chris Krimitsos - Part 2
“ It’s one of the rare things. I know, Jodi, you know it ‘cause you’re, you’re literally like an ambassador of Podfest, but, um, it’s unusual when you share it with people like, ‘hey, the education could be some of the best you’ve ever seen.’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, okay. I hear that all the time.’ It’s like, no, no, no. People prepare all year to showcase what they’ve got at Podfest. So, it is an embarrassment of riches, which I’m really blessed that, I would say, 90%, you know, you can’t hit a hundred all the time, but I would say nine out of ten are just stellar. And then there are people we give a shot to, and then we give them feedback after. But overall, our batting average is pretty high as far as the quality of the content you’re going to get at Podfest.” – Chris Krimitsos This episode is the second half of my conversation with producer, speaker, and Podfest founder Chris Krimitsos as we talk about Podfest’s transformation from a local community event into a worldwide convention and virtual conference, how to balance video content and audio-first audiences when it comes to podcasting, and the impact digital audio’s made on his life and his family. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - Podfest and Public Speaking Experiences The second half of our conversation starts as Chris recalls how the pandemic helped Podfest set a world record for virtual attendance and grow into a global phenomenon. “It’s really incredible,” he says, “to see that people will show up when Podfest is there in different countries now, and that’s because of the COVID experience, because of the virtuals that we did.” He tells us about the variety of guests and shows in attendance, and how much they have to offer. “People prepare all year to showcase what they’ve got at Podfest,” he adds. “So it’s an embarrassment of riches, which I’m really blessed that, I would say 90% - you can’t hit 100 all the time - but I would say 9 out of 10 are just stellar.” (0:05:50) - Effective Podcasting Tips and Strategies Chris offers his tips for a good public presentation and some advice on putting even the most unscripted podcast moments
S1 E266 · Wed, December 18, 2024
The Evolution of Audio Media: A Conversation with Chris Krimitsos - Part 1
“ So I got involved in YouTube first, uh, in ‘06, and then audio, I got involved in 2012. I started, like, paying attention in 2013, um, the summer of 2013. I really got heavily in podcasting ‘cause I saw the opportunity and what it could do for people. And like you said, I love voice. It’s a much more nuanced form of communication, but it’s so profound ‘cause, right now, um, even today, even though I think people should have a video component of some sort, when you look at people’s stats, the people that listen to audio are much more engaged in that show than the people that watch the video.” – Chris Krimitsos This episode’s guest has been successfully growing Podfest Multimedia Expo from what started as a meetup at a local café in 2013 to an international conference with more than three thousand registrants. Content creators have benefited from his knack for community building as they build relationships, their podcasts, and YouTube channels through the platforms he’s provided. These experiences, whether in-person or virtual, are built on his experience as the creator of over two thousand live events in his professional career. As a trendsetter, he quickly identified podcasting’s popularity and responded with a 2017 documentary about the evolving medium called The Messengers: A Podcast Documentary . The film has been placed on YouTube for global distribution after having initially been released on Amazon, where he also had his book, Start Ugly: A Timeless Tale About Innovation & Change , hit #1 in the categories of Business Leadership and HR. His name is Chris Krimitsos, and in this conversation, we find out more about how he decided podcasting would be such a big thing, what it takes to put together a conference of Podfest’s size, and where he thinks this medium will take us into the future. We’re all about sound here – and podcasting is definitely a part of that. So keep listening to learn more from this encouraging, community-minded, giant in the industry! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - Evolution of Audio Media Platforms As our conversation starts off, Chris shares his early memories of sound, parti
S1 E265 · Wed, December 11, 2024
Crafting a Memorable Sound Identity: A Conversation with Jon Brennan - Part 2
“ All right, so this happens a lot is that brands will be, especially in agencies, they’ll be coming up on a new campaign and they’ll think, ‘Oh well, you know what, this campaign is going to launch at such date, I’ll throw some audio branding on there.’ And then, from the get-go, then they’re thinking about the audio brand as part of the campaign’s messaging, and that is not what you want to do. So number five is think of your audio branding as part of your brand’s equity and part of your brand’s identity, and do not plan your audio branding around your campaign message. Because then, as soon as that campaign message is gone and thrown out, there goes the audio logo.” – Jon Brennan This is the second half of my conversation with audio branding expert and founder of Sonic Signatures Jon Brennan as we discuss Jon’s tips for building a successful brand strategy, what Home Depot gets right when it comes to brand consistency, and the future of AI music in audio branding. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Implementing Effective Audio Branding Strategies The second half of our discussion begins as Jon talks about the ubiquity of UX sound design and the opportunities it presents for establishing a sonic brand. “You know the sound of your ATM,” he says. “You know you’re using your audio logo. Any place that you have a brand interaction is where you want to use that melody, that sound so that it is more of an ecosystem.” He continues his list of tips for building a successful audio brand, including the importance of marketing versatility. “So number five,” he explains, “is think of your audio branding as part of your brand’s equity and part of your brand’s identity and do not plan your audio branding around your campaign message, because then, as soon as that campaign message is gone and thrown out, there goes the audio logo.” (0:11:11) - Evolving Audio Branding Strategies Our conversation turns to the value of a dynamic campaign that keeps up with changing demands. “What you want to do,” Jon says, “is continue to develop and adapt your audio identity through more touch points, more use cases,
S1 E264 · Wed, December 04, 2024
Create an Effective Sonic Branding Strategy: A Conversation with Jon Brennan - Part 1
“ That’s right, yeah, and to me, that’s one of the most important steps in the whole process is this research, brand assessment. And then you bring that research and assessment to life in the mood board, and that is what allows you to create something that is so customized to this brand, that it only works for this brand.” – Jon Brennan This week’s guest is a lifelong audio producer who loves to help brands communicate effectively through sound. He regularly produces voiceover and sound design for brands like Tide, Downy, Cascade, Henkel, Dell computers, and more, and he’s led the creation of such audio branding identities as Amazon Alexa, Hostess, Boomchickapop, and Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey. His name is Jon Brennan, and since our last conversation, episodes 126 and 127 , he joined Sixième Son, a world leader in audio branding, as a senior account executive, where he managed the creation of audio identities for Fortune 500 companies and brands. After two years, Jon returned to lead his own audio branding agency Sonic Signatures in 2024. He enjoys using his love of music and audio to entertain and inspire others, and we’ll be talking a lot about how companies can and should work audio branding into their marketing plans. While Jon has worked with some very large companies in this capacity, the Fortune 500 aren’t the only ones who benefit from this kind of strategy. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Journey in Sonic Branding Industry As our episode starts off, Jon tells us about a recent experience with sound, and how it sparked bittersweet memories of his late uncle. “I distinctly heard my uncle’s voice,” he recalls, “and his characteristic laughter coming from the other room, and it’s just like I just thought my uncle Tom was there for a minute and i
S1 E263 · Wed, November 27, 2024
Elevating Brands Through Podcasting: A Conversation with Traci DeForge - Part 2
“ It’s got to look good, sound good, look good if it is video, but it’s got to sound good, good quality audio, good editing, and it’s got to have enough interesting information that people want to talk about what they heard or they have a pivotal moment or an a-ha or it changes their life. So, and that again is why I am so incredibly passionate about podcasting and just, in general, because, I don’t know if I’ve ever shared this with you, but listening to a podcast literally did change my life with a medical condition that I had.” – Traci DeForge This episode is the second half of my conversation with founder and CEO of Produce Your Podcast and internationally recognized podcast expert Traci DeForge as we discuss the branding power of podcasts, Traci’s tips for utilizing social media, and her work with the Podcast Professionals Association. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - Leveraging Podcasts for Brand Growth The second half of our conversation starts with Traci’s explanation of how building a brand’s audio strategy differs from sustaining one, and the challenge of reaching out to an audience without sounding like a sales pitch. “[If] you can think about what’s in it for the audience, then all of the visibility, leads, and sales component happens as a residual of that,” she says about podcasts. “But the most important key is... that it’s got to look good and sound good.” We discuss how podcasts help forge a lasting connection with listeners, and how one podcast helped her overcome a lifetime of migraines. “I really, really share that story,” she tells us, “because it’s not just me going. You can change the world one voice at a time. Like that person’s voice changed my literal life and my family’s life.” (0:07:07) - Exploring the Power of Podcasting Our discussion focuses on the growing importance of video in podcasting and whether it’s possible to still succeed as an audio-only production, “If you are currently thinking about being an audio-only podcaster or you are thinking about starting an audio podcast,” Traci says, “absolutely yes, yes, yes, you do need to start the audio podcas
S1 E262 · Wed, November 20, 2024
Engaging Listeners with Creative Audio Strategies: A Conversation with Traci DeForge - Part 1
“ I really believe in developing the power of an audio brand as the Nike swoosh, as the Amazon arrow smile. Your audio brand should be as recognizable to your personal brand, to your business brand, however you’re leveraging your audio platform. It should be as good a quality, and people should invest in, and not have it be an afterthought. If you think about what people invest in personal branding and visual branding aesthetics, website branding and then, oh, ‘I want to start a podcast.’ And they never even consider that that’s an extension of all of that other investment that you’ve made.” – Traci DeForge This episode’s guest is the founder of Produce Your Podcast, an award-winning full-service production and marketing agency, and is recognized as an international podcast expert, sought-after speaker, and media contributor. She’s the creator of the Podcast Management Academy, the industry’s only certified podcast manager training program, and co-founder of the Podcast Professionals Association. She’s also the co-host of the Ask Brien radio show on KHTS AM & FM in Los Angeles and has been featured on all three major networks along with CNN, CTV, American Express OPEN, and Radio INK , and is a member of the Rolling Stone Culture Council. Her name is Traci DeForge, and if you’re looking to take your podcast to the next level, you’ll want to hear what she has to say about it. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) – The Love of Audio We start things off with a look back at Traci’s childhood memories of sound, from calling Dial-a-Prayer to hear stories over the phone to listening to to the radio under the covers at night. “I used to sleep with an AM transmitter radio under my pillow listening to ghost stories,” she recalls, “and when my friends would come over for slumber parties. I would create these elaborate radio shows.” She tells us about how developing her first podcast in 2015 helped inspire her to create Produce Your Podcast. “There are going to be some other busy consultants and business owners,” she explains, “who are going to want to have podcasts, but they’re not going to want to do everything
S1 E261 · Wed, November 13, 2024
The Hidden Power of Music Therapy: A Conversation with Noel Anderson - Part 2
“ So put on some good music, especially music with a very steady beat. Every time you have focus, yeah, every time that beat goes, it drips a little bit of dopamine. So that’s another reason why we also can support people with, with their gait, like with walking because we need that little bit of drip of dopamine when we walk. It actually naturally happens. But for people that have a challenge with that, like for Parkinson’s, maybe a stroke, that gets affected. So if we have a very steady beat, boom, boom, every little bit, dopamine drips, and it actually helps to regulate our system and anticipate when to take those steps. Yeah, so that’s just one.” – Noel Anderson This episode is the second half of my conversation with director of Anderson Music Therapy and board-certified music therapist Noel Anderson as we talk about music’s effect on our brain chemistry and cortisol levels, the different effects that making music and listening to music have on our brains, and the role sound and music can play in treating such disorders as PTSD and depression. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Music and Memory Our conversation continues as we talk about music’s effect on our brains’ neural connections and how we experience the world around us. “The experiences we have,” Noel explains, “everything affects those neural connections and what gets formed, what doesn’t get formed, um, so, yeah, so this is a big question.” We discuss sound’s power to help boost our dopamine levels and manage depression, and how she’s helped Alzheimer’s patients reconnect with their past through the power of music. “I think if you keep your mind as active as possible,” she says, “then you can at least hopefully slow it down. And I think music is one of those things. Like I said, it exercises the whole brain and so if you can keep that connection to other people, that’s going to keep you healthy.” (0:09:53) - The Impact of Music Therapy We talk about the different therapeutic roles that making music and listening to music play, and she tells us more about mirror neurons and music’s ability to engage our deepest social inst
S1 E260 · Wed, November 06, 2024
Finding Healing Through Melody: A Conversation with Noel Anderson - Part 1
“ I had a client in the practice that they, well, what they said is, ‘I am disabled because of mental health and PTSD symptoms, and music therapy’s helping me work through many issues very directly in a way that years of talk therapy hasn’t been able to touch.’ For this individual, they had been through years of talk therapy, and for some people, that is very valuable and very helpful, myself included. But like myself, I had to start with music therapy first because it just accesses the brain in a different way. It accesses the body in a different way than just talking.” – Noel Anderson This week’s guest is the founder of Anderson Music Therapy Services and has been a board-certified music therapist for over fifteen years. Her journey started with a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from Immaculata University, followed by a clinical internship at the Kardon Institute for Arts Therapy in Philadelphia. Driven by a desire for growth, she pursued specialized training, earning certification in Neurologic Music Therapy at Colorado State University, certification as a Trauma Professional, and a Master of Music Therapy degree from Temple University. Before founding her practice in Roanoke, Virginia, she developed a school-based music therapy program for individuals of all ages and abilities. Her love of music began early – she’s been performing since the age of ten through voice, guitar, piano, and flute – and her impact extends globally, benefiting communities in Africa and India. Her name is Noel Anderson and I’ve been looking forward to chatting with her about all the ways we can harness the power of sound to motivate us, to help us heal and to improve our lives. Keep listening because I know you’re going to get some invaluable golden nuggets from this discussion! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Power of Music Therapy We start things off with Noel’s early memories of sound, from the tiger song she wrote before she’d even learned to spell to her discovery in college of how music therapy could help others. “I didn’t always have a very easy time identifying my emotions or being able to express my emotions,”
S1 E259 · Wed, October 30, 2024
In the Clubhouse: AI in Podcasting – Part 2
“ I agree that humans will always want to work with humans and that we’re gonna always favor it in a lot of ways, especially because of the spontaneity, the creativity, the vibe. Kids love to use the word vibe, but we want the vibe and AI doesn’t have the vibe. Kids are really good at detecting AI, really good at it…. They pick it out way before their parents. So they’re really tuned into it. So I think that’s what’s going to keep it at bay in terms of being a true creative tool for really a long time.” – Sean Savage This episode is the second half of my Clubhouse discussion with voice actor and Sound Off Media Company owner Matt Cundill, Home Studio Mastery founder Junaid Ahmed, podcast producer and AR Media host Sean Savage, Spoken Life Media founder and Podcast Hall of Fame Inductee Rob Greenlee, and long-time podcaster and audio technology consultant George Whittam, as we discuss the future of AI, what sets machine and human learning apart, and building your own AI clone. As always, if you have questions for my panelists, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - AI and the Future of Technology The second half of our conversation begins as we talk about the impact of AI on everything from social media to politics, and what that might mean for its future. “I interviewed David Pogue earlier this year,” George says, “and he’s done a tremendous amount of AI research and experimenting, and he’s like, it hasn’t yet swung an election that we know of, so maybe we shouldn’t be too worried. But it’s just something to think about, and I think about it all the time.” The topic turns to AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence. “That day is coming,” Rob tells us. “I don’t know if it’s five years from now, ten years from now, that it surpasses, you know, the ability to think and process information, um, better than a human, but I think it’s coming and once that happens, it’s going to change everything.” (0:06:44) - Ethical Implications of AI Use We talk about the ethics of AI usage, and whether there’s any practical difference between how AI models are trained and how children naturally learn. “Even if your older brother is telling you ‘don’t copy me,’” Jun
S1 E258 · Wed, October 23, 2024
In the Clubhouse: AI in Podcasting – Part 1
“ With AI coming along, I sort of look at more things being added into the workflow over the last year or so. A lot of it is, like, transcription, but also, ‘how are we gonna title the podcast?’ Show notes being written, I’m a little bit leery of, but it is used to assist in the process to write better show notes. So, I think for a long time, a lot of people have skipped over that, and AI has allowed us to write better show notes. That doesn’t mean copy-and-paste them in because AI is not... AI is, it’s an absolutely horrible writer. And I think one of the things that, I know this will come up in our discussion today, is that when you see AI stuff just being copied and pasted, you know that it has been copied and pasted.” – Matt Cundall If there’s one topic that has captured the collective psyche over the past few years, it’s AI. But while the topic is fascinating, the uses are endless, and figuring out where it best fits into your work process is another matter entirely. The group I recently assembled on Clubhouse to talk about AI in Podcasting included a lot of veterans in the area of audio, video, and podcasting. They include voice actor and owner of The Sound Off Media Company, Matt Cundill; founder of Home Studio Mastery, Junaid Ahmed; on-air host and technical producer, mastering engineer, and podcast and audiobook post-production professional at AR Media, Sean Savage; founder of Spoken Life Media, LLC and Podcast Hall of Fame Inductee Rob Greenlee; and long-time audio technology consultant and co-host of the Pro Audio Suite Podcast, George Whittam. Each one of them had valuable insights into what tools work best for them and what tools you might want to look into for your own production. Considering where the industry is heading, it’s probably a good idea to learn as much as you can about all these new and time-saving options. I hope you find this discussion super helpful! As always, if you have questions for my panelists, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - AI Tools in Podcast Creation Our roundtable discussion starts as Matt introduces himself and discusses some of the strengths and weak spots of AI software, particularly when it comes to making
S1 E257 · Wed, October 16, 2024
How Sound and Music Influence Nature and Behavior: A Conversation with Pavle Marinkovic - Part 2
“ We typically think about music as a listening experience, playing an instrument, dancing. And I think that’s like a narrow view of seeing, of looking at this concept of music. And that was one of the inspirations. What I wanted to do in this book was to show that there’s another way of thinking about music that’s completely different from this, let’s say, three main ways we think about music. So if you step a little bit outside these traditional associations we have with what music is, you can find that, as we talked about, sound can affect plant development, it can influence the growth, the health of the plant. It can alter our sense of taste, enhance or diminish their own flavors. It can impact our moods. It can uplift us, calm us, energize us… and, well, audio branding uses that a lot, because emotions sell at the end of the day.” – Pavle Marinkovic This episode is the second half of my conversation with writer and audio branding consultant Pavle Marinkovic as we discuss how music can influence our shopping habits, the latest research into sound’s effect on our cellular metabolism, and whether plants prefer Vedic chants or rock music. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Influence of Music on Plants As the second half of our discussion starts, Pavle tells us about sound’s effect on plants, including an experiment in India that found plants prefer Vedic chants and classical music over rock. “The plants grew taller,” he explains, “they had bigger flowers, and they had more flowers than the rock condition, and they also saw that the plants were growing towards the speaker.” He talks about the discovery that music can affect the growth of microorganisms such as E. Coli, and the dramatic difference that simply playing the right music made at a waste-treatment plant. “After a year of using this classical music,” Pavle says, “they were able to save ten thousand euros in the cost of transporting this sludge, so they reduced the amount of sludge produced by these sewage treatment plants.” (0:16:30) - The Power of Sound and Music We discuss the use of sound in shaping public behavior in r
S1 E256 · Wed, October 09, 2024
How Music Shapes Taste: A Conversation with Pavle Marinkovic - Part 1
“ When I started researching how music affected all these different parts of the food life cycle, I stumbled upon research about how it changed our perception of taste, how it can make beer taste more bitter or wine have a more full body. So I said, well, I love chocolate, and I stumbled across a food chocolate factory in the middle of Madrid. And I said, well, let’s try it. If there’s so much research on all these other things, let’s see if there’s also something that can happen with chocolate.” – Pavle Marinkovic This episode’s guest is a psychologist with a master’s degree in film scoring. He’s worked in a pioneering audio branding firm in Madrid and later in a market research company that used facial recognition software to scan and create emotional maps of different content, including music. Currently, he wears many hats: writer, researcher, audio branding consultant, music teacher, and violinist, and all these facets of sound are deeply intertwined in his daily work. His name is Pavle Marinkovic, and he’s also the author of Sounds From Farm to Fork (And Back) , where he talks about the impact sound and music can have on the food life cycle. I asked him about his research and the details are fascinating. If you’re a farmer, a garden hobbyist, a marketer, a restaurateur, or interested in more effective waste control and recycling, this is a discussion you don’t want to miss! It’s astonishing to realize just how much of a difference sound can make in all these things. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - Exploring Music and Audio Branding Our conversation starts with a look back at Pavle’s early memories of sound, or, in this case, the story his grandmother tells about how he attended his first opera at eight months old, and how he tried to join in with the singers. “That wasn’t acceptable for my grandmother,” he adds, “and so she ended up rushing us out. But she always tells me this story.” He shares his career journey from film scoring to sound research, and a pioneering research project that used facial recognition technology to create emotional maps of people’s reactions to sound. “You could sho
S1 E255 · Wed, October 02, 2024
How to Make a Profit From Licensing Your Music: A Conversation with Nismah Osman - Part 2
“ Essentially, what musicians really need to understand is that the power to find success in sync is extremely accessible, and it’s right there in front of them as long as they’re willing to go and get it. There is no gate, right? There’s no gatekeeper. There’s nothing that you have to do or have, and there’s no one you have to know. It’s really just about being willing, and being willing to learn the ropes and do the work. – Nismah Osman This episode is the second half of my conversation with sync licensing expert and Music Licensing Mastery founder Nismah Osman as we discuss the social media grind indie musicians face these days, her advice for getting into sync licensing, and the hidden power of music in today’s world. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Future of Music and Technology Our discussion continues as we talk about how AI is transforming the music industry, and Nismah’s thoughts on whether it can replace sync musicians altogether. “It’s quality over quantity,” she explains. “Sometimes, you know, you can have a hundred really, really not-so-great tracks, and you have a hundred of them, sure, but they may not have the same value as one piece of really high-quality content.” We take a look at some of the other industries that have been shaken up by AI and what it might mean for sound. “It’s nuanced,” she says, “and I think there’s good and bad and everything in between. And it’s going to be something that kind of shows its true colors over time.” (0:07:39) - Opportunities in Sync Licensing Nismah tells us about her experience as a musician and gives us an inside look at how social media and streaming platforms have changed the game for indie artists. “When I was on there,” she recalls, “I was witnessing and participating in the sheer amount of effort that musicians are putting into, you know, building these social followings just to try to convert them into streaming numbers.” She talks about how the pandemic transformed online gig work and helped her jump-start her music career, and the opportunities she’s found in writing music for sync licensing. “One of the many things I love
S1 E254 · Wed, September 25, 2024
A Musical Journey From Emotion to Production: A Conversation with Nismah Osman - Part 1
“ I think people just kind of were, like, ‘Oh, hi,’ you know. They were supportive, they were nice, and, you know, they could tell I was a kid who had no idea what I was doing but was obviously passionate about music. I do remember one guy, though, telling me to make sure I went to college for something other than music and, at the time, I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll consider that.’ But he was really telling me, like, ‘I don’t know if you have what it takes.’ But I didn’t follow his advice. I ended up going to school for music, which I still am trying to figure out was a good or bad decision.” – Nismah Osman This episode’s guest is a songwriter, producer, vocalist, entrepreneur, feminist, and more. She’s been writing and producing songs for herself and other artists since 2005. She stumbled into the world of selling her music for film and television in 2011 and has since cracked the code on how to fund your passion for music. Her music has been featured in such series as Love is Blind , Dancing with the Stars , and Temptation Island . Some of her other wins include a degree from Berklee, songwriting and production credits on hundreds of songs, and a chance to learn from songwriting legend Kara DioGuardi, and she runs a vacation rental business on the Jersey shore as a side hustle. Her name is Nismah Osman, and she has a lot to share about how to make a living from making music these days. The industry’s certainly changed from even just five years ago. If you want to hear how Nismah does it, and how she’s helping other artists do the same, keep listening! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Journey From Songwriting to Music Career We start things off with a look back at Nismah’s early memories of sound, and how a songwriting convention in her small town led to her very first sync licensing gig. “Obviously I was the youngest person in the room,” she recalls, “and I had no idea what I was doing. But I showed up with my little you know CD, you know, demos that I burned the night before.” She tells us about some of the encouragement, and the warnings, she got from older musicians, and a chance me
S1 E253 · Wed, September 18, 2024
The Role of Audio in Branding: A Conversation with Simon Kringel - Part 2
“ That’s the big problem. That’s the whole thing. You know, if it’s not done right, then it will definitely not be sustainable, it’ll just end up in some drawer after two weeks. And we’ve seen that a thousand times, how these great sounds are made, and then, after a few months, a week, it’s kind of like what happened? It’s just disappeared.’” – Simon Kringel This episode is the second half of my conversation with producer, sound designer, and co-founder of the sonic branding agency Unmute as we talk about the things to consider when building a sonic brand, what sets Europe and North America apart when it comes to marketing and brand building, and what new companies can learn from McDonald’s’ twenty-year-long sonic branding success. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Exploring Sonic Branding in UX Design The second half of our discussion begins with an audio clip of Simon’s work on Clever’s new brand, and he tells us the process behind its success, from incorporating natural elements to what he calls smashable design. “The whole idea of, you know, I call it smashable design,” he explains, “is so you can take things apart and they will still be recognizable on their own.” We talk about his work on brands ranging from streaming interfaces to telephone hold music, and why building an audio brand isn’t necessarily a one-and-done solution. “I think that’s an important point to make,” Simon tells us, “it’s that you cannot create a sonic identity for anybody just as one project.” (0:19:21) - The Evolution of Sonic Branding We talk about McDonald’s famous sonic logo, how it’s evolved and become more streamlined over the past two decades, and what we can learn from that process. “What’s amazing,” he says, “is that they’ve used it just consistently for more than twenty years and, of course, they managed to do all these variations and adaptations depending on whatever music is on the ad, but still, the core thing is being used consistently, consistently for so long.” Simon also tells us why, no matter which industry it is, excitement is key to building a successful brand. “You know you need to be
S1 E252 · Wed, September 11, 2024
How to Use Sonic Branding in Your Marketing: A Conversation with Simon Kringel - Part 1
“ I think we’ve all experienced how sound is kind of a last-minute decision in many creative projects or creative processes... That was actually the whole reason why we formed Unmute, because we thought, ‘Okay, we need to be the adults here and help brands understand the importance of this and the impact it has.’" – Simon Kringel This episode’s guest is the Sonic Director and co-founder of Unmute. He began his career composing and producing music for bands and artists, and, later on, for TV and advertising. In 2014, he joined Chimney, a global creation agency, and soon became their head of music, working with a wide range of international clients. Recognizing the growing demand for a specialized sound agency, he co-founded Unmute with Daniel Schougaard in 2018, and their company has been on the rise ever since. It’s now collaborating with brands and agencies all across the globe, connecting them with their audience through sound, music, and audible experiences. He’s created award-winning sonic identities for such brands as Novo Nordisk, Carlsberg Group, Bank of Ireland, KONE, Volleyball World, and UCI, and he’s on a mission to make sure that brands are heard, not just seen. His name is Simon Kringel, and there’s a lot we’ll be covering here, including using sound in product design, sonic branding as a design discipline, and the differences between North American and European branding when it comes to sound. That certainly isn’t all, so if you’re interested in how sound shapes our buying decisions and our user experience, you’ll want to check out this episode. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - Evolution of Sound and Branding Our conversation starts with Simon’s early memories of sound, and how putting on an audio play of his favorite comic books awakened his enthusiasm for audio production. “We kind of played out the characters,” he recalls, “and, you know, with different voices depending on who you were, and we did some Foley and some sound design when a gun was being shot or glass is broken.” He shares his career journey as a musician and sonic branding expert and talks about the leap of faith that led him
S1 E251 · Wed, September 04, 2024
How To Use AI in Modern Audio Branding: A Conversation with Steve Keller - Part 2
“ AI, at least right now, is really adept at iteration, but not so adept at innovation. So I think it’s really good at augmenting the creative process, yeah, inspiring, but not necessarily great at coming up with something with all the nuances that, again, at a subconscious level, we might pick up on.” -- Steve Keller This episode is the second half of my conversation with audio researcher, creative consultant, and Sonic Strategy Director for SXM Media Steve Keller, as we talk about how algorithmic data is revolutionizing research, how the pandemic changed the way we relate to music and sound, and what we can learn from the movie Top Gun about the relationship between humans and AI. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) – AI Benefits in Marketing Creativity Our discussion picks up with a look at Steve’s work with the Journal of Psychology and Marketing and how AI-driven data is transforming the way we gather research data. “We’ve seen some results,” he explains, “where we’ve gotten really close to AI duplicating the results that we would get from a human panel.” We talk about one client’s clever strategy for using AI to decide what not to do, and we discuss what the latest developments in machine learning have in common with audio breakthroughs like vinyl records and MP3 files. “We have ways of researching to get to the answers,” Steve explains, “but you always have to start with the question, and I think sometimes we ask the wrong question.” (0:09:36) – The Power of Music During the Pandemic Since it’s been a few years since my last chat with Steve, we talk about how things have changed in the audio industry since the pandemic, and what the lockdown revealed about our relationship with music. “We would use music,” he says, “not just in terms of nostalgia, to remind us of happier times, but that music became this friend, particularly in lockdown, where it could help us experience the melancholy that was there.” Steve talks about the long-term benefits of adopting AI, and what he learned from a test of human vs. AI marketing. “We found that the real value of this,” he says, “was l
S1 E250 · Wed, August 28, 2024
How Audio Diversity Impacts Branding: A Conversation with Steve Keller - Part 1
“ We should be hearing diverse voices. As I like to say, if the only time we’re hearing voices of color is in advertising to those segments, then we’ve not just segmented those voices, we’ve actually segregated them. So let’s lean into sonic diversity. You’ll create better representation and a better relationship for your brands with those communities at the same time, without having any negative impacts on your ad’s favorability or effectiveness.” -- Steve Keller This episode’s guest is the Sonic Strategy Director for Studio Resonate, SiriusXM Media’s in-house, audio-first creative consultancy offering support to brands that advertise on the Pandora, SiriusXM, and Soundcloud platforms. He’s recognized as a leading authority on sonic strategy, blending art and science into award-winning creative content and sonic experiences for a variety of global agencies and brands. With a degree in psychology and business, and over thirty years of experience in the music and advertising industries, his research explores the ways music, sound, and voice influence our perception and behavior and his writing on the subject can be found in a very large list of publications. His name is Steve Keller, and he and I first spoke in the very early days of this podcast, right before the pandemic started. I still consider his episode the most pivotal of this podcast, and he blew my mind on multiple occasions. He certainly does it again here, and you’ll get to hear it! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Exploring Sonic Diversity in Media As we start our conversation, Steve tells us about his early memories of sound, including a surprising childhood discovery he made about train whistles. “One of the things I found out from talking to one of the engineers,” he explains, “is that there are patterns in the whistles almost like Morse code.” We talk about the subtext of sound that’s often hidden in plain sight, and how our unconscious biases can limit sonic diversity, whether it’s the vocal range audio codecs are built around or the roles AI voices are assigned. “We live in a diverse world,” Steve says. “We should be hearing diverse voice
S1 E249 · Wed, August 21, 2024
Connecting Through Sound, Content, and Branding: A Conversation with Micah Thomas - Part 2
“ For all of us, we are gaining our trust, our stability, our hope, our aspirations, our inspirations, all come to us through the medium of sound. Video is important, right? But FDR was able to keep a country from going mad on the brink of fear and concern and anxiety by fireside chats over the radio during the war. And we still look to our presidents today, President Bush during 9/11, was able to speak to the audience through that bullhorn with that famous clip there to be able to say what he had to say. President Lincoln with his 272-word Gettysburg address was able to come and heal the nation there on that battlefield.” -- Micah Thomas This episode is the second half of my conversation with audible storytelling expert and Storymore CEO Micah Thomas as we discuss the role of music in audio storytelling, how classic cinema inspired Micah’s approach to sound, and the changes the pandemic brought to his company. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - The Power of Audio Branding Our discussion continues as Micah shares the process of scoring audible stories, and how it differs from traditional movies. “The music scoring is actually done,” he says, “as the very last step. We don’t approach anything from a music-first standpoint.” He tells us how it has more in common with silent movies and their live piano players, not to mention the movie The Truman Show , and the advantages of such a story-first approach. “When we come back to it,” he tells us, “it’s like playing the audio drama and the music under it as it’s going, which allows a very organic sense of music creation.” (0:08:58) - Exploring Old-Time Radio and Storytelling Micah elaborates on Storymore’s approach to narrative, and how he found inspiration from some of Hollywood’s old masters, from Bing Crosby and Cecil B. DeMille to radio noir characters like Johnny Dollar and the Shadow. “It’s all good dialogue on the page,” he explains, “and a good character that can bring it out. So I would say that got planted early and developed really well through the years.” (0:13:31) - Sound, Content, and Branding <p
S1 E248 · Wed, August 14, 2024
Audio Dramas and Accessibility: A Conversation with Micah Thomas - Part 1
“ Early on in that we noticed that there are so many people in the blind and visually impaired community that are underrepresented in the respect of entertainment, both as an entertainer and as the consumer. The only products they have are descriptive videos on Netflix or something like that. And so they can’t get the exact same experience as the sighted world when they’re dealing with forms of entertainment. So we shifted our focus to the blind and visually impaired market, both as people who could assist us in making these audio dramas, our stories, more original, as well as sound-designing these things in a 360-degree or surround sound way so that those whose world is nothing but sound, they really could enjoy it in a way that was meant just for them.” -- Micah Thomas This episode’s guest is a twenty-plus year content creator, armed with a Master’s Degree in Internet Marketing and a BA in Media Communications who’s found the right content to pour his energy into…sound. This father of six and husband of one has worked as a jack-of-all-trades in media but has become a master of audio and storytelling with his company Storymore. As a person with low vision, he has a passion for telling great stories in the best way he can, which led him to form a global group that’s disrupting the audio entertainment industry with its accomplishments. Chief among them is providing a platform that equalizes the playing field for those with visual disabilities. His name is Micah Thomas, and our discussion covers a variety of topics, from audio dramas and music to how AI is changing both those industries. I think you’ll really enjoy his insights! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) – The Power of Audio Entertainment We start things off with a trip down memory lane as Micah recalls the radio plays and adaptations that helped inspire his career in sound. “The stories captivated me,” he tells us, “because of the voice actors and how real they sounded, and I think that’s the first time via audio that it actually brought tears to my eyes.” We talk about how Storymore uses sound production to bring stories to life for blind and visually
S1 E247 · Wed, August 07, 2024
Music, Voice and the Healing Connection: A Conversation with Anna Bohuslavska - Part 2
“ It’s definitely an important aspect of our lives, and we can start with a small thing, just, like, when you feel that something’s odd, just pause for a second and ask yourself what exactly is off. Is it the music? Is it the feeling? Is it, is there a physical need? Like, literally just pause it for a second and ask yourself this question. And it’s important, but not a lot of us are used to it.” -- Anna Bohuslavska This episode is the second half of my conversation with transformation coach and inner guide Anna Bohuslavska as we discuss how both positive and negative emotions can be contagious, her experience with music’s healing power, and how sound can help restore our connection to nature. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Power of Music and Voice Healing The second half of our talk begins with Anna’s reflections on how music can spread emotions and connect us to one another. “The same happens at the concert,” she explains, “because, like, there’s a crowd and everyone really is in their emotions and you pick up on this emotion, and it’s like becoming one huge human being instead of every single one.” We also talk about the surprising impact vocal exercises can have on everything from building confidence to overcoming negative thought patterns, and her firsthand experience with its benefits. “Most of our way,” she says, “how we talk, our intonations, our high or low, everything is connected to the people around us, and it’s basically the habits that we picked up early in childhood and that we carry on in the life.” (0:06:01) - Finding Connection Through Sound & Music Anna also shares how her own experience with music and dance has guided the way she helps clients reconnect with themselves. “I took the dance classes,” she recalls, “I did all the moves, but when I now look at those old recordings, I see that I didn’t feel the music.” She explains how the power of sound can help guide our lives. “Ask yourself what exactly is off,” she explains. “Is it the music, is it the feeling? Is there a physical need? Literally, just pause it for a second and ask yourself this question.” <s
S1 E246 · Wed, July 31, 2024
How Music Affects Behaviors and Emotions: A Conversation with Anna Bohuslavska - Part 1
“ If you play on an instrument for a while, for example, every day for a week, for example, or something like that, you will start noticing that you have your own melody that you will play over and over again. And it could be that the melody changes while your emotion changes. It can be that, just the speed of the melody will change. But basically, you will have your own melody, and it’s interesting to see how it evolves through the time.” -- Anna Bohuslavska This episode’s guest is a transformational coach and inner guide who’s helping women bring joy and fulfillment to their everyday lives. She’s a mother of two, a craft maniac, and a dance lover. She’s been passionate about psychology for as long as she can remember, and she’s been fortunate enough to learn from some of the greatest minds of our day while employing her own holistic approach to well-being. She seamlessly blends together coaching techniques, art therapy, mindfulness, and more. Her name is Anna Bohuslavska, and our conversation is all about using sound for healing. If this is an interest of yours, I hope you’ll give this one a listen – it’s a very inspirational discussion! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Inner Work and Music Therapy Evolution As our discussion starts, Anna talks about how the birth of her son inspired her to learn more about the psychology of sound, and how her work led to a community of like-minded women. “That’s why I started searching for other sources of information,” she explains, “and I was happy to find an online community that was all about parenting, and I felt like this is what will help me.” We discuss sound’s ability to tap into our deepest emotions and memories, and music therapy’s role in boosting our mood and broadening our perspective. “It’s about listening,” Anna says, “it’s about moving under the sound, it’s all this spectrum. But it helps a lot, and the simplest thing that I advise every single of my clients is to just, like, know what different types of music move you in different directions.” (0:16:44) - Musical Evolution and Personal Expression We continue with the story
S1 E245 · Wed, July 24, 2024
In the Clubhouse: Sound in Social Media - Part 2
“ Social media, if you want to be on all of the places, it’s a best practice to have your voice be represented in those places. But, also, the content is representative for that place. People go to Instagram with an expectation, they go to YouTube with an expectation, they open up your audio podcast with an expectation of a more immersive experience. So there’s different ways and there’s different ways that you need to be putting your information in the post. And so you can’t just take something that somebody gives you and just, that’s the same content that goes into TikTok, into Instagram, into YouTube.” -- Chris Stone This episode’s the second half of my Clubhouse chat with Livestream Universe founder Ross Brand, Cast Ahead’s Chief Content Entrepreneur Chris Stone, Favorite Daughter Media president Sara Lohse, and Red Hat Media CEO Larry Roberts, as we talk about the future of social media content creation, the most useful AI tools currently available, and whether AI can help save a marriage. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:01) - AI Content Creation and Personalization As the second half of our chat begins, the panelists share some of their less-than-ideal experiences with trying to coax ChatGPT into an authentic writing style. “I have never in my life said the word delve,” Sara recalls, “but ChatGPT wants me to ‘delve’ into every topic.” We also take a question from John, who shares his experience with running a 100% AI podcast from start to finish, and Larry talks about his experience writing a hybrid-AI book and the process of crafting each chapter. “I think the exercise you’re going through,” Larry says, “is what we as content creators need to do so that we understand these tools and we understand how these tools can complement what we’re doing.” (0:08:36) - Maximizing AI in Content Creation Chris adds his thoughts on the importance of human oversight when it comes to AI, and we discuss whether AI could eventually render human creativity obsolete. “I think everyone pretty much agrees here that using AI is something that we need to do,” Chris explains, “and I look at it more of like assisti
S1 E244 · Wed, July 17, 2024
In the Clubhouse: Sound in Social Media - Part 1
“ People either have a vision of a Utopian wonderland out there, that we’re going to create all this amazing stuff with AI, or, on the flip side, everybody thinks it’s going to be a dystopian wasteland when we start using AI, and everybody’s going to be out of work, and the robots are going to take over... And it’s very difficult to find anybody that has that middle ground. But it’s conversations like we’re having here that’s going to allow us to establish that middle ground. And as we continue to educate the public, and as we continue to expose these tools and teach people how to use these tools and let them know the limitations of these tools as they exist today, I think more and more people are going to become more and more comfortable with the integration of AI as tools and not replacements.” -- Larry Roberts Some discussions lend themselves to more than one perspective. That’s definitely the case with sound in social media, and recently I had a Clubhouse room full of experts with a lot to say about it. They are Ross Brand, founder of Livestream Universe and author of the 100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions series; Chris Stone, Chief Content Entrepreneur at Cast Ahead; Sara Lohse, President of Favorite Daughter Media and author of Open This Book: The Art of Storytelling for Aspiring Thought Leaders; and Larry Roberts, CEO of Red Hat Media and co-host of the Branded Podcast. Our round-table discussion covered a lot of information on sound in social media, as you would expect, but we also delved into how AI is shaping that landscape, for better and worse. It made for a fascinating and fun discussion, and I’m glad to be able to share it with you now. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Sound in Social Media Our Clubhouse chat starts with introductions from each of our four panelists, and we focus on social media and the role sound plays in getting your message out. “Social media is interesting,” Ross says, “because sometimes you have to change it up as well, which kind of goes against some of the rules of sonic branding.” Chris tells us the simple secret to incorporating video in your
S1 E243 · Wed, July 10, 2024
AI and its Impact on Audio Quality: A Conversation with Jamie Muffett - Part 2
“ Specifically as it relates to voiceover, that was, the whole industry has shifted hugely, as you know, and it has democratized the industry a huge amount, which is, you know, I appreciate. You know, some people made a lot of claims about their studio when COVID first happened, and it wasn’t true. And so they would go on to live sessions, and there were dogs barking, and the neighbor revving their engine, and people mowing their lawn. And these, it wasn’t usable and, and so a lot of people were scared of hiring anyone from home, then a lot of producers [were] like ‘oh no It has to be in-studio.’ Now I think we’ve reached an equilibrium where everyone’s kind of figured it out. ‘Oh, you know the pros have figured it out.’" -- Jamie Muffett This episode is the second half of my conversation with renowned voiceover artist, podcast producer, and RPS founder Jamie Muffett as we discuss how the pandemic and machine learning have reshaped the audio industry, the advantages of AI when it comes to everything from research to sound editing, and what the latest voice-cloning breakthrough has in common with 1960s record deals. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Business of Voiceover Events and eVOcation Our discussion continues as Jamie tells us about the challenges of founding the voiceover business conference eVOcation just before the start of the pandemic. “It was so weird that there was no New York event other than, like for audiobook people,” he recalls. “And so we found out why: because it’s really difficult.” We talk about how the event evolved through the lockdown and became a lifeline for its very first participants.“I think that was kind of what kept me sane while I was locked in the house,” he says. “We’ve had in-jokes from that event that have carried through even until today.” (0:07:48) - Impact of AI on Voiceover Industry The topic turns to machine learning and its expanding role in everything from writing content to composing music. “I think everyone is just throwing everything at the wall right now, and just seeing what’s going to stick,” Jamie says, “and I don’t know what is going
S1 E242 · Wed, July 03, 2024
The Journey from Music to Voiceover to Podcasting: A Conversation with Jamie Muffett - Part 1
“ There was one we did a few years ago. This was while COVID was going on and it was with Nicolas Cage. And he was such a surprising guy. I mean, we all know, kind of… He’s an unusual fella. His films run the gamut really, and stylistically and genre. But he showed up early to get the tech right. He was super chatty. I always gauge, like, how someone is based on how they work with me because I’m not the host of that show. And if they’re sort of friendly and helpful and wanting to get things right with me, it’s usually a good sign that they’re, you know, not just there for the glory of being on the show.” -- Jamie Muffett After twenty years of experience as an audio engineer and podcast producer with millions of downloads, as well as a successful voice talent and lead producer, my next guest founded RPS, a boutique podcast production company that turns the spark of an idea into compelling, beautiful-sounding podcasts. He’s worked with such companies as HBO, Warner Brothers, Google, NBC, Backstage, and National Geographic, helping them to create captivating and engaging audio content that resonates with audiences. His production clients include the likes of Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, Natalie Portman, Janelle Monáe, and many more. His name is Jamie Muffett and not only does he craft incredible-sounding podcasts, he also co-hosts VOcation, a voice conference about the business of voiceover. You may also recognize his voice from his narration of the TV show Bondi Vet and some of its spin-offs. If you’re interested in podcasting, voiceovers, or sound in general, you’re going to get a lot from this conversation. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - From Music to Podcasting As our conversation starts, we talk about Jamie’s early memories of sound and what inspired him to become a musician and voice artist. “I think probably the first memory of sound that moved me was hearing ‘Imagine’ for the first time,” he says. “Obviously it’s a great song, it’s an iconic song, but as a kid, I’d never been exposed to creativity like that before.” We discuss the early days of digital workstations and cassette recorder
S1 E241 · Wed, June 26, 2024
How to Improve Your Podcast Audio to Engage Listeners: A Conversation with Chris Stone - Part 2
“ People are actually tuning in from their phones or, like, listening on Spotify or whatever while they’re shopping. And they actually measured how conscious people were of what they were spending. So yeah, it’s just really fascinating. It influences us in so many ways that I don’t even think we’re conscious of.” “ Oh, absolutely. I totally agree with that 100%. You know, they play music at sporting events, they play music, you know, virtually everywhere you go. It’s a component of everything. You just have to stop and listen to really be able to identify it. And yeah, now it’s got me wondering if I’m getting music piped into places I’m walking in. ‘Why am I so hungry right now?’ You know? ‘Why do I want to have pancakes?’" -- Chris Stone This episode is the second part of my interview with longtime podcast producer, podcast host, and live streamer Chris Stone as we talk about the versatility of podcasting, some of the most memorable interviews he’s produced, and how sound impacts our lives in some surprising ways. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Impactful Podcast Episodes and Audience Engagement The second half of our interview begins with some of Chris’s most memorable podcast productions, such as a powerful interview with author and Afghan veteran Thomas Schueman. “We got some feedback from that show,” he says, “that, really, you could tell people were impacted by that and it kind of made us change a little bit of the direction of the show.” The conversation turns to the versatility of podcasting and the importance of planning ahead, even when the episode itself is unscripted. “I think there are people that need to understand,” he explains, “like, if you want to take this seriously, you have to, you have to, you know, be excellent. And that means you know, have a pre-call.” (0:12:00) - Podcast Episode With Bret Michaels We talk about another unforgettable interview he produced with musician Bret Michaels and the challenge he faced of working around Bret’s demanding tour schedule. “I had to route him in through my mixer,” Chris tells us, “and kind of pull him in and
S1 E240 · Wed, June 19, 2024
Why Podcast Sound Quality Matters and How to Improve Yours: A Conversation with Chris Stone - Part 1
“ An intro video needs to let people know, ‘Hey, this is who the show’s for, and this is what you’re about to see, what you’re about to witness.’ And that audio is a huge component of it. It has to really, just, it has to just feel right. There’s really not a way to explain it, even though that’s kind of my job here on a podcast is to explain it. But it has to feel like, ‘Oh, wow, this,’ without saying, ‘Oh, I really love the beat here,’ or ‘I love this guitar solo here.’ It just has to all just blend together, to kind of say, ‘Okay, boom, the show’s about to start. And this is for me.’" -- Chris Stone In the world of podcasting and live streaming, Chris Stone stands out with over twenty-five years of experience in the music industry. Chris’s journey began with the transformative power of his co-hosted podcasts, which propelled him to help others achieve success in creative, financial, physical, and spiritual aspects. Since then, he’s founded Cast Ahead, a consultancy that empowers entrepreneurs, influencers, thought leaders, and businesses to amplify their stories and extend their reach. His expertise extends to producing content for prominent speakers, developing and producing podcasts like Sales Influence and The Big Ticket Life , and co-hosting the Amazon Live show Dealcasters alongside Jim Fuhs. This show has become a trusted authority in live video and podcasting, and Chris’s belief that everyone deserves to be heard drives his mission to integrate podcasting and live streaming into business strategies, thereby educating and attracting a broader audience. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Podcast Community and Production Insights We start the conversation off with a look at Chris’s work on Cast Ahead and simplifying the podcasting process, as well as the secret to an impactful intro video. “Most people,” he says, “they want a podcast, but they just want to be able to show up, turn on their cameras, flip their microphone open and do a show, and that’s what we do for them.” He tells us about his “station identification” approach to intros and why the opening moments of a podcas
S1 E239 · Wed, June 12, 2024
Sell Your Brand with Effective Storytelling: A Conversation with Mark Wonderlin - Part 2
“ I think the biggest mistake most people, most businesses make when they go into that project is they think it’s a story about them, but the reality is it’s a story about your customer and how you help them in their story. And that’s the way we try to frame it. With the narration, with the visuals, with the music, from the story. It’s really trying to connect with that viewer on, ‘What is the problem you’re having?’ Why are you reaching out to this company in the first place? What has piqued your interest?” -- Mark Wonderlin This episode is the second half of my interview with business filmmaker, marketing expert, and Mosaic Media Films founder Mark Wonderlin as we discuss the importance of storytelling when it comes to video marketing, the different social media strategies for local versus global marketing, and about Mark’s philosophy that “the most expensive video is the one that doesn’t work.” As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Different Types of Marketing Videos The second half of our conversation starts as Mark shares his memories of a powerful video he recorded about a cancer patient, and the crucial role sound played in bringing her story to life. “I worked on this project personally,” he recalls, “and, you know, still to this day, like seven years later, I mean, it’ll bring tears to my eyes.” We discuss the two kinds of marketing videos, brand promos and testimonial videos, the different approaches he takes to each one, and how social media has upended some of the old rules. “The thing about TikTok,” he says, “is that people’s attention spans are just getting shorter and shorter and shorter because there’s just so much content out there.” (0:09:26) - Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategy We also talk about how Mark’s social media strategies can vary depending on both the company and their customer base. “So, like a B2B company is not gonna really perform really well on Facebook,” he notes, “just because of the pool of the audience there, whereas a B2C company will do better because they’re consumer-based products.” He explains the different approaches between social medi
S1 E238 · Wed, June 05, 2024
Audio Branding and its Impact on Consumer Recall: A Conversation with Mark Wonderlin - Part 1
“ I think a part of that is because, you know, 75% of people, like, on Facebook, will not listen to sound, so they don’t really equate it as much, or they don’t understand the value of it. However, sound is very, like, people are very unforgiving when it comes to sound. So people take in 50% of the experience through sound and that’s a combination of, like, music, narration, sound design elements, and if you can’t hear what the person’s saying when you’re watching it, people will turn it off right away.” -- Mark Wonderlin My guest this week is the driving force behind Mosaic Media Films, and he brings more than expertise in video production – he brings a strategic marketing mindset. What sets his company apart is the unwavering focus on the marketing side of video content: he collaborates closely with clients, delving into the sales and marketing strategies of their businesses. This understanding allows him to create videos strategically tailored to drive traffic and boost sales. His name is Mark Wonderlin, and our discussion will range from hints on how to get the most out of longer-form content and where sound plays a part in the marketing and production of a great video to how best to use sound to sell, all while remaining authentic to your brand. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. (0:00:00) - Sound in Video Production We begin the episode with Mark’s earliest, most influential memories of sound, from playing basketball with his childhood friends to R&B groups like Boyz II Men and P.M. Dawn as a teenager. “I remember having the cassette player, listening to those cassettes, driving in my parents’ minivan,” he recalls. “Whenever I hear those songs it’s super nostalgic.” Our conversation turns to how he first got into video production, the unconscious impressions that sound design creates, and the challenge of keeping viewers engaged on platforms like TikTok, where you might have just a few seconds to make an impression. “I’m a big proponent of documentary filmmaking,” Mark adds. “Depending on the brand, it’s really good to just have that one-to-one narration directly connecting with the prospect.” (0:15:
S1 E237 · Wed, May 29, 2024
The Power of Healing Through Music: A Conversation with Jonathan Taylor - Part 2
“ The piano is the same way. The piano has a hammer that goes like that on the string. The harpsichord has a pintrip that is plucked, all right? What do you do on the guitar? You actually pluck the string or hit it like a hammer in a way. So, in a certain way of thinking, the guitar is not the stringed instrument that everyone thinks it is. On the other hand, what makes the guitar so difficult? The double stops, the triple stops, quadruple stops.” -- Jonathan Taylor This episode is the second half of my conversation with musician and international concert artist Jonathan Taylor as we discuss the healing power of music, composing cinematic guitar compositions, and the surprising reason why the guitar might not be a string instrument after all. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every other Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - Power of Sound and Space Exploration As the second half of our discussion begins, we talk about his chance meeting with the head of JPL during a music tour flight. “So we were talking,” Jonathan says, “and I didn’t rail at him, but I said, ‘You know, NASA really blew it.’ And he goes, ‘What? excuse me, sir?’” He shares more of his thoughts on the Space Race and what being a musician has taught him about holding onto an audience. “Even after two landings on the moon,” he recalls their conversation, “the viewership went like to nothing because everyone was bored. I said, ‘Well, you have to have a new project.’” (0:05:57) - Power of Healing Through Music Jonathan also recalls the places and events that made the deepest impression on him, including one listener at a concert whose life was literally transformed as a
S1 E236 · Wed, May 22, 2024
The Musical Journey of Guitarist Jonathan Taylor: A Conversation with Jonathan Taylor - Part 2
“ And so the concert comes, and, about the ending piece of the concert. I didn’t know who I was. All that vanity and ego, ‘I’m a classical musician,’ all of that stuff, those labels go right out the window. And why is that? Because it’s down to survival time now.” -- Jonathan Taylor This episode’s guest is a California native who’s currently representing the U.S. as an American Cultural Specialist in South America and the Caribbean. He’s performed sold-out concerts for such luminaries as UN delegates, American ambassadors, and foreign heads of state. During his formative years in the 1970s and ‘80s, he studied music at Chapman University and was head of the music department at the Newport Institute of the Arts in Southern California. He’s known for his virtuosity and unique transcriptions and has performed extensively throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia. He was one of the very first artists to record digitally back in the early ‘90s and he’s set about creating a catalogue of over three hundred tracks. His music is streaming worldwide on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Sirius Radio, and most streaming services everywhere. His name is Jonathan Taylor, and our two-part discussion is a must-listen for anyone interested in the power of sound – and particularly the power of music. Prepare to be inspired! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every other Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) – Musical Journey and Touring Adventures The episode starts off with a look back at the start of Jonathan’s musical journey, and the grandmother who played the organ for silent movie productions. “Those things,” he says, “I’m sure, influenced me, and I
S1 E235 · Wed, May 15, 2024
Insights for Succeeding in Today's Music Industry: A Conversation with Carl Bahner - Part 2
“The way to get your rates up is to make them realize that you’re like the supply, and demand works in your favor if the supply is one, right? If you’re the only person doing this thing, not the only person mixing, not the only person doing, I don’t know, a Scottish Gen Z accent, I don’t know what the equivalent would be. It’s not just the only person doing that service, it’s the only person doing that service but from your set of experiences and perspectives, people are a lot more willing to pay for that. Because they’re not just getting your unique taste, your unique, like, approach to it, but it’s the peace of mind, knowing that you’ve got their back.” -- Carl Bahner This episode is the second half of my conversation with musician, mix engineer, and sonic wizard Carl Bahner as we talk about the true purpose of music producers, the importance of enthusiasm when it comes to branding, and what it takes to succeed in today’s post-Spotify music industry. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every other Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) – Artist’s Guide to Music Business The episode begins with Carl’s biggest piece of advice for up-and-coming artists: “Know what you’re signing up for.” As he puts it, record labels are in the business to make money, not to necessarily make things easier for the band. “They think that having a label is going to solve all their problems,” he says. “They can just be themselves, do what they want, and everybody has to listen to us. And that’s not how business partnerships work.” We talk about building your brand and professional relationships, and being recognized for what you have to offer. “It’s not about changing who I a
S1 E234 · Wed, May 08, 2024
Turning Passion into Profit in the Music Industry: A Conversation with Carl Bahner - Part 1
“It was when I started figuring out, without knowing what it was called, because I also didn’t have any marketers in my life growing up. But when I was finding gigs for myself when I was the freelancer, mercenary, playing with a bunch of different people, I had to learn what these people are looking for. How do I figure out how to let them know that I can be the good fit for them? How do I find the people that I think I’m going to be a good fit for? And how do I convince them that I’m a good fit for them? Which is ultimately what the personal branding is.” -- Carl Bahner This episode’s guest is a mix engineer, educator, and a brand strategy super-nerd on a mission to help artists and producers make great songs and help other studio pros attract ideal clients. Hailing from rural Pennsylvania, he’s made a name for himself internationally as a team-builder and sonic wizard, focusing his boundless enthusiasm on playful, memorable, vibrant music. Working with artists like The Wombats and Hippo Campus, he’s proven highly adept at producing earworms tailored to fit like a favorite T-shirt. But don’t be fooled by his youthful energy – he’s a seasoned pro who’s toured extensively and opened for major acts like Walk The Moon and Charli XCX. In addition to mixing and production, he hosts the podcast Thanks For Thinking and is a passionate educator when it comes to sharing industry knowledge through content creation: he recently released an online course called “Communicating The Care” that’s aimed at helping studio pros clarify their perspectives and connect with ideal clients seeking meaningful collaborations. His name is Carl Bahner. and this discussion will challenge the myth of the starving artist and give creatives some comprehensive steps to make sure they get paid what they’re worth. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every other Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those thing
S1 E233 · Wed, May 01, 2024
The Sound Of Shopping: How Music Influences Our Spending Habits
When you think about shopping, what sound comes to mind? It might be the carts rolling up and down the aisles, or maybe the beeps of the scanners when you’re standing in the check-out line. Music might not be the first thing that crosses our minds, but it’s almost always in the background of our shopping trips, and it can have a surprising impact. From how long we stay in the store and how much we spend while we’re there to how we feel about it afterward, sound plays a pivotal, and often unnoticed, role in our purchasing decisions that we’re still working to understand. If you think about it, using music to change the way we think and feel about an experience isn’t all that surprising. Whether we’re soothing babies to sleep with lullabies or marching into battle with drums and horns, sound has always helped give shape and texture to our daily lives. In modern times, that’s meant music at work and out in public, such as the Music While You Work radio program that ran in the UK until 1967 or the “Muzak” that filled American department stores and elevators in the 1950s. But the science of sound has come a long way since those early days, and the commercial soundscape has become much more sophisticated. What does the latest research say about the influence of sound on our spending habits? Can sound even be used to turn us into more responsible shoppers? During the heyday of elevator music and workplace radios, there was another famous – or, perhaps, infamous – approach to using sound as a marketing tool. That tool was subliminal advertising, and it only became possible over the last century, as vocal recordings and sound editing allowed secret messages to be layered beneath an audio track or “backmasked” into reversed snippets hidden within the melody. Those subliminal messages, the thinking went, could cause unsuspecting moviegoers to crave popcorn, or even turn ordinary teenagers into rebellious rock-and-roll fans. The good news for free thinkers is that subliminal advertising never really worked that way. Reversed audio doesn’t create any sort of subconscious suggestion, and, while soft, layered words can leave a faint impression on listeners, it’s actually a weaker effect than just saying the words out loud in an ordinary commercial. If you’re curious about the rise and fall of subliminal audio, check out this short video from Cheddar about the fake study that started it all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU-eUcXcaqk We might not be able to use hidden messages to boost soda sales, but sound does motivate us as shoppers in ways that we hardly notice. Music can have a powerful effect on the brain, such as lowering our cortisol and stress levels when we listen to a soothing song, and a 2010 study found that music also releases dopamine in the brain. This came as something of a surprise to researchers, since
S1 E232 · Wed, April 24, 2024
Collaboration, Technology & Music Production: A Conversation with Jeff Bohnhoff - Part 2
“If you take the, you know, Foley work and the soundtrack out of a movie and just show, you know, the film with just the dialogue, even a great movie, it just, it completely falls emotionally flat, right? It just it’s, you know, if George Lucas had not hired John Williams to do the score for Star Wars, it would probably be a little-remembered, B-grade science fiction movie that hardly anybody would even know. The music kind of glosses over some of the kind of tropey, pulpy shortcomings of the script. I mean, because the music is just majestic. It’s amazing.” -- Jeff Bohnhoff This episode is the second half of my conversation with musician, audio engineer, and longtime producer Jeff Bohnhoff as we discuss his firsthand experience with Dolby Atmos music production, his collaborations with a wide range of artists, and both the past and future of audio technology. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) – Music Production and Collaboration Experiences Our conversation picks up with Jeff’s work with Dolby Atmos in the studio, and how it compares with traditional stereo. “It’s like, ‘I guess it’s different, yeah,’” he describes listening to a remaster, “and then I went back to the stereo mix and then it was like, ‘oh yeah, now I can really hear the difference.’” We talk about his professional and personal collaborations, and the different expectations and styles that come with each new artist. “It’s interesting, though,” he explains, “working with different people, because, you know, when you collaborate with people, everybody has their own style.” (0:07:35) – Album Collaboration With Folk Musici
S1 E231 · Wed, April 17, 2024
Technology & the Evolution of Music: A Conversation with Jeff Bohnhoff - Part 1
“I know, like, Apple Music is offering that, so you don’t have to have anything but a pair of headphones in order to listen to most music. And it’s even possible on some computers. I know, like, Apple MacBook Pros, if you just play through the speakers in the computer, it’s astonishing. It gives it, it’s got DSP built in that, just, basically, it sounds like the mix is all around you. So, yeah. So that, wow, and none of those things are possible with, um, you know, the classic, you know, surround formats, which is one of the reasons I think that Atmos is going to probably, um, you know, catch on a lot more, more readily than those did.” -- Jeff Bohnhoff This episode’s guest is a musician, audio engineer, and producer. He’s been performing and recording with Maya, his musical partner and wife, for over forty years, and he’s produced more than twenty albums for various artists. His name is Jeff Bohnhoff , and this week’s discussion about the power of sound and music, the changes in recording from analog to digital, and his thoughts about the future of audio with the rise of Dolby Atmos, make for a fascinating discussion. If you’re an audio engineer or just interested in where audio tech is taking us, this discussion’s bound to be inspirational! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) – Early Memories of Musical Influence The conversation starts off with a look back at Jeff’s memories of sound, from the toy record player of his childhood to the rock albums of his teenage years. “I remember just kind of lying there,” he says, “and wishing to myself, ‘Man, I wish I could create something like that.’" H
S1 E230 · Wed, April 10, 2024
Building and Growing Your Podcast: A Conversation with Dave Jackson – Part 2
“I was, like, on tour, I spent twenty hours driving all over Ohio, talking to different places. And I work from home, so I don’t drive a ton. And now I was, and I was listening to all these podcasts, and I was amazed how many times I had to ride the volume knob because somebody would be talking, and then somebody would come in and they’re much, a much lower volume. And then normally, even in a quiet room, you might be able to get away with that, but not when there’s now noise from the tires and the atmosphere. And I was just like, wow, there’s a lot of really bad audio out there. And there are tools, there’s Auphonic, there’s all sorts of things you can do to make things level. And that’s the other one besides the whole reverb room and the dog barking and things like that. Some of the stuff you can’t avoid, kids are not really... A three-year-old doesn’t care that daddy’s recording a podcast, but you can still try to bribe them with cookies or something to be quiet while you’re recording.” -- Dave Jackson This episode is the second half of my conversation with pioneering podcast host, consultant, and School of Podcasting founder Dave Jackson , as we talk about building and growing your podcast, why now may be the best time in years to start a podcast, and Dave’s podcasting tips for beginners. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) – Podcasting Fundamentals and Evolution We begin the second half of our discussion with Dave’s strategies for growing a podcast, and, most importantly, figuring out why it exists. “Is it to position myself as an expert?” he asks. “Is it part of a marketing plan of my company? I
S1 E229 · Wed, April 03, 2024
Podcasting Do’s & Don’ts: A Conversation with Dave Jackson - Part 1
“And I hit play on it, and I hear ‘Hello, Dave, this is Michael Van Lahr from Nuremberg, Germany.’ I’m in the basement of my brother’s house. This is where I started. And that, which goes back to, it doesn’t matter. Just, just start. And my brother goes ‘Did he say Nuremberg, Germany?’ And I go ‘Yeah.’ And we just sat there for the longest time, just, ‘Hello, Dave. Hello, Dave.’ I’m like, and I was just like, wow, there’s somebody, I’m in the middle of Mogadore, Ohio – everyone together, ‘Where?’ Yeah, exactly. It’s me and the cows. And there’s some guy on the other side of the planet that found my stuff.” -- Dave Jackson This week’s guest has been helping people understand technology for over twenty years as a trainer and consultant. He launched the School of Podcasting in 2005 and was inducted into the Podcasting Hall of Fame in 2018. He’s also the author of Profit From Your Podcast: Proven Strategies to Turn Listeners into a Livelihood , and has launched over thirty podcasts with four million downloads. His name is Dave Jackson , and if you want to learn more about what it takes to have a compelling podcast that lasts – and I’m always interested in learning about that myself – this is the place to be. Dave’s also a musician with a unique perspective on where podcasting has been and where it’s going, and he’s pretty outspoken, so you won’t want to miss out on what he has to say. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) – Passion for Sound and Podcasting We start the conversation with Dave’s early memories of sound, his start as a musician, and how tinnitus has chang
S1 E228 · Wed, March 27, 2024
Creating a Connection with Sonic Branding: A Conversation with Valentin Fleur - Part 2
“I think sound has this ability. We talked about meaning, we talked about engagement, we talked about flexibility, versatility... but I feel like people are used to visual communication. They understand that there’s logo, animation and everything is like the sign, the bottom of the page, et cetera. I feel like you add this extra layer of surprise as well, that it’s quite interesting.” -- Valentin Fleur This episode is the second half of my conversation with marketing expert, sonic branding strategist, and Sixième Son managing director Valentin Fleur as we talk about the future of sonic branding, creating a stronger visual brand through sound, and what goes into a sonic logo. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) – The Digital Future of Sonic Branding As the second half of our conversation starts, we talk about the rise, fall, and possible return of Meta, how AI-generated content is shaking up the creative sector, and where it all might lead. “If I had to make this comparison,” Val says, “what I like about it is it’s very well controlled, so you have defined the ingredients and the flavors, so it’s easier.” We also discuss the evolution of augmented reality as well as virtual reality, and the prospect of sonic branding in a virtual environment. (0:06:04) - Enhancing Brand Identity Through Sound Our conversation turns to the question of whether audio marketing can be manipulative, and how sonic branding can help create a genuine connection by conveying emotional subtext and layers to a message. Val tells us about an Ipsos study in 2020 that showed an eight-fold performance inc
S1 E227 · Wed, March 20, 2024
The Psychology of Sound in Branding and Behavior: A Conversation with Valentin Fleur - Part 1
“I think, right now, I’ve noticed kind of two opposite trends. I don’t know if they’re opposite, but they’re very, very different. On one hand, I feel like my clients, my clients, they want to talk to their audiences for a longer period of time. They want to engage in a more conversational way. So, you know, they want to find the proper tone. We’re talking about a vocal identity. We’re talking about, they want to explain what they stand for. They want to detail their offers.” -- Valentin Fleur This episode’s guest has fifteen years of experience when it comes to driving innovative brand marketing strategies and communication campaigns. Before joining Sixième Son he was a Group Account Director for Havas Paris and worked on such high-profile accounts as Mercedes-Benz and Parc Astérix. He partnered with Sixième Son for a retail brand before opening Sixième Son’s office in Canada and supervising their strategy efforts for both the North American and European markets. He manages brands all across the Americas, such as Royal Bank of Canada, Interac, Orient Express, and United HealthCare. His name is Valentin Fleur, and with his extensive knowledge of audio branding, he’s the perfect person to talk to about the current state of audio advertising, where he feels the industry can innovate, and what might be coming in the future. So stay tuned! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) – The Power of Sound in Advertising The episode starts with Val’s earliest memories of sound, from the sounds of nature in the Alps to Jimi Hendrix and the Cure on the radio, and how his creativity drew him both to advertising and explo
S1 E226 · Wed, March 13, 2024
The Art of Audio Branding: A Conversation with Laurence Minsky - Part 2
“Why not brand the sound so people know that they’re with a certain bank? Why not make it a little bit more ‘here’s your money’, which is a little bit more successful sounding, versus ‘don’t forget your card,’ which could be a little bit more alarming sounding. But you don’t want a bank to sound like a perfect human being. You don’t want an ATM to sound like a perfect human being saying ‘Hey, Jodi, you forgot your ATM card,’ you know.” -- Laurence Minsky This episode’s the second half of my discussion with author, branding expert, and media marketing professor Laurence Minsky, as we talk about the role of human voice in a world of AI, how companies can stand out in an audio-first world, and the prospect of an audio-driven, screenless future. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - The Importance of Sound in Communication The second half of our conversation starts as Laurence talks about the growth of audio-first devices and how much more convenient sound can be for consumers. “It’s getting easier and easier to put sound into everything,” as he puts it. We also talk about the increasingly blurry line between human and AI voices, and what role each might play as AI continues to evolve. “Your ears will pick up that something’s not right,” Laurence says. “So maybe in some situations that might be okay, but probably not for most connections and communications that need and want some humanity involved.” (0:09:24) - The Common Misconceptions of Audio Branding We also discuss the different techniques employed by visual branding, and how audio branding is starting to catch up. “You k
S1 E225 · Wed, March 06, 2024
Let's Explore the Power of Sound: A Conversation with Laurence Minsky - Part 1
“I was just looking at a LinkedIn post. And they’re talking about branding and strategy, and everything in there was visual. There was nothing about sound, nothing about texture, nothing about taste. And it all goes together in the brand and brand perception. But sound is so strong compared to sight. It directs. It helps direct sight. It helps interpret what you’re seeing.” -- Laurence Minsky This week’s guest is a professor of advertising and social media marketing at Columbia College Chicago. His unique perspective, shaped by his early exposure to diverse music and a family deeply rooted in advertising, has fueled his success in the industry, and in our interview, he retraces his journey from being a music enthusiast to a respected advertiser, sharing captivating stories of his early interactions with sound and music. He’s an advertising, branding, and marketing consultant for many of the world’s leading brands, and the co-author of numerous best-selling marketing books, including a personal favorite of mine, Audio Branding: Using Sound to Build Your Brand . His name is Laurence Minsky, and this is a conversation I’ve looked forward to sharing for a long time. If you’re interested in the power of sound, there’s a lot of great information in store. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) – Embracing the Power of Sound We begin the episode with a look back at Laurence’s early memories of sound and his dad’s love of classic rock. “He took me to as a really, really young kid to Led Zeppelin,” Laurence recalls, “where I was, like, in the tenth-row center, so there was the stereo sound you’d hear” He al
S1 E224 · Wed, February 28, 2024
How to Amplify Your Brand's Impact: A Conversation with Josh Butt - Part 2
“Because it’s very difficult to be different and distinctive and you kind of need both of them in this modern advertising world because everything’s so fragmented. Um, people are not just sitting down at the TV at a certain time or listening to the radio together. You know, it’s a much more solo experience than it was when we were growing up. And I think lots of people aren’t seeing the same stuff or hearing the same stuff. And so therefore it’s very difficult for brands to make an impact.” -- Josh Butt This week’s episode is the second half of my conversation with award-winning content creator, sonic branding expert, and Ampel co-founder and Chief Production Officer, Josh Butt as we talk about the shifting podcast marketing landscape, the rise of audio AI and its impact on the industry, and which famous sonic logo still triggers a Pavlovian cue in Josh’s brain even decades later. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - The Importance of Sound in Marketing The second half of our discussion starts with some of the most famous sonic brands of the decade, some of which have reinvented themselves while others found a tried-and-true sound. “They spent a lot of money and time and efforts,” he says about HBO’s distinctive melody, “to figure out if they should change it and the answer was no, and bravo, because, they didn’t need to change it.” We talk about the increasingly crowded podcast market, with advertising expected to double within the next two years. “Everyone wants a podcast,” Josh says. “Everyone wants an ad, Everyone wants a sound.” (0:20:29) - Evolution of Sonic Brands
S1 E223 · Wed, February 21, 2024
From Music to Marketing: A Conversation with Josh Butt - Part 1
“Usually the thing I love about sound is how it answers the question within a very short period of time. You don’t have to listen for very long, right? If you hear a message twice, you go, ‘Oh, that must be their message.’ Turned up in two ads, you know, like it becomes a current. I mean, to me, it’s obvious pretty quickly.” -- Josh Butt This episode’s guest is the Chief Production Officer of Ampel and an award-winning content creator of podcasts, TV, audio ads, and video content with over 25 years of experience. With an ear for sonic logos, musical stings, and funny ads, his work makes audiences laugh, think and act. He’s won a number of awards along the way and has previously worked at MediaCom, Storylab, ABC, and Triple M. A VCA and Monash Business school graduate, he’s a past participant of The Observership Program, a former lecturer at the Australian Film, Television, and Radio School, a former board member of Co-Curious / Curious Works, and he currently sits on the Create NSW Multi-Arts Board. His name is Josh Butt and if you’re interested in learning more about the correlation between sound and memory, where humor fits into advertising, and how companies can make the best impact with curated sound, stay tuned because you’re going to want to hear what he has to say! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) - From Music to Advertising We start off with a look back at Josh’s early memories of sound, which, in his case, turns out to be the infamous “your door is ajar” car alert from the ‘80s. “It was a cool car,” he recalls. “I mean, sorry, it wasn’t a very cool car, but it had a great s
S1 E222 · Wed, February 14, 2024
The Magic of Podcasting: A Conversation with Bruce Chamoff - Part 2
“I see in your videos and I hear your, a lot of your episodes and I could tell right away, Jodi, you do have fun. You laugh, you’re laughing right now, you’re smiling. I mean, you’re obviously having fun. And I obviously don’t want to be on a podcast with somebody that has a very straight face and has a monotone voice and is not laughing. I think it depends on what the topic is. Oh yeah, definitely.” -- Bruce Chamoff Have you considered starting a podcast but are unsure of what direction to take? Tune into the second half of my conversation with World Podcast Network CEO Bruce Chamoff where we touch on various aspects of podcasting, from reasons to start one to the importance of content creation and audio quality to social media management. We’ll help you understand how a podcast can help you monetize, establish yourself as an expert or influencer, or just provide a platform to express your passions. We also discuss the technical side of podcasting, particularly the need for good audio quality and how it can affect your listener’s experience. Bruce and I explore the podcasting equipment marketplace and how to enhance sound quality in less-than-ideal environments. We also discuss the role of social media management in building an online presence and its challenges. So whether you’re looking to start a podcast or already have one, this episode is packed with useful advice and insights to help you succeed in the podcasting realm. Listen in as we help navigate the exciting world of podcasting! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - Reasons to Have a Podcast The second half of our conversation starts with Bruce’s a
S1 E221 · Wed, February 07, 2024
Converting Passion into Profit: A Conversation with Bruce Chamoff - Part 1
“You wanna know the hobbies, they’re part of the psychographics. That’s the lifestyle. And I say this all the time: you’re not going to make any money if you’re a football podcast and you’re marketing yourself to baseball fans. And I say this. You’ve I got people coming to me saying, you know, ‘I have a sports podcast, but I’m not making any money. Why am I not?’ Well, what sports are you talking about?” -- Bruce Chamoff This episode’s guest is a web developer, musician, marketing visionary, and the CEO of the successful World Podcast Network. His passion for music started at the tender age of six, and his journey since has been nothing short of inspirational. He’s also a pioneering podcaster, having started his podcast network to promote both his own music and local musicians from Long Island, New York. Podcasting has seen a remarkable evolution over the years and he’s been a consistent part of it, adapting and thriving amidst the changes. He shared how the pandemic led to an explosion of new shows on his network, pushing it close to a thousand. With the ever-increasing number of social media platforms, streaming services, and podcast hosting sites, the competition is fierce, but he’s undeterred. He emphasizes the importance of targeted marketing, and understanding your audience His name is Bruce Chamoff , and he has a lot of advice to share, whether you’re a podcaster, a musician, or just looking for better ways to get your message out into the world. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - Musician’s Journey As the episode starts, Bruce talks about his earliest experiences with music an
S1 E220 · Wed, January 31, 2024
Audio Design and Game Development: A Conversation with Chris Hegstrom - Part 2
“But you don’t know how that user is going to do it. Are they going to somersault through the entire level? Are they going to climb up a wall and jump down? And are they going to just sit in a corner for a while and then walk three steps and then sit in a corner for a while? You don’t know if somebody is going to, how somebody is going to play. And that’s the beauty. And that’s the draw of video games and the interactivity of it.” -- Chris Hegstrom This episode’s the second half of my conversation with sound designer, creative director, and Insomniac Games audio manager Chris Hegstrom as we talk about how far video game sound designs have come since Space Invaders , how the pioneering soundscape of Burnout Paradise helped reshape everyday UX design, and what the next breakthrough in gaming audio might bring. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - Game Design and Sound Integration Complexity Our discussion continues as we talk about the advantages of video gaming’s early one-man operations, and how the industry’s grown to rival Hollywood post-production fidelity. “In video games,” he says, “we essentially have that fidelity now, and it’s interactive, which means you set up the parameters so that the user can mix it while they’re playing.“ He also talks about the trends going forward when it comes to video-game sound, and what he thinks might prove a bigger hit than 3D sound. “I think the next trend is going to be a lot more maybe CPU based,” he explains, “or a lot more based on really kind of amping up the interactivity to the point where you as the audio designer are actually really impactin
S1 E219 · Wed, January 24, 2024
From Cinema to Video Games: A Conversation with Chris Hegstrom - Part 1
“I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was my first introduction into user experience, right? Like a UX or user experience. It’s exactly that. It’s like I could put a microphone out in a storm and then all I get is like, you know, wind distortion and then the gain dipping every time there’s a thunderclap or something, you know, and it just sounds completely, you know, just different levels of noise and it’s not exciting. It’s not interesting at all.” -- Chris Hegstrom This episode’s guest has had a rewarding and winding journey through the UX sound industry. After a ten-year break to work in product sound, he’s returned to video-game audio. Or was the decade of video game audio before that the exception? Only time will tell. Either way, he’s been creating and presenting audio communication for brands, experiences, products, intellectual properties, and other forms of media for over twenty-five years. A music synthesis major at Berklee College of Music, he got his start doing live sound for Blue Man Group, transitioned to audio for interactive media during the dot-com bubble, and eventually found his way into Triple-A video games by 2001. For the next eleven years, he designed sound and audio systems for games such as Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , Star Wars: Episode 3 , Burnout Paradise , God of War 3 , and Kinect Adventures . In 2012, he found himself at Microsoft on the incubation team for HoloLens, where he worked on audio experiences and systems that would solve perceptual issues as well as immerse and entertain users. He then transitioned onto the UX team and worked on the sound palate for the HoloLens OS. In 2015, he left Microsoft to start his own company, Symmetry Audio, delivering product and experience audio for Google, Unity, HBO, and Technicolor as well as a number of smaller, local Seattle clients. Amazon offered him a job as Senior UX Sound Designer in 2017, and he worked there for the Devices and Services group, creating sounds for Fire TV, Alexa, and numerous product endeavors across the company. In 2020, he worked exclusively on Amazon Glow, creating the sound palate and overall audio vision for the product before it was eventually shelved at the end of 2022. He’s currently the Audio Manager at Insomniac Games, overseeing a team of internal and external sound designers on Wolverine. He hopes to inject some of his UX audio knowledge and process into the games industry by helping his team build connections and solve problems with audio. His name is Chris Hegstrom, and he has plenty to share when it comes to solving problems with audio. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a l
S1 E218 · Wed, January 17, 2024
Shaping the Future of Content Creation: A Conversation with Rob Puzzitiello - Part 2
“We had an up and coming musician here last week who, he’s being followed around by a Netflix documentary team, but, like, he knows that, like, every day he has to post something, you know, and he was talking about starting a podcast, because it’s another form of content. And I think it's just like one of the easier ways to, like, look into your daily life and make those things interesting.” -- Rob Puzzitiello This episode is the second half of my discussion with podcaster, filmmaker, and Mackie marketing director Rob Puzzitiello, as we talk about how streaming content has virtually done away with albums as we know them, and what it takes to make a name for yourself in the age of TikTok. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - Impact of Podcasting in Post-Pandemic Era The second half of our conversation begins with a look at the changes the audio industry’s seen since the pandemic, and how it’s led to more podcasting, more streaming, and a bigger focus on building your own media empire than ever before. Rob tells us about an up-and-coming musician he worked with just recently: “He knows that, like, every day he has to post something, you know, and he was talking about starting a podcast, because it’s another form of content.” We also talk about how Spotify, TikTok, and the new focus on singles over albums have completely changed how bands release music in the 21st century. “There’s, like, a whole structure,” Rob says, “to how you make a single go the furthest now, and, like, it’s just completely changed. And yeah, it’s changed our industry, fortunately.” (0:16:37) - Passion for Content Creation on Twitch As our conversation comes to a close, Rob tells us what he’s working on next, from updates to Mackie’s digital mixer to his return to audio content creation. “There’s a significant period of time where I stopped for a while,” he says, “and how I missed, you know, developed enou
S1 E217 · Wed, January 10, 2024
Exploring the Mackie DLZ Creator: A Conversation with Rob Puzzitiello - Part 1
“What we did with this product was, we’re trying to give people the benefit of using a mixer without necessarily having to be like the audio professional who went to school. Like, I hear all the time, anytime I meet someone they’re like, ‘Oh, the first board I ever used was a Mackie,’ and, like, we all learned on it. I, you know, we have them in my classrooms.” -- Rob Puzzitiello This episode’s guest is a creative self-starter who’s worked across podcasting, independent filmmaking, and the music industry. He began his career in 2009 as a livestream radio host, and today he’s the marketing director for the pro audio brand Mackie. He’s also leveraged his background in content to help launch the DLZ Creator, a digital mixer that adapts to a user’s level of experience to produce professional results faster than ever. His name is Rob Puzzitiello and you’ll definitely want to hear his thoughts on the trends and future of podcasting, audio tech, and about sound in general. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - Sound’s Influence in the Audio Industry As the episode starts, we talk about Rob’s earliest experiences with sound, which, in his case, involve his very first iPod and the seemingly endless musical possibilities it opened up for him. “My iPod,” he tells us, “you know, I filled it with music, and that was definitely... the catalyst for me becoming interested in music.” Rob also tells us about his journey from pioneering podcaster to Mackie’s marketing director, and how he’s adapting to new streaming audio markets like Twitch. “I overthought about, like, how should I market myself,” he says, “like should I do this, and I was like, ‘I’m just going to do what I want that day because that’s what I did ten years ago and it worked.’" (0:13:09) - Mackie DLZ Creator Digital Mixer Rob talks about the early challenges of audio mixing back when it was mostly hardware, and how the digital
S1 E216 · Wed, January 03, 2024
Understanding Consumer Influence: Audio Branding for the Holidays – Part 2
“Yeah, there’s a real opportunity here. I mean there’s a trend here in the conversation that we talk about the nostalgia and these spots that keep coming back. There’s equity in that. There’s, I mean, the giant equity. Even in a seasonal piece of music. It really is the subjects that we talk about in for what it boils down to this consistency and persistency. And even if you’re you know, Colleen, you’re 100% right, you know they have to be ready for this, they have to be ready to roll this out to all their touch points and it also has to be their brand. But I mean, think of the immense power that it’s going to wield year after year when it’s implemented consistently.” -- Adam Pleiman This episode is the second half of my Audio Branding for the Holidays discussion with sonic strategist and author Jeanna Isham, creative director and Grammy-nominated engineer Adam Pleiman, author and creative executive Colleen Fahey, and Soundwise sound strategist John Sanfilippo, as we discuss the changing habits of online consumers, the unique power of audio to tap into holiday nostalgia, and the value of authenticity as machine-generated content becomes the norm in marketing. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - Music and Branding for Holidays As the second half of our discussion starts, we talk about music in advertising, particularly during the holiday season. “I like Colleen’s idea of bringing being a little more worldly,” John says, “and bringing new compositions into the mix. I think we’re due for some new melodies just in the whole Christmas soundscape.” We discuss the impact of music on consumer behavior, referencing
S1 E215 · Wed, December 27, 2023
Unleashing the Power of Sound: Audio Branding for the Holidays - Part 1
“I was just thinking that humans generally like things that are new, but not that new, and you probably have the familiar tune. And then if you hear something clever, I think the biggest danger is cheesiness. But if you have something clever and, as Adam says, anchored in the brand, if it’s a tongue-in-cheek brand and it’s a tongue-in-cheek lyric, that’ll work and maybe it adds freshness rather than clutter.” -- Colleen Fahey Recently, I had a conversation in a LinkedIn Audio Event with four very knowledgeable and talented audio branding experts about what companies can do to make the most of their audio brand over the holiday season. My panelists were Jeanna Isham, a sonic strategist, author, and audio branding thought leader with Dreamr Productions; Adam Pleiman, Creative Director and Grammy-nominated engineer with PLAY Audio Agency; Colleen Fahey, author and US Managing Director of Sixième Son; and John Sanfilippo, a veteran producer and sound strategist with his company, SoundWise. All four had a lot to say about this subject, and we discussed what companies should have done before the holidays, what trends they were seeing in the area of audio branding, and what they thought companies could do with their audio branding to prepare for the new year. We exchanged ideas on moving beyond traditional holiday songs and instead harnessing a brand’s unique sound to make a distinct impression. It was a fascinating discussion and I think you’ll get a lot from it. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) - Audio Branding for the Holidays We start off the topic of audio branding for the holidays with our panel of ex
S1 E214 · Wed, December 20, 2023
Mastering the Podcast Universe: A Conversation with Alex Sanfilippo - Part 2
“I do believe in independent voices getting heard and elevated throughout the world, and I don’t feel that there’s a lot of mediums anymore where we have that opportunity. But podcasting, to me, is the ultimate solution right now for getting a voice heard and elevated throughout the world, that it can really change somebody’s life. I’ve had stories from listeners. I have a lot of friends that have stories from listeners that are all around the world focused on something really specific, saying this is the one thing I’ve been searching for, couldn’t find it anywhere except for your podcast. That type of thing, I believe, is what makes the world a better place. And sure, pat on the back for Alex or whatever you want to say, but, like I, am devoted to serving the world in that way.” -- Alex Sanfilippo This episode’s the second half of my conversation with veteran podcaster, PodPros founder, and entrepreneur Alex Sanfilippo as we talk about what to do and not to do when starting a podcast, the latest developments on PodPros and Alex’s series of podcasting apps, and both the risks and opportunities that podcasting’s explosion into the mainstream offers for creators. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - Podcasting Tips and Problem Solving As the second half of our discussion begins, we talk about handling an overabundance of content, and how we both happened upon the solution of devoting two episodes to a guest.“But every word he said was gold,” he recalls about one early guest on his show, “like, what do I do? Right, broken into two episodes. So, Jodi, I love that you do it: that’s a pro-level hack right there.” We also talk about our early podcasting days and how tricky it can be finding the right topic and your most authentic voice as a podcaster. “I know all of us have to develop our voice,” Alex says. “I think you can really only discover it by using it often, or at least that’s probably the fastest way to disco
S1 E213 · Wed, December 13, 2023
The Art and Science of Podcasting: A Conversation with Alex Sanfilippo - Part 1
“Usually my podcast, I’d say, I probably say eight months of the year, it has no advertisement at all. But that way, when I do place it in, it’s on every single episode, and it’s there just for a short time to really pique someone’s interest, cause they’re like ‘This is different. What is this?’" “Yeah, that’s a really good option. Yeah, I like the dynamic insertion at the very beginning too, because people are that’s when they’re you’ve got them hooked. They’re there to listen, so you may as well. Yeah, that’s a really good option.” -- Alex Sanfilippo This episode’s guest is an entrepreneur as well as the CEO and founder of PodPros, a podcasting software company. He’s also the host of the top-rated podcast Podcasting Made Simple and is a leading educator when it comes to podcasting. His name is Alex Sanfilippo, and his ground-breaking business ventures have shaped the world of podcasting in a big way. If you’re looking to make more out of your podcast while also retaining your sanity, Alex has a few tricks up his sleeve that’ll help. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - A Journey Into Podcasting As the episode starts, we talk about how a sore throat forced Alex to postpone his first appearance on the show, and how Audio Branding just recently crossed its 200th episode milestone. “I can just tell you off the head,” he says, “because I just looked at these numbers. So, at the time of recording this, you have just under a 6% chance of making it to 200 episodes.” Alex also tells us about the hearing difficulties he suffered as a child and the surprising chiropractic treatment that helped him recover. We talk about children’s audio dramas like Adventures in Odyssey , and how they captured his imagination in a way that TV shows never quite managed. “But whenever it was audio only,” he says,” I would create the visions myself and I think that a lot of my creativity is owed to those mo
S1 E212 · Wed, December 06, 2023
Exploring the Unheard: A Conversation with Andrea Cera - Part 2
“Also, because nobody listened to these sounds, even the nurse that should be paying attention. They really, they got used to this kind of droning sensation." "You have to tune it out." "Yes, yes, and imagine the mental load to do that, to tune out these kinds of sounds, and, of course, imagine the poor people that are in the hospital as a patient as well." -- Andrea Cera This episode’s the second half of my discussion with sound designer and composer Andrea Cera as we talk about his trial-and-error work on creating electric vehicle soundscapes, how the pandemic changed his work and his view of sound, and the perils of being his own audio guinea pig. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - From Intrusive to Non-Intrusive Sounds As the second half starts, Andrea tells us about the challenge of building an electric vehicle's interior soundscape from scratch. "You start to think," he says, "'Oh, okay, I'm doing this sound, and some poor person will have to listen to this sound every time he jumps in the car.'" We discuss the trial-and-error process he used to decide which sounds work best, and how quickly he became his own worst enemy. "So I started to design some of these," he tells us, "and I make the experiment to each day listen to this at least once. And after one week I wanted to kill the sound designer, which is myself." Andrea also delves deeper into how the brain processes sound and music, and why musical ringtones on phones might not be such a good idea after all. “If you,” he explains, “each time you have a call, you receive a melody, you have parts of your brain that have to recognize the melody, retrieve it from memory catalog. Okay, this is a melody, and this is all mental fatigue for nothing.” (0:11:47) - Impact of Remote Work on Sound Our discussion turns to the pandemic and how the shift to remote work impacted Andrea’s
S1 E211 · Wed, November 29, 2023
Unveiling the Language of Sound: A Conversation with Andrea Cera - Part 1
“I don't know if in Canada or in the States the sounds are different, but here, Toyota, for instance, is very abstract, high-pitched, it's a bike or like 'peeeeee,' like this, for instance. The Renault is more reassuring, more warm, it's welcoming, it's a little bit more, you know, it's less cold than other sounds." "Sure, yeah. Well, I guess maybe if it doesn't focus specifically on the sound of the engine, but even the engine sounds have been changing over the years right, yes. They're getting, like you said, they're getting softer or they're getting electric." “Yeah, absolutely” -- Andrea Cera My next guest is an Italian sound designer and composer, classically trained in piano and composition, along with extensive learning in computer music. Since 1998 he's created over 40 soundtracks for contemporary dance and theatre works. He's collaborated with the prestigious Casa Paganini – InfoMus, a research center and university in Genova, on research projects about cross-modality and human movement sonification, and a few years ago he began a collaboration with IRCAM and Renault for the design of external electric car sounds, from Renault Zoé to the new E-Tech 2022. His name is Andrea Cera and if you’d like to know more about designing sound for a purpose, he’s definitely the right person to ask. We’ll cover both sides of the coin, from subtle soundscapes and ambiance to aggressive music and even using noise as art. It’s a fascinating discussion, so stay tuned! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:01) - The Power of Sound As the episode begins, we talk about sound's power to move its listeners, to spark powerful emotions like excitement and fear, and even, in one case that Andrea recalls, to stop a riot. "There is one moment," he says, recounting the infamous 1969 Altamont Free Concert, "where The Thirteenth Floor Elevators play, and the girl who sings, they see a riot, and she start
S1 E210 · Wed, November 22, 2023
The New Era of Sonic Branding: A Conversation with Jack Bradley - Part 2
“My now retired business partner, who was the head composer for this company for years and years and years, he put that perfectly, and he said, I remember he talked to a young composer. He said, ‘Look, at the end of the day, it’s the difference between art and craft,’ said, ‘when you’re making your own music and you’re doing your own thing, it’s art, it’s art for you. You’re the artist and you’re making it and you can make it whatever you want, whatever you want. But when you’re making something for a brand, it’s a craft. You’re being hired to make a specific thing.’" -- Jack Bradley Can you hear a brand? This week we continue to explore the world of audio branding with our audio expert and executive producer Jack Bradley. In the second half of our conversation, we talk about how the creation of music for a brand is a delicate blend of skill and ingenuity, between time constraints and client expectations. The sonic branding landscape has evolved drastically amid the pandemic, with the boom of podcasts and TikTok reshaping how we perceive branded music. We explore what this means for brand recognition when this happens and how a deeper understanding of a brand can lead to a refined, recognizable audio identity. Issues of negotiation, payment, and licenses in sonic branding are also touched upon, revealing the underlying complexities of this booming industry. We also delve deeper into the converging worlds of AI, remote work, and audio-first social platforms. With AI-generated music, who holds the creative rights? How is the rise of influencer musicians impacting the industry, and how is the potential for more branded content shaping the future? Jack also takes us behind the scenes, sharing the best online audio resources and offering a sneak peek at some of his current sonic branding projects. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) - Audio Branding We explore the difference between art and craft when it comes
S1 E209 · Wed, November 15, 2023
The Evolution of Audio Branding: A Conversation with Jack Bradley - Part 1
“I would just play these crazy ‘80s drum beats and then I’d play on top of it and it was like the coolest thing ever. So it always became this really important thing to me too, and I couldn’t describe it in any way professionally at all. I mean, I was just a kid. But I was thinking about this like, I don’t know. I assumed some kids were, like, super into BMX bikes or something. Like, this was like my thing, and I think, again, that just really helped push me into that world.” -- Jack Bradley What does it take to craft the perfect sound that lingers in your mind long after you’ve seen an ad? This is a question veteran sound designer and HiFi Project CEO Jack Bradley, with over 25 years of experience in the content music and audio industry, has dedicated his career to answering. In this episode, we explore the intricacies of audio branding and uncover the latest industry trends and the power of sound in shaping viewer’s perceptions. Jack takes us behind the scenes, revealing the technical process involved in sound design, from session booking to mastering such resources as Pro Tools. As the audio landscape continues to evolve, we delve into the shift from creating to curating as well as the expanding market for custom music for campaigns. We also discuss the implications of using non-exclusive music and the importance of creating unique content. Our discussion also explores the role of sound in TikTok advertising and how the emergence of social media platforms has transformed sound design. Jack provides invaluable insights into creating short, impactful tracks for a variety of online platforms. From seven-second spots to fifteen-second TikToks, learn how he has successfully crafted effective soundtracks for various campaigns. If you want to learn more about what sort of audio goes into creating a great ad campaign, stay tuned. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) - The Power of Sound in Advertising As we star
S1 E208 · Wed, November 08, 2023
Unveiling the Future of Sonic Branding: A Conversation with John SanFilippo - Part 2
“But if it’s a narrator, which it is, like, 90% of the time, why would you need to know their gender as long as they’re getting the message across? You wouldn’t be wondering what color shirt they’re wearing, why do you need to know what gender they are? So I’m really pleased that the industry is heading in this direction, and I’m even more pleased that clients have so far been very receptive to it. Yeah, it’s great.” -- John Sanfilippo Are you ready to hear the roar of a Ferrari's engine like never before? Get set for an immersive journey into the world of sonic branding with John Sanfilippo, an expert in the field. Together, we explore the concept of audio logos and how industry-specific sounds can create a powerful sonic logo. We discuss the innovative ways Ferrari and Harley Davidson leverage their unique engine sounds within their branding and explore potential criteria for businesses looking to tap into sonic branding. We also touch on the future of sound in branding and delve into thought-provoking scenarios such as reactions to non-binary voices as well as the impact of AI and synthetic voices on the industry. John shares intriguing insights from his experiences, shedding light on how the next generation could play a pivotal role in shaping the future of sound. Whether a small business or a large corporation, our conversation is packed with valuable insights to help you forge a stronger bond with your customers. Stay tuned for a fascinating look at just where audio branding might be heading next. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) - Sonic Branding in Marketing I talk with John about using sound from an industry in an audio logo, incorporating product sounds into a sonic logo, and how car companies are shifting from using the outside of the car to get the ambiance to the inside. We also chat about how Ferrari uses the roaring engine sound and Harley Davidson has tried to trademark the sound of their
S1 E207 · Wed, November 01, 2023
Exploring The Power of Sonic Branding: A Conversation with John Sanfilippo - Part 1
“Loyalist College, they have their own marketing people, they had just done a visual rebrand, so it was the perfect time for a sonic – not even a rebrand, they never had any kind of sonic strategy. So that was very exciting. And they had this new young marketing team too, and they were really receptive to new ideas, and they had this agency on board that had done their visual rebrand and their overall rebrand, and they were great to work with too. So it was a longer process and it was more involved, but it was all the right people on board, so it did go very smoothly even though it took a bit longer. Whereas that real estate agent, that was also a great experience, but it was just a completely different thing because I realized I'm not really branding a business, I'm branding a person." -- John Sanfilippo This week’s guest has had a storied career, from music to media and advertising, and then to their synthesis in audio branding. He founded the sonic branding and production company now known as SoundWise in 2012, and he’s worked with businesses big and small to bring their brand into the realm of sound. His name is John Sanfilippo and in this episode, we’ll be unpacking his journey into audio branding and how the industry has transformed into the powerhouse it is today. One of the most intriguing aspects of our discussion was the creation process of a sonic identity, a signature sound so unique it resonates without visuals or words. We dove deep into the connection between voiceover and sonic branding communities, reminisced about early sound experiences that have left a lasting impression on us, and even ventured into the iconic album Thriller by Michael Jackson. All the while, John expertly guided us through the process of using a brand's media, touchpoints, and environments to craft a compelling and recognizable sonic identity. John also shed light on the nuances of audio branding for different-sized companies and the importance of understanding the emotional core of a client. We chatted about the creative push that comes with fresh ideas and the importance of integrating non-musical elements into audio logos. So, tune in, get comfortable, and let your ears guide you on this exploration of sonic branding. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and <a href=
S1 E206 · Wed, October 25, 2023
Celebrating Your True Self: Insights on Creativity and Value: A Conversation with Danielle Soccio - Part 2
“One of my clients said, you know, he literally stopped doing gigs for free or for a low pay because he was able to just stand in his body and realize that some part of his inner body was saying to him ‘you're worth more than this.’ And so he was able to hear that within himself, and it helped really shift that mindset, and so now, he said, ‘I'm doing way better gigs and I'm always saying ‘this is my price, that’s it,’ you know,’ and, and when you say it and do it in this powerful but grounded state, people respond to you better as well.” -- Danielle Soccio This episode’s the second half of my discussion with singer, speaker, and creative mentor Danielle Soccio as we discuss how she’s helped clients recognize their true worth, how the value of creativity has changed in recent years, and how sound can help us celebrate our authentic selves. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Recognizing Your Value "One of my clients came to me,” Danielle recalls one of her most memorable mentoring successes, “because she'd had this dream of always wanting to sing, to perform, and she thought that's why she needed to see me." We talk about how those voice lessons instead led her client to realize how much she hides her true self from others and to find the courage to speak with her own voice. We also talk about her work with musicians, and how the age of Spotify has only worsened the tendency of young artists to sell themselves short. "Some of my clients used to perform for free and to perform for very little,” she explains. “It's a very common thing for musicians to undervalue themselves." The Inner Self Our discussion touches on art in the digital age and how the convenience of online audio may have also helped devalue it. "I think people value the arts to a certain point,” Danielle says, “but they just don't comprehend how much time and energy and focus needs to go into creating such beautiful art."
S1 E205 · Wed, October 18, 2023
Exploring Sound & Self: Musical Connections and Personal Growth: A Conversation with Danielle Soccio - Part 1
“It’s part of it, but the deeper part is truthful, authentic, safe, safe to express yourself, and I think that’s the biggest problem in this, you know, one of the biggest problems in the world. [It’s] that people don’t feel free to express themselves, to truly express who they are or what they want to say.” -- Danielle Soccio This episode’s guest is an accomplished singer and performing artist, creative mentor, speaker, and author from Melbourne, Australia. She’s performed in prestigious concert halls, on major television events, in the theatre, and she’s produced her own one-woman shows. She’s recorded numerous works beginning with her first album of standards, Hope , and original music that can be heard on major streaming services. Her passion is performing, and she’s sung before a viewing audience of a billion people. She’s also the creator of Awaken Your Voice , creating cutting-edge voice and transformation programs for artists, entrepreneurs, professionals, and individuals. She works with people who want to express themselves with greater presence and impact, in a larger, more meaningful way so they can achieve their goals and dreams. She’s helped transform thousands of people into confident and courageous individuals, with a newfound clarity, voice, and vision for their life. Her name is Danielle Soccio, and this conversation will help you dig deeper into what’s causing your roadblocks and keeping you from being your best self – and how it relates to sound. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. The Power Within As the episode starts, we talk about Danielle's early memories of sound, and how her mother's ABBA and Barbara Streisand albums sparked her love of music. "That's where, I think, sound really started to influence me in a really big way," she explains. "And for me, it was through singing." She tells us about her concert performances and the sense of inner power and deep connection they bri
S1 E204 · Wed, October 11, 2023
Leveraging Podcasts for Business Growth Strategies: A Conversation with Molly Ruland - Part 2
“I feel like people are just becoming more and more repelled by that and so I think the days of companies being more personal and accessible, and ‘I want to hear what you sound like, I want to know who you are before I sign a contract with you, before I do business with you,’ I don’t think it’s going anywhere. I think, if anything, it’s going to deepen. I think people think about branded podcasts as, like, Colgate having a podcast about brushing your teeth.” -- Molly Ruland This week is the second half of my interview with CEO and Heartcast Media founder Molly Ruland as we talk about the overarching importance of who you know, how an obscure podcast led one of her clients to a ten-million-dollar contract and the value and limits of Artificial Intelligence. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House , at 2pm Eastern every Wednesday. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest Clubhouse rooms will be about. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Being 100% Myself As the second half of our conversation opens, Molly talks about how being herself and putting herself out there has helped her win over clients and build her business. “I have found,” she explains, “that by getting out in front of people and being 100% myself, I attract the kind of clients who resonate with that.” She also tells us about some of her favorite podcasting clients, from political analysts to audio dramas, and how one client's emergency request for 76 audiobook narrations led to Heartcast Media's first audiobook studio. "I think that I’m probably the most proud of the work we did there.” The Collateral Benefits Molly also tells us about some of the unexpected benefits her clients might find in running a podcast, such as a podcast host for a very obscure and technical show whose expertise attracted a ten-million-dollar contract. “You just never know the collateral benefits of what a podcast can do,” she reminds us. She also warns us about some of the more popular SEO tre
S1 E203 · Wed, October 04, 2023
Strategies for Effective Listening: A Conversation with Molly Ruland - Part 1
“It just feels better to listen to somebody who sounds good. It just does, you know? And there’s all kinds of articles you can read about the psychology: you sound smarter when you sound better, you sound more trustworthy when you sound better. So it’s not about manipulating people.” -- Molly Ruland My next guest is the CEO and founder of Heartcast Media, a digital content agency focused on content marketing for founders, CEOs, coaches, and brands. She specializes in producing high-quality branded video content for businesses that want to generate revenue and create strategic relationships through content marketing. She’s a frequent speaker about the business of podcasting, marketing, and content creation. She believes that “listening is the revolution” and it’s evident in the work she produces, with multiple podcasts in the top ten percent of downloads. She currently lives in Costa Rica with her four dogs and runs her global business remotely. Her name is Molly Ruland, and she has a lot of knowledge when it comes to branded podcasts, helping beginners sound good, and getting right to the heart of what a branded podcast can – and can’t – do for a company. She very generously shares that knowledge with us today, so stay tuned! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House , at 2pm Eastern every Wednesday. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest Clubhouse rooms will be about. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Traditional Irish Things As we start things off, Molly tells us about her earliest memories of sound and the memorable musical impression that growing up in an Irish family left on her. “We grew up doing all the very traditional Irish things,” she explains. “I played the tin whistle, I played the concertina... we did the traditional Irish dancing.” Molly tells us about the artists and musicians in her family, including the relative whose dancing shoes are on display at the Smithsonian. “We’re an emotional group,” she says, “us Irish people, and transf
S1 E202 · Wed, September 27, 2023
How to Niche Down in the Music Industry: A Conversation with Casey Cavaliere - Part 2
“You know, 'do you have any advice for me?' And I say, 'Yeah go write one hundred bad songs. Go finish them. Because that's going to do way more for your career, even though you think they're like really bad songs.' I'm like, 'yep, you got to get through those to write the one that's going to actually start a fire for you. I'm not saying you have to put them out, you know. Just go write them. Go give me the draft. Give me the worst draft you can on anything you know.' And the older I get the more I'm just like 'Oh how much time did I waste.'" -- Casey Cavaliere This episode’s the second half of my conversation with record producer, musician, and artist coach Casey Cavaliere as we talk about the art of creating an experience, how the secret to writing good songs is to write bad ones, and the surprising truth he learned about being a DIY artist. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House , at 2pm Eastern every Wednesday. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest Clubhouse rooms will be about. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Spreading Like Wildfire As the second half of our discussion begins, we talk about all the different musical communities and genre niches there are in the social media landscape. “There are an infinite number of different sub-communities right?" Casey notes. "The Venn diagram is wildly rich." He tells us about how he’s working to connect different aspects of the music industry for mutual benefits that might not be apparent at a glance, and how the future of music and fan communities will, as he says, “be through messages, art, ideas reaching those communities and then spreading like wildfire.” The Perfect Release We also talk about some of the pitfalls that new artists run into when putting out their first album or starting their career, including worrying too much about getting everything right on the first try. “Not taking action and spending too much time trying to craft the perfect plan,” Casey says, “craft
S1 E201 · Wed, September 20, 2023
How to Market & Brand Your Music: A Conversation with Casey Cavaliere - Part 1
“I just want to try to take a more thoughtful, mindful approach to helping artists think for themselves and become self-sustaining. Because the industry is going to change. The things we’re talking about right now are going to be either way more relevant or way less relevant ten years from now. But I want you to be able to gain the tools and frameworks for kind of going through and saying ‘Hey well, how do I talk to this label? How do I pitch this label.’ And being like ‘Hey a better idea is, let’s flip the lens and put your hat on in a way that allows you to think about what behooves them and what their objectives are.’ And that’s maybe a better pitch.” -- Casey Cavaliere This episode’s guest is an American record producer, musician, and artist coach. His creative work ethic has been sculpted by a career spanning over two decades with his band The Wonder Years, including multiple Billboard chart-topping releases, extensive global touring, and the mentorship of music industry heavyweights. His mission outside of the studio and the stage is to help educate and inspire a new generation of independent artists by teaching them how to think critically about the way they market, promote, and brand themselves and their music. His name is Casey Cavaliere and I think you’ll find him incredibly inspiring. I know it’s tough out there for musicians right now, but the best is yet to come, and this discussion will help demystify what it takes to be a working musician. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House , at 2pm Eastern every Wednesday. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest Clubhouse rooms will be about. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Can We Plug This In? We start the show off with a look back at Casey’s memories of sound, and the big impression that his dad’s role as a bass player in a classic ‘70s rock band made on him as a child. “And I was like ‘Dad, can we plug this in?’" Casey recalls. “He’s like ‘honestly, I don’t even know if it still works, but I guess
S1 E200 · Wed, September 13, 2023
Infomercials and Life Lessons: A Conversation with Brian Richardson - Part 2
“So a lot of times they feel like they have to pack this thing with so much dense information. I'm like, dude, you have 30 minutes and you have three of those to hook somebody and you still need to leave a little bit for Q&A. You still need to leave a little bit for engagement. So if you're not going to answer everybody's question about something highly technical in the span of a podcast or the span of a technical talk, the span of an explainer video, you always have to get them to that act. They need to take a step and learn more. And that's where then you get a next level of engagement. You have a more detailed conversation. You have a one-on-one with somebody.” -- Brian Richardson This episode’s the second half of my conversation with technical communicator, Dragon Con host, and Play It With Moxie drummer, Brian Richardson as he shares his advice on effective communication, some of the most memorable actors he’s worked with at Dragon Con, and the surprisingly rustic direction his life’s taken thanks to a move to Oregon and his new YouTube channel. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House , at 2pm Eastern every Wednesday. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest Clubhouse rooms will be about. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Knowing When to Speak As the second half of our discussion kicks off, Brian tells us more about the advice he gives technical professionals for connecting with their audience, such as gauging how fast you talk and making sure you’re engaging with the listeners. “Some of it is voice and some of it is language options,” he adds. “There's also a third element depending on the audience, which is when to speak. So when we get into a lot of it, it’s basically word choice.” He shares his stories from Dragon Con, including some surprisingly introverted actors that he’s helped along the way. “Actors are not always outgoing people,” he says. “Some actors are actually introverts. And some of those folks really love the panel environment. They feed off
S1 E199 · Wed, September 06, 2023
Why Infomercials Matter: A Conversation with Brian Richardson - Part 1
“And I carried that into engineering in college and was going to go into computers, but then kind of got into robotics. But through all of that, I was still doing college radio. And again, that was like backdoor access to, ‘Hey, can I use the studio in the off hours? Can my band record our CD here in the summer when the stations technically shut down?’ And then that got me into, well, I’m on-air talent now, which in college radio is, as Strongbad used to say, I can describe college radio in five words: dead air, um, dead air.” -- Brian Richardson This episode’s guest is an engineer turned technical communicator who’s currently working as the Security Initiative Lead for Intel’s Data Center & AI Marketing team. He also produces DIY videos from his farm in Oregon, hosts events and panels for Dragon Con, one of the world’s largest pop-culture conventions, and is one of the co-founders of their in-house video team, commonly known as DragonConTV – and he certainly has some interesting stories to share about that. But I know him best as the drummer and emcee of the band Play It With Moxie that we’ve been performing in together for over 18 years at a small music convention in Atlanta. His name is Brian Richardson and not only is he a very funny guy, he’s also extremely knowledgeable when it comes to helping techies share complicated ideas. His answer? Infomercials! I’ll let him explain. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House , at 2pm Eastern every Wednesday. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest Clubhouse rooms will be about. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Dead Air, Um, Dead Air We start off the episode with Brian’s early memory of sounds, from taking apart an AM radio to the first time he heard a lightsaber. “I vividly remember seeing Star Wars at the age of five in the theater,” he recalls. “And I don’t remember like the entire plot of the movie, but I remember it moving me and there’s a whole element of sound design in that like the lightsaber noise.” He
S1 E198 · Wed, August 30, 2023
How to be a Better Speaker and Hit all the Right Notes: A Conversation with Elaine Clark - Part 2
“So I think that when people can get that one word that hits them in the heart and in the gut, that’s what makes a good podcaster. When it’s just information, it’s information. And that’s where we often think, well, ‘I’ll just read the blog.’ You know, ‘I’ll go get a book on that.’ ‘I’ll look it up.’ You know, ‘I’ll just do a Google search and find it.’ But if someone is adding something to it that we haven’t thought about, and it puts a feeling to it and a story, and it makes us come alive, that’s what makes a good podcaster.” -- Elaine Clark This week’s episode is the second half of my conversation with best-selling author, voiceover expert, and prolific voice actor Elaine Clark as we talk about the power of storytelling, what makes someone an expert, and the importance of style in everything from company meetings to ASMR. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House , at 2pm Eastern every Wednesday. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest Clubhouse rooms will be about. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Getting to the Good Stuff As the second half of our discussion begins, Elaine talks about how crucial finding the right pace can be when it comes to podcasting. "There are a lot of podcasters out there that have a podcast," she says, "but you have to wade through to get to the good stuff." We also talk about streaming shows and the new golden age of television and how binge-watching owes its success to the power of narratives and the importance of emotional storytelling. "People are anxious to tell a story," she explains, "and people really want to hear more of a story and have someone emotionally connected with it." The Wrong Notes Elaine tells us more about how the accessibility of podcasting, for creators and listeners, has helped it continue to thrive even after the height of the pandemic and offers advice on everything from the right equipment to the right vocal exercises. "You have to think of it like going to the gym," she
S1 E197 · Wed, August 23, 2023
How to be a Better Speaker and Hit all the Right Notes: A Conversation with Elaine Clark - Part 1
“Most people speak with three different rhythms in a sentence. So if I’m not thinking about it, I have certain parts that are gonna be faster and other parts where maybe I’m thinking about, they’ll be slower, and then something in the middle. That’s what keeps our attention with that melody, that melodic change that’s happening there.” -- Elaine Clark My next guest is the author of two best-selling books, There’s Money Where Your Mouth Is and V oice-Overs For Podcasting , the creator of two voice and diction apps (Activate Your Voice and Adding Melody To Your Voice), and the host and creator of the speech communication podcast Real Talking Tips . She’s an actor, director, and producer in a wide range of entertainment and business genres, from video games to business events. Over the past forty years, she’s coached C-Suite executives, newscasters, television hosts, podcasters, multimedia journalists, presenters, sports reporters, salespeople, and narrators. She specializes in developing a “tune of speaking” through word focus, movement, dynamics, tempo variations, storytelling, and musicality. Her name is Elaine Clark, and I'm looking forward to her perspective on how to be a better speaker. It's not just for people on stage but people who have to make presentations, podcast hosts, and anyone who just wants others to pay more attention when they're trying to get a point across. If you want to learn how to make a deeper impact with your voice, this is the podcast episode for you. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House , at 2pm Eastern every Wednesday. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest Clubhouse rooms will be about. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. The Musicality of Words As the episode begins, we talk about Elaine's early memories of sound and how the variety of accents she heard growing up in Louisiana, California, and Germany led to her lifelong fascination with the cadence and melody of speech. "So I thought," she says, reca
S1 E196 · Wed, August 16, 2023
The Business of Podcasting in a Creator Economy: A Conversation with Vinnie Potestivo - Part 2
“And I say this, y'all, if you're actors out there are trying to audition and you're looking, when you meet a casting director, tell them, look them in the eye and say 'hey, you could literally be the person who braced me and I will forever be in debt to you, and I would love to make you a big famous casting director.' I have to be honest, people have said that to me and it works, and they are gigantic celebrities and I'm honored, and my life would be nowhere without them. But it's the alchemy of success. It's the want and drive, it's the clarity they have. They're like, 'Yeah, if you can get me this job and I can rock it for you, then you already get hired for these types of jobs.' This is how we amplify each other. It's how we raise up." -- Vinnie Potestivo This episode’s the second half of my conversation with Emmy Award-winning brand advisor, creator advocate, and podcaster Vinnie Potestivo as we talk about the evolution of the thirty-minute sitcom, how bonus footage went from an afterthought to a beloved feature, and his advice to podcasters on everything from audio equipment to newsletters to turning your ideas into content. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Podcast Meets Broadcast Vinnie and I start the second half of our conversation with a discussion of the importance of keeping a regular content schedule, and take a look at both his ongoing podcast, I Have a Podcast , and back at my very first podcast, Silver Linings . “I find those people,” he says, talking about podcasters who become discouraged along the way, “are often the people who say, 'Oh, you know, I had an idea, I just, you know, it was just an idea.' But y'all, if you're listening to this, please make time for those ideas.” We also talk about how podcasting is becoming more integrated into other forms of media, and he describes how indie podcasts and regional TV news might form a perfect fit. “That makes me excited about the RSS,” Vinnie explains. “That makes me excited about podcast meets broadcast.” This is a Sport The topic shifts to t
S1 E195 · Wed, August 09, 2023
The Creator Economy And Building Community: A Conversation With Vinnie Potestivo – Part 1
“Audio has had exponential growth these last four years. I mean, there’s just this power. It used to be supportive of video, and I think back to, like, Spielberg and Dolby and, like, some of the original advances that happened in the beginning part of my life. It seemed dormant up until these last four. So what a cool time to be in audio.” -- Vinnie Potestivo This episode’s guest is an Emmy Award-winning brand advisor with a twenty-five-year track record of guiding personal brands and founder-led businesses to new heights through strategic content distribution, brand visibility, and media reach. As an advocate for independent creators, he hosts LinkedIn Presents: I Have A Podcast and serves as the editor-in-chief of ihaveapodcast.com, the #1 source for creative and career inspiration. He also shares valuable creator-economy business strategies, insights, and experiences with co-host Judi Fox on Podcast to Profit . His name is Vinnie Potestivo, and he has quite a lot to say about how to tell a good story and improve the chances of discoverability for your podcast. He's a fun guy to talk to, too: I think you'll really enjoy this interview. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Lots of Right Ways As the episode starts, we kick things off with a fast-paced discussion about everything from Podfest to reviving the dodo bird to the exponential growth of audio. "My favorite thing about podcasts," Vinnie tells us, "is just the individualized approach that everyone has. And there's no right way, or, no, there is a right way. There's a lot of right ways, actually. And there are a lot of wrong ways too." We talk about his early memories of sound and the surprising career that inspired him as a small child: "I wanted to be a Foley artist, a gaffer or a Foley artist. Those were the two things that I wanted to be." Louder Than Anything We also talk about how the digital landscape of the early 2000s shaped his career at MTV. "Napster file trading, digitizing of our disks on computers," he explains. "I mean, I saw music, and I saw video
S1 E194 · Wed, August 02, 2023
Voice-Actor Friendly Audio Tech: A Conversation with George Whittam - Part 2
“No, it’s true. No, you’re absolutely right. Yeah, it does trigger memories. I remember sitting in my bedroom in my parents’ house hearing certain songs like ‘Double Dutch Bus,’ that song from the early 80s, it triggers a memory instantly. Or Earth, Wind and Fire, playing my parents’ vinyl records, certain songs like instant memory of where I heard that song.” -- George Whittam This episode’s the second half of my interview with audio engineer, podcast host, and all-around sound expert George Whittam as we talk about whether rooms or recording booths make for better audio, how podcasts became the new magazines, and George’s most and least favorite sounds. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. The Blind Leading the Blind As we start the second half of our interview, George explains how the needs of musicians and voiceover artists can lead to very different recording environments. “There’s no reverb,” he says about voiceover studios, “there’s no liveliness. It doesn’t help a musician who’s playing acoustically or singing to be singing into a dead void.” We talk about whether he prefers isolated rooms or recording booths for soundproof environments, and why isolation booths often have trouble living up to their promise. “A lot of these companies that make iso booths don’t understand the importance of actually having an acoustics expert,” he tells us. “There’s a lot of the blind leading the blind.” Sounds, Textures, and Rhythm We also discuss George’s experience with podcasting, both as a host and listener, and how it’s come to replace magazines as his source of daily news “With podcasts,” he says, “I find there’s less of the, ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ type stories and more, more real stories.” We also talk about the power of sound in our everyday lives, from the beauty of a piano piece or solo trumpet to the noise of leaf blowers and construction workers in the big city. “For me,” he says, “it’s always been about the sound, the textures, the rhythms, the way it’s recorded. That has always been what’s triggered an emotion in me.” <stron
S1 E193 · Wed, July 26, 2023
Voice-Actor Friendly Audio Tech: A Conversation with George Whittam - Part 1
“And so he told me all about this, he showed me the facility that they have at the school, which was small, but very state-of-the-art digital audio recording technology for 1993. It was very state-of-the-art. And I was like, ‘Ooh, this is cool!’ And so I started realizing this is where I should be, I should be in the recording department. But they didn’t have one. They had a music school. That means I have to audition and get into music school if I want to study recording.” -- George Whittam This week’s guest has served the technical needs of voiceover artists since 2005. In 2017, he launched GeorgeThe.Tech, offering VO tech support, training, studio design, and audio processing templates. He’s the co-host of the Pro Audio Suite Podcast and co-host with Dan Lenard of Voice Over Body Shop at VOBS.TV. His name is George Whittam, and if you have a question about audio, he’s the guy to ask. We’ll be talking about what drew him to audio technology, acoustics, interfaces, and sound challenges. I always learn a ton of new things every time I speak to him, and I’m sure you will too. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Why Am I Here? We start the episode with George’s early memories of sound, from a terrifying introduction to fireworks when he was a toddler to his childhood tape recordings and family interviews. He recalls following his dad’s footsteps as an electrical engineer, only to discover his passion for sound in college. “I’ll never forget sitting in differential equations class,” he says, “shaking my head, like, why am I here? And the guy’s saying ‘Most of you guys aren’t going to need this, but you electrical engineers are going to be using this all the time.’ That’s what I thought I was studying. And I was like ‘wrong major.’" Voice-Actor Friendly Tech George tells us how his father supported his early career in sound and helped fund his very first, and very unconventional, recording studio. “It was an old camper RV called the El Dorado,” he explains. “It literally said El Dorado on the front. And that’s where the name of my first company ca
S1 E192 · Wed, July 19, 2023
The Future Strategy of Audio Branding: A Conversation with Adam Pleiman - Part 2
“I think there’s a responsibility to know that if you’re emotionally connecting people, if you know that we have the power to persuade, in a way, that is, that wields real results and real people, like let’s not manipulate, you know? Let’s make sure that that’s an authentic thing that needs, that you’re creating and you’re not driving something fake. You’re not driving, because it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be, they’re gonna smoke it out anyway at some point in time. It’s not gonna work.” -- Adam Pleiman This episode’s the second half of my conversation with Grammy-nominated engineer, producer, musician, and Play Audio Agency creative director Adam Pleiman, as we talk about how he’s working to make the world sound better, about the surprising role ASMR played in Play Audio’s recent Sport Clip ad campaign, and the importance of honesty when it comes to consumers. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. A Better-Sounding Place The second half of our discussion starts as Adam talks about what he considers his evolving mission as an audio creator. “Our mission,” he says, “is to make the world a better-sounding place.” We talk about the boundaries he believes should be maintained for the sake of respecting his audience. “There are certain things,” Adam explains, “that we will draw a line on and certain things we won’t do because it would be irresponsible and hurtful to the industry.” He tells us how he brings all the different parts of a company’s brand and the audio resources at his disposal into a cohesive sonic identity, and how rewarding it is to see everything come together. “I mean,” he says, “it gives me goosebumps to think that it’s that much more effective when it’s all tied in across the board, you know?” What No One Else Is Doing We talk about one particularly recent and successful example, the now-famous ASMR audio spot for Sport Clips, and how the idea grew from its first inspiration to an acclaimed finished product. “It was an interesting challenge,” Adam tells us, “to go, well, ‘what’s unique? You know, what are you doing that no one else is
S1 E191 · Wed, July 12, 2023
Advertising & Audio Branding Strategy: Goosebump Moments: A Conversation with Adam Pleiman - Part 1
“Music’s played a major role in my life growing up. It’s always been ingrained in me. So, you know, I remember as a really young kid, like kindergarten, going to my grandparents’ house or great grandparents’ house and mashing the keys on their Wurlitzer organ, right? And then mom and grandma are in the other room going ‘sounds great, hon!’ And I’m like, ‘yeah, it’s great.’ Notice they weren’t in the room with me, they were in the other room, because there’s a volume pedal on that thing.” -- Adam Pleiman My next guest is always in search of the next “goosebump moment” and takes pride in eliciting that reaction from those that he works with. His extensive background as a Grammy-nominated engineer, accomplished composer, producer, and musician brings an expert foundation to his role as creative director at Play Audio Agency. His name is Adam Pleiman and he has a unique perspective, having viewed so many facets of the audio industry and approaching it now through a sonic strategies lens. There’s a lot to talk about, and I look forward to sharing our discussion with you! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Taking Things Apart We start the episode off with a look back at Adam's early memories of sound, from his family's Wurlitzer organ to the childhood joy he took in tinkering, taking things apart, and trying to put them back together. He particularly recalls a precocious 7th-grade science fair project he came up with on radio and television jingles and the marketing effectiveness of different audio techniques. “I don't even think I got a great grade on it either,” he jokes, looking back on it. “They didn't understand. They just didn't get it. They weren't there yet. And that's, I think that's part of this industry as well.” The Immersive Side Adam tells us more about how his curiosity when it came to experimenting with the world around him helped hone his audio instincts even as it left the appliances around him in shambles. “I'm like, wow, that's really cool,” he says about a washing machine console that he took apart as a child. “It's never gonna
S1 E190 · Wed, July 05, 2023
Free and Open Podcasting: A Conversation with Rob Greenlee - Part 2
“And it surprised me that it took so long for people to adopt the on-demand aspects of audio. It’s been a very, it’s been kind of a slow adoption curve is what I’ve seen. I think that the on-demand side of video grew much quicker, which I think is an interesting case, even as it applies today as we look at the podcasting space. We’re still, you know, we’re still chipping away at it, as they say.” -- Rob Greenlee This episode’s the second half of my conversation with technologist, podcasting pioneer, and audio industry leader Rob Greenlee, as we discuss the tension between social media and open-source audio, the challenge of staying honest in an industry where advertisers expect endorsements, and how algorithms and automated moderation might change the culture of podcasting. As always, if you have questions for my panelists, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Growing Up With YouTube The second half of our discussion begins as we continue to talk about YouTube, Spotify, and other efforts by content platforms to tame the podcasting frontier. Rob admits that the world’s a different place than it was when he started podcasting, and young podcasters have grown up with those big social-media platforms for much of their lives. “So I mean,” he says, “it’s not a huge issue, and I do get a sense that the up-and-coming generation of podcasters are more open to having this type of relationship with, like, a YouTube just because of how popular YouTube is.” The Whole Ecosystem We also talk about how he found that he’s gained a wider perspective on the audio industry thanks to a new role that allows him to work with a variety of companies. “That gave me a perspective,” Rob says, “that I need to back up and become more educated with the whole ecosystem of podcasting because working on one particular platform had kind of siloed my access to learning about other platforms. Because nobody wanted to share it with me, because they thought I was a competitor.” Podcasting Around the World As the episode comes to a close, Rob tells us about his 2013 podcast The Spoken Life Sho
S1 E189 · Wed, June 28, 2023
Free and Open Podcasting: A Conversation with Rob Greenlee - Part 1
“And it surprised me that it took so long for people to adopt the on-demand aspects of audio. It’s been a very, it’s been kind of a slow adoption curve is what I’ve seen. I think that the on-demand side of video grew much quicker, which I think is an interesting case, even as it applies today as we look at the podcasting space. We’re still, you know, we’re still chipping away at it, as they say.” -- Rob Greenlee This episode’s guest is the CEO of Spoken Life Media and host of the Spoken Life Show. He’s also the co-founder and advisor to PodcastEZ.com , and has worked in senior roles with Podbean.com , Libsyn, and Advertisecast. He’s a well-known public speaker, technologist, evangelist of the podcasting industry and its potential, and a trainer for podcasting globally. And he’s a founding Board of Governors member, and former founding chairperson of the Podcast Academy (which is responsible for the Ambies Awards ). In 2017 he was inducted into the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame, and is a current chairperson of the Induction Committee for the eight-year-old “ Podcast Hall of Fame .” Along with Todd Cochrane, who’s also been on this podcast, he co-hosts the 10+ year running New Media Show at NewMediaShow.com and hosts the “Spoken Life Show” at podpage.com/spokenlife/ . His accolades are numerous, and his background, extensive. He’s even a former college basketball player at Pacific Lutheran University and is also a Guinness Book of World Record holder for building the World’s Largest Glass of Orange Juice for the State of Florida. His name is Rob Greenlee, and I’ve been looking forward to this discussion for a number of reasons. The state of podcasting is currently in flux, considering what’s happening with AI, podcast hosting, RSS, and a whole host of other considerations. It’s still going strong, and there’s still a sizable audience out there – my listeners being a case in point. But there’s definitely a lot to talk about. As always, if you have questions for my panelists, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share i
S1 E188 · Wed, June 21, 2023
In the Clubhouse: Audio Electronics Explained - Part 2
“I think, you know, in terms of quality and even the manufacturing, I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve been seeing from quote-unquote competitors. And as far as competing, I think the Pod Mobile is kind of different in the application and though there’s a lot of overlap and one can choose to, for certain applications, it can choose from multiple options, the packaging and the range of things that Power Mobile does is quite different.” -- Fernando Eid Pires This episode's the second half of The Power of Sound Clubhouse chat with panelists Steve Irby and Fernando Pires as we talk about condenser mics vs dynamic mics, Fernando's priorities when it comes to designing audio equipment and comparing technical numbers to real-world performance. As always, if you have questions for my panelists, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Changing Up Your Gear The second half of our Clubhouse discussion starts as we continue to talk about audio specifications, the math behind decibel ratings, and whether condenser mics or dynamic mics offer the best bang for your audio buck. Fernando offers an example of how what seem to be ideal numbers on paper can sometimes fail to account for practical reality and a podcaster's unique circumstances. "My advice for the consumer," he tells us, "is that if you go with the numbers and you're about to change up your gear with hopes to improve it that much... get the product from a place that it can be returned." Publishing the Truth George Whittam joins the conversation with a question to our panelists about the latest buzz surrounding 32-bit float audio, just what that phrase really means, and how useful it might be for a device as versatile as Fernando’s PodMobile. Fernando and Steve share their thoughts about balancing cost and efficiency in audio equipment, and whether it’s more important to compete with the numbers across the industry or with the user experience. “We’re at the point,” Steve explains, “where we want to say, what we publish is true, you know, and there is a lot of pressure to publish a certain number, maybe with a certain type of a measurement that doesn’t re
S1 E187 · Wed, June 14, 2023
In the Clubhouse: Audio Electronics Explained - Part 1
“Well, if you want sound to go further, you don’t... Some people say it throws sound or something like that. It doesn’t, sound moves on its own. It’s a wave, but what you can do is control the dispersion of it. So if you’ve got your garden water hose and you put it on spray, it’s the same amount of water coming out, but it goes, it sprays out in all different directions, or at least quite a bit. And then if you twist it and make the setting where it goes straight out, okay, it will be more concentrated in that area. So basically what you do is you just take that acoustical power and you funnel it into different directions. So you might think it goes further, but it just makes it louder in that particular area.” -- Steve Irby Each Wednesday at 2 PM Eastern Time I host a weekly Clubhouse called The Power of Sound, where we talk about everything related to sound, such as music, podcasting, voiceovers, public speaking, audio branding, voice interfaces, social audio, and, of course, digital audio. If you’d like to drop by, just check the schedule for The Power of Sound to see what’s coming up. Just lately we had a conversation (and everyone here knew that the room was being recorded so I do have permission) called Audio Electronics Explained, where we discussed the science of sound and audio equipment. My fellow panelists in this discussion are Kicker’s founder and president Steve Irby, and audio engineer and AudioSigma founder Fernando Eid Pires. They answer questions about how our audio experiences are crafted through the innovation of the hardware we use. If you’ve ever wondered how speakers create the sound you love, or have questions about how audio interfaces work, or want to understand what audio specifications are really saying, they can help you. Both of them understand the nuts and bolts of audio gear and are sure to have the answers you’re looking for! As always, if you have questions for my panelists, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. A Thing of Its Own The Clubhouse chat starts off with Steven and Fernando introducing themselves and telling us how they got their start, and about Kicker’s role in the audio industry. “
S1 E186 · Wed, June 07, 2023
Digitize Your Reality: A Conversation with Randy Sosin - Part 2
“The interesting thing about Napster was, you know, they built this really cool community and everyone had to upload their music to a server. So they controlled the servers. And because the music business doesn’t understand it and because it wasn’t their thing, they killed it. So the people who had designed that software were like, okay, then let’s just make every computer a server. And then like Gnutella and LimeWire came out and it was like, it almost destroyed the industry. They were able to take that technology and bring it back into like, well, ‘let’s just stream it to you now. We’ll stream it to you back from our servers.’ But then the artists paid the price on that.” -- Randy Sosin This is the second half of my conversation with filmmaker, music video producer, and visual storyteller Randy Sosin as we talk about how artists can engage more successfully with their fans, how he’s working to overcome the bad reputation that NFTs have given blockchains, and his work in reinventing everything from music videos to concert performances for the digital-audio era. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. A Whole Other World The second half of our discussion starts with a look back at file-sharing apps like Napster and Limewire, and how the music industry missed an early opportunity to engage listeners and connect them more directly to the artists. He tells us how he’s using the blockchain to create just that sort of connection now: “As an artist, if you do something and sell it, like if somebody buys something, it goes directly to your wallet. It’s a fifteen-second transaction thing. And if you’re selling it for a hundred dollars or two dollars or whatever, you don’t have to wait.” We talk about the hit NFTs have taken in the news lately, and how he’s working to separate the pioneering technology and potential behind them from their mixed reputation “So I’m trying to make it more like digital scrapbooks,” he says, “and clips from videos and stems, because there’s a whole other world that I feel that’s out there.” Wow, That’s Cheap Our conversation tu
S1 E185 · Wed, May 31, 2023
Digitize Your Reality: A Conversation with Randy Sosin - Part 1
“One of the biggest problems that we have in the world today is that we’ve devalued music to, it’s basically free. And, you know, I keep seeing these articles like, well, ‘what if Spotify charged you $14.99 a month?’ That isn’t going to fix the problem. Getting another billion dollars in the system so that Universal or Sony can get another $800 million into their coffer... it’s not going to the artists.” – Randy Sosin This episode’s guest is a groundbreaking filmmaker who has been at the helm of some of the most important music videos, concert films, and livestream events, driving the sales of millions of albums, downloads, streams, and concert tickets. From Eminem to Pink Floyd, from Sarah Silverman to the Electric Daisy Carnival, he has been at the forefront of music visual storytelling for over twenty-five years. He’s currently focused on Music and Entertainment blockchain projects: he’s a blockchain Shaman and can help anyone understand and embrace the new Web 3.0 reality. His name is Randy Sosin, and this discussion will definitely be looking to the future. What’s new under the sun for musicians, and for all of us who appreciate good art when it comes to sound? What does Randy recommend and what does the future look like to him? Listen in to find out. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. A Changing Industry As our conversation starts, Randy tells us about his early memories of sound. “I remember the first time hearing the Beatles,” he says, “and that was something that really changed my life. You know, like, just the sound that came out of the radio, the harmony, and the whole thing.” We go on to talk about the music industry and the changes the digital age has brought about, and how those changes sometimes don’t get as much attention as they should. “Oh, you’ll see articles like vinyl outsold CDs,” Randy tells us. “and that may be true. Vinyl may have outsold CDs in 2022, but if you go back to 1985, there were hundreds of millions of units sold. Now you’re talking about a million units sold.” The Music of MySpace Randy tells us abou
S1 E184 · Wed, May 24, 2023
In the Clubhouse: The Power of Digital Audio For Customer Engagement - Part 2
“If you were thinking more towards the sonic branding aspect of finding a specific sound or a musical tone that represents the company, the way that I like to approach it is, what don’t you sound like? Because sometimes that’s too obtuse of an idea to think about. But like, if you know of something that’s your competition, maybe they have a sound and you go, I’m not this sound because I don’t like this. I don’t know. I just wanted to put that out there, that recognizing your competition, and also to Ahmed’s point, asking your customers, what sounds do you portray? So again, I’m going into the more of the sonic branding element of it, but I just wanted to put that out there.” -- Jeanna Isham This episode’s the second half of my discussion with panelists Ahmed Bouzi, Jeanna Isham, Audrey, Arbeeny, and Steve Keller in The Power of Sound Club on Clubhouse about the Power of Digital Audio, as we discuss what voice AI might mean for voiceover artists, where companies looking to take advantage of sonic branding might want to start, and how social media and marketing algorithms are making reaching out to customers both easier and more of a challenge than ever before. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Your Brand is Your Brand The second half starts off with a question from Xavier, a voiceover artist and actor who's looking to utilize his talent for AI and synthetic voices. We talk about the Open Voice Network and innovative voice-cloning companies like Respeecher, and our quartet of panelists offer their advice. "At the end of the day,” Steve says, “your brand is your brand. So any and all of these things that you're doing that become part of a resume could potentially make you bankable.” Audrey adds “the one thing that I would say that I'd be a little careful with is like, let's say you're associated with one brand and you're on camera for them. And then you're on all of their media, your their voice. That might limit you from being somebody else's voice because you're too associated, you know what I mean?” Knowing Your Tools Jeff takes the stage fo
S1 E183 · Wed, May 17, 2023
In the Clubhouse: The Power of Digital Audio For Customer Engagement - Part 1
“I mean there’s a foundation that needs to be put into place. You don’t just say I want this, I want that, you know send me this, send me that. And then you have the people that are very sophisticated and they want like crazy experiences within their marketing and their advertising. So it’s kind of like two ends of the spectrum. You’ve got the people that know so much and wanna take advantage of every new technology. And then you’ve got the people that didn’t even want a sound logo and now they’re behind the times a bit. And they want to get caught up and they want to get caught up today. And I think that it’s that balance to show them that it’s a very iterative process.” -- Audrey Arbeeny As some of you know, I host regular weekly Clubhouse rooms on Wednesdays at 2 PM Eastern Time. We talk about all sorts of things related to sound, including voiceovers, public speaking, podcasting, music, audio branding, voice AI, sound in social media, and especially digital audio. If you’d like to drop by, you can check out the schedule for my House, The Power of Sound, to see what’s coming up. We recently had a fascinating discussion (and everyone here knew that the room was being recorded so I do have permission) called The Power of Digital Audio, where talked about what digital audio means, how it’s reshaping our online lives, and how AI fits into the voiceover industry. My fellow panelists in this episode are WitLingo founder and CEO Ahmed Bouzid, podcaster and Dreamr Productions founder Jeanna Isham, sound branding professor and Audiobrain founder Audrey Arbeeny, and audio alchemist and sonic strategy director Steve Keller. We start things off by getting to the heart of what we mean by “digital audio” and talk about the marketing push into podcasting and social audio spaces, how digital audio hardware from smart speakers to custom vehicle soundscapes are changing the role of sound in our lives, and how the role of machine learning can be as subtle as speeding up recording sessions or as dramatic as creating whole new voices from scratch. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Hearing the Authentici
S1 E182 · Wed, May 10, 2023
Mobile Audio Technology & Podcasting On the Go: A Conversation with Fernando Eid Pires - Part 2
Mobile Audio Technology & Podcasting On the Go: A Conversation with Fernando Eid Pires - Part 2 “Eyesight's probably the first sense most prioritized by the brain but right behind it is hearing and it can influence your state of mind, your emotions. You know, if you put the right music to work, you work better. If you put the right music to work out, you work out better, you know. If you want to have a romantic date, there's a very different kind of music you'll want to play there. Well, needless to say, it's amazing, and if you're cognizant of what you're choosing to hear it, will have an effect on you." -- Fernando Eid Pires This episode’s the second half of my interview with entrepreneur, audio engineer, and Audiosigma founder, Fernando Eid Pires as we discuss his inspirational book Jumpstart , the ins and outs of developing the PodMobile, and his perspective as a newcomer to the voice industry. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. The Extra Mile The second half of our conversation starts with a closer look at the creative and engineering process behind PodMobile and how Fernando’s using feedback from his contacts within the voice and audio industry to continue developing and expanding the mobile tool into an audio Swiss army knife for every occasion. “The idea of the PodMobile,” he explains, “is that it solves your problems. So if you have to go the extra mile... then I think my equipment is not doing the job that it could do.” Getting Your Life Together He also tells us about his book Jumpstart and the lessons that it drew from his early life and struggles to help others follow their own path to success. "It's about getting your life together," he says. "It's very much self-help." Fernando acknowledges that this can be easier said than done and that he had to overcome his own struggle with shyness to be able to offer advice to others. "It's very difficult for somebody to just take days to just lay out that plan," he tells us. "It's not easy. It's easy to tell someone to do it, but it's not easy to overcome the resist
S1 E181 · Wed, May 03, 2023
Mobile Audio Technology & Podcasting On the Go: A Conversation with Fernando Eid Pires - Part 1
Mobile Audio Technology & Podcasting On the Go - Putting Audio to Work “I get a bigger satisfaction working with things that has a constraint in terms of budget, you know, cannot be overly expensive. You have to deliver a ton of value for the money. I think this is so cool to work with that and like kind of, you know, work a miracle out of the parts that you have. Then, you know, go super fancy and, oh, this is the best thing ever. And you should pay, you know, ten grand for this. And then you can basically use anything. I think this is sort of like the movies that when, you know, the budget is short, sometimes the movie is a lot better and then the sequel, when you have a lot more budget, much more money to make the movie, maybe it’s not as good.” -- Fernando Eid Pires This episode's guest is a relentless entrepreneur and a highly skilled electrical engineer with five patents and an inspiring history to share. His name is Fernando Pires and I first came across him and his expertise when a fellow VO reviewed a wonderful audio interface he'd come up with. It's currently called the PodMobile, but he may change that name in the future. It's a useful new tool to help voice actors and podcasters alike, get the best sound for their recordings: I've tried it myself and can tell you it is an excellent piece of equipment. We talk more about where his love of sound started, his electrical engineering, his current interest in sound, and where he thinks it'll end up. So stay tuned! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Between Toys and Sound The interview starts with Fernando’s memories of listening to music in the car as a child, and we talk about how audio became a passion for him early on. “I was between toys and sound equipment,” Fernando explains. “But when I was twelve years old, it became pretty much all about audio.” He tells us about growing up in São Paulo and how its music scene helped cultivate his love of music. “If you want to listen to jazz on a Tuesday night,” he says, “you got it. If you want to listen to blues, you got it. Bossa nova, you got it. Samba, you got it. Anyt
S1 E180 · Wed, April 26, 2023
Through Music and Sound: A Conversation with John Taite - Part 2
“I’ve said this quite a few times, but it still rings true: I think that the superpower of sound is that people think about what they see, but they feel what they hear. And that is magic, I mean, that is transformative. That is what turns audiences into fans.”-- John Taite This week's the second half of my interview with content entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and Made Music Studio EVP John Taite as we talk about his work for such clients as Turner Classic Movies and Panera Bread, the future of social audio, and finding the emotional core of a sonic brand. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Your Brand on Mute As we start off the second half of our interview, John talks about how digital audio, social audio, and even the metaverse are changing sonic branding. “There’s been such a seismic shift,” he says, “to, you know, sound on social platforms, or audio-first platforms, or audio-only platforms, and the conversation we have is ‘is your brand on mute?’” He tells us how he works with clients to understand the essence of their brand and how that brand can be expressed through sound: “you really do have to go through a sort of peeling back of the onion to understand what a true core brand sound is.” Oboes and Death Metal “We often say that we're an emotional connection company," John explains. "That's at the heart of everything we do: how do we make human beings actually feel something about a brand?" We discuss Made Music's approach to helping people express their ideas in music and finding their sonic brand. "You're not sort of putting somebody who's not musical," he says, "in an awkward position of saying, like, 'I think my car sounds like, you know, oboes and death metal.'" He talks about his inspiration and the creative process behind Turner Classic Movies' award-winning "Where Then Meets Now" audio branding campaign, and what AI and the Metaverse might mean for the future of audio. "It's bringing personality and emotional connections," he says, "to, you know, a purely digital space." Keeping It Interesting <p
S1 E179 · Wed, April 19, 2023
Through Music and Sound: A Conversation with John Taite - Part 1
“There are so many things where it's about that emotional connection to brand experience or product, and, as we're creating that, you mentioned earlier, we're operating in an area which is very very heavily connected to the subconscious reaction to sound. You have to be very responsible about that, I mean, it is that 'with great power comes great responsibility.’” -- John Taite My guest for this episode is an award-winning content entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and the EVP of Global Brand Partnerships & Development at Made Music Studio. He began his career as a music journalist and documentary filmmaker before working as a senior programming and brand executive at MTV, AMC Networks, and the BBC. He's been featured in several major publications, including Fast Company, Muse by Clio, Marketing Brew, and Business Desk, and he's captivated audiences at the Forbes CMO Summit, Adweek, Brand Innovators, LE Miami, and the Audio Intelligence Summit. At Made Music, he leads an award-winning marketing, content, and partnerships team responsible for a 400% jump in revenue. His growing list of brand partners includes Mercedes-Benz, AT&T, PepsiCo, Amazon, Verizon, Target, Dunkin', Subaru, Warner Media, General Mills, American Express, Lexus, BMW, and the David Bowie Estate. His name is John Taite and if you're still wondering how effective audio branding can be after having listened to this podcast for a while, I have no doubt that this will be a fascinating conversation! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Invisible Brands As we start the interview, John tells us about his early memories of sound, and listening to his father's upcoming interviews with musicians like Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, and Talking Heads. "It was quite an interesting life growing up,” he tells us. “I grew up with not your average nursery rhymes and things like that.” He goes on to tell us how his career and experiences all over the world led to his insights about audio branding and the lack of a cohesive marketing strategy in many industries. “The thing that really struck me,” he explains, “was a lot of brands a
S1 E178 · Wed, April 12, 2023
AI and Podcasting: A Conversation with Carl Robinson - Part 2
AI and Podcasting - Talking to Computers “Branded podcasting was one of the first things that I thought this would be perfect for, and I still personally believe that branded podcasts are one of the biggest untapped opportunities in podcasting because there are just so many companies out there that don’t yet have a podcast. And podcasting really is, you know, on the up. Soon it will be ‘you have to have a podcast,’ it’s not just a nice-to-have, and I think voice technology will spur that on as well. We’re already asking for a lot more audio on demand, so I feel like more and more companies just need to have more content on demand through voice interfaces, you know, as a catalyst.” -- Carl Robinson This episode’s the second half of my interview "AI and Podcasting" with podcast host, AI data scientist, and Rumble Studio CEO, Carl Robinson, as we talk about what podcasting’s growth means for businesses, balancing digital convenience with a human touch, and just how intelligent is artificial intelligence. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. An Untapped Opportunity As the second half of our interview begins, Carl tells us how Rumble Studio’s conversational AI is particularly suited for branded and company podcasts. “Branded podcasts,” he says, “are one of the biggest untapped opportunities in podcasting because there are just so many companies out there that don’t yet have a podcast.” We discuss podcasting as a labor of love vs a business necessity as well as the role sound quality plays in our listening habits, and whether there’s a happy medium to be found. “If I turn on a podcast,” Carl explains, “and it’s at all difficult to listen to I’ll just turn it off immediately but I don’t think I’ll listen to a podcast just because it has fantastic sound quality.” The Human Quality Next, we talk about how software tools like Auphonic and Resound have made professional audio quality easier to attain than ever, and whether over processing might remove something vital and human from the end result. “If you remove the human quality from the voice,” Ca
S1 E177 · Wed, April 05, 2023
AI and Podcasting: A Conversation with Carl Robinson - Part 1
AI and Podcasting - Talking to Computers “I’m sure one day you won’t be able to tell the difference, and maybe it’s not a bad thing, because everybody wants to be at their best. You know, we wear nice clothes and put on makeup and everything else, and, you know, maybe one day you’ll do the same for your voice, so you won’t sound tired or hung over or whatever...” -- Carl Robinson This episode's guest is the co-founder and CEO of Rumble Studio , a startup that helps creators, agencies, and brands create podcasts ten times faster and easier using cutting-edge voice technology. Rumble Studio is the first and only company to record asynchronous guest interviews using conversational AI, which allows anyone to create audio content at scale, no skills required. He's the host of the Voice Tech Podcast and has interviewed more than one hundred experts in the field of voice technology. Earlier in his career, he led a product team at a chatbot startup and became a published voice AI data scientist. His ambition is to democratize audio content creation so that businesses large and small can establish a presence on the audio channels of the future. His name is Carl Robinson and you’ll want to hear what he has to say about podcasts and the state of audio in general. The future of sound is already here, so, let’s get to it! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review . Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. The People Behind the Curtain Our interview starts with Carl's earliest memories of sound, the video-game chiptunes and sound effects that helped define his childhood. He tells us how his career began with voice technology and, as a result, soon segued into podcasting. We discuss his early work with healthcare chatbots at a time when they relied much more on human guidance: as he puts it, "I was one of the many people behind the curtain." Carl tells us how the idea came to him that podcasting could be automated to scale using voice technology, and how underutilized it was at the time. "That was around the time," he says, "when Al
S1 E176 · Wed, March 29, 2023
How to Be a Good Podcast Host: A Conversation with Elaine Appleton Grant - Part 2
“And that is also something you asked before about common problems with new podcasters, and this is true of companies and organizations. They can be very large, very well-funded organizations, it doesn’t really matter. They’ll say ‘we want to have a podcast.’ Well, why do you want to have a podcast? ‘Well, because everybody has a podcast’ or ‘because we want to get our message across well.’ That’s not a podcast, that’s an ad. Go buy ads on somebody else’s time. Or they simply don’t really know. They think it would be a good vehicle, but they don’t really know, and, um, and therefore it’s very hard to make it succeed.” -- Elaine Appleton Grant This episode’s the second half of my interview with award-winning journalist, audio producer, and Sound Judgment host Elaine Appleton Grant, as we talk about the challenge of building an effective audio brand from scratch, how an increasingly diverse audio industry has helped give more people a voice than before, and our experiences with Twitter alternatives Mastodon and Post. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Way More than Music The second half of our interview begins with a look at Elaine’s experiences with large companies that try to follow the trends and enter the podcasting space without entirely understanding their goal or reason for wanting a podcast. “They think it would be a good vehicle,” she explains, “but they don’t really know, and therefore it’s very hard to make it succeed.” We talk about audio branding and the holistic approach it requires: as she puts it, “it's way more than the music, that's just a tiny piece of it.” The discussion turns to how a bad strategy can end up being worse than no strategy, and the lessons we’ve both learned over our years in the voiceover and voice production industries. Voices That Speak to Us Our discussion turns back to the question of hostiness and just what it is that brings some hosts to life for their audience, and Elaine shares her thoughts on the sense of safety and trust that forms the foundation of a successful podcast, no matter the topic. “The quality,” she says, “the need to build that relationship appears to be universal.” We
S1 E175 · Wed, March 22, 2023
How to Be a Good Podcast Host: A Conversation with Elaine Appleton Grant - Part 1
What makes a good podcast host? That's a question many of us ask! What gives a Podcast its "hostiness" and makes you want to come back for more again and again? “There's almost nothing about hosting and really by implication producing and that, that quality – I did not coin the term 'hostiness,' that comes from I believe PRX many years ago – but it's, it's this ineffable quality that makes us go 'oh, I love listening to Ira Glass,’ or Jad Abumrad of Radio Lab, or Anna Sale, or Brené Brown, or whoever we connect with, and different people obviously connect with different hosts. But what is that makes us connect?”-- Elaine Appleton Grant My next guest has actually been on this podcast before. She's an award-winning journalist, audio producer, and on-air talent who worked for three NPR affiliates before founding Podcast Allies, LLC in 2019. She hosts the podcast Sound Judgment , a master study in great podcast hosting, and I’m certainly honored to have her here. In fact, you might have heard her review of this podcast read out on a recent show. Her show features today's best hosts, and producers, including Glynn Washington, host of Snap Judgment, John Barth, founding producer of Marketplace , Ann Bogel of What Should I Read Next , and Stephanie Wittels Wachs of Last Day . Her production company, Podcast Allies, develops narrative and conversation podcasts for social impact organizations, such as the Environmental Defense Fund and the American Academy of Pediatrics, so her background in audio is pretty extensive. Her name is Elaine Appleton Grant, and I’m looking forward to getting her take on what she feels makes a good podcast and a great host. With all the interesting people she’s interviewed, she’s bound to have a very informed opinion. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. The Voice of God As we start the episode off, the discussion turns straight to podcasting, its storytelling strengths, and the powerful role it plays in audio branding. We talk about her work with John Barth, developer of the famous Moth Radio Hour, and Elaine and I discuss audio trends in everything from television commercials to movie trailers, and how mod
S1 E174 · Wed, March 15, 2023
Chromesthesia: Hearing All the Colors of the Rainbow
What color is a piano note? How loud is purple? What’s the brightness of a melody? If these questions are leaving you a little confused, that just means you don’t have synesthesia, a rare sensory condition that’s estimated to affect just one out of twenty people. If you do have it, then your answer to those questions might be very different from anyone else’s, since it affects each person in a unique way. Synesthesia means “joined senses” in Greek, and that’s exactly what it is: a mixture of different senses within the brain so that people can taste the words they read on a page, feel numbers as if they were building blocks, or literally see time flowing around them. The most famous kind of synesthesia might be chromesthesia, a neurological link between sound and color that allows people with this condition to see each note as a separate color. The result can be both beautiful and a little dizzying to watch, and it reveals a deeper link between the senses, and between sound and light themselves, than most of us realize. You can find a link on my blog to a short video from Great Big Story and chromesthetic artist Melissa McCracken as she shows us how she turns the songs she hears into paintings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbh7tAnwLCY While synesthesia is a neurological condition that seems to have a genetic component, it isn't technically a disorder or a disability, and it definitely isn't a disease. If anything, it seems to help some of the people who have it. There are reports of "synesthetes" having better memory and creativity than average, and for people with chromesthesia, the ability to see sound can make them more successful as musicians or artists. Leonard Bernstein famously wrote about his ability to see timbre as color and would often notice and correct changes in timbre without anyone else being able to tell the difference. Some historians suspect Isaac Newton may have also had chromesthesia, given that he devoted much of his life to exploring the relationship between musical notes and color. The cause of synesthesia is still a mystery, but it runs in families and seems to develop in early childhood while the brain's learning how to process language and symbols. One theory is that extra neurological connections are formed between different senses and the parts of the brain that process them, which might explain why having it seems to have other benefits like boosting memory and problem-solving skills. Another is that the connections are the same, but the boundaries between those different parts of the brain are weaker. That could explain why some brain injuries, and even certain hallucinogens, can also cause it. But no one's sure if that's really the same kind of synesthesia, or if all the different kinds out there are related to each other. It's still a very mysterious topic. Want to see a cl
S1 E173 · Wed, March 08, 2023
Podcast Marketing 2023: A Conversation with RedCircle Founder Mike Kadin - Part 2
“I remember the electricity of being and speaking in front of fifty thousand people or something like that which I’ve done in one of those rooms, and just seeing the little icons of everyone who’s there, and the numbers are amazing as well as, just, you know, hanging out with ten people and talking to your friends. I think those two experiences are extremely different from podcasting and also very compelling, but perhaps more of a sign of a moment that we were all going through, sort of being inside and having the desire to connect that I think, you know, has passed a little bit. Even if there’s longevity to the app, I think it's certainly not going to be taking over podcasting anytime soon.” -- Mike Kadin This episode’s the second part of my interview with RedCircle's founder and CEO, Mike Kadin, as we talk about his tips for a successful podcast, how social media and podcasting can complement rather than compete with one another, and some of RedCircle's exciting upcoming projects. As always, if you have questions for my guests, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Creating Compelling Content We start the second half off with a look at just which surprising podcast topic makes the most money in Mike’s experience, and he makes the distinction between the most overall and the most per download. “If you look at the podcasts that are making the most money per download,” Mike explains, “in other words, the most money for their audience size, those are actually just shows that monetize with listener payments where they collect a couple of bucks from their friends.” This simple approach can be very successful, Mike says, “if you can create compelling content that people are willing to pay for.” The Resilience of Podcasting The conversation shifts to streaming media, the prospect of real-time podcast purchases, and what a "cookie-less" world might be like from a privacy and podcasting perspective. We also talk about how much COVID-19 has changed the podcasting landscape, creating both a quick boom in new podcasts and an increase in listeners. “A lot of them churned out,” Mike says of the flurry of new shows, “a lot of them didn't stick with it... Now, I think we're in a new space.” He
S1 E172 · Wed, March 01, 2023
Podcast Marketing 2023: A Conversation with RedCircle Founder Mike Kadin - Part 1
“A lot of folks start businesses and they just kind of look at what's hot right now, like, ‘we're going to start like a bitcoin’ or ‘we're going to start a mobile gaming company’ when that was popular, or whatever, and I think I can tell you from starting a business and growing it to twenty-six people, if you're not in love with the thing that you're doing it's going to be super-duper hard to get through it. Because there’s, you know, there’s certainly highs but there’s also tremendous lows, so if you’re not passionate about the thing, you’re going to struggle.” -- Mike Kadin This episode’s guest is the founder and CEO of RedCircle, a platform that equips podcasters with strong tools to support their efforts to advance, make money, and gain attention. Through his experience building RedCircle's technology and growing its customer base, he’s had the unique experience of working with thousands of podcasters and advertisers, from the smallest marketers to the largest publishers in the space. He brings his technical background and expertise in the podcasting industry together to help move the audio advertising space forward for independent creators. His name is Mike Kadin, and while this might sound a little meta (we’ve covered this subject before), I think it’ll be really useful and encouraging for you if you have a podcast of your own. And if you don’t yet have a podcast, maybe you should consider it. Come on in – the water’s nice! As always, if you have questions for my guests, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. You’ve Got to Build We start things off with a look back at Mike's most enduring memory of sound, the music and sound effects from the video games he played as a child. "I don't remember what color my shoes were when I was seven," he recalls, "I don't remember the stories that we read in class, but this music is burned-in in a very special way." He tells us how a coding project in his spare time led to his career in podcasting and the rewards and challenges of working in such a fast-growing industry. "If you want to earn money, or whatever your goals on it, to achieve that you've got to build, and that takes time." Where the Listening Happens Mike tells us abo
S1 E171 · Wed, February 22, 2023
The Evolution Of The Audio Industry: A Conversation With Van Gunter - Part 2
“And I parked my car, I jumped out of the car, and this happy dog is springing around, and I laid down on the sidewalk because I know that they want submissive approaches. So I sat down and then I laid down, and then kind of did stuff so he’d come over and sniff me, and then I lightly grabbed the pup named Jazz, which was funny, and right as I was, like, laying on the sidewalk sprawled out, sprawled out like I’d just been hit in the head with a bat, this cop drives by. And he looks out and he sees me and he sees this dog, and he just keeps driving by. He didn’t even stop, didn’t say nothing, was like ‘not today, mm mm, not dealing with that weirdness.’” -- Van Gunter This week’s the second half of my interview with voice artist, DJ, and sound engineer Van Gunter as we talk about some of Van’s spookier experiences with sound, the value of social media when it comes to building a brand, and why he always keeps emergency dog treats and leashes in his car. As always, if you have questions for my guests, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Keeping Everything Moving The second half of our interview starts with Van’s account of some of the spooky audio phenomena that the acoustics of his studio, a converted church, can create. “It creates a lot of silence and weird pockets of sounds. There’s so many times that I thought there were people here in the building, and it’s totally empty.” Van offers his voiceover advice as a sound engineer and how he works to ease anxieties and helps sessions go more smoothly. “It’s the respect and the simplicity of keeping communication,” he says, “but that's also teamwork... it’s just keeping everything moving and flowing.” A Puppy Studio “I am a firm believer,” Van says, “in the power of the puppies.” We talk about how he and his wife work with rescue dogs and some of his most memorable adventures when it comes to helping animals, and he shares their volunteer work has taught him about “speaking canine,” a skill that’s just as useful with humans as it is with dogs. "I love to speak canine because it does sweet things and we're a puppy studio," he explains. "Things melt away, anxiety melts, and people become whole again." Teamwork
S1 E170 · Wed, February 15, 2023
The Evolution Of The Audio Industry: A Conversation With Van Gunter – Part 1
“It was one of those like 'this is what I wanted, wow, this is Johnny Fever, this is radio, and then it, kind of honestly, it quickly declined after that, because of, you know, changes and Napster recording things, stealing things, and the DJ really, um, for the companies I worked with, lost their importance to the corporate creative team, which was a real disappointment. I mean, there’s nothing worse than getting into something that you love to do your creative part and then, like, ‘oh yeah, welcome aboard! We don’t do creative anymore.’” -- Van Gunter My next guest has spent over twenty years as a voice actor, eight years as a radio DJ, and, for the last sixteen years, has been an audio engineer. He works with his best friends and is part owner of the studio where he began as an intern, Boutwell Studios. His name is Van Gunter. We were introduced by Kelley Buttrick many years back when he attended his first FaffCon, and I've been trying to get him on this podcast for a long time, so I'm very excited that he was able to join me for this interview. His understanding of how things work both in front of and behind the glass is bound to make for some very interesting observations and golden nuggets. And, of course, sound has been a big part of his life for a long long time. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! As always, if you have questions for my guests, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’re getting some value from listening, feel free to spread that around and share it with a friend, along with leaving an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. Being Johnny Fever As the interview starts, Van tells us about his first memories of sound, from his parents sneaking into his room to check on him as a toddler to the terrifying first impression a birthday party made on him. “And it was the sound of all these kids screaming,” he says, “and like thirty balloons popping.” We talk about how WKRP in Cincinnati helped inspire his career in radio, and how school systems at the time didn’t have a good answer for future voice artists like him. “I didn’t have a clear direction of what to do with being a disrupter,” Van tells us. “I just knew that I was loud and talked and tried to be nice.” Like a Rock Star Next, we discuss his early career as a radio DJ and the ups and downs that the 21st century has brought to the in
S1 E169 · Wed, February 08, 2023
Healthy Frequencies: A Conversation with Alan R. Brunton - Part 2
“Think about the young college student, first year in college. Most people have to stay in the dormitory, and whenever they do, right next to their bed is their nightstand, which actually, probably, is a mini fridge. And so, as they're leaning up against their pillow with a nightlight on from their nightstand, there is a compressor and a motor that causes this hum and vibration which the body not only feels but hears. And so you're taken away from the optimized learning environment of the person who's trying to gather in more data because you have all this stuff going on around them.” -- Alan R. Brunton This episode’s the second half of my interview with software developer, cymatics researcher, and Cymatrax CEO Alan R. Brunton, as we talk about how sound takes up a surprisingly large amount of our neural bandwidth, how our sonic environment can influence both our mental and physical health, and how cutting-edge audio treatments might revolutionize the field of medicine. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. Feeling the Difference As the second half of our interview starts, Alan and I talk about how much mental real estate sound takes up without our realizing it, and he provides several practical examples of how this affects us in our everyday lives. “There is so much there,” he sums it up, “that is interfering with the cognition of the brain.” We talk about noise pollution and its effects on our health, and the benefits his clients have reported from his cymatic remastering of their audio files. As he quotes one client, a professional musician who specializes in sound therapy, “’I could feel this difference in twenty seconds.’” The Human Potential The topic shifts to some very cutting-edge studies on using sound to treat neurological disorders and even brain cancer. Alan tells us about the famous YouTube videos of cymatic sand vibrations and how they offer a metaphor for the unseen effects sound might have on a cellular level. “That is, in a way,” he says, “solidifying our understanding then of how the neurotransmitters could be formed also into a shape and be pushed forward to be able to move through the entire central nervous system much more efficiently.” As he puts it with his company’s motto, “we are here to raise the human potential.” Le
S1 E168 · Wed, February 01, 2023
Healthy Frequencies: A Conversation with Alan R. Brunton - Part 1
“And so many people don’t pay attention to the sound that they are exposing themselves to. And, like, whenever you go to, I want to say, a large restaurant, high action, high volume, and you have to yell at the person next to you, and you have to yell your order to the server. And then finally, whenever you walk outside of the restaurant, you're finished, grab hold of yourself, you feel better because all that noise is gone. But you're thinking ‘oh, I just came out of the restaurant, so the food must have been good. We must have had a good time.’” -- Alan R. Brunton My next guest is the founder of Cymatrax Inc. He's been immersed in music for a long time and has owned and operated Allegro Data Systems, a company that archived magnetic tape recordings and remastered recordings for such clients as Southern Methodist University and Scripps Institute of Oceanography. His diverse background also includes producing a television program, being a restaurant consultant, and business administration. Now he studies epigenetics, consciousness, and quantum physics. He's focused on sound and the use of cymatics and has developed a software application to reduce stress in people's lives and raise the human potential. His name is Alan R. Brunton, and you won't want to miss all the twists and turns in this discussion. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. Christmas Melodies As the episode starts, Alan tells us about his earliest memory of sound and shares a heartwarming Christmas story with a surprise twist that ended up being thirty years in the making. We go on to talk about how his father's life as an inventor helped guide his own path. "I just decided," Alan says, "that I needed to challenge myself to look at and do the hardest thing that had to do with music." He credits his family's reputation for ingenuity and determination for inspiring him to find new ways of seeing the world and new uses for some of the things in our lives that we might take for granted. "That's the way I was raised," he explains, "into 'okay this is made for this, but how else can you use it?'" Music of the Mind Alan tells us about cymatics and the relationship between audio frequencies, neurochemistry, and the human mind. “We understand in epigenetics,” he says, “that every single cell has receptors, an
S1 E167 · Wed, January 25, 2023
In the Clubhouse: Easy Options for Marketing with Digital Audio - Part 2
“Audio has this very interesting quality of embedding itself in your head. We all know about those earworms: 'oh gosh I can't stop singing this song.' Imagine you have a nice jingle, it's a way for the brand to get into the heads of folks, I'm not saying that's a good thing necessarily, but that's an indication of the power of audio, where it just goes in. Now, let's not forget all of us, all human beings, the first nine months of our lives we're in the dark and we're just listening." -- Ahmed Bouzid This episode’s the second half of my discussion with Ahmed Bouzid and Jenn Dudley in The Power of Sound Club on Clubhouse about Easy Options for Marketing with Digital Audio, as we discuss sound’s psychological potential, the surprising audio spaces Ahmed and Jenn have helped their clients discover, and how artificial intelligence is changing the audio landscape in a variety of ways. As always, if you have questions for my guests, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. Listening Creatures As the second half of the discussion starts, we talk about how sound sets the mood for visuals, and how some surprising movie trailer edits help demonstrate that. As Jenn describes it, it's "the idea that you can take a different track of music and put it under the same visuals and you can end up with a very different result.” Ahmed observes that our connection sound goes all the way back to before we were born, and that “we started as listening creatures more than seeing creatures.” “And I think that manifests itself,” he adds, “in many ways in our lives.” They both go on to describe how audio opens up new elements of SEO and algorithmic content and new channels of communication. “You can start with a podcast,” Jenn says, “and you can use that audio in other places, you can run a transcript, and then you have text and collect things from your audience. And there are easy ways of doing that." Delivering the Message Ahmed continues his list of top ten ways that audio is more engaging than video, and shares the story of one new audio strategy a client helped him discover. “Here's one that the customer dropped on me,” he says, “and that is an audiobook. We were talking and they were brainstorming with me an audiobook for their company." Jenn agrees with him and adds that “at the end of the day, I think anywhere that you’re sharing you
S1 E166 · Wed, January 18, 2023
In the Clubhouse: Easy Options for Marketing with Digital Audio - Part 1
“But often, and this is fairly universal when I talk to people, whether they’re individuals or businesses, is, on one hand, anyone with an iPhone can pick up and start a podcast. There's a very low barrier to entry, which is fantastic. And, like most things when you get into it, it’s a little more complicated than you originally thought.” -- Jenn Dudley For those of you that may not know, I host regular weekly Clubhouse rooms on Wednesdays at 2 PM Eastern Time. If you’re interested, you can check the schedule in my club, The Power of Sound, to see what’s coming up. We talk about all sorts of things related to sound, including voice overs, public speaking, podcasting, music, audio branding, voice AI, sound in social media, and of course, digital audio. This particular discussion (and everyone here knew that the room was being recorded so I do have permission), was called Easy Options for Marketing with Digital Audio , since we talk a lot about marketing and advertising through sound. My fellow panelists in this episode are Ahmed Bouzid of Witlingo, who has been interviewed on this podcast before, and the highly knowledgeable Jenn Dudley of Dante32. We asked a lot of questions, including “what is digital audio” so we had our baseline understanding of what we meant, “why should I care about digital audio,” and “what actions can I take to begin engaging through digital audio?” They share ten specific facts about the rapid rise of digital audio along with ten specific things that we can do to incorporate it into our engagement mix. It’s a really interesting discussion, so settle back and listen in. I think you’ll learn a thing or two: I know I did! As always, if you have questions for my guests, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. Giving Them the Facts As the Clubhouse chat begins, we talk about the definition of digital audio and its presence in every aspect of our modern lives, from podcasts and music apps to teleconferences and user interfaces. “Media in general is such a shift,” Jenn says. “You see the patterns kind of across the space with streaming versus cable and I think you see similar patterns in the audio world.” Ahmed shares ten facts about the rise of digital audio, and how valuable they are in explaining the importance of audio branding and strategies in the corporate world. “What do you need to do to convince your CMO
S1 E165 · Wed, January 11, 2023
Sonic Branding Evolved: A Conversation with Uli Reese - Part 2
“We always start at the same place, you know, we do not throw color against the wall. Meaning it's a non-execution-driven process. Execution-driven is 'let's get the ten best music companies in the world and then each produces a sonic logo, and then we'll pick one and then implement that globally, and then we're done, check.' And that is completely, that's the old world. The new world is 'let's do some homework, let's understand what we want." -- Uli Reese This episode’s the second part of my interview with author, composer, and audio branding expert Uli Reese as we discuss Amp’s process for developing a sound strategy, where Uli sees audio going and not going in the future, and the industry race to catch up in the field of sonic branding. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. For Decades to Come As the second half of our interview starts, Uli explains Amp’s strategy for developing a sonic identity, starting with making sure that the company’s own executives have a concrete grasp of their brand. “If we fail here,” he tells us, “how can we possibly develop something that's going to be valid for decades to come?” We discuss how Mercedes-Benz shook up the IAA car show in Munich with a DNA-based sonic strategy, and how they're thinking long-term when it comes to audio branding. “They’re exchanging everything with DNA-based music that is owned by the brand,” Uli says. “They said ‘we need to outright own this identity. Think, we’re 136 years old – think about the next 136 years.’” Sound by Design “What I think is highly interesting,” Uli says, “is there are so many brands where one of their main equity points of the brand is the sound.” Our interview continues with a look at brands whose sounds are such a part of their image that we take them for granted, such as automobile engines – and how electric cars have forced automakers to create artificial engine sounds to preserve their branding. “They're completely artificial,” he explains. “That sound has nothing to do with the electric motor at the wheel. Let's be real, yes, it's fake. It's being designed." When it comes to keeping up with a quickly changing world, Uli’s advice is to “be consistent. Have something that you can derive things from. Also, do not design anything for an iPhone, because it will go away, I guarante
S1 E164 · Wed, January 04, 2023
Sonic Branding Evolved: A Conversation with Uli Reese - Part 1
“And what's interesting is the agency usually comes back and says 'this is amazing, how did you... this sounds, like, better than our music productions! This is, like, so authentic! This has grip! This seems like the Beatles in the garage!' And I said 'that's what every agency guy wants.' They want to find the Beatles in the garage, or Coldplay, or U2, or whatever, and be able to say 'I was the first one who heard this.'" -- Uli Reese This week’s guest left his hometown of Stuttgart to attend university in Los Angeles and begin his career as an orchestra conductor, composer, and orchestrator in Hollywood, working on shows like Paramount’s Star Trek: The Next Generation and Disney’s DuckTales . He's an author, scholar, and co-owner of sonic-branding consultancy Amp, a five-time Cannes Lions speaker, and he's considered one of the main thought-leaders in the audio branding industry. From a Lion to an Emmy, he's won almost every industry award possible for his work, and over the last decade, Uli's book series 101 Great Minds on Music, Brands and Behavior added a significant contribution to the education and understanding of sonic branding on both the agency and brand side. Through over two hundred conversations with the most influential leaders in marketing, his mission is to change the conversation we’re having about sonic branding. His name is Uli Reese, and I have no doubt this conversation will be as fascinating as it is enlightening. So buckle up! As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. A Creator Economy We start off the interview by talking about Uli's thirteenth appearance at the prestigious Cannes Lions festival and his firsthand perspective on just how much it's changed over the years. "Thirty years ago," he recalls, "it was guys getting together saying I spent five million on this commercial or I got the Beatles and it was kind of an inside club. And now it's like the creator economy." We discuss the role that a stubborn piano teacher played in helping to shape his childhood love of sound and take a closer look at this century's democratization of content creation all over the world. "If you have content that people want to see," he says, "and you're in the Amazon, you scale. You call the shots." Two Seconds to Understand “I kne
S1 E163 · Wed, December 28, 2022
Creating Your Sound: A Conversation with Drop Music Branding - Part 2
“But we did a rebranding of brands that already came from a place where they actually have worked, so we work in evolutions, in rebrandings, not just like a brand from the start. So what we try to do is keep the things that are really distinctive if they’ve already made audio branding, but evolve the last bit and try to improve it. The idea is not to destroy what’s already built, the idea is to keep building up.” -- Gabriel Agüero This episode’s the second part of my interview with Gabriel Agüero, Dalmiro Lacaze, and Mauro Gonzalez of Drop Music Branding as we talk about synthetic music, noise pollution, and the future of audio in a world where machine learning can do a surprising amount of the work for us. Keep Building Up As the second half of our interview begins, we talk about the challenge of consistently and effectively rebranding, whether it’s an update to one of Drop Music’s own sonic logos or a reimagining of an audio brand designed elsewhere. “So what we try to do,” Gabriel explains, “is keep the things that are really distinctive if they’ve already made audio branding but evolve the last bit and try to improve it.” As he puts it, “the idea is not to destroy what’s already built, the idea is to keep building up.” Bringing Sound to Life The topic turns to synth music and machine composition, and the differences between human and synthetic musical styles. Drop Music incorporates them both into its services, as Dalmiro explains: "Sometimes we're playing on the synth, sometimes we're playing on the MIDI controller, and sometimes we're playing actual instruments" They go on to tell us how music with real instruments and human performers can convey a sense of spontaneity that digital perfection has yet to match. "In some ways," Mauro explains the subtle differences, and different uses, between an organic performance and a synth track, "you bring life to something that's lifeless – unless you want it to be lifeless." You Can’t Be Against It We conclude the interview with a deeper look at synth music, machine learning, and what they mean for the future of audio, and how that future's already becoming a part of Drop Music Branding's toolset. "At the end of the day," Dalmiro says, "it's going take lots of jobs. Like the DALL-E 2 thing, it's unbelievable for making mock-ups," "You need to try to learn how to use it as a tool," he concludes, and Gabriel agrees. "You can't be against it," he notes, "because there's no competition at all." Episode Summary Working with existing audio brands to revamp their sonic identity How computers and AI software are becoming the new musical instruments The dangers of noise pollution and benefits of sound-based healing What the rise of synth music means for the future of the audio industry <p
S1 E162 · Wed, December 21, 2022
Creating Your Sound: A Conversation with Drop Music Branding - Part 1
“I think that we are in a wonderful time to do audio branding because this situation where we need to educate people is a very good situation, right, because it’s something that is happening that we need to be strategic about it, and not so many brands are doing it. Right, so I think it’s a great place to be.” -- Gabriel Agüero This episode’s guests have known each other their whole lives. Two of them were classmates in elementary school in their hometown of Patagonia, and they met the third when they moved to Buenos Aires to go to music college. Since then, they've been classmates, bandmates, roommates, and eventually partners in Drop Music Branding. They are Gabriel Agüero, Dalmiro Lacaze, and Mauro Gonzalez, and their nicknames, which you’ll be hearing quite a bit, are Gabo, Dal, and Mow. In 2009, Dal moved to Boston to study Performance at Berklee, Gabo worked at Argentina's main TV station, and Mow worked at Disney. When Dal returned from Boston, the three of them began creating audio identities for brands across four continents, and they’ve been doing that for more than a decade now. In this two-part interview, the three of them will be offering their perspectives on innovations within the audio branding industry and where they think things are heading into the future! As always, if you have questions for my guests, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. Impressions of Sound As the episode starts, each guest talks about his earliest memories of sound. Gabriel tells us how his older brother learned to play the guitar and enlisted him, at the age of ten, as his drummer. “From that point,” Gabriel recalls, “I understood that my calling in life was to do music and make a living out of it.” Dalmiro talks about his mother’s mix tapes and cassette books and how they inspired him to record his own music as a child while Mauro recalls the various impressions that sound and words made upon him when he was young, and how understanding their hidden connections motivated him. Escaping the Comfort Zone The trio goes on to tell us how, after moving to Buenos Aires, they went from musical careers to a focus on audio branding, starting with their new jobs at Argentina's largest television station. "The funny thing,” Mauro says as he remembers that first foray into sonic branding, “is that we didn't have, like, tools
S1 E161 · Wed, December 14, 2022
Making Sound Work: A Conversation with G. Wright - Part 2
“We really believe that everybody out there has an X-factor to them. Everybody has something that’s unique, that stands out, and now is the time, like, one of our mottos is ‘you have a voice and it deserves to be heard.’ And you’re a storyteller and it’s time for people to share their stories, to feel really good about what they’re doing. To make more money, of course, because it’s a business, but to really enjoy life. And we’ve gotta stop following trends, we’ve gotta stop worrying about what everyone thinks, this idea of what this company is or something. If you find your passion, your ‘why,’ right, you just do it and it resonates.”-- G. Wright This episode's the second half of my interview with producer, sound engineer, and rock star media trainer G. Wright as we talk about the differences between introverts and extroverts, the importance of knowing your worth, and how streaming sound fatigue has led to what G calls "Zoom ear." As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. That Rock Star Mode As our interview continues, G and I talk about introverts and extroverts, and how we all have different ways of building up our energy each day. “We each need different ways to recharge,” he says. “We each need to find ways to get into our inner Zen, into that pre-show, into that rock star mode.” We go on to discuss how devaluing ourselves as creators and setting too low a price point can undermine our efforts and, ironically, lead to fewer sales. “If you’re offering things for free or very cheap,” G tells us, “Their attention span isn’t there, they’re not as committed.” There’s real value in art and creative work, even if it seems intangible: as he puts it, “people will pay to see the Rolling Stones or any of those bands that have been around for a while because there’s value associated with them.” The New Business Card We continue to talk about creative entrepreneurs and the importance of properly valuing the service that they provide. "If the car needs to be fixed,” G explains, “I take it to the mechanic, I don’t take it around to five different mechanics and find one who says ‘I'll do it for free.’” As he says, “hire professionals who do this every day and you get more out of it than putting a dollar amount on it.” The topic shifts to podcast marketing, and how, as he puts it,
S1 E160 · Wed, December 07, 2022
Making Sound Work: A Conversation with G. Wright - Part 1
“And I’m mixing for a hundred thousand people and I’m like ‘this is the biggest show I’ve ever mixed,’ and I went to the systems tech and I said ‘look, I’ve done arenas, I’m comfortable with arenas, but this is really intimidating.’ And he said ‘don’t worry about it, we have the system time-aligned. If it sounds great in front of house where you are, it’s gonna sound great everywhere.’ And once I realized that the science behind it is really what’s making this sound work for us nowadays, I could really just mix and enjoy the show. And everybody had a great time, and then mixing arenas was easy after that.” -- G. Wright This episode’s guest is a producer and media trainer at All Things Relax Studios. He shows coaches, creative entrepreneurs, and authors how to create a crystal-clear message and connect with their audience in the “Rock Star VIP Media Training” program. He’s worked with many well-known artists and bands, including Aretha Franklin, the Jonas Brothers, and Cold Play, as a tour manager and sound engineer for over twenty-five years. He’s learned throughout his career what makes or breaks a great interview and can help you channel your inner rock star. His name is Gregory Wright – aka "G" – and we'll be talking about making deeper connections through communications, getting to know your own voice as an instrument, and how sound works in different environments. I'm particularly excited to share his stories: his time as a radio DJ, his experiences as a sound engineer on the road working with some pretty famous musicians and musical tours, and also hearing about where he thinks the medium of sound is headed. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. And if you have questions for me, visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. Who Knows You We start things off with G's earliest memories of sound and how, at the age of five, he already knew he wanted to be a DJ. He fulfilled that dream at the age of sixteen, becoming one of the youngest licensed DJs in the country. “Sound has always been part of my life,” he explains, “and it really helped shape me as a sound engineer.” We also talk about some of how he made the transition from DJ to touring with bands and some of the famous musicians he’s worked with, from Aretha Franklin to Dolly Parton. “That's the thing about the music business, the entertainment business,” he says, recalling a surprise phone call from the Queen of
S1 E159 · Wed, November 30, 2022
An Assault on the Ears: The Future of Audio Warfare
This is the third episode of a three-part series about sonic tactics, and it's been quite a journey. So far, I've talked about how animals use sound in the wild, from spiders doing wasp impressions to sperm whales whose calls can be deadly at close range, and how people in the past have learned to harness the power of sound on the battlefield, such as chasing off war elephants with the help of squealing pigs. We'll be taking a look in this episode at audio conflict as it exists today, and just what the future might hold when it comes to sound's growing potential for both good and harm. One of the oldest and simplest uses of sound in modern combat is one that might seem familiar to exasperated parents: playing music too loud. When used on prisoners in captivity, such treatment can amount to torture, and it's been recognized as such by the United Nations. Loud music has also been used as a police tactic for dispersing crowds, where it's had more mixed results: protesters have proven just as likely to start singing along with "Baby Shark" or Frozen's "Let It Go" as they are to run away. There can also be a cultural element to such tactical music: South Korea spent more than two years blasting K-pop songs along the border, a move that outraged North Korea so much it threatened to launch missiles at the speakers. The music only stopped in 2018 ahead of a peace summit. Audio technology is constantly changing, though, and now it can be used to hone in on more precise targets than ever before. In 2005 Howard Stapleton patented the Mosquito machine, a crowd control device that's aimed specifically at teenagers. As adults, we gradually lose our hearing thanks to the everyday wear and tear on our auditory nerves, and the first things to go are the higher frequencies. That means there are sounds children and teenagers can hear that, for the most part, adults can't detect. The Mosquito uses one of those sound frequencies – 17.4 kHz, to be exact – at 108 decibels, the same volume as a rock concert, to drive teenagers away from storefronts and public places. But, much like those crowds singing along to the music they’re supposed to hate, the Mosquito frequency’s turned out to be just as useful to the teens it’s meant to chase off. Smartphone apps have been developed since then that use the same sound as a kind of secret ringtone, so students can use their phones in class without their teachers hearing them. Want to test your ears and find out if you have the hearing of an eighteen-year-old? Check out my blog for a link to the Mosquito tone, but be sure to use a pair of high-quality headphones. Some speakers can’t even play back such a high frequency: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrewnzQYrPI As digital sound's become more and more important in our lives, our ability to direct and use it with laser-like precision has also grown.
S1 E158 · Wed, November 23, 2022
Scary Pigs and Phantom Planes: Audio Warfare Through the Ages
During my last episode about sonic tactics, I talked about the different audio strategies that animals have developed for hunting prey and escaping predators, whether they're orcas using tail slaps to stun schools of fish or moths evading a bat's sonar with their clicks. As it turns out, some of those strategies are surprisingly similar to the sound tactics we've been using on the battlefield for centuries. This week I'll be delving deeper into how those same sonic strategies have played an important role throughout the history of war, from ancient Roman war pigs to inflatable army tanks. Since animals already rely so much on sound to survive, it may be no surprise that one of the first uses of sound as a battle plan was to try and scare off the other side’s animals. Perhaps the most fearsome mount ever faced in antiquity was the war elephant: they were the tanks of the ancient world, massive and nearly unstoppable during a charge. But elephants are skittish, and it didn’t take long for their enemies to stumble upon a sound that would send even the bravest pachyderm running: the squeal of a pig. “War pigs,” as they came to be called, were sent stampeding among the approaching war elephants to make them panic and trample their own riders. To counter this gambit, elephant trainers began to raise pigs alongside their war elephants so they’d grow accustomed to the sound. The idea of using sound to evoke fear among the enemy isn't limited to animals. One of the most distinctive sounds on the battlefields of ancient Japan is the kabura-ya (kah-burr-ah-yah) arrow, which literally translates as "turnip arrow." They're often called whistling arrows because, thanks to their hollow, turnip-shaped heads, that's just what they did. The sound of a kabura-ya flying through the air was believed to dispel evil influences, and they were used as signals to announce each army's arrival on a battlefield. While their use by samurai started to fade after the twelfth century, such arrows were also used by bandits to signal their approach all the way through the twentieth century. Want to hear what one sounds like? There’s a video link on my blog so you can listen and imagine that ghostly whistle just before a battle, or while walking alone in a forest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maMnRvJVih8 While the sound of a kabura-ya arrow relayed honest, if unsettling, information about an approaching army or nearby bandits, wartime audio strategies often involved using sound to confuse the listeners. Just as some animals use sonic camouflage to disguise themselves, ancient armies learned to use sound to conceal their numbers and deceive their enemies. One of the oldest and most famous accounts of audio misdirection is the Biblical story of Gideon, who, around three thousand years ago, used horns, torches, and a scattered group of three hundred soldiers under the cover of darkness to trick an enemy camp into thinking they were under attack by a
S1 E157 · Wed, November 16, 2022
Tooth, Claw, and Clamor: How Animals Use the Power of Sound to Survive
Five years ago, the first stories broke about a mysterious syndrome affecting American and Canadian diplomats in Cuba. Each case began with the victim hearing inexplicable grating sounds that people around them couldn’t detect, which then developed into headaches, hearing loss, vertigo, and even brain damage. New cases began to appear in embassies all around the world, with the most recent reports occurring just last year, and the phenomenon came to be known as Havana syndrome. To this day, we still don't know what might be causing it. Theories range from secret government weapons to the power of mass suggestion, from exposure to harmful pesticides to the sounds of noisy tropical crickets. One of the earliest speculations was that it might be a sonic weapon, since we know that sound can be directed to a single listener without anyone else noticing, and that sound can do just as much harm as it can good. The secret behind Havana syndrome, whether it's an acoustic attack or something else, is still waiting to be uncovered, but sound's potential as a weapon is nothing new. Animals have been shaping soundscapes to their advantage for millions of years and we've used sound as a wartime strategy for just about as long as we've had wartime strategies. This episode’s the first of a three-part series where I’ll be taking a look at how sonic tactics are used by everything from sperm whales to tiger moths, from Bronze Age battles to the now-famous “Ghost Army” of World War II, and just what the future of sonic warfare might hold. We’re all familiar with the roar of a tiger, the howl of a wolf, or the hiss of a snake: animals use sound to not only communicate with each other but with their natural enemies, to warn them away and hopefully avoid a fight. But can animals use sound itself in a fight? The answer turns out to be yes, especially underwater where sound waves can be louder and more destructive than in the air. One such animal is the pistol or snapping shrimp, and I’ve talked about them before. Despite being barely an inch long, the pistol shrimp can create the loudest sound on Earth by snapping its claw to throw a literal bubble of sound at its prey, a bubble that’s as hot as the Sun and louder than a blue whale. The title for the world's loudest animal arguably goes to the sperm whale, and it might also use sound as a weapon. Its clicks, which it uses for echolocation, are 230 decibels, so loud that they can be fatal to a diver who gets too close. Check out this link for a short video from author James Nestor about a diving team's awe-inspiring encounter with a pod of sperm whales, and how one diver found his left hand paralyzed for several hours after reaching too close to one of the clicking whales. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsDwFGz0Okg Being around a sperm whale who's blasting away at full volume can be deadly for humans, but are their sounds also a weapon that they can aim and fire to stun giant squid
S1 E156 · Wed, November 09, 2022
The Magic Moment: A Conversation with Joe Pardavila - Part 2
“Do you know what I think makes a compelling podcast? It’s a podcast that doesn’t sound like a podcast. And I know that’s a really goofy answer, but if it sounds like two people talking or three people talking and they’re having this conversation, that there’s a genuine back and forth of information, that’s what makes the best podcast.” -- Joe Pardavila This episode’s the second half of my interview with radio personality, producer, podcaster, and author Joe Pardavila, as we talk about unexpected interview answers, how improv training helped him learn how to live in the moment, and what makes a compelling podcast in his experience. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. A Polarized World As the second half of the interview starts, we continue our talk about some of the most surprising interview answers Joe's received, including an offhand but revealing inside look at Chris Martin's family life. The key, he says, is to care about what people have to say, and to give them an opportunity to share their stories. “A lot of people like to hear themselves talk,” he explains, “but they need the opportunity.” And, he humorously adds, “that's why I'm here Jodi, just to hear myself talk. Just that.” We also discuss how polarized the world’s become these days and how much extra effort it can sometimes take to empathize with each other’s perspectives. “We can at least try to get to know each other better,” Joe tells us, “and that just means putting ourselves in the other person's shoes.” Getting Out of Your Head Joe goes on to tell us how he ended up learning improv from the Upright Citizens Brigade and joining a sketch comedy group, and the most valuable skill he learned from those experiences. “I was always on,” he recalls, “and just needed something to turn off, because the one thing you learn from improv is it's important to live in the moment and get out of your head.” We discuss how modern technology and social networks have made concentrating on the moment more of a challenge than ever, and the discipline it can take to keep ourselves focused and resist the urge to try and multitask. “It's so easy to be distracted,” he adds, “that we have to be really focused on not being distracted.” Make Sure You’re Proud When asked about the most common issues facing podcasters, Joe has a ready answer: editing and overl
S1 E155 · Wed, November 02, 2022
The Magic Moment: A Conversation with Joe Pardavila - Part 1
“You have to create this environment that the person’s comfortable in, that’s a big part of it. And I don’t actually like to use the word interview, especially when I coach people or advise people who are starting podcasts. You don't ever want to use the word ‘interview’ because interview implies question answer, question answer, question answer, whereas a conversation is a back and forth, it’s people sharing ideas.”-- Joe Pardavila My next guest has produced over ten thousand hours of audio content over the course of his career in podcasting and terrestrial radio. He was a radio personality and producer on the legendary New York City radio station, 95.5 PLJ, where he was part of the iconic Scott & Todd in the Morning . He studied Sketch & Improv Comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade and was a founding member and actor in the New York-based sketch comedy group Clip Show. The group performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and the People’s Improv Theater, and their video sketches have been featured on Funny or Die and the Huffington Post. He’s also the co-director, writer, and producer of the award-winning horror satire The Witches of Bushwick and currently serves as the director of podcasts for Advantage Media Group/ForbesBooks. His name is Joe Pardavila and, as you can probably tell, he’s spent much of his life understanding good audio and good conversation. His book Good Listen talks about the secrets behind creating compelling conversations and powerful podcasts. Sounds like he’ll fit right in here, so let’s get to it! As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. In Love with Radio As the interview starts, we talk about Joe's early memories of sound and how he used to stay up late at night as a child to secretly listen to sports news on the radio, "I would be in my bedroom underneath my blankets," he recalls, "listening to my little radio till 3 o'clock in the morning to see what the Mets had done." That radio under the blankets, he says, was a lifeline in the days before the internet and news on demand, and it changed the way he thought about sound, media, and particularly the power of radio. "That was sort of my connection," Joe says, "to the way I fell in love with radio." Opening Up the World Joe goes on to tell us how he came to work for WPLJ and Scott & Todd in the Morning , as a college int
S1 E154 · Wed, October 26, 2022
Podcasting Goes Private: An Interview with Nora Sudduth - Part 2
“When you hear that person on the other end, you can put yourself, as a prospective client, you put yourself in their shoes. You hear what their thought process was and you feel connected to that person, you understand exactly what their struggles are because I have the same concerns, I have the same hesitations, and that's very impactful.”-- Nora Sudduth This episode continues my interview with marketing and conversion strategist and Hello Audio co-founder Nora Sudduth as we talk about sound-based lead magnets, strategies for facilitating and encouraging testimonials, and the future of social audio in a post-Clubhouse world. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Making It Easier As the second half of our interview starts, we discuss the three types of lead magnets that Nora has found work well, and how private podcasting fits into each one. "You're positioning yourself as an amazing guide to help them through that workbook,” she says of one strategy, combining workbooks and private audio feeds. “So the workbook in and of itself could still be valuable, but now you're taking things to the next level as their companion.” She tells us about Hello Audio’s most popular private podcast, a collection of success stories from clients, and how private podcasting has doubled some of their conversation rates. “They didn't change anything,” Nora says, “other than adding this private podcast to make it easier for people… it's a game changer when people actually consume that content." A Desire for Connection We also talk about the uncertain future of Clubhouse, and what it might mean for the growth of social audio as a trend. “That connection,” Nora assures us, “and that desire for connection, and to be able to listen to others and learn and be able to get to know them, that's not going to go away anytime soon.” She also reflects on the barriers new content creators can face and how social audio’s created more room at the table. “A lot of times,” she says, “starting as a video digital creator can be very difficult. It can create a lot of anxiety and it can prevent folks from getting themselves out there.” What’s Old is New Again Our interview wraps up with a lighthearted look at social audio's pre-internet past, at the days of teleseminars hosted over old-fashioned party lines. “I think what is old is new
S1 E153 · Wed, October 19, 2022
Podcasting Goes Private: An Interview with Nora Sudduth - Part 1
“There are so many benefits to using audio that will ultimately help people consume the content you want them to consume. You're spending all this time creating it, you're putting all this love and energy into creating it – why not put it in a format that makes it easy for them to consume?” -- Nora Sudduth This episode's guest is the co-founder of Hello Audio and is a leading marketing and conversion strategist who's helped businesses sell over $500 million worth of products and services online, and she’s designed several courses, coaching, and certification programs that have generated millions more. Her name is Nora Sudduth, and if you’re looking for ways to use audio for your business – especially when it comes to private podcasts, a concept that was new to me — this is the episode for you. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. An Accidental Podcaster We start with a look at Nora's early memories of sound, at the importance of family in her life, and how her dad's favorite songs helped her see him in a whole new light. “From that age on,” she reflects, “music and, just, sound, it changed everything.” The conversation turns to how her marketing work led to a focus on the advantages of audio. “For me,” Nora says, “audio was about mobility and convenience and accessibility, and being able to incorporate that into an otherwise very busy lifestyle.” As she puts it, “I'm an accidental podcaster, I guess is kind of how I thought of it.” Love and Energy “Private podcasts enable you to be more relevant with the content you’re dropping per listener,” Nora tells us, “which is something public podcasts can’t do.” She explains the difference between traditional podcasting and private podcasts, the unique ways in which our brains and even the rest of our bodies respond to sound, and the advantages of being able to reach out to clients on a more individually tailored level. “You’re spending all this time creating it,” she says, “you’re putting all this love and energy into creating it, why not put it in a format that makes it easy for them to consume?” Reaching Your Audience Next, we talk about how private podcasts are transforming the employment sector and reshaping everything from employee handbooks to onboarding materials. "People are putting that information into audio," she explains, "and i
S1 E152 · Wed, October 12, 2022
A Ph.D. in Podcasting: An Interview with Todd Cochrane - Part 2
“My goal from the very very beginning was some are going to make take their spouse or partner to dinner money some people are going to make car payment money some people may make house payment money and some people may make life-changing money if I can get podcasters to the point of making enough money that gives them enough incentive to say yes this is possible to go bigger and grow bigger and to have the resources to pay for an editor and some of those things so I think the average podcasters now challenge unless they're a niche show or they've gown a significant audience is how do I get that initial taste of some cash and, really, the answer's going to be programmatic." -- Todd Cochrane This episode’s the second part of my interview with author, CEO, and pioneering podcaster Todd Cochrane as we discuss strategies for improving podcast sound, the keys to monetizing and building on a podcast brand, and the importance of audio branding when it comes to podcasting. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. A Compelling Story As the second half of our interview starts, Todd gives us his first piece of advice for improving podcast quality: "If you’re going to invest in anything, invest in a decent mic.” We discuss microphone options for different budgets, some of the other kinds of studio equipment he recommends, and a less technical, but no less important, suggestion on starting a podcast. “Have a compelling story,” Todd says. “Don’t go chasing topics: have something that you’re excited to talk about.” As he puts it, “lots of people are chasing categories now, and if you’re not in tune with that category, why would you do that?” The Goal of the Show When it comes to building a podcast, Todd has one driving question: "What is the goal of the show? Is the goal to have fun? Is the goal to have lead generation, is it to monetize?" We talk about different strategies of monetization, and he shares an account of one podcaster whose very precise niche turned out to be a gold mine. “If you’re a neurosurgeon,” he explains, “and you reach a thousand of the top neurosurgeons every episode, you can probably charge about $20,000 for that.” For most of us, however, Todd says the key is to build a wider audience: “You have to have a big audience for big money. Some people will fight me on this, but fundamentally, for most shows, that’s true.
S1 E151 · Wed, October 05, 2022
A Ph.D. in Podcasting: An Interview with Todd Cochrane - Part 1
“And what really struck me from that was that not only was this audience a fan of the show, they were more like family, and it really changed my appreciation for the listener, so I really took a lot of care following that to understand their value. So, even though we’re creating great audio, great content, we’re putting out consistently, I didn’t realize how tight [that connection] was until that particular episode. So I think, from my perspective, that one stands out in a big way, not only in the ability to talk about what’s happening but also, at the same time, just this whole community element that goes along with creating podcasts and the power of audio.” -- Todd Cochrane This episode's guest is the CEO of Blubrry Podcasting and the author of a book on podcasting, "Podcasting: The Do-It-Yourself Guide." He's the founder of the People's Choice Podcast Awards and the Tech Podcast Network and is credited with introducing the first advertisers into podcasting, GoDaddy. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the Podcast Hall of Fame in 2015, but perhaps his biggest influence on podcasting is Blubrry Podcasting and its parent company RawVoice, which offers a directory of more than three million shows, the number one podcasting plugin for WordPress, and much more. A United States Navy Veteran who served for twenty-five years and retired with the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer, he now lives in Quincy, Michigan after spending the majority of the past 25 years in Honolulu, Hawaii, with his family. His name is Todd Cochrane, and I think you’ll agree he knows a thing or two about podcasting. We’ll not only be discussing that but also getting his perspective on what it takes to really make a mark in podcasting and in sound these days. I definitely learned a thing or two from our interview, and you too might want to take notes. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Times Have Changed We start things off with a look at Todd’s formative memories of sound and his first experiences with sound and internet radio back during the turn of the millennium. “In the early days, sound was largely music,” Todd explains. “It wasn’t talk, that’s for sure. But times have changed.” The topic turns to how BBSes, FidoNet, and a brief stint as a blogger led him to find his calling as one of the first podcasters in 2004. “My introduction into podcasting was really just wanting to
S1 E150 · Wed, September 28, 2022
The Sound of Movies - Why Hollywood’s Becoming Harder to Hear
When was the last time you turned on the subtitles while watching a movie? Does it ever seem like the music and sound effects, especially the explosions, are as loud as ever, but the dialogue’s barely above a whisper? Does it seem like older movies, movies like Jaws and Star Wars, were easier to understand? Are we just getting older and losing our hearing? That’s one possibility, but if the sound quality of your last moviegoing experience resembles the “Empire Strikes Back meets Christopher Nolan” parody video posted on my blog, your ears probably aren’t playing tricks on you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWAOM3XC9Q Cinematic sound has changed dramatically over the past few decades, in some ways for the better and in other ways maybe not so much. Those changes can tell us a lot about the value of sound, all the different moving parts and new technologies that can be involved in creating just the right audio experience, and how even the biggest names in Hollywood can overlook its importance. One of those big names is director Christopher Nolan, and his films in general, and the movie Tenet in particular, sparked debate about whether his distinctive use of muted dialogue and booming music is a good or bad thing. But that question didn't start with him: a Los Angeles Times article from 1996 about the teen horror movie The Craft raises some very familiar-sounding complaints about the trend of music and sound effects drowning out the dialogue, and it suggested that teenagers and new media are to blame. "New media" back then meant loud music videos and the younger generation was Generation X, which just goes to show how long this trend's been developing. Christopher Nolan is, however, something of a unique case, and his movies are often at the forefront of cinematic audio trends. According to sound editors who’ve worked with him, he believes in actively engaging the audience and focusing their attention through the use of sound, and his actors, like many Hollywood actors these days, tend to forego theatrical performances for a more soft-spoken, naturalistic style of speaking that isn’t always easy to pick up on a microphone. He’s also very enthusiastic about digital audio’s potential for crafting ambient soundscapes, and his movies often rely on a unique auditory illusion called a Shepard tone to set the pace and create tension. A Shepard tone is a sequence of tones on three octaves layered together: the highest octave seems to fade as it ascends while the middle and lowest octaves seem to grow louder. Since two out of three octaves are growing louder at any given time, our brains combine them into a single tone that seems to be getting higher and higher, or lower and lower if the tones are played the other way around, without ever really changing. Listening to it can be a diz
S1 E149 · Wed, September 21, 2022
In the Clubhouse: The Alarms in Hospitals are Killing Us - Part 2
“We go through all these things and talk about all these problems with annoying sounds and how important it is for the bellows sounds to be informative. And all this just hearkens back to the point where the essential goal here of these so-called auditory ‘alarms’ isn't to alarm, it's to notify. And I think if we can use better sounds like that, whether it's those bellow sounds or some of the ones Judy came up with, for the new standards, we can accomplish the same goal, which is communication and notification without the annoyance.” -- Professor Michael Schutz This episode continues our Clubhouse discussion as Professor Michael Schutz, Professor Judy Edworthy, Dr. Elif Özcan, and Dr. Joseph Schlesinger lead a variety of questions and comments about medical alarms, hospital soundscapes, and creating a more healing auditory environment. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. No Cause for Alarm The second half of the discussion starts with a look at alarms, and whether we might be using the wrong word to describe them. “We call them ‘alarms,’” Mike notes, “but for the most part I don't think they’re actually intended to be alarming.” The panelists take a question from Andrea about whether industry rating systems, such as the UK-based Quiet Mark certification, might help prompt a change, and Judy talks about how deep our expectations about the way hospitals are supposed to sound can run. “It’s completely embedded in our culture,” she says, “this whole idea that pieces of equipment have to make a lot of noise and alarms have to be really loud and they have to sound a certain way.” Breaking the Silence We continue with a talk about how modern, silent equipment like electric hospital ventilators now use digital sound effects, such as the classic "bellows" sound of a mechanical respirator, to help reassure users. As Judy explains, "we expect things to make a noise, and we have very particular expectations about alarms.” We also look at how individual tendencies can influence the perception of sound, and at striking the right balance between different needs. “We want people to get the most out of the work,” Dr. Özcan says, “and that they are also happy. Maybe there is some room for that as well.” Soundscapes of the Future As the discussion comes to a close, we take a question from Max about associat
S1 E148 · Wed, September 14, 2022
In the Clubhouse: The Alarms in Hospitals are Killing Us - Part 1
“Persuading hospitals and manufacturers to adopt better alarms aside from the standard is to persuade them that this is important and that it’s cool to do so, and that this is what everybody is doing and it’s a selling point for you if you’re using better alarms or more safe alarms or your false alarm rates are lower. Because that's a key problem with the whole alarm problem, it’s this very high false alarm rate, so there are a number of ways in which you can persuade people to change their practice. But they're not necessarily what you think.”-- Professor Judy Edworthy Recently I had the chance to moderate a panel in The Power of Sound club on Clubhouse about sound in healthcare called "Alarms are Killing Us," and it was quite the discussion. My panelists came from all sectors of the health industry and included Dr. Joseph Schlesinger, Dr. Elif Özcan, Professor Judy Edworthy, and Professor Michael Schutz, who’s been featured as a guest on this podcast. We talked about how sound has a profound effect on us, for better and for worse. Hospitals have been described as "beeping hellscapes,” which isn't surprising, considering how many machines there are in the typical hospital and all the noises that they make. But do they really have to make that much noise? And do they have to make the same noises that they've been making since the 1950s (when there were a lot less of them)? When does an alarm become too alarming? What effect does all that sound pollution have in an environment that's supposed to heal us? How can we fix it? Do notifications need to sound like alarms? Join my expert panelists and me as we discuss how the medical soundscape got so bad, and what we can do to change things. This is an important topic for all of us and I hope you'll get a lot from it. Let's hope that new standards are adopted widely – and soon! As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Too Many Alarms We start the discussion with an introduction from each of our panelists and their thoughts about solving the medical alarm problem. “People have difficulty talking about sound,” Judy says as she tells us about her team’s early challenges in overcoming preconceptions about hospital sounds. “They have difficulty describing what the sound should be like. We didn’t have a set of metrics against which to evaluate any new set of alarms.” Dr. Özcan agrees and tells us about her hands-on
S1 E147 · Wed, September 07, 2022
Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest
🎤 Download my Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest worksheet here! 🎤 After fifteen years in the voiceover industry, almost three years of hosting the Audio Branding podcast where I talk about the power of sound, and having been a guest on a number of podcasts myself, I've learned a thing or two about creating quality audio. I hope some of the lessons I've learned can help you find just the right sound for your own setup. I'm going to talk mostly about being a guest on podcasts, but this will give you some tips on how to improve your sound if you're a host as well. Either can be a challenge, between all the different equipment each side might have, how far apart they might actually be, and making everything line up so that it still sounds seamless. But here are a few tips I've learned about how to create the best sound impression – specifically as a podcast guest. The first step, and probably the most important, is to have a separate microphone. I’ll talk more about choosing the right mic for your needs in just a bit, but for now, the important thing is to just make sure that it’s separate from your computer or phone. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive mic out there: just having a dedicated device can make a world of difference in the sound quality. Just as a dedicated microphone makes a huge difference in the outgoing sound quality, headphones make the same difference when it comes to the incoming sounds and keeping the two separate. You don't need expensive headphones either, and they can be any style you like: in the ear, over the ear, either way is fine. But there's one tip I've learned through hard experience that might not be obvious, and that's to make sure that "echo cancellation" is turned off. Echo cancellation is a feature you'll find on remote recording services like Squadcast, Riverside.fm, and Zencastr. It works by cutting off your microphone when someone else is speaking so that background sounds, the sort that you'd have if you're listening through speakers rather than headphones, don't carry through your mic. That isn't necessary if you're in a quiet room and wearing headphones, and turning echo cancellation off means that your voice comes through quicker, cleaner, and much more smoothly. Speaking of keeping things quiet, the recording environment can make all the difference. Is there a lot of traffic or noise outside? Closing the door and moving away from the windows can make a bigger difference than you might think in keeping those background noises out of the recording. Is your phone turned off? Are any white noise sources like fans also turned off? We’re often surrounded by ambient sounds that we hardly notice, and it’s worth taking a moment to listen carefully and make sure the room really is silent. And what about the room itself? A lower ceiling is al
S1 E146 · Wed, August 31, 2022
A Sixth Sense for Sound: An Interview with Colleen Fahey - Part 2
“They often have a suite of sounds. Now you still have to follow all regulations that have to do with safety and that kind of thing, but now the sound inside the car can be reflected in the marketing communications around it, so that’s a very big use of sound.” -- Colleen Fahey This episode’s the second half of my interview with author, creative executive, and sonic branding expert Colleen Fahey as we talk about her role in creating innovative sound strategies, the signs of a well-managed audio brand, and some of Colleen’s favorite brand voices. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. The Sound of Innovation As the second half of our interview begins, Colleen tells us how she helps clients innovate and find their own sonic DNA, their own audio brand identity. “We have done sounds to communicate innovation,” she explains, “but our goal is not to be innovative in our use of sound. Our goal is to help people tell their story by using sound.” We also talk about how audio branding is becoming more accessible to small businesses. “It doesn't always have to be big fat advertising budgets. It can be in your app, it can be in your hold music, it can be in your TikTok videos, your Instagram posts, your brand video on your website. This isn't just for big fancy brands with lots of advertising money.” An Authentic Voice Colleen tells us about her work with a small industrial company, and how creating a sense of sonic consistency in their internal videos helped them establish their own audio brand. “They're extremely disciplined about using their audio brand,” she says, “and it’s a beautiful one” We talk about the role of voices and audio slogans in modern sonic branding, as well as some of the most memorable brand voices in the past, from Motel Six television ads to Tony the Tiger. “People have been using voices with strong characters,” she tells us, “but not everybody, and not enough. Often, they just want the voice to sit back instead of having the voice be somebody that you can picture in your mind.” The Universal Language As our interview ends, Colleen talks about an auto campaign that required a crea
S1 E145 · Wed, August 24, 2022
A Sixth Sense for Sound: An Interview with Colleen Fahey - Part 1
“All news music doesn't have to have trumpets and trombones, and all trains don't have to just ring, you know, or honk. And all appliances shouldn't always sound like ‘beep beep beep,’ you know, chip sounds instead of having a tune that would make people remember them better and maybe like them better.” -- Colleen Fahey This week’s guest is a creative executive with deep experience in branding and marketing at multiple touchpoints. When she learned of Sixième Son, a sonic branding agency that had created over four hundred brands, she approached them about expanding to North America. She opened a sonic branding agency in Chicago at the end of 2012 and, in 2017, co-authored the book Audio Branding: Using Sound to Build Your Brand . Since those days, her team has led Sixième Son's sonic branding initiatives for Atlanta, Michelin, Huggies, Merrell Footwear, USAA Insurance, Sparkling Ice drinks, a hospital, a news network, an AIDS treatment, and many more. The North American business now operates out of New York, Toronto, and Cleveland, as well as Chicago. Throughout her career, she's been a creative director for leading brands in the US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Raised in Madrid, she speaks fluent Spanish, conversational French, and a courageous-but-embarrassing Portuguese. Her name is Colleen Fahey, and if you’ve always wanted to ask questions about audio branding from one of the oldest premier companies in the business, you’ll want to hear this interview. I have no doubt Colleen will blow our minds with her observations about the audio branding landscape. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. And if you’d consider it, I’d love to hear what you think of the podcast! You can leave a review (that I’d love to feature on future podcasts!), either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. An Elegant Idea The episode begins with Colleen’s earliest memories of sound: she tells us about leaving the U.S. at the age of four to live in Spain, and how the sound of the ocean liner’s horn as they departed literally shook her from head to toe. “It somehow also got into my psyche too,” she tells us, “because it was almost like a book had closed with that sound.” We then talk about a pivotal moment in 2011 when she first learned about sonic branding, as she attended the Audio Branding Congress at Columbia University. “I was struck by how elega
S1 E144 · Wed, August 17, 2022
Sines and Sounds: An Interview with Nicolae Bogdan Bratis - Part 2
“What’s great about podcasting is there's that intimacy there. It’s just audio. It’s really fun when I listen to a podcast or I edit a podcast and I don’t know what the guest looks like, I don’t know anything about a guest, and I’m trying to imagine what type of personality that guest has. And through voice you get personality, but it’s kind of like shaped in a different way.” -- Nicolae Bogdan Bratis This episode continues my interview with musician, composer, and podcast producer Nicolae Bogdan Bratis as we talk about his process for creating distinctive jingles, how to make sure you’re getting the most out of your microphone, and podcasting’s expanding role in social media. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Your Whole Mind The second half of our interview starts with a look at Nicolae’s process for creating commercial jingles and sonic brands, a challenge he takes seriously. “You need to have the inspiration there because it's literally a creative work,” he says. “You have to be there with your whole mind.” One trick he relies on to create unique compositions is to start by playing truly random notes on a keyboard or guitar and then build on them. “It comes from randomness,” he tells us, “if that makes sense. It's not coming from your mind. And then from that randomness, you can really develop something that sounds original." Sounding Your Best We then talk about microphones, audio environments, and all the hidden obstacles that might get in the way of his clients’ recording sessions. “Until they get a professional to help them,” Nicolae explains, "they can’t really nail it down because there are so many things that can play a role in destroying your recording.” We discuss different microphone brands, the difference between side-address and top-address mics, and whether he recommends a condenser or dynamic microphone for podcasting. “Microphones nowadays,” he assured us, “are so good even the one-hundred-dollar microphone will sound good enough. Your audio will not suffer at the end of the day.” Better and Better “I think it's going to get better and better,” Nicolae says as he considers the future of podcasting. One recent trend is for podcast episodes to include visual elements, blurring the lines between audio-first content and video clips. “I have to cut quite a lot of content,” he says as we ta
S1 E143 · Wed, August 10, 2022
Sines and Sounds: An Interview with Nicolae Bogdan Bratis - Part 1
“First things first, to get a podcast to sound good is not hard. Many people think that it’s so hard to make it sound great: it’s not. The first thing they have to remember is that, if you have a good recording, I would say that you don’t even need an editor to get it done for you at the end.” -- Nicolae Bogdan Bratis This episode’s guest comes from a musical background and has had quite a lot of success as a musician in Romania, having been in the finale of X-Factor 2013. He sings, plays several different instruments, has produced his own music, and he performed throughout the UK with his own solo project before the pandemic started. He moved to the UK in 2016 to study music production, and in 2018 he started his own podcast production company called Saw and Sine. Now he edits podcasts, creates jingles, restores audio, and even records and produces audiobooks. He's always been in love with sound, whether it's music or spoken audio, and he’s all about helping his clients get the best audio brand possible. His name is Nicolae Bogdan Bratis, and if you want to work in sound, or if you want to improve your sound so your message can reach deeper, this interview is sure to provide a lot of great tips. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. A Musical Ear We start the show with a look at Nicolae's earliest memories of sound, his family's musical history, and his childhood music lessons. “My teacher,” he recalls, “when I was just ten, I guess, told me that I have a musical ear, I can hear sounds, I can hear the pitch and everything.” He talks about his encounter with a teenage rock band at a music school in Romania, and how it inspired him to pursue a career in sound. “I was always interested in the technical part of audio,” he says, “not just into the artistic part, and I loved producing music, I loved working with tracks, working with computers, all that jam.” Simplicity and Complexity Nicolae goes on to tell us about the distinctive name of his studio, Saw and Sine. “The sine wave,” he explains, “is the purest waveform you can generate with a synthesizer and the saw-tooth is the busiest, the most harmonic waveform you can generate with a simple circuit. That's kind of like simplicity and complexity at the same time." The physical aspect of sound's always fascinated him, and we talk about how sound not only s
S1 E142 · Wed, August 03, 2022
The Voice of Tomorrow: An Interview with Ron Jaworski - Part 2
“When we are listening to an audio file created by AI, we try to find where the machine got it from, but when we are listening because we just want to listen, we don't really care.” -- Ron Jaworski This episode’s the second half of my interview with Trinity Audio CEO and ad tech veteran Ron Jaworski as we talk about the future of proprietary AI voices, Ron’s vision for Trinity Audio, and some surprising statistics on just how effective sound can be when it comes to engagement. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Building a Better AI The interview continues with a talk about such projects as the Open Voice Network, and their efforts to negotiate contracts that protect the intellectual property of voice artists whose voices become the template of future AI assistants. “We have enough examples of how we can go in the wrong direction,” Ron says, recalling the legal tangles that have often ensued, “that we can definitely use those examples to see how to build an AI assistant right this time.” He goes on to tell us about his driving vision for Trinity Audio: “we believe that basically, any type of textual content should have an audio version if it's relevant to be consumed in that manner." As he says, “we want to create the largest AI audio library in the world and deliver relevant content to listeners whenever they want to consume it.” Mechanical Voices Ron tells us about a test his company performed to see how well people could distinguish between human and AI voices. There was one catch, however. “The one thing that none of them knew was that all of the voices were mechanical voices,” he says, including the voices that the subjects had taken for granted as being human. “The human ear is becoming more and more tolerant to mechanical voices on one hand,” Ron explains, “and the AI solution's becoming much, much better than it was, and just getting better and better.” We go on to talk about how having audio and voice options for textual content can make a dramatic difference when it comes to online engagement. “We have one publication,” he says, “that we compared the engagement of users, and saw that a hundred times more of its subscribers tend to choose the audio solution than the general population.” Joining the Ride As we wrap up the interview, Ron tells us about the sense of excitement and op
S1 E141 · Wed, July 27, 2022
The Voice of Tomorrow: An Interview with Ron Jaworski - Part 1
“In similar ways to when the first iPhone came out and then five years later, ten years later, we looked back and said to ourselves ‘oh my god, that completely changed my life,’ that's the same thing that's going to happen with audio and voice.” -- Ron Jaworski My next guest is the CEO of Trinity Audio, a unified platform that allows content owners to strategically evolve and deliver audio experiences. Some of Trinity Audio's top publishing clients and brands include Forbes, Lenovo, McClatchy, and Newsweek. An ad tech veteran with a deep understanding of the publishing and branding landscapes, he has an extensive background in leading organizations and earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, as well as an EMBA in Marketing and Marketing Management from the Recanati Business School. His name is Ron Jaworksi, and he's as passionate about voice and audio as I am. I think you'll enjoy this interview. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Educated by the Radio We start things off with a look back at Ron’s early memories of sound, and he tells us about the shiver he still gets from hearing the iconic Superman theme, and how listening to the radio program The History Hour as a soldier completely changed his view of learning. “I enjoyed listening,” he explains, “the experience of sitting there in this fortified position, you know, with my guns and my helmet and everything and listening to this professor talking about how Bismarck unified Germany." That’s when he discovered audio's unique educational potential. “For me, the option to consume knowledge and information,” he says, “to be educated by the radio, that experience really made an impact.” A Simple Option Ron tells us about the difficulties he encountered in trying to find any sort of simple on-the-go option when it came to text-to-speech conversion, and how it motivated him to become an entrepreneur. As he explains it, “I wanted to have a simple option to listen to any type of textual asset that I want.” And it turns out he wasn’t alone when it came to preferring audio. “Thirty percent of the world’s population,” he tells us, “are better at consuming content and learning in an audio manner.” The Voice and Audio Decade The interview turns toward Trinity Audio and his work with bringing visual media to life, and
S1 E140 · Wed, July 20, 2022
Audio Logos: An Interview with Dr. David Allan - Part 2
“I can't imagine – and again, I always have to preface this by saying I know it's not just about the audio logo – but I just can't imagine that when you're designing a print logo why you don't also sit there and go ‘I wonder what that thing would sound like if it could make sound,’ and then develop that too, and then present both of them at the same time, in combination, and give yourself one more, you know, one more sense to have. A lot of brands have a smell: McDonald's has french fries. A lot of them are already using that sense, so don't forget about the audio.” -- Dr. David Allan This episode's the second part of my interview with marketing professor, author, and podcast host Dr. David Allan, as we talk about famous audio brands of the past, the secret to a successful multisensory marketing campaign, and the unexpected connection between digital audio and NFTs. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Seeing, Hearing, and Feeling “Marketing tells you you should go look at your target demographic,” Dr. Allan explains as we start the second half of the interview, “and try to give them what they want.” We take a look at how McDonald's took a risk and challenged that conventional wisdom with its now-famous "I'm Lovin' It" campaign, and the surprising connection between Walter Werzowa, the musician behind Intel's famous sonic logo, and the legendary pop band ABBA. We look at Apple's ad campaigns and how they evolved from tame and informative to stylish and trendsetting, and the power of audio to create a mood and sense of prestige that visuals alone can't match. “Audio branding as a strategy will continue to grow,” he says, “not just sonic logos but everything you're hearing everywhere that's connected to a brand.” More Room to Grow Dr. Allan tells us more about the musicians and audio marketing experts he’s met, and their stories about writing famous jingles and commercial campaigns that weren’t a sure thing at the time. “Most of the ones that talk to me,” he says, “realize that this is their legacy, and when they talk they want to talk about these kinds of things.” We talk about some of the new directions sonic logos can take and the industries they’ll transform. “There are lots of areas that are still underutilized when it comes to audio, supermarkets and wine stores and that kind of stuff. There's so much room to grow there.
S1 E139 · Wed, July 13, 2022
Audio Logos: An Interview with Dr. David Allan - Part 1
“It certainly adds another sense to sight, you know, and most of the people that I talk to, you can see a logo, but sound really helps you to feel a logo.” -- Dr. David Allan My next guest is a professor of marketing at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has a BA in communications from American University, an MBA in marketing from St Joseph's, and a Ph.D. in Mass Media & Communication from Temple University, and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Legal Studies in Entertainment Law from the University of Southern California. He's a prolific writer with three books – Super Sonic Logos & This Note’s for You , both on Business Experts Press, and Hit Play , on Sentia Publishing – as well as three book chapters about music, advertising, and marketing, six music case studies, and a multitude of journal articles. He also hosts two podcasts, Marketing Musicology and The NFT PH D, and spent over twenty years in radio as a DJ, program director, and general manager. His name is Dr. David Allan and he knows a thing or two about sound marketing. Stay tuned, because you and I are about to be schooled. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. This is Your Classroom We start the episode with a look back at Dr. Allan's childhood memories of sound and the radio DJs who helped inspire him. He tells about his very first stint as a college DJ and how a storied radio career took an unexpected turn towards academia. “He hands me a textbook and a syllabus,” David recalls a surprise conversation one morning with a college department head, “and he says ‘this is your classroom. Good luck.’” The opportunity inspired him to go back to school and earn his Ph.D., and he explains how some of his friends at the time questioned his decision to trade a high-paying radio career for a new start as a marketing professor. “’I make a lot of money,’” he remembers telling them, “but I'm not going to make it for a long time, and on some level, it's not going to be worth it." A Perpetual Learner Dr. Allan tells us about the process of writing his latest book Super Sonic Logos , and how the early days of the COVID pandemic turned out to be an unlikely blessing, from drawing his attention to smart speakers, audio logos, and the prevalence of sound in our online lives to the prac
S1 E138 · Wed, July 06, 2022
Directional Audio: Hearing is Believing
Advertising’s come a long way from the television jingles and old-fashioned radio spots of decades past. In the age of social media and targeted algorithms, the ads you see and hear online are very often tailored to your particular user profile. Of course, that’s just when you’re online. But what if it wasn’t? What if, while you’re out shopping or walking down a crowded street, you heard an ad aimed specifically at you, an ad that nobody around you could hear? It might sound like something out of a particularly surreal science-fiction movie, but directional audio technology’s already being used in everything from billboard ads and street kiosks to grocery stores and museum exhibits. Some of the most surprising audio breakthroughs over the past few years have involved sound perception, the art of controlling just who hears a particular sound and where that sound seems to be coming from. For sonic branding, directional audio can mean the difference between just hearing an ad as a listener and engaging with it on a more personal level. One of the very first uses of directional audio in advertising was back in 2007, and it gave pedestrians in New York quite a start. It was a billboard for the spooky reality TV show Paranormal State, and people who walked directly in front of the billboard would hear ghostly voices whispering in their ears. Anyone else who wasn’t in just the right spot, no matter how close by they might be standing, couldn’t hear anything. The directional audio portion of the campaign only lasted a week, but that week made headlines. Just a month later the same technology was featured in the Brooklyn Historical Society’s exhibit “In Our Own Words: Portraits of Brooklyn’s Vietnam Veterans,” allowing visitors to hear a recording of each veteran’s personal story by standing directly in front of their portraits, without anyone else being able to hear them. It ran for a year, and since then directional audio’s been used for other museum exhibits, convention booths, and even to sell bananas in New Zealand supermarkets, where sales increased by over 130%. If you’d like to see a short video of such a display in action, and the dramatic difference that standing just a few inches off to the side can make, just check out the link on my blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXxIApwIiqM As for just how directional sound technology works, it’s a fascinating subject: you could almost call it a sonic laser beam. Ultrasound beams are created and aimed at the precise spot where the sound should be heard, and they’re so intense that they distort the air itself as they move through it, creating lower frequency sound waves that our ears can detect. Like a laser, the effect only works along the beam’s path, so only the people who are meant to hear the sound will notice it. For everyone else, it’s just silence. Ultrasound isn't the only way to trick the brain into hearing sounds that seem to come from nowhere. An
S1 E137 · Wed, June 29, 2022
Finding the Fix: An Interview with Aaron Matthews - Part 2
“It's about doing something that's relevant to that brand that makes people, you know, have intrigue and then go either search for it or find out more information.” -- Aaron Matthews This episode's the second half of my interview with audio branding expert and creative director Aaron Matthews as we talk about how Creative Fix goes about crafting the perfect brand sound, the secret to hosting a successful branded podcast, and the surprisingly retro future of audio branding. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Open to Everybody We begin the second half of our interview with a look at Creative Fix’s process for working with clients and guiding them through the creative process, at the role audio mood boards play in the brainstorming process, and how long it might take for all the different elements to come together. The conversation turns to audio branding, and its untapped potential, particularly on a local level “I think brands are at the start of waking up to it. Very few brands do it well, to be honest, but I think it's open to everybody.” Bringing Jingles Back The topic shifts to both the past and future of audio branding, and to how jingles, the hallmark of audio branding in the '80s and '90s, might make a comeback in the digital age. "I think there's an opportunity," Aaron says, "and I think we can do it in a 2022 way." As he jokes, "I think it's time to bring back the jingle. I'm going to start a campaign." Aaron explains that the key to audio marketing is to do the unexpected: “Let's do less copy in those ads and more sound design, let's do the jingles and the sonic identities and the stuff no one else is doing because that's how you stand out.” The Tip of the Iceberg As the episode comes to a close, we talk more about branded podcasts and the role they play in company branding and the tricky balance of creating brand recognition without selling a product. "There's a lot of opportunities," Aaron says, "and I think there are a lot more branded podcasts coming, and I think we're just at the very, very tip of the iceberg." We wrap things up with a look at social audio apps like Twitter Spaces and Clubhouse, and the role they might play in the future of audio branding and marketing on social media. As he puts it, "it's the idea that it's meant to be for everyone, and that everyone can jump in an
S1 E136 · Wed, June 22, 2022
Finding the Fix: An Interview with Aaron Matthews - Part 1
“Production companies make these amazing videos and then go ‘oh, we need to think about some music and stuff,’ and it sort of like becomes a bit of a rush. But actually, when you think about it at the same time as pre-production and you start planning out how the sound's going to work with the visuals, it elevates the video so much. And you'll know this if you've ever watched some of the latest prints, like the new James Bond trailer, and if you listen to the actual sound design on that and what's included over the top, it just takes to another level.” -- Aaron Matthews This week’s guest is an audio branding expert who’s worked for some of the biggest media brands in the UK, including BBC Radio 1, Global Radio, and Bauer. He’s fine-tuned his understanding of how consumers interact with brands at a content level, and the company that he founded, Creative Fix, develops unique audio advertising content that’s relevant, distinct, and memorable. His name is Aaron Matthews , and he has a lot to share with us in this interview about the current state of the advertising industry, especially when it comes to effective audio branding. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Altering Your Emotions Regular listeners know that we usually start the interview off with a look back at my guest's earliest memories of sound, and Aaron shares the '80s music that his parents listened to with him as a child, from INXS to George Michael, and how, as a teenager, a CD of Gustav Holst's The Planets opened his eyes to the power of music. “What an amazing sound,” he describes it, “and you know how emotional that music is and how it moves you, and I remember hearing this as a teenager and thinking ‘wow, I've never heard anything like that before and it's amazing.’” He tells us how he went on to become a DJ, and how that experience taught him the profound connection between music and its listener. “At the simplest form,” he explains, “you're altering someone's emotions through music.” Doing Things Digitally We talk about the differences between traditional radio advertising and digital audio, and how digital audio’s more personal podcasts have created a new kind of audio market. “Radio,” Aaron tells us, “from its conception, is a shared listening experience... and advertising hasn't really changed in radio because of that." He e
S1 E135 · Wed, June 15, 2022
Making Music Fun: An Interview with Nick Morrison - Part 2
“People don't forget that stuff. They remember people that blow their minds. They won't necessarily remember the music, people won't remember the thing that you did, but they'll remember the way that you made them feel, whether that's by your actions or by the actual emotion that you've imparted to them via your music, or your sound, or whatever it happens to be.” -- Nick Morrison This episode's the second half of my interview with bestselling author, professional musician, teacher, session artist, and composer Nick Morrison, as we talk about the process of turning imagery and emotion into sound, the importance of networking and building relationships, and about the most valuable advice he has to offer about navigating a freelance career in the digital age. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Making it More Purple As the second half begins, Nick and I talk about some of his memorable experiences with building an audio brand, including one particularly tricky suggestion. “His last note,” Nick recalls, “and this drove me crazy, was 'can you make it sound more purple?” He reveals the answer to that mysterious request and we discuss a study, linked below, that showed how it’s audio, not video, that plays the biggest role in making or breaking a viewer’s experience. “Once you get better,” he explains as we talk about advances in audio technology, “you can't go back with audio. There's something in the human ear that, if you hear poor quality audio, it immediately turns off your brain and you stop listening.” Always Say Yes We also look at the role networking and building a positive reputation in the industry can play, and how online resources such as Taxi.com can help. “Places like that can get you a lot further, faster,” he says, “than just trying to put your stuff on one of the numerous websites that are just a repository of the world's garbage. And that sounds harsh, but it's like a needle in a haystack.” He also tells us his approach to forging lasting relationships with clients who are just starting out. “If I have a job offer or an opportunity that comes up, as long as it doesn't hurt me financially or embarrass myself or my family in some way, shape, or form, I will say yes. Say yes to as much as you can.” The World at Our Fingertips Nick also offers advice on navigating the financial as
S1 E134 · Wed, June 08, 2022
Making Music Fun: An Interview with Nick Morrison - Part 1
“One of my Berklee professors, one of my favorite things that has stayed with me from my time there, said 'you know, Nick, a bad day playing music is still better than a good day doing just about anything else.'" -- Nick Morrison This episode's guest is an Amazon #1 bestselling author and a professional musician, composer, teacher, voice actor, YouTube creator, actor, and a music and media consultant from Calgary Alberta. He's toured throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan as a guitarist, worked as a session musician, and as a writer and composer for Warner Bros, Universal Studios, Sony, MTV, ABC, NBC, HGTV, and HBO, among others. He was educated at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he studied guitar performance and music business management. In 2021 he began writing guitar instructional books and continues to bring his love of the instrument to as many people around the world as possible. His name is Nick Morrison, and our discussion runs the gamut from music, to sound design, to audio branding and everything in between. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Getting into Sound We start things off with a look back at Nick’s earliest impressions of sound, and he tells us about his mother’s lifelong love of music and his happy memories of growing up in a musical family. He talks about the surprising influence the original Super Mario Bros. had on his lifelong career and how it inspired him from an early age to devote himself to music. “It was at that point that I really decided,” he tells us, “that I was like ‘I'm going to do something with music.’ I didn't have the vocabulary then to know specifically what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wanted to get into sound.” The Cat and the Piano “A cat can jump on a piano," Nick jokes as we talk about his early music lessons, from the violin to the piano to his first guitar, "and it'll sound good." He tells us about the unique musical challenges and rewards that each instrument offers and how he's come to embrace his role as a teacher and focuses now on helping people who might be returning to their love of music after a long career elsewhere. "What can I give to those students," he says, describing his approach to teaching new musicians, "that in those fifteen minutes they can get the most out of the time they have with their instrument as possi
S1 E133 · Wed, June 01, 2022
Musical Alchemy: An Interview with Eric Singer - Part 2
“One of the wonderful things about music is that it's by and large pretty universal, you know, when almost any culture will perceive a minor chord as something that feels sad. Even my 4-year-old son can identify that as 'oh that's sad.’ But there are more subtleties too, you know, and that may affect instrument choice, it might affect tempo, and it might affect chord progression.” -- Eric Singer This episode is part two of my interview with audio producer and creative director Eric Singer as we discuss the advantages of virtual audio presentations, the challenges independent artists face in an increasingly online industry, and some surprising new advances in advertising technology. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Creating Music and Sound We start the second half of the interview with a discussion of how the industry has changed over the past few years, and how virtual conferences and Zoom meetings have all but replaced direct presentations. Eric tells us some of the limitations, as well as a few unexpected advantages, of online audio demonstrations, and how Coupe Studios is rising to the challenge of bringing authenticity to audio branding and marketing. “We discovered along the way,” he says, “that we really, really enjoy applying that authentic creativity, that art form of creating music and sound, to advertising.” A Whole New World The topic turns to the indie bands that Coupe Studios also supports, and how social media and the new sonic landscape have impacted smaller bands and artists. “It's a whole new world out there,” Eric notes, “but I think the plus side of that is that there's so much content, not just advertising, podcasts, streaming video... there is so much content that needs music. There are infinitely more opportunities to get your music heard.” He also tells us about Coupe’s strategy for localizing jingles for companies all over the world, and how collaboration is the key to a successful sound design. “We try to make it a pretty big party where we get input from anybody who has something valuable to bring to the table.” For Your Ears Only As the episode comes to a close, we look at the new technologies that might change the advertising industry in the near future. “One thing that I believe we're going to see much more of,” Eric tells us, “in probably the fairly near f
S1 E132 · Wed, May 25, 2022
Musical Alchemy: An Interview with Eric Singer - Part 1
“There are generally two things that I want to focus on when presenting the creative to a client. First, and I think the most important, is the why: what is the justification for why we have done this or why we've included this instrument, why we're including this long breakdown section, why this tempo, whatever it is.” -- Eric Singer My guest's first love in this episode was audio, but it took him a while to get back to it. He's been with Coupe Studios for sixteen years, and before that he spent time as a magazine editor, a photographer, and even a semi-pro football player. Now a partner at Coupe, he's focusing specifically on sonic branding and music for advertising and film. His name is Eric Singer, and I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say about where audio branding is now and where it's heading into the future. How does he let their clients know that their audio is important? How does Coupe Studios differentiate itself in a steadily growing audio-forward market? If you’re trying to decide why audio branding is important for your company, this discussion will give you a firsthand look. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. A Multisensory Experience We begin the interview with Eric’s account of his earliest memories of sound, a Fischer-Price turntable that he used as a child to play the classic Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. As he puts it, its unconventional sound design and ambient effects “planted the seed for me in terms of a love of audio.” He goes on to recount his very first experience as a radio DJ during high school. “It was this multisensory experience,” he says, “where you're looking at the album art [and] you're reading the liner notes. The center of it was the music, but I loved talking about it just as much.” Digging in Deep Eric tells us about how he discovered his affinity for editing and production, and how it led to his role as an audio producer. “We have this extremely talented, dedicated team of composers and sound designers,” he explains, “and my job is to stay out of their way.” We talk about how he works with clients to help them understand and navigate the sometimes overwhelming process of finding just the right creative strategy. “There's no better way, I think, to emphasize the value in what we do than working collaboratively with the client or with the agency
S1 E131 · Wed, May 18, 2022
A Sound Connection: An Interview with Dan Friedman - Part 2
“It bothers me so much to see companies out there that are taking advantage of people or, you know, preying on their hopes and dreams. I mean, I have never, ever told anybody that this was easy, as being a voice actor, and I never told them that it was fast. I've always said that it's a crock-pot career, it's not a microwave meal." -- Dan Friedman This episode is the second half of my interview with audio engineer, voiceover coach, and author Dan Friedman as we talk about voice performance, the changes the pandemic has brought to the voice recording industry, and how his family helps inspire him as a voice teacher. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. An Expressive Job We start the episode with Dan’s practical vocal advice on everything from breathing through your diaphragm to staying hydrated, and a look at the differences between voice and television acting, something he’s particularly familiar with after filming a television pilot. “It's expressive,” Dan says about voice performance. “This is an expressive job, so it doesn't really work so well on camera, but it works really well for voiceover.” Dan also talks about how he’s working to preserve some of the unique qualities of voiceover that might get lost in the age of new media and streaming video. "I'm old enough that I can certainly help teach a new generation how to be the best that they can be at this and help communicate more effectively because we really are losing a lot of that in our society." Communicating Your Intentions Dan tells us about some of the more memorable clients that he’s helped with communicating their intentions, and how a good performance brings the words on the page to life. “When you're not communicating that and you're just reading the words off the page,” he says, “obviously it's not really moving anybody. But when you're trying to present these things, let's present them in a way that people want to connect with it emotionally.” We also look at how the pandemic has changed the home studio market and made the technical aspects of voiceover, from soundproofing to microphones, more accessible than ever before. “Now it really comes down to talent and the environment they're in,” he explains, “and to how they ultimately sound and whether they'll be able to do all that.” No Day is the Same As the interview comes
S1 E130 · Wed, May 11, 2022
A Sound Connection: An Interview with Dan Friedman - Part 1
“But we do have to remember that when we are communicating, when words are coming out of our mouths and reaching somebody's ears, that's a connection, that's a strong connection, and if we are not really believing in the things that we are saying, or feeling the things that we are saying, or able to create a feeling that's strong, then that connection won't be strong enough. And that's really important in both communicating and advertising and providing information, and all of the things that we do as voice people. We are communicators first and foremost, always.” -- Dan Friedman This episode's guest has been in the voiceover industry for nearly two decades, voicing projects for Crowne Plaza Hotels, Hulu Plus, Walmart, Hardees, Aetna, and many more, and a professional audio engineer for twenty-five years. He's produced, directed, and provided his voice to thousands of audio productions, and in 2010 he published a book called Sound Advice: Voiceover From an Audio Engineer’s Perspective. A first of its kind in the industry, the book covers audio engineering and studio session etiquette as it relates directly to voiceover talent. He continues to write a popular blog on his website, Sound4VO.com, and he's a well-known voiceover coach, teacher, and home studio consultant., as well as a certified coach in the Roger Love Voice Method. His name is Dan Friedman, and I'm looking forward to sharing his perspective on how we can learn to better communicate. He's seen it all, from both sides of the glass, so I know he has lots of golden nuggets to share. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Hearing and Getting It We start things off with a look at Dan's earliest memories of sound. He tells us about the first song he ever fell in love with and the chills that Mary Clayton's voice in "Gimme Shelter" still gives him. He recalls his early career, and how a surprise job opportunity as an audio engineer inspired him to pursue a deeper understanding of the science of sound. "Here I was," he says, "working for these big acts at times, and just thinking 'I get it, but I don't get it. I can hear it, but I don't get it." An Emotional Connection Dan tells us about his experience becoming a certified Roger Love Voice Method coach, how he discovered an unexpected talent for singing, and the further insight it gave him into the different
S1 E129 · Wed, May 04, 2022
Musical Branding: An Interview with Sam Parvin - Part 2
“Tap into who your consumer is, really know. And I don't mean like ‘males 25-34 years old who live in cities.’ No, it's like ‘what's important to this person, where do they spend their time,’ you know, those kinds of things, really thinking about who that person is and then what your company's role, what your brand's role, plays in their lives. And then, just naturally, you know how music can kind of work in there, and I think from there you'll start to see some natural potential opportunities. And if you brainstorm that internally with your colleagues, I think some things will just shake themselves out.” -- Sam Parvin This episode's the second part of my interview with music supervisor and branding expert Sam Parvin as we talk about how different branding perspectives can lead to very different licensing strategies, Sam’s three best practice steps when it comes to music branding, and how a more fluid and mobile audio landscape is creating both new challenges and opportunities for musical marketing. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in these show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. What Your Music Means We begin the second half of the interview with a look back at some of Pepsi and Coke's most famous advertising campaigns, and how their distinct marketing strategies and approaches to branding led to very different choices when it came to licensing music. "They're using music in different ways," she explains, "because of what their brand DNA is as well as the campaigns that they're working on at different times." She tells us how a famous song isn't always the best marketing choice and shares a success story that came from adapting a licensed composition to meet her client's needs. A Living, Breathing Vessel “Your brand is a living, breathing vessel,” Sam tells us, “and so too is your music strategy.” Music, she explains, has a more dynamic, versatile quality than more visual forms of marketing, and how there’s a much more diverse range of music and audio inspiration available out there than many companies have considered. “They're getting their music choices either from Spotify or production libraries,” she says. “But there is an entire world of amazing music in between those two.” We talk about her three best practice tips when it comes to audio branding, from finding your company’s musical point of view to making sure that you have somebody overseeing your musical bran
S1 E128 · Wed, April 27, 2022
Musical Branding: An Interview with Sam Parvin - Part 1
“The way that advertising agencies, for example, are structured now is still based on the Mad Men era where only billboards and print existed. So we have an art director and a copywriter on every project, but we don't have a sound person, we don't have a sound director. And so much of the way that we interact with the world, or 'consume' content, is through audio. I think it's just about thinking about us as humans, and how we intake information and interact with external things in our world, and audio is just always there.” -- Sam Parvin This episode's guest specializes in helping senior-level brand marketers use and strategically execute music to create a stronger brand that also creates value for their consumers. She's a globally-awarded music supervisor for brands like Coca-Cola, Maker's Mark, Corona, and GMC, and she's passionate about sharing her very specialized expertise in navigating the music licensing space to help people inspire the world with their marketing communications. Her name is Sam Parvin, and if you’ve been wondering how you can use music to enhance what your brand offers to the world, this is going to be a discussion you'll definitely want to hear. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Music Has Been My Path The interview starts with a look back at the way sound shaped Sam’s earliest memories from the soothing lull of watching televised golf with her grandfather to the Bonnie Raitt concerts and her first job handing out band flyers in Atlanta. She remembers studying the business of art in college and how it connected her back to the music industry. “I didn't realize I was the person who always knew what I wanted to do,” Sam tells us, “but in retrospect, music has always been my path.” Making an Impact “My clients typically come to me and say ‘we've got this new project, here's what we're trying to achieve with it, we know we need music: help.’” Sam goes on to talk about how her early career led to a deeper appreciation for working directly with her clients and helping to perfect the audio identity for each one’s particular brand. “I saw an opportunity,” she recalls, “for brands to mainly structure the way that they handled music differently, to be more effective and also efficient.” Emotional Beings We go on to talk about the importance of sound and how
S1 E127 · Wed, April 20, 2022
Signature Sounds: An Interview With Jon Brennan & Sean Beeson - Part 2
“Through our research, we also found that anything beyond four notes, if we were to create a pattern that had more than four notes in it, that it started to sound too much like a jingle and just out of place for an automobile. Automobiles really just had single-tone dings, and so we knew we couldn't stray too far from that, or we would start sounding too much like a cell phone or something out of context." -- Sean Beeson This episode continues my interview with Jon Brennan and Sean Beeson, formerly of Sonic Signatures. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Keeping Your Brand Current We begin the second half of the interview with a look at what might happen when a product or company changes, and how an existing audio brand can be impacted by something as simple as a new speaker design. “The more specific you're intentionally creating audio for something,” Sean explains, “the more often you have to go back and fix things when something changes.” Jon tells us about the detailed audio guidelines that Sonic Signatures uses to help guide their clients through such changes and offers an important tip about making sure that your sonic branding is up-to-date. A Human Touch The episode continues with a firsthand look at the work Jon and Sean have done for such clients as Union Home Mortgage and KeepTruckin. We start with Union Home Mortgage’s sonic logo, how it combines technological innovation with a warm, human touch to reflect the company’s brand, and the process used to create its distinctive sound. As Sean puts it, “we continued to make the harmonics richer by layering sounds that really only serve to... add to the overall richness and brilliance.” Listening on the Road We then listen to samples of the audio interface Sonic Signatures designed for KeepTruckin's vehicle monitoring devices and discuss how they met the challenge of creating distinctive sounds based on chimes and mid-range tones that the fleet drivers would recognize right away without becoming distracted or irritated. “We kept having the sounds get closer and closer to the sound of a car,” Sean says, “because that's what the drivers are trained to hear.” We talk about the research that goes into such an innovative audio interface, and wrap things up with a peek at their upcoming projects. Episode Summary <
S1 E126 · Wed, April 13, 2022
Signature Sounds: An Interview With Jon Brennan & Sean Beeson - Part 1
“I think that the future of audio is one that's customized, personalized, interactive, intelligent and dynamic, you know, instead of always treating audio as on and off, we need to treat it in a way that's delivered to each person as a unique experience.” -- Sean Beeson This episode features a rare two-for-one interview with a powerful sonic duo, Jon Brennan and Sean Beeson, formerly of Sonic Signatures. Jon Brennan's a music composer and sound designer with twenty years of experience creating sound for iconic brands and multimedia platforms. With the rise of voice, podcasts, and streaming, he founded Sonic Signatures to enable brands to effectively use branded audio across every campaign and platform. He's created audio logos, original music, and sound design for leading brands including Amazon Alexa, Tide, Southwest Airlines, IBM Security, Mercy Health, Union Home Mortgage, and KeepTruckin. His film scores include internationally distributed feature films and documentaries, and he has an MFA in Music Composition for the Screen from Columbia College Chicago. Very recently, he decided to work with Sixième Son in the US. Sean Beeson is a composer and sound designer who's worked on hundreds of scores for video games, ads, trailers, and podcasts for clients like Google, Disney, McDonald's, Taco Bell, State Farm, Wizards of the Coast, Neoglyphic, and Sony. He helped develop the sonic identity of Google's Pixel phone, Pixel Buds 2, and Google's Home and Max speakers. He's contributed to three Emmy award-winning projects and has been nominated for multiple Game Audio Network Guild Awards. He's now doing independent music and sound design work. If you want to understand why audio is so important to your brand, Jon and Sean have a thing or two to tell you about that. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. The Essence of a Project We start off with a look at the early influences that shaped Jon and Sean's interest in sound. Jon tells us how his older brother's Depeche Mode album sparked a lifelong career in music, while Sean recalls his very first encounter with audio branding when he played Sega video games as a child. The topic turns to the versatility of sonic branding in everything from mobile games to casino slot machines. The goal, as Sean explains it is, is "to boil down the essence of a project or product or brand to what really makes it unique and what really
S1 E125 · Wed, April 06, 2022
Unconscious Biases: An Interview With LaTonya J. Pegues - Part 2
“Yes, bring in new voices. Yes, you know, do it, go for it. But if it doesn't work with the first diverse voice – non-whites, I'm talking about non-whites now – that doesn't mean it's a failure. You know, keep going, keep working on it, these are systemic problems that have been in place almost since the beginning of audio, and so it's going to take time to what I call undo the bias.” -- LaTonya J. Pegues This week is the second half of my interview with inclusion expert, executive coach, and unconscious bias trainer LaTonya J. Pegeus as we talk about the importance of positive representation, the effort of diversifying the workplace, and her firsthand struggles with bias as a business owner. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. What Makes You Uncomfortable The second half begins with a look at ways to overcome unconscious biases, such as listening to the concerns of diverse speakers and identifying the real source of our discomfort, and we talk about how positive representation in such movies as Black Panther is helping to change longstanding assumptions in Hollywood. "They could have had British accents," she says, "but they chose to go with the authentic region of that continent, and boy did that resonate with the rest of the world." Expected to Win “Those things that are well-funded,” LaTonya notes as we talk about the challenge of fostering workplace diversity and supporting diversity directors and departments, "are those things that are expected to win” We discuss how many companies have tried, and too often failed, to challenge the longstanding biases within their corporate culture. “I think,” she observes, “that's because they weren't supportive. They were just a box to check and the company did not take it seriously.” Recognizing Our Bias We conclude the interview with a look at LaTonya’s upcoming book Unconscious Bias Revealed: How to Recognize and Undo Bias , and her work as a voiceover artist in commercials and on the radio. LaTonya also shares with us some of the personal challenges that she’s faced as an African-American woman in the business world. “There've been countless times that I have not had opportunities to provide services, even as a business owner, you know, for clients, for whatever reason.” Episode Summary <li
S1 E124 · Wed, March 30, 2022
Unconscious Biases: An Interview With LaTonya J. Pegues - Part 1
“The ability to share information and to help other people have opportunities to provide their voice, if you will, to a read can make such a huge difference in what happens and how the audience receives it and how even the customer or the client receives what's being read.” -- LaTonya J. Pegues For years LaTonya J. Pegues has been known as a person who can provide simple explanations for complex concepts and ideas. With a background in the performing arts, not to mention having worked as a low-temperature physicist and satellite engineer, LaTonya is a skillful trainer who applies her knowledge and experience in facilitating and guiding clientele towards realizing, meeting, and exceeding their goals and objectives. We're going to speak particularly about how to overcome unconscious bias in audio: where it's showing up for people and how it can be overcome. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. What We’re Picking Up The episode begins as LaTonya recalls her first memories of sound: the voices of her parents and the joy their excitement brought her as a child. We talk about where our unconscious biases come from, and how pervasive a part of the world they can be, particularly when it comes to audio. "It's because of these social stereotypes that we get just from the air in some instances," she explains, "what's traveling through the air, what we are picking up, and what our brains keeping." When Bias Gets in the Way We take a look at the reasons we hold onto our biases, and how the thought process behind them isn't always a bad thing. It's when a bias is based on misinformation, LaTonya tells us, or a perspective that's too limited, or by our own relationships, that it can keep us from seeing the world as it truly is. "Sometimes we have these tendencies to just want to hear from certain folks," she says, "for whatever reason, and not hear from others, and that also can cause unconscious bias." Beyond the Comfort Zone The conversation continues with LaTonya's thoughts about how unconscious biases are reflected in the world around us, and how they limit our opportunities as well as the authenticity of the movies and pop culture we take for granted. We discuss the lost art of brainstorming, and how helpful going outside your comfort zone to seek out new perspectives and experiences can be. "My e
S1 E123 · Wed, March 23, 2022
In The Clubhouse: Improve your Speaking Voice with Dan Friedman - Part 2
“You set the tone for your podcast by how you sound and how you interact with the audience. So there are a lot of elements to it, you know, obviously preparation and planning and practice, all those things." -- Dan Friedman This week continues our Clubhouse discussion as voiceover artist and sound engineer Dan Friedman answers questions about voice training, keeping listeners engaged, and overcoming stage fright. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. An Audio-Driven World We continue the Clubhouse chat by talking about how subtle changes to pitch and tone can change a listener’s impression of your voice, and the challenges and successes that artists coming from different audio industries, such as radio and lecturing, can find in voiceover work. “Because we are in such an audio-driven world now,” Dan says, “it is really important that if, especially if you're running a podcast and you want more listeners, or you want listeners to stick with you, you have to be compelling enough that they are going to want to continue to listen and to tune in every week.” Getting Out of a Rut Dan warns us about some of the traps of voice rehearsal, how easy it can be to get stuck in a loop of negative self-criticism when listening to your own voice, and some creative ways to break out of that vicious circle. "One of the most fun and extreme things to just really get out of your rut," he suggests, "if you realize you're in a rut, is to do your script as a cartoon character." He explains that once you've done so and then immediately switch back to your regular voice, you'll probably find that the performance feels fresh again and you can jump back into it with a different energy. They Want to Hear You “If you think about it,” Dan says, “communication is a connection between somebody making sound and somebody listening to sound, and if you're trying to make sound and spread that connection out to a hundred people, that connection's going to be pretty weak.” We wrap the Clubhouse chat up with a look at the challenges of public speaking and different strategies for overcoming stage fright, such as imagining an individual that you’re speaking to or even focusing on one person in the audience rather than trying to talk to everyone at once. “Most of the time when you are up there speaking to a roomful of people,” he a
S1 E122 · Wed, March 16, 2022
In the Clubhouse: Improve your Speaking Voice with Dan Friedman - Part 1
“When we're talking about audio-only formats, it's especially important that you capture your audience using your voice and it should be impactful so that they tune in and want to continue listening. It only takes seven seconds for somebody to decide they want to change the station, whether that be a song they like or don't like or something that they're hearing that they're not liking." - Dan Friedman Using your voice to communicate isn't as easy as it sounds. So what do you do if you feel your voice is letting you down? Would you like some personal techniques to help you improve how you sound and your confidence in speaking? Then this is the right podcast for you. I recorded an excellent Clubhouse discussion with Dan Friedman, an expert in the field of public speaking who's certified in the Roger Love Voice Method. Those of us in the voice-over industry already know Dan as an accomplished audio engineer, but he's also a singer, voice actor, and voice coach, and I'll be having a more in-depth interview with him a little later on. So settle back and let yourself be a fly on the wall as we discuss the power of using your voice for more effective communication. A few things to note. First, I was hearing and answering people a little ahead of when the audio was being recorded. That's why my occasional comments are slightly out of sync: it didn't sound that way at the time. And, just so you know, everyone in the room was aware that it was being recorded and would be released in a future podcast episode. To those who raised their hands to participate in the conversation: thank you. When you asked for advice, you helped everyone understand the issues better. So well done! I'll have more of these types of discussions in the future – they're on Wednesdays at 2 PM Eastern Time – so keep a lookout for the schedule of upcoming events in the Clubhouse club, The Power of Sound . As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. The Sound of Your Voice We begin the chat with a talk about ways to build confidence in our speaking, and how awkward just hearing our own voice can be at first. “The lack of confidence,” Dan explains, “usually comes from people hearing their recorded voice for the first time and not really realizing how they actually sound.” He suggests ways of breaking out of a monotone, such as singing just a little, and listening carefully to the natural rhythm of
S1 E121 · Wed, March 09, 2022
Rhythm, Rest & Relaxation: Listening For Our Health
It's been over two years since the pandemic started, and for many of us, our daily lives have changed in ways we hardly imagined when this decade began. More and more of us are working from home these days, and we're staying at home even when we aren't working. We're more isolated than we used to be, and dealing with a lot more stress and uncertainty. Finding time to take care of our mental health can be a challenge, but it's just as important as ever – and sound has come to play a vital part in that effort, from guided meditation and affirmations to binaural beats and ASMR videos. Two of the most popular and successful forms of sonic therapy are mindful meditation and positive affirmations, and they’ve both come a long way over just the past few years. Mindfulness is the art of being precisely in the moment, without worrying about the past or thinking about the future, or being distracted by anything at all. Completely clearing our thoughts can be tricky, and that’s where guided meditation, which uses sound and music to help lead the way, can help. Studies have shown that the health benefits range from lowering stress and improving our mental well-being to bolstering the immune system and reducing inflammation. Although its roots are thousands of years old, the modern practice of mindful meditation has evolved into high-tech pods and meditation apps you can download for your smartwatch. Some of them can get a little pricey, but if you’re just starting out and want to give it a try, you can find a link to UCLA’s free Mindful app, and a separate list of guided meditation tracks that you can download, on my blog. https://www.uclahealth.org/marc/mindful-meditations Positive affirmations are another way to help change our mindset, to bolster our self-esteem and sense of optimism. Psychology and even MRI studies have found that they have a positive effect on our behavior and sense of wellness, although they also found that, for people with low self-esteem, affirmations in the future tense work better than the present. So if you find that starting a sentence with “I am” just doesn’t feel right, try saying “I will” instead. I’ve also included a YouTube link on my blog to a morning affirmation video presented by voice artist Prachi Chaube (Prah-chee Chau-bay). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzqFQ9J7YXQ Binaural beats are a much more recent discovery when it comes to audio therapy, one that’s still being researched. The idea behind them, though, is fascinating. If you take a pair of headphones and play a sound through them with a slightly different frequency for each ear, your brain blends them together into a new sound that’s the difference between them. So, for example, if the left earphone plays a 300-hertz tone and the right earphone plays a 280-hertz tone, we perceive it as a 20-hertz tone. That’s almost
S1 E120 · Wed, March 02, 2022
Just The Right Music: With Mac McIntosh - Part 2
“Ultimately, what happens with Spotify and Apple and YouTube or any of the other platforms out there, the majors are going to set the precedent on what the licensing deals look like. That's eventually going to trickle down to the independent artists to where they just they don't get a great deal, I mean, they're never going to really see substantial money, even if they're doing millions of streams.” -- Mac McIntosh This week is the second half of my interview with music supervisor and film producer Mac McIntosh. We talk about how social media is changing the licensing landscape, what's truly involved in building the right soundtrack, and which musical genre he’s hoping might make a cinematic comeback thanks to shows like Stranger Things . Creative Conversations We start the second half of the show with a closer look at his team, which includes musicians and Foley artists, and some of the series they’ve worked on. “Creatively, I had to do a lot of things that weren’t traditional to the music clearance space,” Mac explains as we look back at one project. “A lot of creative conversations had to take place to make certain things happen, and to prevent certain things from happening as well, from a licensing standpoint.” Living by the Single Mac talks about some of the soundtrack trends he’s seen in movies since the turn of the millennium, and how he’d like to see rock music make a Hollywood comeback. We move on to a look at how social media has made things both easier and more challenging for indie artists, and how video games and streaming shows are creating new opportunities for exposure and fame. “They realize that you live and die by the single these days,” he notes. “Artists are at the point where they're basically hustling on a daily basis, trying to figure out how to maintain their careers, while at the same time most of them have to have a full-time job to go along with that.” Owning Your Music We wrap things up with a growing industry trend that he advises clients looking to add a musician to their project to follow. “It's better to do a made-for-hire or paid-for-hire deal with an artist,” Mac says, “where you pay them directly to create an original piece of music for you... versus licensing something that you're not sure is a good deal or not.” He points out the advantages of owning your own audio assets, such as greater stability and potential revenue, and we discuss some of the different licensing options available and which ones might best fit a given project. Episode Summary Mac's Musiclerk team and how a soundtrack is cleared. How social media companies have changed online marketing Video games, streaming shows, and the music hustle culture Licensing options and how to contact Mac McIntosh Connect with Ma
S1 E119 · Wed, February 23, 2022
Just the Right Music: With Mac McIntosh - Part 1
“Because a lot of podcasting was audio-only people thought, well, it's like radio, all you need is, you know, a performance license. And that's not true. It's exactly like that, and that we've all learned, you know, in time, it's kind of developed to the point where you have to sync music from a licensing perspective with podcasts the same as you do film or television. So, you know, helping people navigate that, that was one of my big goals.” -- Mac McIntosh This episode's guest is a music supervisor and film producer based in Dallas, Texas, who's spent over twenty years in the entertainment industry, with additional experience in music clearance, music licensing, film distribution, and more. He's the founder of Musiclerk.com, a music and audio agency that provides music supervision, music clearance, post audio editing, sound design, and music composition for their film, television, podcast, and video clients. He also has experience helping filmmakers and production companies secure distribution for their projects. His name is Mac McIntosh, and in this interview, we'll be taking a deep dive into the world of music and how important it can be to the shape of a project. Mac's perspective will offer a golden opportunity to learn more about the inner workings of this fascinating field, and how it might come into play with your own content creation. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. The Cadence of Cinema We start the interview with a look at Mac's audio influences while growing up, from the rhythm of He-Man's catchphrases to the cadence of cinematic audio. “The music played a big part of it too from a dynamic standpoint for me,” he explains as he recalls how movie soundtracks helped inspire his love of music. “I think that was something I really grabbed onto at an early age,” he says, “and realized that it does affect in ways you don't even realize.” The Willingness to Not Give Up Mac goes on to recount how his early career as a musician led him to become a producer and music supervisor. “Growing up in Nashville and being a guitar player,” he says, “you quickly realize there are... at least a thousand other guitar players that are either better or a lot better than you are.” We talk about his first music industry blog and the young artists he met whose talent and perseverance inspired him. “I think just determination and j
S1 E118 · Wed, February 16, 2022
In The Clubhouse: The Power of Audio Branding - Part 2
“Doing audio branding very often has similarities to coaching. It's always a change management process and it's also iterative, so it's almost repeating the same procedures a couple of times until you get closer and closer to something that everybody agrees is ‘okay, that's the goal.’ And by the way, goals are the most important thing. If it's not clear where you want to go, what you need, and why you are doing this, if you just follow the next hype and say we need a sound logo just like our competitor, then you’re lost, then you're just wasting time and money.” -- Cornelius Ringe This week continues our Clubhouse discussion as Lauri Domnick, Jeanna Isham, Steve Keller, Shez Merha, Jack Monson, and Cornelius Ringe lead a variety of questions and comments. A Trustworthy Sound The second half begins as our panel reveals what questions they ask clients to learn who they are from an audio perspective. Jeanna tells us about her work with REI and how she used natural sounds to focus their outdoor branding, while Lauri discusses the challenge of turning more abstract concepts like trustworthiness into something we can hear and recognize. Shez focuses on better aligning the audio to the company's brand, and Jack switches things around with a simple question that can have surprisingly candid and helpful answers: "if you and I were going to take a road trip," he asks clients, "what three artists would you want to have?" The Voice of the Brand Steve takes a different, more psychological approach to learning more about a client's potential sonic profile, one that sparks a discussion about the archetypes of sound, what the brand might be like if it were a person. "If the brand were to talk to you," he asks, "what would the brand's voice sound like? Is it male, is it female, is it neither of those? If the brand was going to give you a playlist, what would be on their Pandora playlist?" The Soundtrack of Your Life Cornelius offers a thought-provoking reply as he talks instead about focusing on the language of sound, a language that's often unfamiliar to his clients, and helping them find the right words to consider the question and develop their own answers. Alex joins in to note that clients don't always have a good answer, particularly in the business world where opinions and priorities can clash; as Steve puts it, "the work is fraught with the need for diplomacy." Cheryl, a podcaster and voice talent, takes the stage with a question she always likes to ask: if there was a soundtrack to your life, what would be on it and why? The answers, she notes, are often surprising, and always revealing. Episode Summary Looking at company brands from an audio perspective Considering brands and sounds as archetypes Learning the language of both sound and business Listening to the
S1 E117 · Wed, February 09, 2022
In The Clubhouse: The Power of Audio Branding - Part 1
“So it's really no surprise that, you know, it's back in the driver's seat now, when everyone is really fighting and yearning for how to capture attention, even a little bit of attention, from an exhausted and overwhelmed and overstimulated population base globally. So I think it applies itself to media, to what you're eating, in a restaurant experience, a shopping experience, really across the entire 360, or integrated marketing, if you want to speak like a marketer, that whole kind of overarching back row strategy from everywhere your brand is going to live. There are likely ways to embed audio into those instances in a meaningful way without adding more 'noise' to the world.” -- Shez Mehra For those of you who don't know, I host regular weekly Clubhouse rooms on Wednesdays at 2 PM Eastern Time. We talk about all sorts of things related to sound, including voiceovers, public speaking, podcasting, music, and, of course, audio branding. We also cover things like Voice AI, Sound in Social Media, and even Audio NFTs. This particular recording, made with the permission of everyone who participated, is from a Clubhouse room called The Power of Audio Branding in my Power of Sound club. We had a number of stellar panelists, including Jeanna Isham, Shez Merha, Cornelius Ringe and Steve Keller, all of whom have also been guests on this podcast with episodes all their own. Lauri Domnick, from Bauer Media in Finland, and Jack Monson, from Social Geek Radio, also joined us. The audio is presented as it was heard in the moment, so it won't be perfect, and there's a bit of a lag, so sometimes it might sound like people are taking a while to respond while other times it sounds like I'm talking over them. That isn't how it sounded at the time, and hopefully won't be too distracting for you as you listen. But this discussion should give you a good look at the fascinating world of audio branding from many different perspectives, and at why it's a topic and discipline that's becoming more important all the time. I also want to thank everyone that came up on stage to join in, ask questions, and make comments. Your participation made this discussion even better. The lesson is clear: if you aren't paying attention to the sound of your brand, you'll ultimately be missing out. If you have any questions for the panelists, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in these show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. What is Audio Branding? We start off the discussion with a look at just what
S1 E116 · Wed, February 02, 2022
The Sounds of Silence - A Tale of Noiseless Movie Props
Have you ever thought about how quiet the world of television and movies can be? If two characters are eating at a restaurant or working in an office, we don't have to worry about trying to hear them over the sound of clinking glasses or crinkling paper, or anyone else who might be making too much noise in the background. Cinematic sound tells us just as much of the story as the images, and unless they're part of the story, footsteps and rustling clothes aren't usually something we want to hear coming from the speakers. Movies are filmed in the same noisy, unpredictable world we all live in, though, and life doesn't come with a mute button, though it'd be nice if it did. So how do they do it? The right microphone, soundproofing, and studio environment all go a long way, of course, and a talented sound editor, such as my own editor Humberto Franco, can work wonders in post-production. But there's only so much that can be cleaned up or kept away from the microphone: everything we do makes some kind of sound. That’s why prop masters also use something called "silent props," or "noiseless props," to take the everyday noise that we can't get rid of completely and turn it into a different, more soothing kind of sound. One prop master whose TikTok videos earlier this year helped bring the idea of silent props to the public eye is Scott Reeder, who’s been working in Hollywood for over three decades. For recording a conversation during a game of pool in the show Friday Night Lights , without having the actors pausing for each shot, he came up with the idea of repainting soft plastic racquetballs to look like pool balls. When the camera needed to show one of the shots, he swapped the prop balls with the real thing and then switched them back. If you’d like to check out Scott’s mixture of movie-making insights and punny dad jokes, you can find the link to his recent video on creating silent horseshoes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhv6GfDP4ok When it comes to recording cinematic dialogue, there’s a surprising amount of unintentional sound that needs to be hidden from the microphone. UK filmmakers Robert Carr and Richard Scott, who run the YouTube channel The Film Look , talk about the challenge of filming an authentic restaurant scene, and how masking the sound of a glass being set down on a table, which is usually about the same height as the actor’s microphone, can be as simple as discreetly placing a cushion on the table, or as involved as having a stagehand hiding just below the frame to take the glass from the actor. In a later video, they demonstrate a do-it-yourself approach to concealing sound, using neoprene rubber and glue to create and attach soundproof pads to everything from the bottom of a coffee mug to the soles of an actor's shoes. If you want to learn more about the art of indie f
S1 E115 · Wed, January 26, 2022
Dangerous Beeps: An Interview With Michael Schutz - Part 2
“I think doctors use a term called modifiable risk factor, I've learned, because I talk to a lot of doctors now, and so there are some things we can modify and some things that we can't. And so these alarm sounds are very much a modifiable risk factor, and we need to work together to figure out the better set of sounds to use and how to implement them. But it's definitely something that we can do to improve, because I hope that when the time comes and I'm spending time in a hospital, or my parents are in the hospital, or people I care about, these kinds of things are in a better state. Because there's no technical reason we have to be subject to this so-called ‘beeping hellscape.’” -- Dr. Michael Schutz This week we continue my interview with Associate Professor and MAPLE Lab director Dr. Michael Schutz as we talk about making a better hospital beep, the importance of turning scientific discovery into progress, and MAPLE Lab’s latest experiments on giving sounds more "pop". As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com web page) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. The Structure of Sound We start the second half of the interview with a closer look at hospital alerts, how many more of them there are today, and why Dr. Schutz doesn’t see that trend changing anytime soon. “If we think about the whole device landscape in hospitals as sounds being an auditory interface,” he explains, “then the question becomes what's the best way to structure the sound, not so that they're most alarming, but so that they're the most communicative.'" All Over the World Dr. Schutz explains the challenge and importance of turning scientific discoveries into genuine progress, and how even something as seemingly simple as updating the sound of hospital alerts can have far-reaching results. "Thinking a little bit more about how we can improve them with sound will have huge benefits,” he says, “because hospitals all over the world have many of these devices, and the number of devices is only increasing. So even a small change in the improvement in these can have a major impact on human health." The Bells and Whistles "I think the language itself that we talk about the frills is revealing,” Dr. Schutz tells us., “If we're talking about the things that are nice but not necessary, the literal term is bells and whistles: we're talking about the things that produce sound." We t
S1 E114 · Wed, January 19, 2022
Dangerous Beeps: An Interview With Michael Schutz - Part 1
“Ultimately the sound is almost irrelevant to the musical experience, with the important caveat that what matters about the sound is the psychological process it triggers in the mind of the listener. So it obviously plays an important role there, but what really matters is how it's being perceived and how it's being heard. So if there's something like a gesture that can change the perception, then you have changed the music, because music is something that really exists only in the mind of the listener.” -- Dr. Michael Schutz This episode's guest is the Associate Professor of Music Cognition/Percussion at McMaster University. Drawing on his interdisciplinary training in music, psychology, and computer science, he directs the MAPLE Lab, which researches Music, Acoustics, Perception, and Learning, while also conducting the McMaster Percussion Ensemble and serving on faculty at the Honors Music Institute in Pennsylvania. Designated a "University Scholar" in recognition of his innovative merging of music performance and perception, he's received the Ontario Early Researcher Award and the 2019 Alumni Award from the Penn State School of Music, as well as numerous grants to support his research. Before McMaster, he spent five years as Director of Percussion Studies at Longwood University, taught percussion at Virginia Commonwealth University, and performed frequently with symphonies. His TEDx Talk “Death by Beep” is now available on the TED website and the below YouTube link. His name is Dr. Michael Schutz and you'll want to hear his suggestions about how to fix a very real problem that’s happening right now in hospitals all over the world. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Listening to the Echoes The show starts with Dr. Schutz recounting a memorable early experience with sound, how he first discovered the mystery of echoes as a child by dropping his lunchbox and listening to the sound bounce off a neighbor’s house, and then the day that he received his first drumset, a Rototom that sparked his passion for music. “I just remember,” he recalls, “at the moment thinking that there’s something really fascinating about these percussive musical sounds.” Questions of Psychology We continue with his introduction to psychology, and how his early
S1 E113 · Wed, January 12, 2022
The Voice of Tomorrow: An Interview With Dr. Ahmed Bouzid - Part 2
“As human beings, we like to praise others that we believe are doing a great job. The thing is to make the ask easy to answer. So if you say 'can you record a one-minute video,' they would do it – I'm sure they would all do it – but it would be heavier. The lighting has to be good, you cannot have a bad hair day, and so on, whereas in voice you just need to make sure that your voice is okay.” -- Dr. Ahmed Bouzid In this episode, we continue my interview with Dr. Ahmed Bouzid, renowned speech technologist and Witlingo founder and CEO, as we talk about the Open Voice Network and the future of audio social media. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Speaking Your Knowledge We begin the second half of the interview by talking about how Witlingo and internet audio can help democratize creativity, allowing people who might shy away from posting videos and pursuing more restrictive forms of audio expression to nonetheless find their voice in online audio communities. As Dr. Bouzid puts it, “there are lots and lots of people who have lots and lots of knowledge, and the best way for them to share that knowledge is just to speak it.” The Social Audio Thing Our discussion focuses on social audio apps as well at the nonprofit Open Voice Network, the ethics of voice AI and social audio, and the power of major companies like Twitter and Facebook to shape the industry. “This social audio thing, I don't think we understand it really that much right now. I think we have the basics of it, but I think where it's going to go and what it's going to be in a year or two, five years, I don't think we really know right now.” Finding Your Voice Online “I think there should be mechanisms,” Dr. Bouzid says as we talk about the future of social audio. “It cannot be left to these private companies to dictate things that have massive consequences.” He goes on to tell us about his work with Witlingo and the versatility it’ll give users, allowing fans and creators to share content and feedback, and the interview wraps up on a lighter note as we discover a somewhat surprising hobby that we happen to have in common. Episode Summary Witlingo and the ease of social audio The ethics and dangers of voice AI The challenge of an open audio future How Witlingo can bring users together Connect with Dr. Ahmed Bouzid Witlingo: <a href="https://witlingo.com/
S1 E112 · Wed, January 05, 2022
The Voice of Tomorrow: An Interview With Dr. Ahmed Bouzid - Part 1
“I would say that the core driver has always been trying to enable more folks to engage, more people to be able to express themselves. So when I go back and look at all the things in my life, that seems to be the theme." -- Dr. Ahmed Bouzid This episode's guest is the founder and CEO of Witlingo, a McLean, Virginia-based company that builds tools for publishing sonic experiences, from Alexa Skills, Google Actions, and Bixby Capsules to Microcasts and social audio products and solutions. Before Witlingo, he was the Head of Product at Amazon Alexa and the Vice President of Product at Genesys. He holds twelve patents in Human Language Technology, is an Ambassador at The Open Voice Network, an Editor at The Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective (SERRC), and was recognized as a "Speech Luminary" by Speech Technology Magazine, as well as among the Top 11 Speech Technologists by Voicebot.ai. His name is Dr. Ahmed Bouzid, and if you have any interest in the future of voice and technology, this will be an enlightening discussion. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, just visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available. Better Than Computers Dr. Bouzid starts the interview by recalling his formative years in Casablanca, and his memories of waking up to the sounds of chickens on his family’s villa. He goes on to tell us about his work as a software engineer and how computers still have a long way to go to catch up with human language skills. “Language is a very fascinating problem to solve from the technological perspective,” he explains, “one of the hardest problems in artificial intelligence.” Teaching a Machine Manners We take a deeper look at the paradox of machine learning versus the human brain, how people have evolved around the use of language in a way that computers haven't. "Some people say that we are wired for language," he tells us, "that it's something that we are born with." Even something as seemingly simple as being polite can be almost impossible to program into a computer since it depends on so many cultural and social cues that we don't usually think about. The Fish and the Bird Next, we talk about Witlingo and the challenges facing voice-first systems like Alexa and Siri. Dr. Bouzid explores one of those challenges with a story he calls the Fallacy of the Fish and the Bird that illustrates the temptation to judge a new product using the same metrics that we used for the older ones, even when they don’t make sense. As he put it, “the
S1 E111 · Wed, December 29, 2021
Musical Logos: An interview with Rajeev Raja - Part 2
“So brands are trying to find a voice which is sympathetic, which is sincere, and we think music can play a big role in that. Because if you like music, you like it, you don't judge it. You don't question the intentions of an artist. You just love the piece of music.” -- Rajeev Raja This week we continue my interview with musician, soundsmith, and BrandMusiq founder Rajeev Raja as we talk about no-contact business branding, sonic branding in the retail market, and the challenge of bringing the nuance of branding to musical logos. Keeping the Brand Alive We start the second half of the interview with a look at how the pandemic has changed the relationship between businesses and their customers, and how sonic branding can help preserve a sense of connection even in the absence of face-to-face transactions. “They've discovered that having a sonic identity,” Rajeev explains, “transmits an emotion which can actually keep their brand alive in the emotional dimension, and raise their emotional quotient and keep it there.” The Subconscious Level After that, we talk about the power of MOGOs and audio branding in the age of social media, the challenge and opportunity to differentiate brands using audio, and the influence it can have on a deeper, more subconscious level than most marketers consider. “When you create a sonic identity for a brand,” he says, “and wherever the brand is heard, it's not just about creating a jingle and saying hey, hey, hey, listen to me – it's also the feeling that you leave behind.” Mapping Society’s Mood We wrap up the interview by considering how many different aspects of our lives are being revolutionized by sound and the potential for sonic branding, from custom sounds in electric vehicles to healing sounds in hospitals, and how this new soundscape can reflect and even help improve the mood of our global society. "During Covid, I used to just play healing tunes on the flute, and started sharing it," he tells me, "and I started realizing the power, the honest feelings that you have. Close your eyes, listen to that piece of music, and it's like you put the worries of the world away for a while." The Theory Behind MOGOs If you’d like to learn more about Rajeev’s theory of MOGOs, check out his TED talk “The Enchanting Theory Behind MOGOs” at https://youtu.be/hBhREwd-LaM . You’ll get to hear him demonstrate the concept with a beautiful flute performance and learn more about how, as he puts it in the video, a MOGO, or musical logo, is “the shortest distance between a brand and the consumer's heart.” Episode Summary How audio can help strengthen brand relationships Audio branding and the social media revolution The power of sound to make a subconscious impressi
S1 E110 · Wed, December 22, 2021
Musical Logos: An interview with Rajeev Raja - Part 1
“Because we also believe that brands are multidimensional, just as human beings are, right? So, we are multidimensional: we are seen in a certain way by our close friends, we are seen in another way by our family, close family, we are seen in a third way by our colleagues and associates, right? So, we are multidimensional, and brands also need to express themselves in different ways depending on the environment that they are in.” -- Rajeev Raja This episode's guest is the former National Creative Director of ad agency DDB Mudra as well as one of India's finest jazz and fusion flautists, with a number one album on the iTunes India charts for three weeks running. He's the founder and "soundsmith" of BrandMusiq, the first company in Asia dedicated to designing and managing sonic brand identities, and is a creative powerhouse who straddles the two worlds of branding and music. With over twenty-five years of advertising experience, he's worked on many of India's and the world's top brands and created many award-winning nationwide campaigns. With such strong credentials in music and branding, it's only natural that Rajeev Raja founded BrandMusiq – a perfect example of how one's passion can also become one's life work! Listen in as we talk about the power of sound: how it can make a brand more memorable, and how it can touch and influence our emotions on a daily basis. The Flute Found Me Each episode begins with a look back at my guest’s earliest memories of sound, and Rajeev shares a moving account of how he grew up listening to the vinyl records his mother used as a classical dancer in a home that was always filled with music. Soon he began to listen to pop music from around the world, then early jazz, the blues, and then the flute. “Just by ear, I could immediately play it,” he says. “It was as if I'd found the flute, but the flute found me.” Music on a Higher Level Even after he’d settled into a successful career as an advertising professional in Mumbai, music still called out Rajeev, and he faced a choice between following his two passions. When he realized how essential music can be for branding, and how few companies had really tapped into its potential, he founded BrandMusiq. As he puts it, "we can elevate music to a higher level, compared to the way it was used generally, which is a good old jingle that happens on a radio spot or a TV spot but doesn't reflect the essence of the brand." One Brand, Many Expressions Next, we talk about MOGOs, or musical logos, a term he created that's quickly taken off in the business world. Rajeev uses his flute to give us a beautiful firsthand demonstration of how subtle changes can affect the mood it creates in surprising ways. "The beauty is once you've created your sonic identity," he says, "which the MOGO, the musical logo, is, as we've said, a big part of, then you can actually start creating diffe
S1 E109 · Wed, December 15, 2021
Being More Human: An Interview With Graham Brown - Part 2
“All this machine learning is dehumanizing a lot of our interactions, and I say that as an AI graduate, very passionate about AI. Machine learning, pandemic data is very much dehumanizing a lot of what we do, everything from the chatbot to the less personal interaction with people." -- Graham Brown This week my interview with Graham Brown continues as we discuss machine learning, podcasting, and finding your ideal listener. Artificial Voices The second part of our interview begins with a deeper discussion of machine learning, advances like the OpenAI project and Google's MUM library, and the impact that it's having on everything from content writing to the voiceover industry. How will this affect artists and content creators? Can a machine ever really capture the human experience? "You can mimic a voice," Graham says, "but you can't mimic a conversation. That's the difference." Your Ideal Listener Next, we delve into the reasons for podcasting, whether it's just artistic expression, connecting with an audience, or promoting a brand. Graham tells us about the value of figuring out your ideal listener, the person you're really speaking to. "That's the difference," he explains, "between doing a podcast and talking to someone and projecting your voice into the ether," as he considers whether podcasting might become as widespread as resumes. The Human Touch We wrap up the episode with a look into the future of social audio in the era of Zoom meetings and remote work, and how audio balances the demands of professional efficiency with the need for an authentic human touch. “Storytelling should always be about re-framing narratives,” he tells us, “and if you think storytelling can be positive and negative, you can change the way people see things, events, history, other people, in a positive way.” Episode Summary Machine learning and the future of human audio Figuring out your ideal podcast listener The future of podcasting and social audio media Graham’s latest projects and how to learn more Connect with the Guest Pikkal Website: https://www.pikkal.com/ Graham Brown’s Website: https://www.grahamdbrown.com/ Connect with Graham Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamdbrown/ Free Download – Learn How to Create a Successful Podcast for your Brand: https://www.podcastingforbrands.com/ Connect with the Audio Brand
S1 E108 · Wed, December 08, 2021
Being More Human: An Interview With Graham Brown - Part 1
“If you've grown up not wanting to make mistakes because that was beaten out of you in the system, or if you've grown up trying to be perfect in your appearance, all of that is tough. Now you have to go onto a podcast and you have to be human, which is not easy.” -- Graham Brown My next guest is the founder of Pikkal & Company, an award-winning, AI-powered, data-driven business-to-business podcast agency in Singapore, and The Podcast Accelerator , a mastermind of thought leadership podcast hosts. He’s also a published author on the subject of the digital transformation of communication, so when it comes to getting his point across, he has a bit of an advantage. His passion for understanding how we use technology to communicate has led him to host several podcasts of his own, including Podcast Maps , the Be More Human podcast, the XL podcast XL: 10 Minute Leaders Live and Asia Tech podcast. He’s published over a thousand podcast episodes, and his work has been featured in the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal , just to name a few. His list of clients is impressive too, including McKinsey, Leap, UTI Investment Bank, AirAsia, Nokia, UNICEF, Disney, and Monster Energy Drinks. His name is Graham Brown, and if you want to learn more about podcasting for your brand, and effective communication in general, this interview will definitely be something you’ll want to hear. Sound is the Root We start off the episode with a look at Graham’s life in Singapore and the influence Asian culture had on his childhood, and then at some of the music that shaped his upbringing, from his mom’s Abba albums to awkward conversations about the Beatles. He soon realized the importance of sound in every aspect of our lives: “If you are very much passionate about people, communication, travel, culture, and languages, then sound is the root of all of that.” Breaking the System “The basis of language is listening,” Graham says as he tells us about the challenges and opportunities of communicating across cultural divides. We talk about how technology has been used to overcome such divisions ever since the start of the information age, from Bluetooth dating in Saudi Arabia to emergency bulletin board systems in Japan. “It was amazing how young people would really break the system to achieve that sort of social end, and that was universal... and, at a later level, that became innovation.” Where Podcasting Came From We continue with a deeper look at the early days of the internet and social media, and how today’s streaming content, from Netflix and Disney+ to iTunes and Spotify, emerged from those Wild West days of Napster and torrent streams. Now, as podcasting and content creation become mainstream, Graham helps businesses find the right balance of authenticity for business client
S1 E107 · Wed, December 01, 2021
Listen and Breathe: An Interview With John Watkis - Part 2
"Your breathing is the key to calming yourself down because you can lower your heart rate and calm yourself by the proper breathing techniques. And so we call this diaphragmatic breathing, and anyone in theater arts and anyone who sings will do this type of breathing. It's also used in yoga and mindfulness, where you take that deep breath, imagining that you have a balloon inside your stomach, and as you breathe in the balloon expands. You hold it for a few seconds and you exhale slowly, and that slow exhale brings your heart rate down." -- John Watkis This episode's the second half of my interview with performance coach, professional speaker, and author John Watkis, as we discuss empathy, breathing, and the key to speaking with confidence. A Bigger Toolbox The second half starts with a deeper look at the role silence plays in effective speaking, and whether storytelling is necessary to connect with an audience. John points out how some of the most famous speeches in history have effectively used elements like relatability and repetition, and the importance of using every tool at your disposal. As he puts it, “when you need a screwdriver or sandpaper, make sure those are elements in your toolbox too.” Both Sides of the Board We also talk about active and passive listening, and how often we find ourselves listening just enough to form our own reply, without really considering the other person’s words. “That's listening in and of itself,” he says. “We think we hear it, but we're not hearing what they mean.” John compares such exchanges to a game of chess, and, as in chess, the key to effective communication is to use empathy and consider the perspective on each side of the board. Remembering to Breathe We conclude our interview with a look at why, as an introvert, John prefers the intimacy of Clubhouse to some of the bigger social media networks, and he offers some practical advice on breathing, relaxing and speaking with confidence even if you aren’t a natural. “At any point when you feel nervous,” he explains, “it usually means you haven't been breathing. In fact, I watch speakers who gulp on air because they've been speaking without taking a breath.” Episode Summary The role of silence and storytelling. Repetition, rhythm and effectively using metaphors. Listening with empathy and understanding. How to relax and breathe while giving a speech. Connect with the Guest Website: https://johnwatkis.com/ Follow John Watkis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zumba.john.5/ Connect with John Watkis on Linked
S1 E106 · Wed, November 24, 2021
Listen and Breathe: An Interview With John Watkis - Part 1
“And we see it, we automatically know and can even tell when someone is reading something that is written. We're like, 'ah, they're reading.' And it's usually not their fault: it's that they're reading something that was written to be read by the eye, not for sound.” John Watkis This episode's guest knows a thing or two about public speaking and connecting with an audience: he's a high-stakes performance coach, a professional speaker, and the author of Speaking Notes: The Eight Essential Elements to Make Your Speech Music to Their Ears , not to mention the first Canadian-born actor to play Mufasa in the Disney musical The Lion King . Clients seek him out when they have to communicate at their best during presentations, pitches, and interviews. His name is John Watkis, and this week we'll be having a fascinating discussion about public speaking, storytelling, voiceovers, and everything else about sound in between. How People Judge You We begin with John’s earliest memory of sound, a harrowing encounter with a Winnebago when he was just four years old. From there we talk about his childhood in Toronto and how people’s mistaken impressions of him based on his Jamaican heritage led to an early understanding of how sound and voice influence people’s unconscious biases. “It was always apparent to me that the way you speak will determine how people judge you and the perception they have of you.” Writing for the Ear John goes on to tell us about the subtle differences between writing for the ear and writing for the eye, and how an experience near the start of his career revealed to him the hidden link between composing music and crafting speeches. We look at the eight elements great music and great speeches share, and how they both use rhythm to make a lasting impression. “That's the hook,” he tells us, “it's the one part we stick to. Well, speeches are very much the same.” The Sound of Trust We also discuss just how much information we convey without even realizing it, without necessarily saying a word. John explains the origins of a popular statistic about body language and talks about how cultural differences can challenge the way we’re used to reading people’s emotions. “When there was a misunderstanding or a lack of trust,” he recalls in a landmark study, “7% of that distrust came from words, 38% was the tone of voice, 55% was body language." Getting Used to Silence One thing public speakers quite often misunderstand, John explains, is the power of silence. “What is missing,” he says, “and you'll find most speakers don't want to use it, is silence. When we speak about sound, the sound of silence can be uncomfortable." Most of us use filler words and sounds to avoid awkward silence, but he shows us how silence can be an important part of communication, and how we ca
S1 E105 · Wed, November 17, 2021
Exposing Marketing Misconceptions: An Interview With Austin Franke – Part 2
*Please be advised - there is some strong language at the end of this episode.* “Since our brains are wired for community almost above everything else, social media can be a replacement for in-person community. And social media, if communities are built and authentic value is being brought to the table and all of that, then you can’t argue with that: it’s good. But what they’ve found is that even if someone is really positive on Facebook, it’s also psychologically harmful.” Austin Franke This episode’s the second half of my interview with behavioral strategist and Woo Punch founder Austin Franke, as we talk about advertising and marketing in the age of social media. Brands and People Our interview picks up with a discussion of availability bias, and how mental availability, the ease of recalling a particular brand in the right circumstance, can win out over persuasion. We discuss two competing approaches to marketing in the digital age and where Austin thinks the brand love approach goes wrong compared to data research: “where the misunderstanding comes from, I believe, is assuming that customers will ever view a brand like they do a person.” Large Business Effects We continue with a look at what the future might bring for Clubhouse and for other social media companies that are now trying to emulate its approach, and Austin explains how recent studies on “large business effects” have reaffirmed the value of traditional advertising even in the digital age. “My philosophy on social media is that it can help you if you’re a small business,” he explains, “but it’s really only effective as a complement to traditional media.” Rare and Valuable Work Austin talks about his social media philosophy, and the psychological harm that he believes trying to use it as a substitute for real-life communities has caused. We discuss toxic positivity and negativity, the addictive quality of social media, and Cal Newport’s books Deep Work and Digital Minimalism . “Rare and valuable work leads to success,” Austin says as he explains why he doesn’t rely on social media, “more than a bunch of superficial, hard, long hours of work.” Debunking Popular Wisdom We wrap things up with a look at Austin’s company Woo Punch and how it helps businesses better align their goals as well as build distinctive brand assets, and close with a review of some of the most and least effective ads of the Super Bowl. “I really love exposing the lies of the business industry,” Austin explains what motivates him as a writer and as a behavioral strategist, “with empirical data that debunks some of the most common popular wisdom.” Episode Summary Availability bias and brand love vs studying the data. Social media and the va
S1 E104 · Wed, November 10, 2021
Exposing Marketing Misconceptions: An interview with Austin Franke - Part 1
“We are loyal and loyalty is very common in business, but it’s what he calls ‘polygamously loyal.’ And essentially what that means is exactly what it sounds like: we’re loyal to a handful of brands.” Austin Franke This week’s guest is the founder and behavioral strategist at Woo Punch, a brand communications consultancy. As a brand design and advertising consultant, he helps brands construct and establish memory structures in their customer’s brains over time. As a mission consultant, he leverages behavioral science to help business owners pursue the long-term good of their company, their employees, and their customers without sacrificing their personal lives. And as a writer, he exposes the lies of business gurus with empirical evidence that debunks their claims. He has a simple message: customers don’t really think about brands. Advertising’s primary purpose is to remind customers, consciously and unconsciously, that brands exist. His name is Austin Franke, and we’ll be getting into the nitty-gritty when it comes to getting and, most importantly, holding a potential client’s attention. How does this work? And how can we make it work better without being sleazy? In this episode, we’ll find out! Making Your Own Music We start off the show with a look back at the sounds that influenced Austin as a child, from his piano lessons in kindergarten to his uncle’s career as a musician. He recalls how he discovered the beauty of songwriting and creating his own music while learning to play the guitar, and the impact that jazz had upon him: “When I listen to jazz it just literally transports to me another place, and I don’t know of any other genre that’s ever really done that for me.” Seducing the Subconscious Next, we talk about how the study of behavioral science changed the way he sees marketing, and how it challenges the conventional wisdom of trying to create brand loyalty. We discuss the book Seducing the Subconscious by Robert Heath and just how many decisions we make during the day happen on a purely subconscious level. “I’m very intrigued by the idea,” he explains, “that most of our decisions happen without us ever knowing that we’re making them.” The “Mad Men” Myth Austin tells us about how Professor Byron Sharp created the term “polygamous loyalty,” and showed that brand loyalty doesn’t really create growth so much as result from it. We talk about “the ‘Mad Men’ myth” and how Don Draper’s persuasive approach to advertising is a good example of how not to advertise in this day and age. As Austin explains it: “we know that the goal of advertising is essentially to remind customers you exist when they are ready to buy.” Disruptive Geckos The first half of our interview concludes as we talk about how difficult industry innovation can really be. We take a look at the insurance industry as a case st
S1 E103 · Wed, November 03, 2021
The Power of Podcasting
It's hard to believe it's been almost two years since the very first episode of Audio Branding. We've featured over forty exciting guests since the show started and talked about everything from audio branding (imagine that) and healing harmonies to machine learning and the sounds of the planets and stars. In this episode, we'll take a look at podcasting itself and some of the tools I use for my show that might be helpful to anyone thinking of starting their own podcast. Just so you know, some of the links I'll be sharing are affiliate links, but you're welcome to check out the websites without my affiliate codes, if you prefer. Either way, they're a good place to start when it comes to creating your podcast empire . With over a hundred million people in the U.S. alone listening to podcasts just last year, plus over twelve million in the U.K. and thirteen million in Canada, the audience and market influence of podcasting is only getting bigger. More than half of the people listening to digital audio, now listen to podcasts, and that audience is more attentive than ever before: podcast listeners devote on average thirty percent of their listening time to podcasts. If you have a brand, a product, or even just a message that you want to share with the world, podcasting is becoming one of the most effective ways to reach your audience. It fits into all the corners of your multitasking life because you can listen while you’re taking a walk, driving to work, washing the dishes, whatever. But there are some basic things you need to consider when you’re ready to put your podcast out there. For instance, where do you start when it comes to hosting your podcast? There are all sorts of options, and my show uses Captivate.fm for its hosting services. Not only do they offer marketing information on the site for promoting your podcast (Mark Asquith and his team really share some stellar information), they charge by the number of downloads per month rather than the number of podcasts. While a lot of other hosts charge per podcast, you can have as many as you like on Captivate, which can really come in handy if you ever want to start a new podcast while keeping your old podcast’s episodes archived. You can also create podcasting networks and even share ads within that network – an option that previously has only been available for content creators with very deep pockets. I highly recommended them, and you can find a link to them on my blog: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=jodikrangle Of course, there’s also the matter of recording your interviews, especially if you’re working on the go or, like me, you’re often interviewing guests from all over the world. Cloud-based audio software and interview services have come a long way just over the past few years, and the interviews on my show are rec
S1 E102 · Wed, October 27, 2021
Audible Equity: An Interview with Audio Branding Expert, Shez Mehra - Part 2
“Brands and companies are going to have to be much more thoughtful about how they're approaching audio and how are they making people's lives easier, how are they putting them at ease, how are they, you know, easing apprehensions and anxieties, how are you lightening the cognitive load, if you will. And so much of this is subconscious, but that's really where sound design and audio branding becomes increasingly valuable.” -- Shez Mehra This episode is part two of my interview with audio branding specialist and entrepreneur Shez Mehra, as we talk about audible equity, the future of branding, and the perils of stock music. Renting Audible Equity We begin with a look at some of the companies who took a long view toward their audio assets and branding, and are now starting to see the rewards. Disney+ has leveraged its decades-long branding to catch up with Netflix in a matter of months while children's shows like Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig have understood and invested in their audio brand. "And yet you have Fortune 1000," Shez explains, "even Fortune 500 companies that are running around still trying to rent their audible equity every time they go to market.” Shez also humorously points out the dangers of waiting until the last minute or relying on stock music when it comes to the audio component of an ad campaign with a video of no less than four major companies using the same theme. Want to hear what Nike, KFC, H&M, and Dolce & Gabbana have in common? Just click on the link below: https://vimeo.com/510302624/ A Deep Diagnostic Shez tells us about his work with the Telus #EndBullying campaign, and how, over a two-day period, his team helped turn around a project that had put off its audio strategy. “That was one of those instances,” he says, “where we believed in the campaign, we believed in the work and we did our very best to bring it to life quickly and efficiently.” We also talk about how his workshop helps analyze the role of audio content in a client’s marketing strategy. “We really do a deep diagnostic of their sonic universe as it exists today.” Making People’s Lives Better "In order to really resonate with people or capture their attention,” Shez explains, “you can't just serve them a TV commercial anymore.” We conclude with a look at the future of audio and its transition from the jingles and focused television spots of yesterday to the more ambient role it plays in our lives today. “You don't notice the music when it makes sense for the environment you are in, but subconsciously it is working… the goal here is to make people’s lives better without them even realize you’re doing so.” Connect with the Guest Websites: <a href="https://the194group.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target
S1 E101 · Wed, October 20, 2021
Audible Equity: An Interview with Audio Branding Expert, Shez Mehra - Part 1
“If you're not thinking about sound and audio strategically and intentionally as it applies to every part of the mix in marketing, every touchpoint, every channel, every platform, then you're likely going to be doing yourself a disservice.” -- Shez Mehra This week’s guest is an award-winning creative entrepreneur, founder, advisor, and producer who specializes in building brand affinity through the strategic and intentional use of sound. Sounds like the perfect person to ask about audio branding, right? His name is Shez Mehra and we met recently at a monthly Zoom chat that Jeanna Isham put together, discussing sound in marketing. Shez really impressed me with his knowledge about the industry, with the projects he’s worked on in the past, and where he sees this going in the future. He’s on the cutting edge of discovering creative ways to use sound for his clients every day, and I’m looking forward to exploring more about that and hearing some of the stories he has to tell. I really think you’ll enjoy this interview! Playing the Wizard Shez tells us about his earliest memories of sound, of dancing to Chubby Checker with his dad and trying to figure out how the musicians could fit inside a radio. But his life truly changed once he heard a DJ's record scratch, and then when he went to his first nightclub and saw a DJ's hold on the audience firsthand. "I was fascinated by this person sort of behind the scenes," he explains, “playing Wizard of Oz and really controlling the entire narrative and soundscape and influencing so many people's journeys.” Differentiation Through Sound “Audio branding,” Shez tells us, "is essentially building differentiation through sound. It's not unlike visual branding in that you see a logo or a brand or a color and you're intrinsically thinking about that brand or that company.” We discuss the more binary role sound used to play in marketing jingles, and how our audio branding has evolved over time. As Shez says, it’s about being “everywhere that a brand exists and speaks to a customer.” A Post-Production Conversation We also take a look at the meteoric rise of Clubhouse, Zoom, and social media in the audio branding landscape, and their staying power now that the world's beginning to open up again. Shez talks about the importance of integrating sound strategically into marketing from the very start of a brand. “Most brands aren't thinking about sound in this way. It's always thought of as a post-production conversation,” he tells us. “If you're not thinking about sound strategically, then you're likely going to be doing yourself a disservice.” Not the Same World “It is not the same world as even five years ago or ten years ago,” Shez explains, “and even the ways our brains are being wired differently now is changing.” We talk about the challenges that audio
S1 E100 · Wed, October 13, 2021
An Audio Retrospective - Celebrating 100 Episodes
Sound is a subject I’m very passionate about, and it’s more important than we think. When I started this podcast I wanted as many people as possible to know that their audio shouldn’t be an afterthought. But as I spoke with people about this topic, I learned that I had a lot to learn about it too. Every guest on this show has shared valuable information about how sound shapes us, and I’ve been fascinated by the depth of these conversations. I hope you have too. There’s a lot to unpack here, and the samples featured in this episode really just give you a basic overview. I’ve included links to each of the episodes here so you can go back and listen to any that intrigue you. Ultimately I’m on the same journey of discovery that you are, and it’s a journey that we’re taking together. It Seems Like Magic We start things off with a look back at my Episode 19 interview with sonic strategy director and audio alchemist Steve Keller, and his amazing work in using sound to change the way our brains perceive different flavors. From there we revisit Episode 81 , an interview with Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret of Lotas Productions, and the trends they’ve followed in the voiceover industry after Covid-19. Steve Keller: https://www.sxmmedia.com/ Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret: https://www.lotasproductions.com/ “Hey Jodi, it’s Marie Hoffman. I just listened to your podcast with Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufrent, and the excitement and positivity that they brought to the podcast about the future of voiceover and synthetic voices and AI was palpable. I felt like I went to four years of college in your thirty-one-minute podcast. Thank you so much for airing this, and keep up the good work!” — Marie Hoffman, Voiceover Artist The Timbre of Your Voice We continue with audiologist and parent coach, Dr. Lilach Saperstein’s interview in Episode 79 , and the subtle connection between our sense of hearing and emotional relationships. Then we jump back a little further to <a href="https://voiceoversandvocals.com/blog/audio-branding/interview-with-hamish-macdonald-managing-director-squeak-e-clean-studios-part-1/" rel="noopener nore
S1 E99 · Wed, October 06, 2021
The Sound of Marketing: An Interview with Jeanna Isham - Part 2
“This is about an enhancement. This is about a more immersive experience, not even an immersive audio experience, but an immersive experience because even if we tried and we just wanted to experience one sense, we can't." Jeanna Isham This week’s episode is the second half of my interview with composer, podcaster, and sonic branding expert Jeanna Isham, where we talk about voice technology and Jeanna’s inspiration as a podcaster, as well as the unlikely sound lessons we can all learn from Disneyland. A Self-Led Journey We begin with a quick look at Joel Beckerman’s book Sonic Boom and the subtle but effective audio strategies that Disneyland employs to make each of its themed sections stand out. Jeanna goes on to talk about her podcasting career and how it began as an effort to learn more about the audio side of marketing, and then as a way of sharing what she’s learned with others. “Through all this, I found the lack of sound strategy," she explains, “and as a musician, I was like, why would you just throw this in? So I started this self-led journey into sound marketing and realized that there was a lot missing." The Beginning of Sound Next, we discuss her Sound in Market online course, which is linked below along with her website. “We go back to the beginning of sound,” Jeanna says, “and realize that we are sound, and we do make sound, regardless of what you think, so why don't we make it on purpose?” She explains that sound makes a quicker sensory impression on the brain than sight and that user experience and voice AI design in particular can benefit from a more creative audio approach. "I want to open up the possibilities in your brain. I want your brain to start spinning and thinking independently of what I'm saying." Needing to Untether We wrap up with a look at the future of audio and media technology, both its dangers and the potential it holds. “We have become so oversaturated with technology and visuals,” she says, “and just being on that people need to untether, and just take a break from it.” Jeanna and I discuss Mindshare’s Media Dystopia web series, and the effort to keep up with emerging technology as well as successfully engaging the human beings behind it. “It hurts my heart when something doesn't land, but it's because of execution.” Next week will be my 100 th episode – be sure to check it out! Connect with the Guest Website: https://www.dreamrproductions.com/ Follow Jeanna Isham on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DreamrProductions/ Connect with Jeanna Isham on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannaisham/" rel="noopener noreferrer" t
S1 E98 · Wed, September 29, 2021
The Sound of Marketing: An Interview with Jeanna Isham - Part 1
“I really like creating but it is a lot of work and one thing that I have noticed is that companies and even industries do not fully understand the potential of sonic branding.” Jeanna Isham This episode's guest has over twenty years of audio experience, ranging from film composition and production music through the world of sonic branding and sound identity as a creator, strategist, and thought leader. Her company, Dreamr Productions, creates audio identities for companies and brands as well as consulting and educating on sound in marketing and its best practices. She also produces, hosts, and edits the Sound In Marketing Podcast while teaching courses on The Fundamentals of Sound In Marketing. Her name is Jeanna Isham, and one reason I wanted her on the show is that she’s right there in the thick of things, creating and consulting to help people understand how powerful a strategic and intentional audio brand can really be. Besides that, she’s just a great person doing great things, and that’s something you need to know about. Memories of Summer “The sound of cicadas makes me so happy," Jeanna says, recalling one of the sounds that always takes her back. "I have memories of sitting on my grandma's back porch sipping ice tea, yelling over the cicadas to talk to people, and that is my happy place." In the first segment, we take a look at how sound shaped her early life and dreams, from the tranquil hum of the cicadas to the music that helped inspire her as a teenager, from Sarah McLachlan to the Smashing Pumpkins. It’s Not About Music After trying her hand at traditional songwriting, Jeanna discovered that creating instrumental melodies and production music appealed to her more on a personal level. She soon discovered, though, that many companies still had a limited view of sonic branding, and hadn’t yet learned how to fully embrace its potential. "What it all whittles down to is that it's not about music, it's about sound. And when you take that limitation out of the mix,” she says, “it might come across as daunting, but the way I see it is that it's liberating." The Power of Sound By using the full power of sound, not just in the form of traditional jingles but in more innovative approaches like ambiance, licensed music, and even Spotify playlists, Jeanna explains how audio branding can make a deeper, more lasting impression than many people realize. “If it was a pleasurable experience,” she explains, “and it was strong enough of an experience, then you are advertising to your customer without having to be present. That's power." Next week we'll continue the interview with a look at Jeanna's podcast series, her monthly Sound on Purpose chats, and the direction she sees sonic branding and the future of sound taking. Connect with the Guest Website: <a href="https://w
S1 E97 · Wed, September 22, 2021
Podcasting By Numbers: An Interview with Jeff Vidler - Part 2
“Voice does communicate so much more meaning than what you can read. No matter how well written it is, it's still the voice that really carries the meaning of the feeling of that, and you know as a voice actor how important that is and how much more it communicates.” Jeff Vidler This week’s the second part of my interview with Jeff Vidler, audio researcher, media analyst and the founder and president of Signal Hill Insights, as we discuss smartphones, Clubhouse, the future of podcast growth and marketing, and his latest audio studies. The Problem of Downtime We continue with a look at how much the audio industry has changed over the past ten years, especially as smartphones, smart speakers, and streaming audio have come to replace traditional radio. "One of the things that smartphones do," Jeff explains, "is that they solve the problem of downtime when my mind is free but my eyes are busy and I'm bored." Despite the changing technology, he notes that radio programming itself has turned out to be more resilient than we might have expected, with more 18-to-34-year-olds listening to the radio than reading newspapers or watching network television. Clubhouse vs Podcasts Jeff and I also talk about the emergence of Clubhouse as an entirely new form of audio media, and whether it'll replace or enhance the role of podcasts. "Being part of something," he notes, "interacting with something in real-time, is different than settling into a podcast and losing yourself in a podcast, in a story that's being told." We also discuss Apple's recent change to its podcast language, and whether you "subscribe" or "follow" podcasts. A Whole New Vista We wrap up the interview with a look at the Megalab Truth Test and the surprising insights it offered about how well people can detect a lie, and some of the upcoming projects Jeff’s working on right now, such as the Radio on the Move study for the Canadian radio industry as well as commercial podcasts and radio contests. "For many years in radio research you weren't finding many new things,” he says, “the last ten years... has opened a whole new vista in audio." If you'd like to know more about Brand Lift Studies for podcasts, radio, and streaming, you can visit Signal Hill's Brand Lift Help page: https://signalhillinsights.com/brand-lift-help/ to access their free videos on Brand Lift Studies for audio, as well as a checklist you can use to help set you up for success on your next Brand Lift Study. Connect with Jeff Website: https://signalhillinsights.com/ Follow Jeff Vidler on Twitter: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/randall.libero" rel="no
Wed, September 15, 2021
Podcasting By Numbers: An Interview with Jeff Vidler - Part 1
“It's a gift to listeners. If you make your podcast a gift to listeners, they'll appreciate the fact that you gave them that gift and they'll remember you for that and they'll think better of you for that as a brand.” Jeff Vidler This week's guest has remained at the forefront of changing audio landscape. From his start as a radio station manager and program director, he's spent more than twenty-five years in research, sharing his passion for audio with North America’s major broadcast companies. More recently, he’s been doing the same with podcast publishers. His name is Jeff Vidler and we'll be talking about his insights into this steadily growing media segment. For those of you curious to learn more about the world of podcasting and how things have changed over the years, this is definitely the interview for you. Listening to the Funnies Jeff tells us how he grew up with an older brother who wanted to become a radio DJ and, as a child, helped his brother cut demos for his first radio job using a portable record player and the family’s home stereo system. Radio had a powerful early influence on Jeff, and he tells us about the radio program that awakened his passion for broadcasting and the audio industry: a local show that turned the newspaper comics into comedy skits every Sunday morning. “I can remember even thinking,” he tells us, “this company is so cool that they're allowing me to hear the funnies brought to life.” A Really Exciting Time Next we take a closer look at Jeff’s career and how much it’s evolved and grown since those early days in front of his brother’s turntable. After starting his audio career as a copywriter, music director, and radio consultant, he moved on to media research in everything from print and digital media to television and radio. “In the last four or five years the whole audio world has opened up with the growth of music streaming and particularly the growth of podcasting,” he explains. “It's a really exciting time for audio.” Nobody Really Knows One of the challenges that he’s working to overcome is the lack of marketing research into podcasts and new media. As Jeff puts it, "nobody really knows that much about what gets listened to and who's listening... and is it working for the advertiser." Although podcasts have seen incredible growth over the past five years, ad spending has lagged behind it for a variety of reasons such as segmentation, measurement, and the sheer number of podcasts out there. Podcasts By Brands We also talk about his research into the emerging market of branded podcasts, or, as one of the companies that Jeff’s worked with prefers to call them, original podcasts by brands. “They're not trying to sell,” he explains, “they're telling stories." Despite having no editorial impact and having a very light brand touch, they
S1 E95 · Wed, September 08, 2021
Healing Tones & Audio Therapy: An Interview with Michael Joly - Part 2
“I came into the world listening. Other people came in noticing, visually, or touching things, tactically, which is why there are sculptors and visual artists, and some of us were just innately oriented toward the sound of the world.” - Michael Joly This week is the second half of my interview with Michael Joly, founder of solu® and maker of the n.o.w. Tone Therapy™ device, where we talk about microphones, share tips for improving your sound recordings on a budget and look at the future of sound healing. Sound is a Doorway “I think sound is a doorway," Michael says, "that can help us experience truth." We begin with a discussion of microphones and audio recording equipment, comparing such diverse microphones as the Shure SM7 cardioid dynamic microphone, the Electro-Voice RE20, and the classic Neumann U47 microphone. Michael also shares his tips for creating an optimal sound environment for recording at home, using such everyday items as a clothes closet, furniture-wrapping blankets, and curtain rods to achieve surprisingly effective results. "What we're trying to achieve here is to communicate to people through a voice, and people love the intimacy of the audio medium." The Future of Healing We wrap up the interview with a look at what the future of sound healing might bring as audio continues to play a bigger role in our everyday lives. Michael also talks about the emerging field of “well buildings,” an international standard of wellness that includes sound reduction and ambient sound systems. “Sound is dynamic and always changing, and I think that we connect to this and we know something about ourselves and the way that the world is constructed.” Connect with the Guest Website: https://www.nowbysolu.com/ Connect with Michael Joly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-joly-043513144/ Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals https://voiceoversandvocals.com Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleV
S1 E94 · Wed, September 01, 2021
Healing Tones & Audio Therapy: An Interview with Michael Joly - Part 1
"In tone therapy, we've created a space which is both safe and intriguing so we can solve some of the discomfort problem with mindfulness meditation and we can also solve some of the boredom aspects of it." - Michael Joly This episode’s guest is the founder of solu®, maker of n.o.w. Tone Therapy™, a sound meditation device. Before solu®, he designed a range of professional and consumer audio products for motion picture sound, home theater, and recording studio use. He has a background as a musician, an on-air announcer and radio business development executive, and he's also been immersed in the study of metaphysics, focusing on the intersection of sound, listening, and consciousness. His name is Michael Joly and you can find the n.o.w. Tone Therapy™ System at nowbysolu.com. There’s a lot to unpack here, but Michael’s enthusiasm for audio and its proper use is something I really think you’re going to enjoy hearing. If you’re one of those people who are extremely sensitive to sound, I think this episode will validate and soothe you. I know Michael understands your pain! Sounds in the Fog Michael tells us about his first memorable experience with sound at the age of five when he heard the sound of distant foghorns on a misty morning in New Hampshire. That early memory not only sparked his interest in such experimental sound projects as Brian Eno's Music for Airports but also paved the way for his own work with ambient audio and tone therapy. "I realized," Michael explains, "I heard something like what Brian Eno is doing when I was a kid, that is, quasi-random overlapping of simple sounds to make new compositions. And that's what eventually led to tone therapy." Listening to Nothing We also talk about Michael’s early professional work, a career in cinematic audio technology that introduced him to a surprising new way of considering sound. “I spent a lot of time listening to the noise floor of optical soundtracks and the noise floor of magnetic tape, so I got really, really experienced at listening to nothing.” Listening to nothing became a big part of his approach to tone therapy, and turns out to be harder than we might expect. As he puts it, “I realized that you can't be thinking and listening attentively at the same time. It's just not possible to do. You're either giving your full attention to what you're hearing or you're thinking about it, or you're asking a question, or you're judging it.” The Power of Now Michael admits that when he first read the book The Power of Now , by Eckhart Tolle, he wasn’t impressed. But a series of changes in his life several years ago, including his struggle with depression, helped him see it in a new light. We discuss how the name of his n.o.w. tone therapy system is an homage to the book and its role in shaping his approach to sound healing, and how
S1 E93 · Wed, August 25, 2021
Interview with Producer, Randall Libero - Part 2
“Producers are people who are interested in developing and creating new ideas that expand human awareness and human consciousness.” Randall Libero This week is part two of my interview with online media authority Randall Libero. He's an executive producer of VoiceAmerica as well as co-producer of the new dramatic podcast "Marilyn: Behind the Icon.," and we'll be talking about myths, movies and the future of audio storytelling. The Power of the Image We begin the second half of the interview with a closer look at the concept of cinematic audio and “painting the scene with sound.” Randall discusses the innovative techniques of such cinematic legends as Stanley Kubrick and Orson Welles, and how they understood that art isn’t just created, but is brought to life by its audience. “When you look at a great painting,” he explains, “there's so much of your interpretation of it from everything that you've experienced in life, and you interpret that painting completely different from somebody else who's had a completely different experience in life.” Stories That Bring Us Together Randall also talks about the myths and archetypes of our ancestors, and the role imagery, geometry, and sound played in bringing those ancient stories to life. He sees such a holistic approach to stories making a return in the 21 st century, and with it an opportunity to forge a new connection to art. “The challenge is can we actually create content both on the screen and through storytelling, through audio sound, that actually expands human consciousness.” The Way That We Dream "We're in a full-out revolution now, and you can see that in many forms today.” Randall and I talk about how social media and the information age have empowered millions to create and share their work on an unprecedented level. “This digitized media landscape,” Randall notes as we look to the future, “has disrupted and forever changed how movies and media are changing the way we think, the way we live, the way we relate, and the way that we dream.” Creating It Together The episode concludes with a discussion of audio storytelling and the unique techniques that are involved in bringing a story to life entirely through sound. We explore just what it truly means to be a producer in the age of new media and what responsibilities creative producers have toward their audience and to future generations. As Randall puts it, “when you create media, you have a responsibility to your audience to make their lives better.” Next week I'll be interviewing Michael Joly, the founder and CEO of solu and creator of the n.o.w. Tone Therapy meditation device, for a look at sound, stillness, and the healing power of music. Connect with Randall Website: www.V
S1 E92 · Wed, August 18, 2021
Interview with Producer, Randall Libero - Part 1
“All throughout this, in the background, it's been, for me, a study about the effect of media on human consciousness.” Randall Libero When it comes to creating a brand and being known as an authority in your field, podcasting truly is the new frontier. This week's guest is on the forefront of that frontier, particularly audio drama: he's a producer, online media authority, speaker, and radio and TV host who's been creating original productions for network and independent television, broadcast news, and online media for over thirty years. His career began as a cameraman, editor, and producer in Los Angeles during the 1980s, and in the 1990s he created the first online media research facility and historical news archive for the U.S. State Department's International Bureau of Broadcasting. He switched to the world of journalism, writing international breaking news for CBS Radio and AOL Time Warner and today he co-produces a dramatic podcast, "Marilyn: Behind the Icon." His name is Randall Libero, and if you want to learn more about what it takes to have a successful podcast, this is the interview for you! A Different Kind of Kid We begin with a look at Randall’s childhood, his heartwarming first encounter with his grandfather’s wire recorder, and how a near-death experience at the age of five changed his perspective and gave him an early sense of maturity and awareness of the future. “I was a different kind of kid,” he explains, and he knew from an early age that he wanted to devote his life to exploring the magic of sound, to sparking the imagination and bringing stories to life. How Did They Do It? “I knew King Kong was not real,” Randall explains, remembering the movie monster who first inspired his fascination with sound, “but how did they do it?” We talk about the science-fiction and fantasy shows that influenced him as he grew up, such as The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone and the groundbreaking 2001: A Space Odyssey , and the beginning of mass media and commercial entertainment, a new form of storytelling that emerged quite literally before his eyes. A Study of Consciousness Randall and I talk about his wide-ranging career, spanning from broadcast television to international news to online radio and podcast production. Through it all, he says, his focus has remained on human consciousness, the complex relationship between the storyteller and listener's expectations, and how movies have helped transform our very definitions of stories. "You have to think of when did storytelling change and how did it change." When Storytelling Changed With the evolution from silent movies to traditional Hollywood films and now podcasts, stories are taking on entirely new forms and being told in new ways. Randall discusses the way both stories and their au
S1 E91 · Wed, August 11, 2021
Music of the Spheres
“In space, no one can hear you scream.” At least not according to a certain famous movie tagline, and for the most part, it’s absolutely right. Sound as we know it travels as vibrating waves through matter, and there just isn’t enough of it in the vacuum of space to carry sound. But that doesn’t mean space is really silent. Ancient scholars believed in the “Musica Universalis” or the “music of the spheres,” a universal harmony created by the movements of the planets and stars that, though inaudible to the human ear, filled the cosmos. And they turned out to be right in ways that even they couldn’t have conceived. Most of us know what the Sun looks like, but what does the Sun sound like? Modern astronomers before 1962 would have said it doesn’t sound like anything, but then they discovered that the Sun oscillates every five minutes as sound waves ripple across its surface. A new branch of science, helioseismology, was formed that uses those sound waves to map the inside of the Sun, the same way we can study the Earth by measuring earthquakes. It turns out that the Sun itself has a resonant frequency, just like a drum or a violin string. At 0.0033 hertz it’s too low to hear, but just check my blog for an audible clip of the Sun created by Stanford University’s Sounds of Solar Harmonics Project: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a9KasH8dhWjaY9gHKgS1iu6EWhf_oojQ/view Each and every star in the sky has its own unique harmonics, its own voice, and we’re just starting to study those stellar sounds. The European Space Agency’s PLATO space telescope is scheduled to launch in 2026 and one of its missions will be to study the oscillations of nearby stars, to literally listen to the sounds they create. Stars aren’t the only things in the sky that have a resonance frequency and a sound all their own. Even the planets possess their own unique sounds, created by magnetic fields and transmitted throughout the solar system as radio waves. Saturn in particular has a complex sound that includes its own magnetic field as well as the sound of its rings and moons swinging around it. You can find an audio clip of Saturn created by NASA on my blog; you might find it unsettling or even soothing, but it’s definitely unearthly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh2-P8hG5-E This sort of celestial harmony stretches far beyond our solar system to include the whole universe. Just a few months ago astronomers discovered that a nearby star system, TOI-178, has five planets locked in resonant orbits around their star. All five planets orbit their star with a single harmony, like a music box dancer. You can find a link to an audio representation of TOI-178 on my blog. While our Sun and planets can have very uncanny,
S1 E90 · Wed, August 04, 2021
Interview with #VoiceFirst Influencer, Physician, Speaker, Author and Podcaster, Dr. Teri Fisher - Part 2
“The convenience and service AI Voice will afford is part of the power of this system.” Dr. Teri Fisher AI Vocal Biomarkers “When you take a digital photograph, in addition to getting the image, there’s data that’s captured by the camera.” He compares the digital photograph information to the type of data you can get from hearing a voice. Besides the actual words, you can also clue in to mood, context, tone and other elements that give vocal information to the receiver. You can quantify this information and break down components in vocal sounds. “Putting these vocal samples into a computer, you can use artificial intelligence and machine learning with a computer to detect patterns in your voice.” Now the computer can detect emotion, changes in emotions and other “metadata” in someone’s voice. How Sound Impacted Teri at an Early Age Growing up in a musical household, with Teri’s mother studying music to become a music therapist. His three brothers and he started taking music lessons at the age of three. Between the different instruments played, they had a built-in family string quartet in their home. At a very young age, Teri started using his personal computer to make music using MIDI interface. “I started to write pieces of simple music using computers and I can still remember those sounds, and it was amazing to me that I could write music and control the computer to play my music.” Applications for AI Vocal Biomarkers We may be able to predict a potential suicide, catching COVID-19, cognitive decline, mortality rate, and possibly physical diseases. To ensure you have accurate voice authentication you have to make sure the system is able to compensate for changes in a voice due to aging. Personal Health Information and Data Privacy with AI Devices Your cell phone most likely has the highest percentage of your personal information out of all online places we use daily. However, we are not willing to give up our phones out of necessity. “The convenience and service AI Voice will afford is part of the power of this system.” When we have virtual meetings with doctors online, we are losing our privacy but patients participate because this way of meeting is convenient. Listen in to find out how you can get your business AI voice searchable on Amazon with Teri’s online course, how you can find flash briefings on Amazon and Dr. Fisher’s predictions about where Voice AI will take us in the future. Follow Audio Branding on the web! Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals https://voiceoversandvocals.com Like Voice Overs and Vocals on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pieceofcakevo/
S1 E89 · Wed, July 28, 2021
Interview with #VoiceFirst Influencer, Physician, Speaker, Author and Podcaster, Dr. Teri Fisher - Part 1
Dubbed as “The Voice Doctor”, Dr. Teri Fisher believes that voice technology is the next operating system and the future of computers and artificial intelligence. We talk about breaking down the complexities of this technology to its most basic parts. Listen in as we discuss navigating the world of voice. Settle back with your drink of choice and find out what the future of AI has to bring us! What The Voice Den Event is All About Dr. Fisher has put together an online event with the idea of creating something that can reproduce the experience people have at a conference outside of the formal sessions. At this event, you can chat with and get to know the speakers behind the conference. “We typically bring on five people in the voice space and invite participants on the show live to ask any question that is on their mind.” With no structure or format, this is purely an opportunity to have fun, chat, and talk to people they may not have in their network circle. It’s now referred to as “The Happy Hour of Voice” The following hour, participants are invited to jump onto Clubhouse to continue the conversation. Voice Den Topics of Discussion “Voice Denis all about the voice industry” with Dr. Fisher’s conversation focused on voice AI. From Amazon Alexa to smart speakers and developers talking about creating interesting AI features, the conversation covers many different topics. How Teri became Involved in Voice AI Being a technology enthusiast ever since he was a child, Teri remembers building radio-controlled airplanes and cars. In addition, he’s been interested in music and audio, becoming a musician early on in life. “Over the last couple of years, these interests have melded together - technology, education, music and sound.” He became enthralled with the idea of blending them all together in the AI format and has launched resources to educate others about the future of voice technology. At the age of 10, Teri’s parents purchased a new piece of technology - a personal computer. A Radio Shack computer running DOS was his first experience with a PC. Listen in to find out the five reasons why voice is so compelling, how healthcare has been changed by AI, and the types of AI applications Teri feels will be an integral part of the future of technology. Follow Audio Branding on the web! Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals https://voiceoversandvocals.com Like Voice Overs and Vocals on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pieceofcakevo/ Tweet with me on Twitter https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle Watch
S1 E88 · Wed, July 21, 2021
Audio Essentials with Filmmaker Kevin Elliot - Part 2
Matching Audio to Your Brand When Kevin’s company begins a brand project, they start from the perspective of the first sound that will strike an audience’s mind. Kevin looks for the video's vibe and creates a complementary soundtrack that goes along with the footage and feel of the brand. For one specific project, Kevin started looking through soundtracks and found the most wonderful viola piece. He prides himself on grabbing people's hearts and drawing them in emotionally to the soundtrack and visuals created. Kevin makes sure to create audio that might be expected, then brings it to Wewa Films' interpretation of the piece, building the client brand. The Distinct Look to Wewa Film Production “It’s incredibly hard to take the talent that you have and become excellent at doing it.” Kevin believes that art is what organically comes out of a person. However, the teacher in him wanted to analyze and determine why his filmmaking looked different from other filmmakers’ video productions. He found two reasons for the cinematic difference between his production and other videos: His partner is a wedding photographer, which taught her to be a ghost when shooting so she can capture those raw, emotional moments. She is a natural-born visual storyteller who knows how to put video clips in sequence to tell a compelling story. Making Everyday Work Look Like Magic Kevin and his partner created a video for a local McDonald’s, advertising their business. The client left a review that said, “You made our everyday work look like magic.” He enjoys taking everyday activities and creating beautiful art. Sound design is needed whether you are shooting near a road or shooting a spectacular jet launch. When you have a bold video, you’ll need to match your audio to compliment the visuals. There are certain audio bites people expect to hear if you want to complete their experience. You want to make sure there isn’t any cognitive dissonance. If you don’t design the audio around the visuals, you can easily distract your audience. Listen in to find out the types of projects Wewa Films produces, how Keven and his business partner were able to put together a tourism campaign for Gulf County, and Kevin’s tips on how to use sound effectively. Follow Audio Branding on the web! Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals https://voiceoversandvocals.com Like Voice Overs and Vocals on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pieceofcakevo/ Tweet with me on Twitter https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on <a href="http
S1 E87 · Wed, July 14, 2021
Audio Essentials with Filmmaker Kevin Elliot - Part 1
“Music has been a part of my life for my whole life and I didn’t realize that most kids don’t grow up with that kind of music exposure.” Kevin Elliot Filmmakers who understand sound and why sound is essential to their production are a favorite topic on the Audio Branding Podcast. Today's guest is the co-founder and lead producer for Wewa Films, a company specializing in heartfelt, cinematic video stories. In addition to being co-founder of Wewa Films, he's also a college professor, teaching public relations writing, persuasion, and public speaking at Florida State University. He's produced videos nationwide for high-profile clients, including McDonald's, the Federal Highway Administration, Florida's Great Northwest, and the Children's Advocacy Center. In addition to video, Kevin also creates written content and has published articles for The Washington Post, Desktop Documentaries, Business Energy Magazine, and Public Roads. Settle back with your drink of choice and find out what makes a good film company a great film company! Why Audio is as Important as Visuals in Filmmaking “The audio is easily, equally as important as the video in filmmaking,” says Kevin. His earliest memories of sound made a strong impression on him as a child, listening to his dad’s sermons. His father was a minister in the Air Force, better known as a Chaplain, and he remembers hearing his father “professionally speaking once a week” during his sermons. While his dad was talking, his words would be backed up by music. Whether it was the choir or instrumentals, he remembers having exposure to many different sounds. “The overlay and interplay of voice gives certain effects to the sound and it was fascinating.” Raised as a “Music Kid” Starting piano lessons at the age of eight, Kevin added learning to play music to his music appreciation repertoire. After piano, he practiced music in his school band starting in middle school and started college on a music scholarship from high school. Listen in to find out how Kevin’s teaching background compliments his work, what Kevin promises clients from a marketing perspective, and which sound libraries Kevin uses for his client’s video music. Follow Audio Branding on the web! Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals https://voiceoversandvocals.com Like Voice Overs and Vocals on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pieceofcakevo/ Tweet with me on Twitter https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle Watch the Audio Branding Podcast
S1 E86 · Wed, July 07, 2021
Singing Blobs and Electric Melodies
Machine learning has helped shape just about every aspect of our digital lives, whether it’s deciding which Netflix show or YouTube video to recommend to us or even teaching cars to drive themselves. One of the most innovative uses for machine learning, however, is in creating music. Just recently Google released Blob Opera, a machine learning tool by David Li that “pays tribute to and explores the original musical instrument: the voice.” There’s a link below for you to try it out for yourself: all you have to do is direct each of the singing blobs by sliding its range up and down with your mouse, and listen as they compose their own harmonies. https://experiments.withgoogle.com/blob-opera This sort of musical collaboration between humans and computers has been evolving for a surprisingly long time. There’s some debate on just when the first electronic music was created, but the oldest recording comes from 1951. It’s a sample of three songs created by Alan Turing’s Ferranti Mark 1 computer, which filled up a whole room; the melodies were programmed by Christopher Strachey, a computer scientist who also drew upon his experience as a piano player to teach the computer how to play music. This early melding of art and science would pave the way for similar fusions of musical and scientific genius over the years. Want to hear the Ferranti’s groundbreaking music for yourself? Just check out the link below for a digitally restored recording of that historic moment, and what the people listening had to say: https://soundcloud.com/guardianaustralia/first-ever-recording-of-computer-music Of course, synthetic music’s come a long way over the past seventy years. Now, thanks to machine learning and the development of artificial neural networks, computers can compose their own songs with hardly any human guidance at all. Here’s a link to “Mister Shadow,” a song entirely composed and performed by Sony Computer Science Lab’s “Flow Machines” AI system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcGYEXJqun8 They can even mimic human voices, using deep learning paired with existing recordings to study and then duplicate a particular kind of voice. In 2019 Yamaha used its new VOCALOID:AI vocal software to recreate the voice of legendary singer Hibari Misora on the 30th anniversary of her passing. There’s a link to the song below, and I think you’ll agree that the result are uncanny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq_YIvx-lVc But how did we come all the way from a computer beeping the nation
S1 E85 · Wed, June 30, 2021
Interview with Vocal Coach for Singers & Speakers, Julia Langley - Part 2
In the first part of my interview with Julia Langley, we discussed everything from how she’s transformed her career with life changing events to a few quick exercises that are great for helping singers and speakers to visualizing sound. I can’t wait for you to jump into this second part of our interview to hear the rest of the great advice and knowledge Julia shares with us. We discuss: How tone is perceived by an audience (in general) The importance of projection and annunciation Bringing in dynamics to make vocals interesting Improving your speaking voice for a podcast Great for a podcast - calm vocals and clarity Overcoming vocal battles To improve your voice, record your voice and listen back Where a vocal coach comes in Being okay with who you aren’t Knowing the things you’re not good at allows you to step into what you are good at The need for breath support Standing out Embracing the little pieces of you that allow you to be identifiable Tone and rhythm, how you breathe and where you breathe Your own personal audio branding Catch phrases The importance of hearing something over and over again Julia’s first thought when she originally heard the term “audio brand” Where TV shows use their audio brand throughout the show Musical themes across different media to create familiarity and comfort Sound’s role in PTSD Julia’s story with PTSD PTSD makes a physical change in the body and you can’t control your body’s reactions Learning to manage PTSD Using singing as therapy for PTSD Julia’s techniques for working through PTSD situations The role listening to music plays in your brain and on your body The role singing music plays in your brain and on your body Resources to use music to help with PTSD Long term memory and music Julia’s new website and online course All the questions Julia’s course answers If you want to learn more about Julia or get in contact with her, check out these resources: Resources on PTSD: Book: “The Body Keeps The Score: Brain Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Besser Van Der Kolk, M.D. On Amazon video there is a great documentary that addresses PTSD - consequences and overcoming. It’s called “Quiet Explosions: Healing the Brain” She has two upcoming projects on the subject: A book she’s writing in the early stages now called “A Warrior’s Hymn - How to bounce back from adversity and find the champion within”. And a podcast on the same topic. She’s also planning on having an online vocal training course by August 2021. Julia’s website: https://julialangley.net/ (will be live by the t
S1 E84 · Wed, June 23, 2021
Interview with Vocal Coach for Singers & Speakers, Julia Langley - Part 1
This is the first part of my interview with vocal coach and professional singer, Julia Langley. She is a vocal coach for singers and speakers and it’s her unique perspective that makes this interview one worth listening to. Julia also shares information with us regarding a horrible accident that forced her to reimagine her career and the blessings she’s taken from it. I love how many actionable tips there are in this episode and I’m sure you’ll be able to find something to relate to your own speaking - no matter what industry you’re in. In this interview, we discuss: How Julia is doing and how 2020 went for her Julia’s accident and her recovery journey Julia’s transformation with her career The techniques to better our speaking skills and how they’re the same as those we use for singing Speaking with intention and using tone Where to find confidence Knowing what you have to say is important The mental component of singing and speaking The importance of the first step - starting The benefits of working with a coach Finding your own niche A success story from Julia Refining strengths The power of shifting what you’re focusing on Believing in yourself and reinventing yourself The importance of being resilient The ways COVID has changed the way Julia teaches Warm up exercises for speakers The importance of breath and what it does for your voice Breath as the foundation for your voice Exercise example - say the ABCs as many times as you can in one breath Speaking is a workout - treat it as such Singing teaches you to listen Exercise example - the tonal exercise with different levels Music’s effect on our brain Visualizing to help improve your voice How tone gives a different message Using visuals to make sound more tangible The beauty of dissonance in music How speakers need to understand tone to relate to their audience If you want to learn more about Julia or get in contact with her, check out these resources: Resources on PTSD: Book: “The Body Keeps The Score: Brain Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Besser Van Der Kolk, M.D. On Amazon video there is a great documentary that addresses PTSD - consequences and overcoming. It’s called “Quiet Explosions: Healing the Brain” She has two upcoming projects on the subject: A book she’s writing in the early stages now called “A Warrior’s Hymn - How to bounce back from adversity and find the champion within”. And a podcast on the same topic. She’s also planning on having an online vocal training course by August 2021. Julia’s website: https://julialangley.net/ (will be live by the t
S1 E83 · Wed, June 16, 2021
Positive Vibes Only
Most of us grew up learning that the human body has five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Everything we know about the world around us comes to us through these senses. We see colors and we hear music. We taste whether our coffee has sugar in it and, especially now that we’re heading into summer, we smell the flowers and feel the warm air. But the world isn’t really divided up as neatly into those senses as it might seem. Depending on how you look at it, we might have anywhere from just three senses to thirty-three or more; they can mix together and split apart in ways that we don’t usually think about. Sound in particularly is really just vibrations filling the air around us, and that simple fact can lead to some fascinating discoveries if we look and listen closer. Can you see sound? It might seem like the answer is no, but if it’s loud enough, you may notice a window shaking or even feel the floor trembling under your feet. But the truth is that everything carries sound and vibrates with it, even if we can’t normally see it. A few years ago researchers at MIT developed an algorithm they call a “visual microphone,” that can scan video footage to observe the way sound causes everyday objects to invisibly vibrate and then reproduce those sounds. Check out this video for a video demonstration of how a houseplant vibrates with the song “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and how that song can be recreated using those silent vibrations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKXOucXB4a8 Everything around us is humming with sound, even if we don’t always notice it. If the frequency’s too low, we might sense the sound without actually hearing it. Such low, deep sounds are called infrasound and even though we can’t hear them, animals use them for everything from traveling in herds to migrating in the winter to sensing earthquakes and eruptions. And although we can’t directly hear infrasound, we can sense when it’s there, as a vague feeling that something’s making us uncomfortable. Researchers think it might be the reason some houses seem to be haunted, and horror movies have started using infrasound to create a more ghostly atmosphere. I’ve linked to a video here of a 19Hz infrasound clip if you’d like to hear, or feel, it for yourself. You’ll need headphones to play back such a low frequency, and be careful: you might end up feeling nervous, dizzy or even a little sick to your stomach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_O1m_QZll0 Most of us spend every moment of our lives surrounded by sound, so what happens when all of that sound’s taken away? The answer can be found in an anechoic chamber, a soundproof room that’s designed to absorb all sounds, both inside and out. Two such rooms, one at Orfield Labs in Minneapolis and the other at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, hold the record as the quietest places on Earth. They’re so quiet that nobody’s ever stayed inside one for more than an hour. Even walking can be a ch
S1 E82 · Wed, June 09, 2021
Interview with Jim Kennelly & Sam Ufret from Lotas Productions in NYC - Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret. In the first part, we discuss their business, Lotas Productions and how both Jim and Sam got into this industry. In this second part, we dive more into the industry of voice overs itself and where we see this industry going in the future. We discuss: Being open to diversity in voices How Jim and Sam use their best judgement when casting voice overs Being aware of who else may benefit from your services and how voice overs can increase your reach The return of the jingle The increased reach of where voice overs can be found The goal of the voice over being an emotional impact How we’re really at the infancy of voice overs and audio branding How close we are to having AI and synthetic voices everywhere Asking the question- “is there something to this?” when finding out how to make synthetic voices sound natural When synthetic voice will be used in the future How synthetic voice not actually taking jobs, just adding to your portfolio How the future of AI looks like separate voices for advertising different products The future of conversational design New tech coming to voice overs Globalization of voice overs other industries Clubhouse and its part in the globalization of the voice industry New technology when it comes to voice auditions Personalizing this industry and giving/getting real feedback Designing for the newest generation of voice producers If you want to get in contact with Lotas Productions: Company Website: https://www.lotasproductions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lotas-productions/about/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lotasproductions/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LotasProdsVOs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LotasProductions/ This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider giving this podcast an honest review? You can do that here: https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding . And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone y
S1 E88 · Fri, June 04, 2021
Audio Essentials with Filmmaker Kevin Elliot - Part II
Matching Audio to Your Brand When Kevin’s company begins a brand project, they start from the perspective of the first sound that will strike an audience’s mind. Kevin looks for the video's vibe and creates a complementary soundtrack that goes along with the footage and feel of the brand. For one specific project, Kevin started looking through soundtracks and found the most wonderful viola piece. He prides himself on grabbing people's hearts and drawing them in emotionally to the soundtrack and visuals created. Kevin makes sure to create audio that might be expected, then brings it to Wewa Films' interpretation of the piece, building the client brand. The Distinct Look to Wewa Film Production “It’s incredibly hard to take the talent that you have and become excellent at doing it.” Kevin believes that art is what organically comes out of a person. However, the teacher in him wanted to analyze and determine why his filmmaking looked different from other filmmakers’ video productions. He found two reasons for the cinematic difference between his production and other videos: His partner is a wedding photographer, which taught her to be a ghost when shooting so she can capture those raw, emotional moments. She is a natural-born visual storyteller who knows how to put video clips in sequence to tell a compelling story. Making Everyday Work Look Like Magic Kevin and his partner created a video for a local McDonald’s, advertising their business. The client left a review that said, “You made our everyday work look like magic.” He enjoys taking everyday activities and creating beautiful art. Sound design is needed whether you are shooting near a road or shooting a spectacular jet launch. When you have a bold video, you’ll need to match your audio to compliment the visuals. There are certain audio bites people expect to hear if you want to complete their experience. You want to make sure there isn’t any cognitive dissonance. If you don’t design the audio around the visuals, you can easily distract your audience. Listen in to find out the types of projects Wewa Films produces, how Keven and his business partner were able to put together a tourism campaign for Gulf County, and Kevin’s tips on how to use sound effectively. Follow Audio Branding on the web! Book your project with https://voiceoversandvocals.com/ (Voice Overs and Vocals) https://voiceoversandvocals.com Like Voice Overs and Vocals on https://www.facebook.com/pieceofcakevo/ (Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/pieceofcakevo/ Tweet with me on https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle (Twitter) https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO Connect with me on https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/ (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/ Contact the Audio Branding Podcast by emailing Jodi at VoiceoversAndVocals.com Leave the Audio Branding Podcast https://lovethe
S1 E81 · Wed, June 02, 2021
Interview with Jim Kennelly & Sam Ufret from Lotas Productions in NYC - Part 1
I’m really excited to be speaking with these two guests - Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret. Jim is one of the powerhouses behind Lotas Productions and has spent his career looking for the perfect voice for each project he’s been a part of. Sam is in the thick of everything over at Lotas. She has an amazing talent for the production end of things and both she and Jim are fighting every day for diversity in the voice over business. This interview was a wonderful insight into the future of voice overs and I can’t wait to share it with you. We discuss: Jim and Sam’s positive spin on COVID and what it’s been able to do with their business The technology that’s connected us through COVID Voice overs have always been a work from home industry COVID being a push for talent to create a home studio The reasons people didn’t want to create a home studio before COVID Jim and Sam’s favorite part of working at Lotas The future of voice overs How sound influenced Jim’s pursuit of voice overs Sam’s first encounter with GarageBand How Sam loved the idea of being in the war room of a news studio How Jim started Lotas to connect with people around the world The Origins of Lotas Productions The emerging fields of voice overs The most popular voices pre-COVID Implementing diversity in their voiceovers The importance of seeing yourself in the media Bringing forth the diversity of ideas The cycles of sound Audio branding as casting 101 The left brain/ right brain divide and how Lotus closes that gap Using multiple voices within your audio branding The growth of regional spots The industries now using voice overs If you want to get in contact with Lotas Productions: Company Website: https://www.lotasproductions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lotas-productions/about/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lotasproductions/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LotasProdsVOs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LotasProductions/ This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider giving this podcast an honest review? You can do that here: <a href="ht
S1 E80 · Wed, May 26, 2021
Interview With Audiologist And Parent Coach, Dr. Lilach Saperstein – Part 2
This is the conclusion of my interview with Dr. Lilach Saperstein. If you missed the first part, Lilach and I discuss everything from the science behind hearing/sound to properly using sound effects in your marketing material to make it more accessible for people with hearing loss. In this part, we dive into more of the audio branding side of things and how you can help make things easier for anyone you know who might have hearing loss. In this interview, we discuss: The possibility of ASMR helping with tinnitus The fascination with ASMR in general A previous podcast guest who was an expert in ASMR A recent ad Liliach experienced with ASMR Knowing your target audience The evolution of the short snippets of music on TikTok Certain types of music or bands that make us feel different emotions Intentionally adding in white space to your audio advertising My main purpose for starting this podcast - bringing awareness to the importance of audio branding Trends moving toward paying attention to audio Advertisers having the host read the ad to feed into the connection already made The ease that audio gives to do multiple things The rise of clubhouse and devices that are merely audio (Google Home, Alexa, etc.) The lack of the visual with a device Why companies have moved to creating their own sound What you really need to create an audio brand Auditory processing How kids are affected by audio and the effects on auditory processing The way the message can get mixed up in your brain Some of the main struggles with older people Mis-diagnosed kids with ADHD who actually have a hearing/processing problem The way hearing aids work What hearing aids can’t do Tips to use when communicating with people who have hearing aids Rephrasing with people who are struggling to understand you The individual process of figuring out your individual hearing loss Counselling people who have hearing loss and their loved ones The work Lilach does with her clients and families The power of your auditory sense Taking care of your auditory sense - calm relaxing music or sounds you enjoy Pay attention to the sounds/words that bring your joy If you have any concerns about your hearing, see an audiologist The ways to get in contact with Lilach If you want to hear more from Lilach: You can contact her through her website if you want to talk about her own online practice or just connect with her. Instagram: www.instagram.com/allaboutaudiologypodcast Website: https://allaboutaudiology.
S1 E79 · Wed, May 19, 2021
Interview With Audiologist And Parent Coach, Dr. Lilach Saperstein – Part 1
This is my interview with Dr. Lilach Saperstein. Lilach is different from most of the guests I have on this podcast. She’s into the science end of sound as an audiologist, specializing in helping parents deal with hearing loss in their children. Our conversation runs the gamut of talking about the science of sound to chatting about how sound affects our everyday life. She is such a wealth of knowledge and I’m sure you’ll learn as much as I did! In this interview, we discuss: The newest lockdown happening in Israel Lilach’s background that led her to audiology Her draw to the medical field The integration between education and connection and the medical aspects of audiology The basics of hearing - what exactly is it? All the different causes of hearing loss The processing of what you hear Putting meaning to what we’re hearing Things moving within your ear and how it brings emotional connection The connection of our senses Typical aging of our hearing What sounds we tend to lose with age The options available if you’re losing your hearing Managing your environment Noise induced hearing loss Avoiding loud noises over an extended period of time Protection if you’re going to be exposed to loud noises over an extended period Using headphones correctly Accessibility of content for people with hearing loss Not overlapping music and voice at the same time Creating a positive experience for listeners and consumers of content Speech as humans’ primary means of communication The tie between hearing and smell Properly placed sound effects Cultural sensitivity to different cultures and the emotions evoked with sound Not talking too fast and yet not too slow When writing copy that will be spoken, say it out loud as writing it to avoid over usage Trying to get people’s attention in those first 3 seconds When tinnitus is a problem What tinnitus actually is and what simple solutions we can use Calming your nervous system If you want to hear more from Lilach: You can contact her through her website if you want to talk about her own online practice or just connect with her. Instagram: www.instagram.com/allaboutaudiologypodcast Website: https://allaboutaudiology.com/ This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast? If
S1 E78 · Wed, May 12, 2021
Interview with Sonic Branding Strategist & CEO of Pirate Group Inc., Tom Eymundson - Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Tom Eymundson. This part dives in deeper to the bigger necessity of having an audio brand. This audio brand is the connective tissue to your customers. Tom really lays out for us how important an audio brand is as we move into this next decade. We discuss: The brands Tom has worked with that really stuck out to him His big brand collaborations- Koodo, Porter Airlines The way that Porter Airlines has used a champagne flute ping in their audio branding The piece of jazz Porter Airlines acquired and where Porter plays their sonic branding (on commercials and when you get on their airplanes) Cobranding with different pieces of audio The difference between sonic branding and a piece of music The danger of leveraging someone else’s music to tap into an emotional connection with your audience Branding being an even more important piece of business as more startups are being created How businesses are being judged on their audio branding now more than ever The NEED for connecting with your customers as a business Brands creating their own mix tapes to connect with their customers Sound as a key component to expressing the quality of your brand The upcoming need of becoming more and more sound proficient as a brand How one company is using dynamic music in a phone app Mastercard’s new audio soundscape and adding in a sound for your transactions online Moving toward having companies create transactional sounds and partnerships between companies The time it takes for something in audio to become memorable Tom’s current project - doing phase 3 of testing with a lottery company All the backend that has to happen for audio branding to be done well The cost of creating a really great audio brand Using a piece of music versus a human voice Marketing and explaining to companies how important an audio brand can be The longevity of an audio brand McDonald’s success with their audio brand How audio branding is your handshake on the way out the door If you want to find more information about Pirate Group Inc, you can find them: On their website: www.piratetoronto.com On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piratetoronto On Instagram: www.instagram.com/pirate_toronto On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pirate-radio-&-television/ On Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/
S1 E77 · Wed, May 05, 2021
Interview with Sonic Branding Strategist & CEO of Pirate Group Inc., Tom Eymundson - Part 1
Tom Eymundson is a sonic branding strategist and a partner, CEO and driving force behind the ongoing evolution of Pirate Group Inc. In this first part of our discussion, we break down Tom’s three step process for serving his clients and discuss some of the background that led him to create sonic brands for a wide variety of companies. He’s super knowledgeable and I can’t wait for you to hear his perspective on the importance of having a strategic sonic brand. You can find Pirate at www.piratetoronto.com . We discuss: How he’s currently doing in this COVID world The difference between audio branding and sonic branding Tom’s definition of sonic branding Tom’s background that led to ending up as the head of Pirate Group Inc. Earworms and their impact on Tom’s decision to go into sonic branding The sonic branding of James Bond The change in creating music for audio branding from orchestras to now Tom being the trackmaster The “magic” of adding music to a commercial and how it completely changes people’s reactions The story of the closing of Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto How layering music with storytelling and the visual component leads to an emotional connection The evolution into his current process when creating sonic logos Breaking down why some sonic identities stick and others don’t The need to dig deep and figure out the brand identity before being able to create a new sonic logo Sonic logos are meant to draw brand recall The goal of creating an emotional reaction to the sonic branding The sonic branding methodology should lead to truly understanding the background of the sound When to recreate an audio brand or just refresh it The process of diving deep into determining the audio branding The similarities between creating a visual logo and a sonic logo What Tom’s company does if someone says they don’t like what’s been created! If you want to find more information about Pirate Group Inc, you can find them: On their website: www.piratetoronto.com On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piratetoronto On Instagram: www.instagram.com/pirate_toronto On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pirate-radio-&-television/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/piratetoronto This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco
S1 E76 · Wed, April 28, 2021
Bringing Fantasy To Life
Have you ever heard the roar of a dinosaur? If you’ve seen any of the Jurassic Park movies, it’s pretty much impossible to forget the bellowing cry of a Tyrannosaurus rex, but did dinosaurs actually sound like that? No one’s really sure. The two closest living relatives of dinosaurs are birds and crocodiles, and they don’t sound anything alike. Did a Velociraptor sound more like a goose or an alligator? Did it even have a voice at all? While no one’s ever heard a real dinosaur, someone behind the scenes had to figure out what they might sound like and then create that sound for the audience by using bits and pieces of the world around us. That’s where sound designers and Foley artists come in, the artists who use sound to bring the unreal to life. If you've watched the end credits of a movie and wondered just what a Foley artist is, and why they're called Foley artists, it all started with sound artist Jack Foley and the 1929 movie Show Boat. Show Boat was meant to be a silent film, but silent movies were already on their way out, and a Broadway musical based on the same book had just made its debut the year before. Producers worried that audiences would not only want sound but would also expect to hear their favorite songs from the musical. With no time to go back and film the movie all over again, they turned to Jack Foley to record a separate audio track, creating sounds like footsteps and raindrops using whatever he could find in the studio. It was the very first film to use what are now called Foley effects, and this technique of creating post-production sound effects is named after him. If you’d like to see a pair of Foley artists at work, creating the sound effects for a movie scene using everything from empty bottles to heads of lettuce, just watch the video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OONaPcZ4EAs Since there aren’t any dinosaurs to come into the studio and record their lines, sound artists for the Jurassic Park movies faced the challenge of giving voices to creatures that no one has ever heard before. They did this by piecing together all sorts of other ordinary sounds. That famous Tyrannosaurus roar, for instance, is the sound of a baby elephant slowed down and mixed with a growling tiger and a bellowing alligator. Those barking Velociraptors are mostly the sounds of turtles mating, with just a dash of angry geese. Many of the sounds we hear in a movie, even the ones that seem simple enough, are often something quite different. When a legion of Roman soldiers in Spartacus needed to clang dramatically, and it turned out their real armor just sounded like rattling pots and pans, Jack Foley solved it by dangling his keys in front of a microphone. Whenever the sliding doors aboard the starship Enterprise swish open on Star Trek, that’s really just a piece of paper being pulled out of an envelo
S1 E75 · Wed, April 21, 2021
Interview with Voice Coach, Professional Speaker, & Best-Selling Author, Cynthia Zhai - Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Cynthia Zhai. We continue our conversation about the different ways you can improve your voice along with the technical workings of it. There are a lot of actionable pieces of advice in this interview! We discuss: people who think they sound like a man or vice versa The physical science behind vocal sound The work Cynthia does with her male clients to help their vocals sound deeper The work Cynthia does with her female clients to lighten up their voices The use of too much force and how it makes women sound more masculine Resonance’s effect on the vocal cords and what exactly it is How most people only use 4 out of the 5 cavities for resonance The consequence of breathing incorrectly What the 5 cavities of resonance are Most people don’t use the chest cavity How to correct your breathing and have more control over your resonance Case studies of people who worked on their vocals to improve A woman who lost out on a promotion twice because of her voice and how working with Cynthia changed that The other side effects that happen when you work on your voice - happiness, optimism, being more positive The connection between voice and mindset Your voice is connected to your entire body and has a huge impact The second case study with a man who was depressed and afraid of losing parts of his life When he worked on his voice, his happiness changed and he no longer had to worry about his job or his marriage The connection between progressing as a person and progressing in relationships The steps necessary to improve your voice Observing when you’re holding your breath - when speaking or otherwise Releasing stress with your breath and voice Adding in emotion when talking about techniques to improve your voice The day-to-day effects on the voice When you block your emotions, you block your energy flow Observing how great speakers speak with emotion Group coaching with Cynthia - find her on social media You can find more information about Cynthia Zhai: On her website: powerfulexecutivevoice.com On her TED Talk: https://youtu.be/PcDerWSyccg This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco (http://www.humbertofranco.com/). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-bra
S1 E74 · Wed, April 14, 2021
Interview with Voice Coach, Professional Speaker, & Best-Selling Author, Cynthia Zhai - Part 1
In this interview, I’m speaking with someone who has a real knack for voice - Cynthia Zhai. She’s helped people from over 46 countries around the world improve their voices and speak with impact and conviction. If you’ve been wanting to improve the quality of your voice, this is the interview for you! We discuss: Cynthia’s current living situation during COVID Cynthia’s background in singing and voice Falling into becoming a voice coach The development of her work - how do you change your voice? The realization people have had in the last year about the tone of a good voice If the tone of voice is low quality, then people won’t hear the content as well as they could Conveying emotions through our voices The science behind an attractive voice The voice sends out vibrations and some frequencies are more attractive/easier to listen to The constriction of the vocal cords and how it effects voice frequency Stress’s effect on the voice Authenticity’s part in producing a relaxed voice The importance of breathing when it comes to voice How to breathe properly when doing any sort of speaking The balloon analogy that gives a great visual for the proper way to breathe The importance of having proper voice quality for your brand Authenticity and relaxation and their importance for podcast hosts and guests Matching your voice to your brand Ways to improve your voice if you don’t like the sound of it The reason why your voice sounds differently to you than when you listen to a recording of it You can find more information about Cynthia Zhai: On her website: powerfulexecutivevoice.com On her TED Talk: https://youtu.be/PcDerWSyccg This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco (http://www.humbertofranco.com/). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E73 · Wed, April 07, 2021
Sounds of the Times
Imagine you’re a child and you’re riding in the back seat of a car at night. You watch the trees passing by you through the window, and then you close your eyes so you can feel the vibrations through the seat. All the while the engine softly rumbles all around you, surrounding you like a blanket. Over half of parents surveyed said they’ve used “dream drives,” taking their children on a drive at night just to help them fall asleep. But what if you’re driving an electric vehicle? Would it still have that soothing rumble? Last year Nissan partnered with Tom Middleton to find a way to preserve this timeless experience in the Nissan LEAF, an electric car that would normally be completely silent. To help the LEAF sound and feel more like an old-fashioned car, Middleton created an ambient album of combustion engine sounds called the “Nissan Leaf Dream Drive” that’s available on Spotify, Google Play and other platforms. To learn more about it, just click the link below: https://www.edelman.com/work/nissan-dream-drive This isn’t the first time sounds have been added to electric vehicles to make them seem more familiar, and it won’t be the last. A new EU law mandates that by this July all hybrid and electric vehicles will need an “acoustic vehicle alert system” to make sure pedestrians can hear approaching vehicles. Those sounds are required to resemble a gasoline engine, and to scale up and down with the vehicle’s speed. A similar “quiet car” law will take effect in the United States this March, after a six-month extension. Electric cars are just one example of how new technology is changing many of the sounds we take for granted, and how we’re working to bring those sounds back in new ways. You may have heard of the “coconut effect,” especially if you’re a fan of old westerns or a certain Monty Python movie. Whether it’s coconut shells clapping to imitate galloping horses, or the squealing tires during every car chase, or whirring, beeping computers, there are sounds in movies that we just expect to be there. It turns out that many of the sounds we take for granted in our lives work much the same way. If you’ve ever had a cell phone call drop – and who hasn’t? - you could probably tell after just a second that the line’s dead. But how did you know? Though we don’t usually notice it, there’s a slight background hum added to digital telephones called a “comfort noise.” It’s only there when the line’s open, and when that hum stops we know that the call’s ended without even really thinking about it. That hum was just a side effect for landline phones, but we’ve become so used to it that, even though modern phones don’t really need it, we’ve added it back in. Smartphones also do this with buttons that click when you press them, even though you’re just tapping a screen, while haptic feedback gives your hand a slight jol
S1 E72 · Wed, March 31, 2021
Interview with Hamish Macdonald, Managing Director, Squeak E. Clean Studios - Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Hamish Macdonald. In our first part, we discussed how he has embraced the audio branding world and what that’s meant for his company, Squeak E Clean Studios. Now, we’re discussing the importance of sound and how it plays out for different companies. Audio branding has become an increasingly sought after part of a company to help with reaching customers. I loved hearing Hamish’s take on this! In this episode, we talked about: What exactly spacial sound work is How spacial sound encourages people to take action by using specific sounds Hamish was tasked with creating spacial sound for a car company and how it integrated into a whole experience for the audience He uses outside help to create different aspects of various projects Hamish is willing to find the best person for the job and make sure every customer is getting the best product possible You don’t really know if something is a successful sonic logo until it’s been out in the world Netflix was once deemed as the most popular sonic logo and now it’s starting to have negative connotations Hamish speculates that Netflix’s negative connotations are actually a reflection of how the consumer feels about the amount of time they’ve spent binging Some sonic logos become annoying and don’t have a positive experience for the consumer Sound and music are some of the best ways to communicate across cultures and countries The different companies that have taken away visual branding and moved toward sound branding and logos Hamish had a conversation with a colleague about why some companies are more willing to spend money on a visual brand instead of a sonic brand Companies want their logos and brands to withstand the test of time Hamish says that companies should invest in an audio brand because you can reach people across cultures and where the industries are moving If companies are not using an audio brand, they are missing out on a large part of their own market COVID has drastically changed how audio branding is received and needed for the customer experience It’s important to use sound strategically and not invade people’s personal space If you’d like to learn more about Hamish or Squeak E. Clean, you can find more info here: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamishmacdonald2/ The Squeak E. Clean Website: www.squeakeclean.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squeakeclean/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squeakecleanstudios/ This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, <st
S1 E71 · Wed, March 24, 2021
Interview with Hamish Macdonald, Managing Director, Squeak E. Clean Studios - Part 1
In this interview, I talk with the managing director of Squeak E. Clean Studios - Hamish Macdonald. Hamish has done a wide variety of projects in advertising, production and post-production, and manages post and production companies throughout America, Australia, England and Asia. I’m super impressed with the work his company does and having international offices allows him to create audio branding for just about anyone. I was excited to get the chance to talk with him about his take on audio branding and what’s in store for the future of Squeak E Clean Studios. Here are the main talking points of the interview: His 10 months spent in the US and what it’s been like to be in the US during COVID He’s been spending time with his team, helping with the integration of Squeak E Clean and Nylon Studios Hamish is originally from Australia and will be headed back home soon for just a few months He’s always been interested in production After some early work, he realized he was more into finding great talent Hamish fell into working and running Nylon Studios Audio branding comes into play when looking at what a business needs overall The merging of Nylon Studios and Squeak E Clean has been bringing the best of both worlds together Hamish has loved seeing the amazing work that all his teams have done and how they work together He has created a cohesive culture across all his teams and really values everyone’s individual talents Depending on where the teams are located, teams’ work ebbs and flows Hamish is focused on building great relationships with his clients so they can have continual work Some of his most notable clients and companies he’s worked with are: Square, HP, and Campbell’s Because of the pandemic, they’ve been able to continually build those relationships and create some really unique things With each client, they start with who their client base is and who they are trying to reach with their products The global nature of his combined companies allows for them to reach a variety of companies and help those companies reach customers around the world For each project, he has all 10 of his composers write for the client to find the sound that the client likes the best Hamish points out the importance of both a visual and sonic logo Hamish takes us through his thought process with his team in Summer 2019 to get better at sonic branding If you’d like to learn more about Hamish or Squeak E. Clean, you can find more info here: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamishmacdonald2/ The Squeak E. Clean Website: www.squeakeclean.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squeakeclean/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squeakecleanstudios/ Th
S1 E70 · Wed, March 17, 2021
Listening On The Go
How are you listening to this podcast right now? Maybe you're sitting at your computer or hearing it on a smart speaker, which probably means that you're listening with one app while keeping busy with a few other things. You might also be using a tablet or an MP3 player, which lets you stay on the move while you're hearing the show. But what's really become popular over the past few years is listening on your phone. Just this past month, almost 24 million podcast listeners used their smartphones, compared to 17 million for everything else put together. One thing all these choices have in common is that they let you keep busy while you're listening. And in today's fast-paced world, digital audio, particularly podcasts and audiobooks, is becoming a cornerstone of our daily lives. Multitasking isn't always a good thing. We might feel like we're being more productive when we multitask, but over the years studies have shown that we really do better when we're focusing on just one task at a time. If you're curious to find out just how well you multitask, here's a link to a short test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-8JdsNWZiM At the same time, audio does have some advantages of its own. Our brains are finely tuned to listening to each other, to hearing a speaker's tone and pace, their inflections and the mood they're expressing beneath their words. Reading is still a pretty new trick when it comes to our brains, which means written words might not connect as quickly or deeply as hearing them spoken aloud. And while reading lets us consider the words more carefully and go back over them more easily, digital audio leaves us free to keep working, to go running or driving, to live our lives while we’re listening. Just recently I had Summurai founder Tal Florentin on the show, and his company is at the forefront of this digital audio revolution. Summurai is a content management service that takes written articles and condenses them into short audio snippets for people on the go. Here's a link to a video with more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG8dn9K71mU Even so, digital audio doesn’t leave much room for distraction. If you’re listening to a podcast on your way to work, that means you’re probably not listening to anything else right at that moment. This can make audio branding and advertising much more effective than other forms of online marketing; nearly 70% of podcast listeners report that podcast ads made them aware of new products and services. And that audience is quickly growing in the US: more than a hundred million Americans now listen to at least one podcast a month. Audiobooks are also becoming more popular, with one in five Americans having listened to one within the past year. While the
S1 E69 · Wed, March 10, 2021
Interview with Tal Florentin, Founder & CEO of Summurai - Part 2
This is the 2nd part of my interview with Tal Florentin. In the first part of our interview, we discussed the background of Summurai and where businesses are starting to use more audio. In this second part, we switch our conversation to talk about other places where audio is being used so content can be relayed to its intended audience. We discuss: Audio being used to give instructions for things like pre-surgery Using different audio for male versus female consumers The struggle that comes up when working with businesses to use a less formal tone of voice Asking what kind of shoes the company wants the voice actor to wear when speaking their script in order to determine the scale of casual to formal in their audio It can be tricky to find the right voice to match the tone of the content The need for their own unique platform to house the audio When having both the written and audio versions of content makes the most sense The first use of audio to relay content- the guided tour The summarization of content and how it comes into play The struggle of long audio versions of content (like an audiobook) The benefits of microlearning Using microlearning as a way to summarize content for someone the same way a friend might be able to if you were in person Summaries of people’s expertise and how that helps Using summies to help with the medical field for doctors to learn Using summies to help the layman learn about concepts that are hard to understand if you’re not in that field How hard it is to be natural on video, which makes it hard to connect with your audience The similarity from video to audio and how hard it is to sound natural when doing voice acting We connect better when we feel like we’re part of a conversation Voice actors who have done in person acting sometimes struggle and will overdo it Personal voice versus professional voice Opting in to using the voice memo app because it sounds more natural Natural communication sounds like people just saying what they need to say More info on Summurai If you want to find out more info about Tal or Summurai, visit: Website: www.summurai.com Downloadable PDF: www.summurai.com/ebook Audio version of the PDF: http://summur.ai/dTEDG This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Aud
S1 E68 · Wed, March 03, 2021
Interview with Tal Florentin, Founder & CEO of Summurai - Part 1
In this interview, I have the pleasure of speaking with Tal Florentin. He’s in the UX space and has spent the last decade working to enhance UX using audio in the Israeli market. He’s done some monumental things in the UX world, including creating the Israeli UX certification program. After realizing that audio is the future and bound to be bigger than video, he founded Summurai which allows companies to create audio branded channels for a variety of different reasons. You’ll find some great information about how to elevate your business with audio in this interview! We discuss: What life looks like for Tal in Israel with COVID Our hopeful look at the future without COVID Tal’s background in software engineering which led him to design The big things that popped up for Tal when he was working in design and doing research The mass amount of content that is now available and how to even start consuming it all Tal’s lean toward audio to enhance and make for a better customer experience Optimizing our time and what we’re doing each activity Using audio to fill badly used time The difference between where video is going from here and where audio is going Working with companies to figure out how they want to use audio The uncharted territory of audio When first starting Summurai, trying to eliminate the human element Creating shorter pieces of audio- under 3 minutes Where the name Summurai came from Tal’s process for creating audio Some of the different things they’ve tried in Summurai Trying to make things sound conversational and when that’s not actually the goal Taking written content and creating audio content from that Tal’s experience working with LG and creating audio versions of training kits Pulling in story telling to the different audio pieces Moving ourselves away from technology with audio The benefits to moving away from technology If you want to find out more about Tal or Summurai, you can visit: Website: www.summurai.com Downloadable PDF: www.summurai.com/ebook Audio version of the PDF: http://summur.ai/dTEDG This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link :<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453" rel="noopener noref
S1 E67 · Wed, February 24, 2021
Making The World Go Round
It’s been just about a year now since the coronavirus pandemic first started, and sometimes it’s felt like the whole world’s closed for business. More and more of us are working from home, and most of our business meetings, not to mention our daily lives, take place over Zoom these days. Life seems to be much more homebound lately, but with new vaccines being approved and the Tokyo Olympics just around the corner, the world’s starting to open again. And one sector that’ll play a pivotal role in it is the tourist industry. In 2019 the Costa Rica Tourism Board, or ICT, won the International Sound Award for Audio Branding with “The Sounds of Costa Rica,” a new musical brand that subtly emphasizes the letter C, for Costa Rica. It does this by making a simple but powerful six-note mnemonic out of the circle of fifths, a diagram often used in music. It starts with a C note and uses such instruments as the marimba, tuba and ocarina to play halfway through the circle. This might sound pretty technical, but the melody, combined with the instruments and festive, colorful imagery that accompanies it, works to create an almost instinctive sense of warmth and inclusion. Like most music, all that work is just to create exactly the right mood for the listener, without anyone even noticing it. If you’d like to hear it, and to see how it complements the new ICT logo, check out this link to the award video: https://www.international-sound-awards.com/media/ISA2019/2019-1017_ICT-TheSoundsOfCostaRica_CaseFilm.mp4 When we think about travel, we usually think of it as imagery: bright tropical beaches, flashing city lights or lush green forests. But audio branding’s starting to play a much larger role in the tourism industry lately, creating a sense of excitement, familiarity, even nostalgia using sound. The international resort chain Bahia Principe (bye-ee-ah preen-seh-pay) has made its theme song, complete with band and lyrics, the foundation of its brand. The melody’s used everywhere from its commercials to its phone system, from corporate videos to lobby music, all to create a consistently recognizable audio logo that will instantly engage their customers. Curious about the song? There’s a link to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpGNqcH5GuQ But a lot has changed, even since 2019. Tourist boards and travel companies need to talk about the pandemic, expressing empathy for customers who are understandably reluctant to go on a vacation these days and adjusting their brand to a very different world than just a few years ago. Hotels.com quickly updated its Captain Obvious commercials last spring, previously featuring its mascot aboard a crowded airplane, to
S1 E66 · Wed, February 17, 2021
Interview With ASMR Performance Artist And Co-Founder Of Whisperlodge, Melinda Lauw – Part 2
In the second part of my interview with Melinda Lauw, we continue our conversation about ASMR. In the first part, we really had a chance to dive into what ASMR is and what it looks like to create ASMR experiences - both in person and online. Now, we're talking more about the commercial side of ASMR and where ASMR is starting to show up in more mainstream media. We discuss: What it looks like to do this work with advertisers How Melinda partnered with a hotel and doing events with the hotel Creating videos with Moxie hotels - Melinda gives her expertise and creates scripts for the hotels Most of her gigs have been in conjunction with in person events Melinda has been hired as the consultant for different companies when they're looking to create ASMR content The different parameters she has to work within when doing consulting work The balance between the purpose of the ad or gig and being true to ASMR Melinda shares some of her experiences with different advertising companies ASMR forces people to pay attention to the little details The growth of the ASMR community online The continued waves of ASMR How ASMR is becoming much more accessible to everyone How ASMR is free and so accessible because of its online presence The possibility of making money in ASMR, especially with YouTube The pushback when people do try to monetize ASMR The selective nature in finding the right brand sponsorship - they want to find sponsorships that are in alignment with ASMR Melinda doesn’t like watching ASMR videos with ads in the middle because it ruins the experience (I don't blame her at all!) Tastefully adding in ads and how to make them in the same vein as ASMR Melinda’s currently working on a live stream and the exhibit in Europe doing a live exhibit on ASMR Melinda’s work creating videos for her YouTube channel How she’ll be experimenting with different types and ways to make videos If you want to find out more about Melinda, you can find her through the following: Find out more about Whisperlodge: http://whisperlodge.nyc See a video of an immersive live ASMR performance either on Netflix's Follow This, Part 1, Episode 1 https://www.netflix.com/title/80217889 Or on Mashable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKdW5k-7FcA&t=1s Check out our ASMR videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/whisperlodge This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented <stron
S1 E65 · Wed, February 10, 2021
Interview With ASMR Performance Artist And Co-Founder Of Whisperlodge, Melinda Lauw – Part 1
In this interview, I'm talking with Melinda Lauw. She’s the cofounder of Whisperlodge - a company working to create in person ASMR experiences. Whisperlodge has toured San Francisco, L.A., and New York and even been featured in a Netflix documentary. ASMR is one of the more recent additions to audio entertainment (it stands for "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response") and it was fascinating to hear from someone who's been on the forefront of this growing industry. In this first part of our interview, we're discussing what ASMR is, and where you may have seen it in your own life! We discuss the following in this interview: COVID in the United States and Canada How life looks for Melinda right now with COVID Her first take on ASMR 2008 was the first experience with ASMR 2010 - the term ASMR officially becomes coined The huge community of ASMR on YouTube The most frequently asked topic within ASMR - ASMR erotica The myth behind ASMR needing to be erotic, when in reality, it’s not The people who have made themselves up to enhance their ASMR pieces A woman in Japan who builds in her own sound design The time commitment it takes to create a YouTube video with ASMR Melinda’s now shifting from ASMR in real life into ASMR on YouTube Melinda’s process for creating her videos ASMR sub genres - eating, sex, no speaking, miniatures, etc. Melinda’s likes when it comes to what she produces and what she likes to watch herself The Netflix production of Whisperlodge Melinda walks us through how she was found for the Netflix production How different in person ASMR is compared to watching something on YouTube The intense immersion of ASMR ASMR in person, is not for everyone and requires you to be vulnerable Considerations that have to happen for in person ASMR The need for consent with each different element of ASMR The pros and cons of making an ASMR video - you don’t have any feedback Melinda’s preference to work with people she doesn’t know If you want to find out more about Melinda, you can find her through the following: Find out more about Whisperlodge: http://whisperlodge.nyc See a video of an immersive live ASMR performance either on Netflix's Follow This, Part 1, Episode 1 https://www.netflix.com/title/80217889 Or on Mashable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKdW5k-7FcA&t=1s Check out our ASMR videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/whisperlodge
S1 E64 · Wed, February 03, 2021
The Power Of Your Voice
When’s the last time you really listened to your own voice? Maybe you were rehearsing for a presentation, or if you sing, practicing a song. You might’ve heard it while checking your voice mail or watching yourself in a video, and if you’re like most of us, you probably hardly even recognized it. We don’t think about our own voices very often, and when we do, it can seem like we’re just stuck with whatever voices we’re born with. But speaking is a skill, and just like any skill, we can improve and build upon it. Author and sound expert Julian Treasure describes two important parts of speaking: what you say and how you say it. When it comes to what you say, Julian recommends the HAIL method, which means to always speak with Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity and Love. As for how you say it, he suggests focusing on several different aspects of speech. There’s register, which you can think of as being how you project your voice. Some people speak from their noses and that can sound very flat and nasally, while most of us tend to speak from our throats without thinking about it. But if you want to give a sense of weight and authority to your words, you’ll want to speak from deep down in your chest. Think about where your voice is coming from, and then you can focus on other things like the “prosody,” the natural melody of your voice, the timbre and pitch of your voice as well as the pace and volume. Silence can be an important and easily overlooked part of speaking; a moment’s pause gives your listener a chance to consider what you’ve said before you move on. If you’d like to hear more on the HAIL method and what Julian calls the Seven Deadly Sins of speaking, you can find a link to his video presentation below on speaking with empathy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIho2S0ZahI Professional speaker and voice coach Cynthia Zhai also suggests looking beyond just the tone of your voice and focusing on where your voice is coming from. More than 80% of people around the world speak with a “head voice,” a bustling, modern voice that expresses thinking, analyzing, doing, but not being; Cynthia notes it may be no coincidence that happiness rates around the world are also very low. When you practice speaking, try taking a deep breath and projecting from your whole body. Instead of thinking of your voice as a tool, let yourself become your voice. People in ancient times believed in a deep connection between our bodies, voices and selves, and that’s something we can lose sight of in today’s fast-paced world. There’s a link below to Cynthia’s talk about the transformative power of your voice, and she’ll also be appearing on an upcoming episode of this podcast as a guest – so stay tuned!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcDerWSyccg Finally there are the things you don’t want to do if you want to keep your voice clear and healthy. Producer and voice instructor Judy Rodman gives a lighthearted Halloween list of som
S1 E63 · Wed, January 27, 2021
Interview with Hamburg/Berlin Based Sound Agency, WESOUND - Dr. Cornelius Ringe & Lars Ohlendorf - Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Dr. Cornelius Ringe and Lars Ohlendorf. The first half of this conversation was so enlightening, especially hearing about how sound and audio branding looks in different parts of the world and the history of audio branding. In this part, we really dive into more about where audio branding came from and where it’s going! In this second part, we discuss: The best money saving tips for audio branding Giving yourself time to let your own DIY attempts sink in before starting over Making decisions based on your business model Where audio branding is going from here Podcasting’s role in audio branding The requirements for different brands when it comes to audio branding How Netflix’s sound logo has become synonymous with the pandemic How jingles have moved to sound logos Technology’s role moving into the need for more sound logos Design as a function The change of the approach to music in ads and filling emptiness What WESOUND does What ISA does The criteria for awards within ISA The evolution of the ISA awards The impact of the different projects submitted for the ISA awards The relationship between sound and the physical product it represents If you would like to find out more information, you can do so here: www.wesound.de And you can find out more information about the Audio Branding Academy and their awards here: https://www.international-sound-awards.com/ This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/ This podcast uses the following third-party serv
S1 E62 · Wed, January 20, 2021
Interview with Hamburg/Berlin Based Sound Agency, WESOUND - Dr. Cornelius Ringe & Lars Ohlendorf - Part 1
In this interview, I am joined by two guests who are taking the audio branding world by storm. Dr. Cornelius Ringe and Lars Ohlendorf are partners in the company, WESOUND and Dr. Ringe is the founder of the Audio Branding Academy. We dive into so many great aspects of audio branding in this interview and it’s great to have another perspective on where audio branding is going from here. We are discuss: What life looks like in Hamburg, Germany and how they’re both dealing with COVID lockdowns The shift to home office work with audio Musicians’ takes on working from home and doing streaming concerts Experiencing online performances and speeches Adjusting to the lack of audience interaction Zoom’s impact on musical sound How Zoom has upped their game when it comes to sound WESOUND and where it came from Audio branding’s role in the creation of WESOUND The difference between Audio Branding Society and the Audio Branding Academy The growth of audio branding Breaking down the difference between sound and audio branding Europe’s role in audio branding NBC’s accidental audio branding in the very beginning Radio’s initial sounds and where they came from Advertising and how everything’s transitioned over the years How we are wired to pay attention to sound Finding the right methods and approaches to creating the right sound Audio branding isn't all about science Methodology changes from client to client when creating audio branding If science does play a role, it’s probably more about psychology than anything else The importance of design over finding the right calculations Ongoing work on the brand Different companies’ take on the importance of audio branding for their company If you would like to find out more information, you can do so here: www.wesound.de And you can find out more information about the Audio Branding Academy and their awards here: https://www.international-sound-awards.com/ This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be int
S1 E61 · Wed, January 13, 2021
Healing Harmonies
When you close your eyes and think about being in a hospital, what do you imagine hearing? Are the sounds soothing, or do they make you tense up with even more anxiety? Hospitals aren’t usually relaxing places, and they don’t always sound very relaxing either. Heart monitors beep, respirators pump, and voices murmur in the background or occasionally ring out over the intercom. They can be surprisingly loud too. The nighttime background noise at a hospital can sometimes reach over a hundred decibels, louder than a chainsaw. A National Institute of Health study in 2009 recognized noise as a hazard to patients; sleep deprivation weakens the immune system, which has a direct effect on mortality rates. Hospital noise isn’t just annoying, it can be dangerous. Some hospitals are working to change that. Apart from lowering the noise, they’re also focused on weaving it into a healing soundscape that harnesses the link between music and the human body. You can check out my blog for a short but insightful video by electronic musician Yoko Sen about how her experience as a patient inspired her to help create a more melodic ambiance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-AOTqMtR5s Last year Aalto University won the International Sound Award for Soundscapes and Ambient Sound for its own work in creating an innovative series of ambient soundscapes for New Children’s Hospital in Helsinki. Each floor has a unique and constantly changing theme, from the ocean on the first floor all the way up to space and the stars at the top, and is designed to help put children at ease, taking their thoughts away from the hospital and into an imaginative journey filled with natural sounds and delicate instruments. There’s a link on my blog to a presentation video by the project’s director, composer and lecturer Antti Ikonen, as well as a link to an interactive demo of each of the nine soundscapes so you can hear them for yourself: https://international-sound-awards.com/media/ISA2019/2019-1037_New_Childrens_Hospital_Soundscape_KB.mp4 https://newchildrenshospital.aalto.fi/ The idea that sound can play such an important role in healing has been around for quite a while now. Music therapy as we know it today got its start soon after World War II, when musicians visited hospitals to play for veterans. Doctors and nurses started to notice that these visits made a very real difference in their recoveries. They began to incorporate music into the idea of creating a “healing environment” where each aspect of the hospital setting, both visual and audio, plays its own part in helping the patient
S1 E60 · Wed, January 06, 2021
Interview with L.A.-Based Music Composer, Chris Wirsig - Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Chris Wirsig. We dive into other topics like music design, the changes the pandemic's brought to music production and recording, and how you might get started in the world of music production yourself! In this part of the interview, we talk about: How music design looks in different countries Changes in the movie making industry, especially when it comes to music production The changes he’s made with composing music since he started Chris speculates how he thinks the pandemic will change music production Recording music in different locations separately and then having one person mix everything together How technology’s changing the way full productions happen All of the changes that have happened in the last 5 years that allow for better remote collaborations The future of remote recording How Chris uses his keyboard to create pretty much any sound Chris’s love for the cello and adding it to nearly everything he writes Chris’s upcoming productions and how different they are from what he’s been doing His love for making up new and unique sound combinations Advice on how to get into this sort of work Chris’s word of caution about doing music production, especially for TV Want to contact Chris or find out more information? Website: www.chriswirsig.com Music library: www.counter-communications.com Social Media: www.facebook.com/ChrisWirsigMusic www.instagram.com/chriswirsig Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CFVqb5EoEm8rqxeTVUJMj?si=AlKBqcbbS52kEL3jwCVWwA https://music.apple.com/artist/chris-wirsig/865686973 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjGmOruNRmxf2VAj6LPL3vw This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link :<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id148904245
S1 E59 · Wed, December 30, 2020
Interview with L.A.-Based Music Composer, Chris Wirsig - Part 1
In this interview, I had the joy of talking with Chris Wirsig, a classically training pianist and saxophone player. He’s been able to take his classically trained skills and spend the last 20 years in music production and composition for games, film and TV. He has a love for darker sounding music and his productions can be heard on things such as the Top Ten iPad game, “Alien Tribe 2”, multiple award-winning short films and the comedy feature film "39 And A Half," as well as numerous TV shows on ABC, E!, MTV, Fox Sports - just to name a few. In addition to writing music for different productions, he’s started a few different bands and does song writing on the side. I was so impressed with his background in both the creative and business end of things and his take on how music influences us has made for a very interesting conversation! I'm looking forward to sharing this with you. In this interview, we talk about: How Chris is dealing with COVID and what’s happening in California (he's based in L.A.) His background and how he got into music His love for music and all the instruments he plays How he found a love for writing melancholy and dark music Why Chris likes writing darker music Chris’s love for fictional scary things versus being scared in real life How he goes about writing the music for each movie depending on the information he has Some of his favorite ways to compose music for a movie The way Chris’s music affects the emotion in a movie Chris’s most recent experience with writing music for a movie set in Africa and adding in cultural elements Chris’s upcoming production featuring his music The use of major and minor chords in his productions Using both major and minor chords in a piece of music, even if it’s a minor piece of music Want to contact Chris or find out more information? Website: www.chriswirsig.com Music library: www.counter-communications.com Social Media: www.facebook.com/ChrisWirsigMusic www.instagram.com/chriswirsig Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CFVqb5EoEm8rqxeTVUJMj?si=AlKBqcbbS52kEL3jwCVWwA https://music.apple.com/artist/chris-wirsig/865686973 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjGmOruNRmxf2VAj6LPL3vw" rel="noo
S1 E58 · Wed, December 23, 2020
Jingles All The Way
The holidays are just around the corner, and we all know what that means: Christmas songs on the radio and holiday jingles in just about every store. But there's one kind of traditional jingle we aren't as likely to hear these days: the commercial jingle. If you used to wish you were an Oscar Mayer wiener, if the best part of waking up was Folgers in your cup, if you were ever stuck on Band-Aid brands because Band-Aid's stuck on you, then you probably grew up in the heyday of advertising jingles. So, whatever happened to those jingles? Do they still have a place in audio branding, or have the Toys R Us kids all grown up? In many ways, jingles were the first step in the history of audio branding, and they're much older than you might think. If you know the Muffin Man or can sing along to Hot Cross Buns, then you're already familiar with the jingles of the colonial era. Those rhymes started with vendors in the Middle Ages who had to find ways to make their street cries stand out and get people's attention. That meant short, simple phrases often set to music, and the fact that we can still recite some of those rhymes today shows just how well they worked. With the invention of radio came the modern jingle. Now vendors had to grab and hold the attention of millions of people, and General Mills did just that in 1926 with a barbershop song called "Have you Tried Wheaties." That one commercial turned Wheaties sales completely around in the Twin Cities market, and when the company aired the song nationwide the following year, Wheaties went from a failing brand to a household name. Want to hear the jingle that started it all? Here's a link to the original ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLy5tANvXhY Other companies quickly caught on and started coming up with their own musical numbers, and the jingle era was born. From radio to television to the internet, jingles became pretty much synonymous with audio branding. Promoting a brand meant giving it a jingle, whether it's the Chiquita banana song, the singing Meow Mix cats or Coca Cola teaching the world to sing. But things began to change around the turn of the millennium. Those catchy earworm jingles started to disappear. In 1998, 12% of television ads featured jingles; by 2011 it was just 2.5%. But if commercials weren't using jingles, what were they using? For the most part, they were now using licensed songs. This wasn't a completely new development; those medieval street cries were often set to popular folk songs of the era, and the "Have You Tried Wheaties" jingle borrowed its tune from the 1919 song "Jazz Baby." Michael Jackson ushered in a whole new era of melding pop music and advertising with his "Pepsi Generation" commercials set to the tune of "Billy Jean," and ten years later Microsoft borrowed the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" as its anthem for Windows 95. What did change is that advertisers were no longer relying on famous musicians and recogniz
S1 E57 · Wed, December 16, 2020
Interview with Life Coach & Shamanic Sound Healer, Kaye Doran - Part 2
I'm excited to be sharing the second half of my interview with Kaye Doran. In the first part, Kaye shared so much with us and what she does in her work. In this second part, we're continuing the conversation about everything from how to use your own tools/instruments to how she uses her work to help heal people with grief to channeling a child’s way of thinking. It's such a calming end to our interview! In this second part, we cover: How Kaye shares with her clients so they can continue their own healing Her whole purpose - to empower her clients The importance of breathing in everyday life When people eventually get to the point where they need to see her for help The shadow work Releasing negative energy in a productive way Letting our minds help heal us How Kaye helps others overcome grief What to NOT do when it comes to overcoming negative energy When to ask for help Our internal voice Kaye’s simple tools that lead to actual change Kaye’s fear activity (that you can do, too!) Accepting our internal knowing The “good” parts of fear Using outside things to help motivate you through negative thoughts Helpful resources Kaye has for you (on her website) Kaye’s upcoming coaching program Her thoughts on a final product launching this month If you want to follow Kaye Doran or find out more about what she has to offer, you can find her here: Website: www.Kayedoran.com FB Page- Inner Expressions: https://www.facebook.com/Inner-Expressions-260662878197298 FB Group- Rise and Shine Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/340808953165931 This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementi
S1 E56 · Wed, December 09, 2020
Interview with Life Coach & Shamanic Sound Healer, Kaye Doran - Part 1
This interview is unlike any other that I’ve had the opportunity to do and Kaye Doran brings such a fascinating take on life! She's an entrepreneur and is passionate about helping people create their greatest lives, from the inside out. She is both a life coach and a shaman, which creates such a unique take on healing - and specifically, healing with sound. I can’t wait to share this with you! Tune in to hear: Kaye’s background and how she jumped into the world of sound healing The adverse effects to her beginning journey of her sound healing The common sound of different emotions Sound's continued influence The purposes of sound healing instruments Sound connection to the outside world The different vibrations of different bowls and where it vibrates The difference between the highest self and your inner self How sound can release energy from the body The different types of sounds that can come out during sound healing Rewiring ourselves to let go of blocks Feeling your feelings Breathing into the blocks How people respond to the work Kaye does The types of people Kaye has worked with How internal healing has helped her clients in conjunction with western medicine Shamanic healing process A walk through of what it can be like to be in a session with Kaye If you want to follow Kaye Doran or find out more about what she has to offer, you can find her here: Website: www.Kayedoran.com FB Page- Inner Expressions: https://www.facebook.com/Inner-Expressions-260662878197298 FB Group- Rise and Shine Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/340808953165931 This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For I
S1 E55 · Wed, December 02, 2020
A World of Living Sound
So much has changed about our world, from one century to the next, even from year to year. Just imagine taking someone even from the 1980s and dropping them into the world we live in right now, much less someone from a hundred or two hundred years ago. But all the way back through history, as far back as the dinosaurs and even much further, there are sounds that we’d still instantly recognize today. Let’s take a closer look at that timeless world of sound and what can happen when we start to add our own sounds to it. Composer Pauline Oliveros (pronounced “Oh-lee-vehr-ohs”) defined the word “soundscape” as “all of the waveforms faithfully transmitted to our audio cortex by the ear and its mechanisms.” The soundscape of the Earth can be divided into three layers, and those three layers happen to reflect the history of the world itself and how much it’s changed. First there’s “geophony,” sounds that come from natural forces like rain or wind. It can be as dramatic as an erupting volcano, or as gentle as a stream. These were literally the first sounds in the world. One of the most familiar sounds today started billions of years ago as the Earth cooled and water vapor began to condense into rain. That rain fell for centuries and soon became another familiar sound: the sound of the oceans lapping the shore. Then there’s “biophony,” which is the sound that comes from living things. This is where things get really interesting and complicated. It’s pretty much impossible to imagine a forest without thinking of the birds chirping in the treetops. Whale songs literally fill the ocean, echoing from continent to continent. Just within this past decade we’ve even discovered that mice sing to each other at frequencies too high for our ears to pick up. Check out my blog for a link to a video clip of a male lab mouse literally singing to his mate. https://youtu.be/ZS4Chf9yh8s This makes mice one of the very few mammals to have their own mating song – unless, of course, you count people. That brings us to “anthropophony,” which is all the sounds that human beings make. For a long time the only sounds that we could add to this soundscape were our own voices. But then we began to use tools. We started singing, clapping, and creating musical instruments to invent all sorts of new sounds never heard before. But we also invented tools and machines that are quite loud without meaning to be, machines that make noise instead of music. We call that sub-layer of sound “technophony.” Traffic jams, airplanes, subways, construction work, these are the sounds that we usually think of whenever we think about life in the city. Those sorts of sounds are becoming a big problem for the rest of the soundscape, a problem we now call noise pollution. There’s a link on my blog to Cedric Engels’ fascinating video “Sound Ecology: A Better Sounding Planet” that offers a more detailed look at each layer of sound. https://youtu.be/Vtfro7tzXDg Nois
Wed, November 25, 2020
Interview with Audio Producer & Voice Talent, Macha Gruber - Part 2
I continue my conversation with Macha Gruber. In this second half of the interview, we discuss everything from advertising to diversity in voice acting to COVID to the Keto diet. This part of our interview is even better than the first part! Tune in to hear Macha and I discuss: The importance of imaging for radio and how the voice actor becomes part of the brand How voices have changed The increase of female voices on voice overs The increase of diverse voices on voice overs Not being in competition with voice actors How Macha and I are both looking forward to hearing more diverse voices in areas that aren't only meant specifically for diverse voices The changing dynamics of diversity in general What Macha is currently doing Family dynamics in this quarantine era How COVID has affected my singing gigs What COVID really looks like in the US versus what’s being shown on TV (no one really knows!) What COVID has done to advertising and audio that’s needed How major tragedy effects the audio in general The comeback of humor in advertising The humor that’s coming back to advertising from this current situation The balance between being crude and being humorous Keeping anger out of advertising The death of the sexy read The birth of sophistication with a woman’s voice Her true love of coaching and hopefully being able to come back to it The love of being on a team and loving the work she does with her coaching clients Her undertaking of Keto in COVID Finding Keto goodies at the store If you’d like to get in contact with Macha Gruber, you can find her: Website: www. machacreative.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/machacreative or www.instagram.com/machagruber Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missmacha This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at <a href="https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/"
Wed, November 18, 2020
Interview with Audio Producer & Voice Talent, Macha Gruber - Part 1
I'm so excited to chat with Macha Grueber. She's done some amazing things in the audio world and I have to tell you - I've been looking forward to hearing her perspective on the current status of the audio branding world. Macha is a professional voice actor and has spent the better part of 15 years in the audio industry, doing everything from voice acting to now being part of the elite creative team at iHeartRadio. This is quite the interview and we had so much fun chatting! Tune in to hear Macha and I discuss: Macha’s take on COVID-19 How helpful having a home studio has been Her first introduction to audio- being part of a pirate radio studio Going to college to be a chiropractic doctor How she transitioned away from chiropractors to being a radio show host Her first take at doing her own audio imaging How making promos led to her going to broadcasting school Transitioning away from being ON air into creating audio imaging Where imaging for radio came from The background on radio station imaging and how it affects ratings What’s changed now- length of promos and what promos sound like The places radio shows up now versus 20 years ago Listening to radio stations at home on smart speakers Transition into iHeartRadio Being kicked out after her first internship Her first gig with Clear Channel The in between time- working in the real world and doing audio imaging on her own Her experience creating demos and doing voice over Trends Macha has seen in commercials- both visual and audio The effects of the millennial craze What makes good audio branding The impact of writing on a good commercial How audio recordings happen in the commercial world The importance of theater of the mind for commercials versus a voice over How sound design affects the entire commercial Turn around time for commercials If you’d like to get in contact with Macha Gruber, you can find her: Website: www. machacreative.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/machacreative or www.instagram.com/machagruber Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missmacha This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re int
S1 E52 · Wed, November 11, 2020
Changing The Shape Of Music
Music can have a powerful effect on our feelings, our behavior, even how we see the world around us. But what if music itself can react to our feelings? Weav Run, an award-winning workout app that instantaneously adjusts a song's tempo to match the listener's own pace, offers just one example of the fascinating potential of dynamic music. When it comes to audio branding, music's usually thought of as the product - and the audience is just a passive consumer. You can listen to a song and let its melody carry you through the highs and lows, but no matter how many times you listen, those highs and lows aren't ever going to change. The song is the song, and changing the mood a soundtrack sets usually just means switching to a different song. Dynamic music, however, seeks to reinvent that relationship by enabling a single audio track to evolve and reflect each individual listener, whether it's by matching your walking pace, or detecting and following the rhythm of your heartbeat or breathing rate, or even measuring changes in your brain activity. Slow and thoughtful, lively and upbeat or quick and energetic, dynamic music allows a song to remain instantly recognizable while engaging us on a surprisingly personal level. Just check out this video demonstration of Weav Music's exercise app Weav Run, which won the 2019 International Sound Award for Service and Sound start-ups: https://www.international-sound-awards.com/media/ISA2019/2019-1014-Weav-Music_presentation_Rasmussen_KB.mp4 As you can see, it's not just about speeding up or slowing down the music: there's a very tricky balancing act to consider between the pitch, tempo and even the composition of the song so that it remains appealing - and recognizable - in a variety of forms. Managing those sorts of second-by-second changes, and doing it so quickly that the listener doesn't even notice it's happening, is a pretty new development that's gotten a really big push from smartphones, mobile devices and our always connected, on-the-go world. Still, the idea of it has been around for quite a while: just think of an opera, where a whole orchestra's focused on just keeping pace with the action on the stage. But the idea of doing this automatically and in real time, for each and every person, really got its start with early computer games, where programmers had to come up with some very inventive audio techniques to allow the music to seamlessly shift from one situation to the next. Here's an example of one such technique called vertical re-orchestration that uses hidden bridges to move back and forth between slightly different versions of a single melody: https://youtu.be/O5ZRYx_AMo8 If you think about it, video game
S1 E51 · Wed, November 04, 2020
Interview with Co-founder and CXO of Audio UX, Eric Seay - Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Eric Seay. We dive into more about how audio varies for different brands. Eric also walks us through his entire process for creating an audio brand. This second part of our conversation is just as intriguing as the first and I can’t wait for you to dive in! In this episode, we explore: How to create audio branding for a company that just has a feel The different phases of developing an audio brand How many companies and brands have thought about their audio branding How audio branding has become more normalized The background needed before writing the actual audio How AudioUX decides what each brand needs for their audio branding What Eric does with each brand How psychoacoustics comes into play Best practices for sounds Universal sounds versus location specific Generic sets (sounds) versus Premium sets (sounds) and how that drives sales Sounds creating experiences Where UX came from and the importance of the user experience Working with the UX teams with each brand The new platform for audio branding Having apps work together with their audio The parts of different experiences that should have differences with audio Making sure everything sounds the way it should once everything has been created How audio branding has changed The need for comfort with sounds now with COVID Sound types and their unique skills in different apps/devices How sound affects what we want The evolution of audio branding with each brand Check out the case studies on the website The best way to contact Eric Seay and AudioUX is through their website at https://auxnyc.com/ . You can find AudioUX on more social media platforms @aux_nyc (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter). This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at <a href="https:
S1 E50 · Wed, October 28, 2020
Interview with Co-founder and CXO of Audio UX, Eric Seay - Part 1
This week’s episode is part 1 of an interview with Eric Seay. He has a deep understanding of vertical sound. He combines his love for the artistic expression of music and the study of psychoacoustics (fascinating, right?). He and his team have done extensive research into the power of sound and are constantly pushing the limits of what is possible for the future of audio branding. This is a conversation I've wanted to have for a while - and I hope you find it as fascinating as I do! In this episode, we talk about: How things have been going since the start of COVID in NYC The change in industries for voice actors with COVID His background in audio How becoming a musician and studying music theory influenced his current path Why Eric minored in psychology What exactly is psychoacoustics The backend side of audio branding The shift in the commercial music industry The formation of AudioUX The purpose of AudioUX- bringing together audio and visual branding The importance of the audio logo and the company identity Things you can do modularly to keep your audio branding evergreen How different businesses have manipulated their audio logo to convey different emotions Universal sounds and icons Why audio branding is important How audio allows you to interact with different brands Transporting with different sounds to different places How he came up with a sound for a color The process of doing audio branding All the different components that get created during an audio branding process The best way to contact Eric Seay and AudioUX is through their website at https://auxnyc.com/ . You can find AudioUX on more social media platforms @aux_nyc (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter). This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at <a href="https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/"
S1 E49 · Wed, October 21, 2020
Interview with Confidence Coach & Musician, Emily Rose Giddings - Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Emily Rose Giddings. This episode is a continuation of our conversation about music and sound and really dives into what she does to help her clients embody their own sound as well as what’s involved in training your voice for video/speaking. Listen in to our continued conversation about: What it means to be “performing a script” The difference between a good actor and a great actor How to shift your mind to creating the environment to speak well How imagination comes into play with voice acting Voice acting in different realms The importance of having emotion behind your voice acting My process for changing my voice to match the purpose of the voice acting I’m doing The mingling of emotions to create the “correct” voice for each project Acting theory The process of mixing real life experiences with imaginary ones What’s involved in confidence coaching Why people think they need confidence The fallacy about “getting there” The importance of clear goals and what you need to do to achieve them Taking feedback gracefully How Emily works with her clients Emily’s ideal clients How her past with marketing has impacted the people she works with What Emily is currently working on - something for coaching and something for her music The struggle with touring How Emily connects with her audience- social media scheduled performances If you are looking for more information about Emily Rose Giddings’ coaching opportunities, you can find those here: Website: https://www.emilyrosegiddings.com Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/confidentcreativeentrepreneurs If you’re looking for more information about her band, you can find that here: Zigtebra: https://www.facebook.com/zigtebra Instagram: www.instagram.com/Zigtebra This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/pod
S1 E48 · Wed, October 14, 2020
Interview with Confidence Coach & Musician, Emily Rose Giddings - Part 1
In this episode, I had the joy of talking with Emily Rose Giddings. She is a self-taught musician who has toured the country multiple times as the lead vocalist in the indie band Zigtebra. She's also a certified life coach who focuses on helping her clients find confidence and authenticity in marketing online. With the change in schedule due to COVID, she's creating lots of workshops in her Facebook group, Confident Creative Entrepreneurs, to keep her community engaged. I'm excited to share with you her perspective on sound and music! Tune in to hear our conversation about: The tech adventures caused by everyone being at home What she’s been up to since COVID hit Her background in music and what led her to performing Her start with music and her experience with underground music Her fascination with Fiona Apple and her influence Exploring texture of voices How frequencies of voices resonate with different people The progression of finding your own authentic voice Melding of voices to create your own voice The progression of music through different decades The irony and throwback of the announcer voice How she gets people to use their voice well on video Different exercises to help people use their voices better The importance of breath control Confidence and the fear that keeps us from having confidence to show up well What people say before vocal lessons with Emily What to focus on while you’re speaking to keep you from losing your confidence How to actually get better at speaking The importance of the ongoing coaching If you are looking for more information about Emily Rose Giddings’ coaching opportunities, you can find those here: Website: https://www.emilyrosegiddings.com Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/confidentcreativeentrepreneurs If you’re looking for more information about her band, you can find that here: Zigtebra: https://www.facebook.com/zigtebra Instagram: www.instagram.com/Zigtebra This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link
S1 E47 · Wed, October 07, 2020
Interview with Public Speaker, Educator & Author, Robert Kennedy III - Part 2
In this second part of my interview with Robert Kennedy III, we continue our conversation about communication and how it plays into the realm of public speaking. There are so many good tidbits that are applicable to anyone who needs to use communication as part of their lives! Tune in to hear Robert and I talk about: Determining what other people need from you How asking “what’s going on in your world?” helps to know what’s drive people Listening as the flip side of communication Exploring your own curiosity Power zones and how the time of day determines how well you communicate What Robert teaches his students to avoid Technology apps to use to help you become more effective with your communication Breaking down speeches into patterns Comparing speech patterns to piano patterns The importance of storytelling framework The wave pattern of public speaking How public speaking is either successful or not The need for connection throughout your speech Determining the purpose of your speech Robert’s upcoming virtual conference The updated version of Robert’s book If you want to get in contact with Robert, you can find him at www.RobertKennedy3.com or www.SpeakWriteNow.com . He can also be found on social media on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/storytellersgrowthlab or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertkennedy3/ . You can join the Story Tellers Growth Lab here: http://storytellersgrowthlab.com/ . Here is the information for Robert’s book: 28 Days To A New Me: A Journey Of Commitment (2nd Edition) - https://amzn.to/3gutenk This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And
S1 E46 · Wed, September 30, 2020
Interview with Public Speaker, Educator & Author, Robert Kennedy III - Part 1
On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by the Co-Founder and President of Speak Write Now Communications. He is a serial entrepreneur and started his first business in 2001, an online music promotion portal with an internet radio station. He is an award-winning public speaker, corporate trainer and author. His books include 28 Days To A New Me, 7 Ways To Know You Should Lead and Find Your Voice: 28 Secrets To Help You Speak Up and Speak Out. He has a background in education, media, and radio. Through his training company, he works with leaders who need to deliver critical messages with confidence. He lives in the state of Maryland, where he has been featured on FOX and CW for his work around confident communications. His name is Robert Kennedy the Third and we had a great conversation that I know you're going to enjoy listening to. In this episode, Robert and I discuss: The problem of COVID- doing too much Robert’s introduction to voice How starting and operating 4 different vocal groups helped him understand vocals His transition into voice acting from teaching biology Robert’s first interaction with radio and how that popped back up when he transitioned into voice over Using sound/voice to build trust in business Voice of a Leader presentation Robert’s development of a 4 part assessment for voice analysis and use in leadership How you can use the assessment to adjust your own vocal style How to look at your intended result to change your vocal strategy How babies use their vocal patterns to communicate what they need Finding who wants what you have to give and how to use our voice to communicate appropriately Different systems within different styles of leadership Understanding who you’re communicating with introverts and extroverts Morning routines If you want to get in contact with Robert, you can find him at www.RobertKennedy3.com or www.SpeakWriteNow.com . He can also be found on social media on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/storytellersgrowthlab or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertkennedy3/ . You can join the Story Tellers Growth Lab here: http://storytellersgrowthlab.com/ . Here is the information for Robert’s book: 28 Days To A New Me: A Journey Of Commitment (2nd Edition) -</stro
S1 E45 · Wed, September 23, 2020
Interview with Editor & Producer, Carrie Caulfield Arick - Part 2
Concluding the second part of my interview with Carrie Caulfield Arick, we go even deeper into what exactly you need to do in order to start a podcast, marketing issues Carrie sees even the best marketing companies make, and what’s next for her. In this episode, Carrie and I discuss: How to figure out what to do with your podcast Doing market research before you dive into creating podcast content How to look at negative reviews in a positive way Sponsoring yourself first and what it means How to create an ad for your podcast and the importance for your podcast How to market your podcast with a website Carrie’s upcoming curriculum for marketing podcasts The problems marketing companies are seeing with trying to market podcasts The commonalities between getting a podcast off the ground and a business Some of the top issues companies run into when they start a podcast The importance of quality sound on a podcast The balance in finding the best sound for each podcast Elements Carrie adds to podcasts to make them sound better The beauty of adding a bit of white space to a podcast What Carrie is currently working on Carrie’s free audit for your podcast If you want to get in contact with Carrie, you can find her at www.yayapodcasting.com . She can also be found on social media on Facebook at www.facebook.com/yayapodcasting/ or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/carriearick/ . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/ This podcast use
S1 E44 · Wed, September 16, 2020
Interview with Editor & Producer, Carrie Caulfield Arick - Part 1
My next guest is the founder of YaYa Podcasting which empowers podcasters and podcasting professionals to create meaningful impact by providing production services, coaching and training. She’s the host of Just Podcasting, a seasonal show exploring podcasting life and culture and co-host of Podcast Editors Mastermind for those in the business of podcast post-production. She’s co-founder of the female podcast producers and editors community, Just Busters, which helps empower women in new media through networking, mentorship, advocacy and monthly trainings. I’m super pleased to be talking with Carrie Cawfield Arick – and I know this discussion will have a lot of useful information in it - especially for those of you who already have or are starting a podcast of your own! So pay attention! You might just learn a thing or two. In this episode, Carrie and I discuss: How COVID has shifted her business What has happened to podcasting since COVID has hit How podcasting looks in different countries and cultures What led her to podcasting and audio Her first podcast love Her first podcast and the pains of getting started Starting her podcast consulting business Growing her podcast consulting business What she’s learned from growing her business and team What she loves the most about podcasts Carrie’s advice to keep people engaged in your podcast Carrie’s take on audio branding for podcasts How she works with her podcast clients Questions to ask yourself when picking the music/audio for your podcast Answering the question: how long should my podcast be? If you want to get in contact with Carrie, you can find her at www.yayapodcasting.com . She can also be found on social media on Facebook at www.facebook.com/yayapodcasting/ or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/carriearick/ . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check
S1 E43 · Wed, September 09, 2020
Interview with Creative Director & Composer, Nick Crane- Part 2
This is the second part of my interview with Nick Crane. We are diving into the different changes and challenges that culture brings to creating the perfect sound and how music connects us. In the 2nd part of this interview Nick shares: How he uses emotions to bridge the gap between himself and his clients when it comes to talking about their overall vision for their piece The challenges that different cultures bring to the table when choosing the right sound How music communicates within different cultures A project he had to create for a brand that was relating to multiple types of people How he takes feedback and changes sounds accordingly His project with TikTok and how that was different than others How money affects musical choices with brands His current projects You can find Nick Crane at www.racketclub.tv , and on Instagram - www.instagram.com/racket.club.music . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E42 · Wed, September 02, 2020
Interview with Creative Director & Composer, Nick Crane - Part 1
Nick Crane has been making music since he was 8 and making movies since he was 11. In 2019, he launched Racket Club- a boutique music production studio. Nick’s had the pleasure of working with Nike, Verizon, Ford, and others. Racket Club also creates scores for short films and his most recent score released in April of 2020. In this episode, we discuss: Nick’s background and how he got into this work What his business, Racket Club does differently The struggle of making money in the music industry these days What artists bring to a company’s branding How he works with brands and artists What we’ve seen as a trend in COVID responses from brands Some of the challenges of doing audio work You can find Nick Crane at www.racketclub.tv , and on Instagram- www.instagram.com/racket.club.music . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E41 · Wed, August 26, 2020
Interview with Podcast Producer & Storyteller, Elaine Appleton Grant- Part 2
This week, we are diving back into part 2 of my interview with Elaine Appleton Grant. Last week, we discussed a lot of the ins and outs of starting and doing a podcast. This week we dive into a bit deeper how COVID is affecting the business of podcasting and how to tap into your audience when figuring out your own podcast. In this second part, we discuss: How COVID has affected podcasting and what is coming out of this The podcasts she’s seen out of COVID and what effects they’re having on society Different podcast formats and figuring out what’s right for you / your podcast The importance of being tuned into your audience to know what they want to listen to Some of the things that deteriorate the quality of your podcast How to improve the quality of your own voice How larger companies are using podcasts to their advantage What Elaine is currently working on To find out more about Elaine Appleton Grant, you can find her most easily on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/appletongrant/ ). If you’re interested in her services, you can find out more information at www.podcastallies.com . She also has a Kickstart your podcast worksheet that you can find here: www.podcastallies.com/audio-branding This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E40 · Wed, August 19, 2020
Interview with Podcast Producer & Storyteller, Elaine Appleton Grant- Part 1
Elaine Appleton Grant is a writer, podcast producer, and public speaker. She co-founded Podcast Allies, LLC- a podcast consultancy and production studio out of Colorado. She has hosted programs in both Boston and Colorado on WBUR in Boston and Colorado Public Radio and appeared on National Public Radio. She currently produces two podcasts- Business Wars Daily and One More Shot. If you’re interested in the world of podcasting, this interview is for you! In the first part of the interview, we discuss: How she got into podcast production Elaine’s take on whether or not now is the right time to start a podcast The part podcasts can play in communicating with your audience My reasoning for recording my podcasts ahead of time and Elaine’s take How the Corona Virus has affected the way Elaine has had to shift her own podcast The importance of quality in any audio you put out there Finding the why of creating and promoting your podcast and Elaine’s take on what makes a good podcast Elaine’s planning process and what you need before you launch your podcast What’s involved with interviewing guests on your podcast To find out more about Elaine Appleton Grant, you can find her most easily on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/appletongrant/ ). If you’re interested in her services, you can find out more information at www.podcastallies.com . She also has a Kickstart your podcast worksheet that you can find here: www.podcastallies.com/audio-branding This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here’s the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at <a href="https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/" rel="noopener
S1 E39 · Wed, August 12, 2020
Interview With Producer And Voice Director, Jeff Howell – Part 2
Here’s part two of my interview with producer and voice director, Jeff Howell . We talked about what specifically ad agencies are considering when choosing talent for a voiceover gig and the most important thing that will influence their decision. We also discussed: How the dubbing work Jeff does has been affected by the COVID-19 shutdowns (during which time we recorded this episode) Why historically, dubbing has had a bad rap The difference in how people are receiving programming these days How Jeff chooses talent for dubbing How Jeff brings reality to a dubbing performance Why great actors often miss the mark and blow their voiceover auditions How sound and audio have historically been on the back burner while the visual has been stressed more Why it doesn’t work when TV spots are pulled and run as radio spots How Jeff gets emotional performances from voice actors What has changed with promos during the COVID-19 shutdowns The PSA project Jeff is currently working on What else Jeff has going on right now To learn more about Jeff and his work, you can visit http://www.jeffhowellvo.com or email him through his website to connect. This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you're interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE Audio Branding Worksheet ? This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E38 · Wed, August 05, 2020
Interview With Producer And Voice Director, Jeff Howell – Part 1
Jeff Howell launched his voiceover industry career as an agent at Abrams-Rubaloff and Lawrence then crossed over to the creative side as a casting director / radio producer at Bert Berdis and Company. Later, he was hired as the VP of Production at World Wide Wadio. He has produced radio commercials and network radio TV promos, served as a post-production supervisor and director, directed narration, and more. He now runs his own company producing and directing all things voiceover. He teaches voiceover acting at schools, facilitates workshops, and does private coaching for voiceover talent. In part one of my conversation with Jeff, we spoke about how he got started in the industry, as well as: How things are going for him in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdowns (during which time we recorded this episode) Why Jeff shifted from theater to television, radio, and film while in school What roles Jeff had in voiceover at Abrams-Rubaloff and Lawrence Why Jeff decided to change jobs in order to work as a casting director at Bert Berdis and Company Working for World Wide Wadio How Jeff started his own company Casting talent to do dubbing work for Netflix What Jeff loves about interacting with voiceover talent The trends and transitions Jeff has seen throughout his years in the industry Why now is a wonderful time for actors to get into voiceover The increasing amount of diversity in voiceover talent How Jeff finds talent for voiceover jobs and supports them during auditions and reads The negative side of the advancements in technology for voiceover The benefits that technology is providing during the COVID-19 restrictions You can find more information on Jeff Howel at his website http://www.jeffhowellvo.com , or you can email him through his website to connect. This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you're interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE Audio Branding Worksheet ? This podcast uses the following third-party services for ana
S1 E37 · Wed, July 29, 2020
Interview With Casting Director And Coach, Mary Lynn Wissner – Part 2
Here’s the second part of my interview with casting director and coach, Mary Lynn Wissner . We talked about common mistakes she sees voice actors make and what she suggests voice talent do to differentiate themselves. We also spoke about things like: How voiceover work is about so much more than having a nice voice How Mary Lynn helps producers open their eyes to possibilities they hadn’t considered when hiring talent The difference in sound when adults do kids’ voices versus when kids do kids’ voices What changes in the industry Mary Lynn predicts coming out of the COVID-19 shutdowns (during which time this episode was recorded) What the process looks like when Mary Lynn finds talent for producers The additional roles voice talent are having to take on The coaching Mary Lynn is doing currently Mary Lynn’s VO Pros classes What Mary Lynn is currently working on and how she structures her workdays Mary Lynn’s Voiceover Self Direction app and how voice talent are using it to learn tips and tricks, gain confidence, and prepare for auditions You can find out more about Mary Lynn and Voices Voicecasting on her website www.voicesvoicecasting.com , or you can email voicesvoicecasting@gmail.com . You can also check out The Voice Over Self Direction app on the App Store ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voice-over-self-direction/id731453256?mt=8 ) or on Google Play ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jah.vvc ). This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you're interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE Audio Branding Worksheet ? This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.d
S1 E36 · Wed, July 22, 2020
Interview With Casting Director and Coach, Mary Lynn Wissner – Part 1
Since 1990, Mary Lynn Wissner’s company Voices Voicecasting has cast thousands and thousands of voice talent in thousands and thousands of voiceover productions. She directs workshops, coaches voice talent, consults, and directs talent around the world. While things have certainly changed in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdowns (during which time this episode was recorded), Mary Lynn has stayed quite busy, including just finishing up a Bud Light casting. In the first part of our conversation, we spoke about: Mary Lynn’s background in acting and her studies at UCLA and Cal State Being hired by Don Pitts as an assistant voiceover agent Starting her company, Voices Voicecasting Doing voiceover work herself Producing a traveling workshop called The VO Roadshow How Mary Lynn has been able to mold her career around her family life What Mary Lynn wishes she would have done differently in her career How supportive the voiceover community is Trends that Mary Lynn has seen change over the years The difference between reading the copy and acting the copy of a voiceover piece The majority of work that Mary Lynn has seen come through during the COVID-19 shutdowns What exactly Mary Lynn’s role entails as a casting director To find out more about Mary Lynn and Voices Voicecasting, check out her website www.voicesvoicecasting.com or email voicesvoicecasting@gmail.com . You can also check out The Voice Over Self Direction app on the App Store ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voice-over-self-direction/id731453256?mt=8 ) or on Google Play ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jah.vvc ). This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you're interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my<a href="http://www.voiceoversandvocals.com/resources/" r
S1 E35 · Wed, July 15, 2020
Interview With Technologist and Teacher, Chip Edwards – Part 2
Here’s the second part of my interview with technologist and teacher, Chip Edwards . In it, we discussed the shift made when moving from a visual interface to voice technology and how that affects a brand’s capability to connect with its audience as well as the user experience. We also talked about: What an invocation name is and how it parallels a domain name How Chip is helping blind individuals get their blogs out on voice devices How spelling doesn’t matter with an invocation name, but rather the sounds in that name The crossover between voice technology and the internet of things (IOT) How cameras in our refrigerators can tell us when we’re low on milk and even order it for us Privacy concerns with advertising and marketing How giving up some of our privacy allows us to experience many conveniences that we wouldn’t be able to otherwise How Google is benefiting from providing us with “free” Gmail service Siri, KFC, and other voice imprints How we’re able to add emotion and other levels of humanness to voice conversion technology How individuals who are unable to speak are utilizing text to speech technology to communicate To find out more about Chip and his work, check out the following social media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedwards/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChipEdwards4 Create My Voice on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CreateMyVoice Create my Voice on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreateMyVoice/ You can also take a look at the company’s website www.createmyvoice.com . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! And if you're interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my <a href="http://www.voiceoversandvocals.com/resourc
S1 E34 · Wed, July 08, 2020
Interview With Technologist and Teacher, Chip Edwards – Part 1
Chip Edwards is a speaker, entrepreneur, teacher, technologist, and the Chief Voice Officer of Create My Voice. Chip helps individuals and brands engage their audiences through voice technology, utilizing smart speakers like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. His company not only helps people strategize how they want to utilize voice apps but also builds those apps to help people deliver their content out to voice devices. In part one of our conversation, Chip and I talked about how he became interested in his line of work, as well as: How Amazon has made a way for people, businesses, brands, and content creators to add their own capabilities onto smart speakers and other voice technologies What indicated to Chip that voice technology was going to get big How voice technology is becoming so much more than the smart speakers in our living rooms How devices called wearables are utilizing voice technology The privacy we are giving away in order to gain convenience The illusion of privacy How privacy (or lack thereof) comes into play with marketing and advertising Why Google Glass didn't fare so well on the market One of Amazon’s latest products, glasses with Alexa built in How Chip helps business and brands stay one step ahead of the curve by effectively utilizing voice in reaching their audiences To learn more, you can find Chip on the following social media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedwards/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChipEdwards4 Create My Voice on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CreateMyVoice Create my Voice on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreateMyVoice/ You can also check out www.createmyvoice.com to find out more about Chip’s work. This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks
S1 E33 · Wed, July 01, 2020
Interview With Vocal Coach, Judy Rodman – Part 2
Here’s the second part of my interview with vocal coach, Judy Rodman . We talked about how Judy helps her students gain access to their full array of vocal possibilities and the importance of determining intention when approaching a vocal piece. We also discussed: How people often have breathing problems they don’t even know about Understanding breath for voice versus breath for life How Judy uses anatomy and imagery to teach about breathing The importance of speaking from your heels as opposed to the balls of your feet Where exactly you should power your voice from (this might surprise you!) How adjusting arm movement can make a difference in public speaking How Judy uses a backscratcher to help her students gain more control over their breathing Pulling power versus pushing power How the eyes matter in vocal control Why we cannot yawn without dropping our jaw (try it sometime 😉) How the positioning of our first cervical vertebra (C1) affects our vocal ability The number one way people can best care for their voices The little-known secret of how pineapple juice can help our voice How miming can help you imitate character voices, accents, and dialects The course in vocal training that Judy is currently working on Check out www.judyrodman.com to learn more about Judy and access all she has to offer, including her podcast All Things Vocal . You can also find Judy on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judyrodmanvoice Twitter: https://twitter.com/judyrodman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judyrodman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judyrodman This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party
S1 E32 · Wed, June 24, 2020
Interview With Vocal Coach, Judy Rodman – Part 1
Judy Rodman has spent over 50 years in the music industry. She’s been a top session singer, recording artist, stage and TV performer, songwriter, studio producer, public speaker, and coach. Judy teaches singers and speakers globally both from her office and online. She’s a published author, hosts the podcast All Things Vocal , and is currently working on a 12-module course in vocal training. In the first part of our conversation, we spoke about a variety of topics, including: How Nashville is doing amidst the COVID-19 shutdowns (during which time this episode was recorded) Judy’s recommendations for how Nashvillians can proactively live through the challenges of the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 How Judy first developed a love for voice Judy’s background in music growing up Judy’s first paid gig How Judy transitioned into being a vocal coach Recording jingles as a staff member of the Pepper Tanner organization Making up copy for a funeral home How Judy started doing work writing longer copy How taking voice lessons and learning to sing helps songwriters The importance of silence and pauses when reading copy The one question we have to ask ourselves when we communicate Using our imaginations to anticipate others’ responses to our communication Different ways of articulating in varying contexts You can find out more about Judy and access all she has to offer at www.judyrodman.com . Check out her podcast All Things Vocal on your favorite podcast app. You can also find Judy on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judyrodmanvoice Twitter: https://twitter.com/judyrodman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judyrodman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judyrodman This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it
S1 E31 · Wed, June 17, 2020
Interview With Marketing Upheaval Expert, Rudy Fernandez – Part 2
Here’s the second part of my interview with marketing upheaval expert Rudy Fernandez . We talked about how he directs voice talent while in a session and the most important thing to consider when doing so. We also spoke about things like: How Rudy self-admittedly tends to overdirect and how he navigates that with the voice talent he works with The importance of always keeping voice talent involved in the creative process The difference between character reads and announcer reads How to ensure that the right voice talent is selected for a brand The importance of brands having multiple touchpoints for their audiences How companies are still utilizing radio advertising to this day The work Rudy’s company is doing with The University of Alabama College of Continuing Studies How audio can connect with audiences in ways other media cannot The use of earcons and how they serve as an audio logo of sorts What Rudy is working on during the Coronavirus shutdown (during which time we recorded this episode) What Rudy’s daughter, a voice talent, is up to right now and the work she does in L.A. A little bit about what I’ve been up to during the shutdown (only because Rudy asked!) 😄 You can check out more about Rudy and Creative Outhouse on the company’s website https://creativeouthouse.com and can listen to his podcast at https://creativeouthouse.com/podcast . You can also find Rudy and Creative Outhouse on the following social platforms: His personal profile on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudyfernandez-ecd Creative Outhouse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/creative-outhouse Creative Outhouse on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CreativeOuthous Creative Outhouse on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreativeOuthouse Creative Outhouse on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creative_outhouse This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Brand
S1 E30 · Wed, June 10, 2020
Interview With Marketing Upheaval Expert, Rudy Fernandez – Part 1
Rudy Fernandez is the founder of Creative Outhouse, a creative marketing agency that specializes in launching brands, and is the host of the Marketing Upheaval podcast. His knowledge of and experience in the science of behavior change helps his clients communicate their deeper purpose, win more fans, and strengthen their brands. Though some clients have put projects on pause, Rudy has still stayed busy with client work during the COVID-19 shutdowns. (We recorded this episode in the midst of the social distancing mandates.) Rudy is currently working on two brand launches for clients in the utilities industry and is tackling a few projects that have been on the back burner. In the first part of our conversation, Rudy and I discussed his background in journalism and how he got into the advertising industry. We also spoke about: How Rudy started Radio Outhouse in 2001 Why Rudy chose not to phase out of radio writing and what that has allowed him to do throughout his career What exactly behavior change marketing is and how companies utilize it The work that Rudy’s company does in addition to radio campaigns The company’s name change from Radio Outhouse to Creative Outhouse Rudy’s work producing mini podcasts for physicians to utilize with their patients Why Rudy started his podcast and what it has morphed into How Creative Outhouse helps clients take their consumers from learning about their product/service to becoming raving fans How copy is written for the ear as opposed to just being written in general How a junior copywriter at Podfest went from being incredibly shy to a highly skilled performer, podcaster, and writer The importance of having only one thought in a line in radio as well as reading out loud when writing audio You can find more information on Rudy on his company’s website https://creativeouthouse.com and can listen to his podcast at https://creativeouthouse.com/podcast . You can also find Rudy and Creative Outhouse on the following social platforms: Rudy’s personal profile on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudyfernandez-ecd Creative Outhouse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/creative-outhouse Creative Outhouse on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CreativeOuthous Creative Outhouse on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CreativeOuthouse/" rel="noopener noreferr
S1 E29 · Wed, June 03, 2020
Interview with Multimedia Storyteller, Brandee Sanders – Part 2
Here’s the second part of my wild ride of an interview with Multimedia Storyteller, Brandee Sanders. We talked about her journey as a woman in tech and what other women in tech must consider when advancing in the field. We also discussed: How Brandee recognizes the challenges of being a woman in tech but doesn’t get consumed by them The importance of women supporting other women Keeping the door held open for the person behind you How rising to the top can sometimes hurt individuals and those around them How women have to work twice as hard to prove themselves How important mentorship is and how undervalued it is More about why Brandee decided to step behind the cameras and what it has allowed her to do Mansplaining, bro business, and nepotism (don’t worry, that part stays pretty tame) The importance of literacy in choosing the right person for any given job Microcosms and echo chambers How Brandee maintains the mentality of a lifelong learner, especially in a position of leadership Brandee’s journey as a mom and her compassion for other moms The two podcasts she’s working on Brandee’s journey going from “white trash to white collar” (her words, not mine 😉) Find out more about Brandee on social media: LinkedIn: Brandee Sanders https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandeesanders/ Twitter: @PlanetBrandy https://twitter.com/PlanetBrandee Her website brandeesanders.com This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E28 · Wed, May 27, 2020
Interview With Multimedia Storyteller, Brandee Sanders – Part 1
Brandee Sanders is an award-winning digital leader, tech strategist, multimedia storyteller, and data translator. She develops and accelerates her clients’ vision by working at the intersection of data, commerce, content, and creative. She’s worked with a dynamic variety of companies, including Silicon Valley startups, Emmy Award Winning studios, and more. She’s been featured in The New York Times, Condé Nast, New York Fashion Week, Etsy, TV Network, and Inc. Magazine. Currently, she’s Director of Marketing Operations at Appetize Technologies, Inc. and is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Data Science and Analytics. In the first part of our riveting conversation (seriously, buckle up, folks!), we discuss what exactly Brandee means when she calls herself a multimedia storyteller and how she got into her line of work, as well as: Her background in the arts, including film, musical theater, and ballet and why she decided to move behind the camera Creating her own eCommerce business How she became successful, as she put it, “in spite of my ignorance” The three careers most people have How she began working in both storytelling as well as statistical quantitative data analysis in technology, operations, and marketing Being featured in a LinkedIn case study What factors must be considered when piloting new ideas How you can’t have innovation without failure The importance of companies/brands putting themselves in the consumers’ position to consider how they may be perceiving things How brand building and sales activation come together in advertising How purchase intent can grow as much as 146% between pre- and post-exposure of sonic logos and music How early adoption of an idea pays off in the long run How critical sonic branding is as part of a marketing strategy How data can protect the valuable work people do To learn more about Brandee, you can find her on social media: LinkedIn: Brandee Sanders https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandeesanders/ Twitter: @PlanetBrandy https://twitter.com/PlanetBrandee Her website www.brandeesanders.com This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453" rel="noopener noreferrer
S1 E27 · Wed, May 20, 2020
Interview with Musician, Author, & Teacher, Bob Baker – Part 2
Here’s the second part of my interview with musician, author, and teacher, Bob Baker . We talked about what drew Bob to starting his YouTube channel and how it’s grown to over 117K subscribers through the meditations and positive affirmations he posts. We also spoke about things like: Bob’s insecurities and self-worth challenges throughout his childhood The impact that Wayne Dyer’s book Your Erroneous Zones had on Bob in high school Bob’s realization that he wasn’t a victim of this thoughts and how that prompted his personal development journey Why creatives tend to be more sensitive How we can manage the negative self-talk that may run through our mind Bob’s recommendation for pursuing new ideas How Bob prepares for recording his YouTube videos The different types of recordings Bob creates How Bob and his girlfriend perform the song “White Christmas” every year and the unique spin Bob puts on it (I think you’ll get a kick out of this part) 😉 The revelation Bob experienced as our interview transpired How Bob lives his life “going where the energy is” How Bob got started teaching improv in 2012 What Bob’s primary focus is right now and what else he’s up to If you’d like to learn more about Bob, you can find him in several places online: His YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/user/MrBuzzFactor ) His website ( http://www.bob-baker.com/ ) His podcast “The Creative Entrepreneur” ( http://www.diycareermanifesto.com/p/the-podcast.html ) His Creative Entrepreneur VIP List ( http://promoteyourcreativity.com/ ) This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E26 · Wed, May 13, 2020
Interview with Musician, Author, & Teacher, Bob Baker – Part 1
Bob Baker likes to call himself an “inspirationalist.” His mission in life is to inspire and empower people, especially creatives. Over the years, his work has included books, podcasts, music, coaching, and improv comedy. He co-authored the book The Improv Comedy Musician with Laura Hall, who you may be familiar with from the TV show Whose Line Is It Anway? Bob’s YouTube channel currently has over 117K subscribers and includes guided meditations, audio affirmations, and more. In the first part of my discussion with Bob, we covered a variety of topics, including: His book Guerilla Music Marketing and other written works A mental block people often experience when writing a book and how to get past it How the interests that drive people (including Bob himself) to certain career paths often can be traced back to their childhood How Bob was a bit awkward as a child and how he used humor to break through that awkwardness Bob’s history playing music How he’s always had a knack for keeping audiences engaged Bob’s involvement in theater, acting, and improv comedy How Bob formed his first improv troupe and the two types of comedy they utilized How musicians and improv actors can perform well together, even if they’ve never met before Bob’s 15 years doing standup comedy The differences between improv comedy and stand-up comedy Bob’s biggest tip for public speaking (it may surprise you!) The three Es of communication The importance of focusing on the message (the topic) instead of the messenger (you) when doing public speaking The importance of getting out of your head when doing improv You can find Bob in a handful of places online, including: His YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/user/MrBuzzFactor ) His website ( http://www.bob-baker.com/ ) His podcast The Creative Entrepreneur ( http://www.diycareermanifesto.com/p/the-podcast.html ) His Creative Entrepreneur VIP List ( http://promoteyourcreativity.com/ ) This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453"
S1 E25 · Wed, May 06, 2020
Interview With Global Brand Strategist, Edward Farley – Part 2
Here’s the second part of my interview with global brand strategist, Edward Farley . In it, we continued our conversation about the research going into artificial intelligence and how AI affects the brand experience. In addition, we discussed: How KFC in Canada and the National Australia Bank are creating two unique brand voices using the same type of deep learning technology that powers the voice of Alexa How Mastercard uses a consistent track of chords that reflects the DNA of their brand but caters it to the culture in which their audio is being utilized The connection between audio and memory The importance of a brand matching its visual identity to its audio identity How brands use audio to build trust How audio is more than just a tool in a toolkit—it’s a tool to be invested in Jingles, NBC, and other audio branding that goes back many, many years What is included in a brand’s soundscape How Starbucks and others use audio to facilitate loyalty and improve how their customers feel Things to consider when choosing music to play at events in different countries The tactics businesses use to bring their audio strategy to life and the difference those tactics make in consumer experience Ed’s work with a product incubator accelerator that is engaged in startup products in the clean technology space You can find out more about Ed by connecting with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-farley-a08a839/ . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E24 · Wed, April 29, 2020
Interview with Global Brand Strategist, Edward Farley – Part 1
Edward Farley has quite a history in marketing with over 25 years of experience in global marketing, brand management, creative development, and sports and entertainment marketing. He has degrees from Michigan State, Harvard Business School, and Northwestern University and has lectured on global brand management and marketing at multiple universities. Currently, Ed is working on business development for a few different agencies and is working with a product incubator accelerator that is engaged in new products in the clean technology space. In the first part of my conversation with Ed, we discussed how he became interested in branding and marketing, as well as: How marketing today is much different than it used to be How technology and the consumer experience have evolved Ed’s work with a variety of industries, including beer companies, healthcare insurance, nonprofits, and financial services How principles of developing a great brand strategy are fairly universal across industries How Intel became one of the earliest audio branding success stories How audio branding serves as a way to drive recognition and trust Ed’s work helping Humana with a complete brand repositioning The importance of tone of voice and personality coming through a company’s music/audible experience How companies can use audio to become more approachable, friendly, and helpful—or however they want their consumers to perceive them to be Bringing an emotional vibe to a brand How an Arby’s commercial can leave you feeling satisfied (even before eating their food!) What exactly Ed means when he talks about a brand’s DNA The best time for a company to think about audio in their marketing strategy The architecture of a brand strategy and how it applies across a variety of consumers How Alexa, artificial intelligence, and Amazon Polly are revolutionizing the brand experience If you’d like to learn more about Ed and his work, the best place to connect with him is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-farley-a08a839/ . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcas
S1 E23 · Wed, April 22, 2020
Why Audio Branding? - Tips on How To Be Intentional With Your Sound
How Can Audio Branding Help Your Podcast or Company? According to Harvard Business Review [4] , Audio Branding is “the strategic use of sound … in positively differentiating a product or service, enhancing recall, creating preference, building trust, and even increasing sales.” So ultimately, think of it as a brand or podcast's emotional short hand - the quickest way to your listener's heart. How do you want them to feel when they hear you? And how does it help your podcast or company to reach your audience FASTER and on a deeper level? I go into a lot more detail on my blog here (and in the audio of this podcast!): https://voiceoversandvocals.com/blog/audio-branding/audiobrandingtips/ And here's that information on "earcons" that I mention - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earcon . My blog about Advertising At Cannes - https://voiceoversandvocals.com/blog/commercial/advertising-at-cannes-you-bet/ - talks about the Taco Bell promotion in London in more detail. If you'd like some help figuring out your audio brand, this worksheet might help! Basically though: • Sound touches us immediately. It goes right to our hearts. People buy based on emotions and then justify it with logic, so touching your listeners’ emotions makes it much more likely they’ll remember you. Be intentional with how you want them to feel when they see and hear your brand. • The world is full of visual distraction, especially now. Sound cuts through the noise. It reaches us on a deeply personal level. If you want to be noticed, you need to be heard . • Music is a universal language. The instruments and tonal structure may change, but essentially, you can communicate emotion to a global audience without needing to know the language they speak. That means that if you invest in an effective audio brand, you can reach your intended audience on an emotional level, FAST—anywhere they might be listening. It doesn’t matter what your native language is if people can relate to the sound. Sometimes it's hard to know where to start. But figuring out an audio brand to match your visual brand, isn't as difficult as you think. I've created a worksheet that will give you a hand with this and you can download it at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/resources/ , if you're interested. And I h
S1 E22 · Wed, April 15, 2020
Interview with Brand & Marketing Motivator, Corey Dissin - Part 2
In the second part of my interview with Corey Dissin , we discussed the three elements to every spot and how to build a successful audio brand for audio talent. Corey and I also talked about: How a voice talent is not a voice talent (yes, that caught me off guard, too!) The difference between the types of voices that would be used in, for example, a horror movie trailer versus those that would be used in a Disney movie trailer The demand for audio content and how podcasting has risen in popularity What Rudy Gaskins meant when he said, “Branding is both a noun and a verb.” How, for most voice talent, there’s more to the brand than just their voice The only difference between social media, broadcast television, a movie theater, the radio, and a streaming service How reading copy is a skill for voice talent—not their profession Why some people need to fire themselves Some of the topics Corey covers in his Go Get It podcast and One More Round podcast How social media is like being Pete Rose and George Foreman The importance of making 99 enemies in sales The long shelf life of podcasts and other aspects that make podcasting so powerful What Corey has been up to lately and the feedback he’s gotten so far You can find more on Corey Dissin at http://www.coreydissin.com . You can also find his Go Get It podcast at https://coreydissin.com/podcast and his One More Round podcast at https://coreydissin.com/one-more-round . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E21 · Wed, April 08, 2020
Interview with Brand & Marketing Motivator, Corey Dissin - Part 1
Corey Dissin was only 19 when he first got into the world of audio and sound. He started answering phones as a volunteer with Paul Turner Productions (now Propulsion Media Labs). His volunteering later morphed into an internship, at which point he met Paul. The two formed a friendship, and later Paul began allowing Corey to sit in and watch him record voiceover sessions and produce commercials. At the end of the day, Paul would let Corey stay around in the studio and “play,” and that was how Corey began to learn how to produce audio. Paul later hired Corey, and through that work, Corey not only sharpened his production skills, but he also learned marketing. Today, Corey is a marketing coach, hosts two podcasts, and is the Vice President of Propulsion Media Labs. He is also “the undisputed heavyweight champion of content.” In the first part of our interview, we discussed a bit more about his beginnings with Paul Turner Productions. We also talked about: How Propulsion Media Labs offers turnkey video and audio production services for a large variety of businesses, serving as a secret weapon for many of its customers Corey’s role in the sales process of recruiting talent while working with Paul Turner How Corey got involved in the voiceover end of things with Paul Turner Productions How Propulsion Media Labs sets itself apart from the competition Why Corey fired himself ten years ago How to choose the right voice for a project How Corey’s knowledge about the key marketing aspects of growing a voiceover business morphed into the coaching he does today Corey’s signature phrase, “Go get it!” Corey’s belief that “It’s not what you do it with. It’s what you do with it.” The one skill that most voiceover talent, producers, graphic designers, freelancers, and solopreneurs overlook How businesses are missing out by not utilizing social media to its maximum potential To learn more about Corey Dissin , you can visit http://www.coreydissin.com . You can also check out his Go Get It podcast at https://coreydissin.com/podcast and his One More Round podcast at https://coreydissin.com/one-more-round . You can also find out more about Propulsion Media Labs at http://www.promedialabs.com . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would
S1 E20 · Wed, April 01, 2020
Interview with Audio Alchemist, Steve Keller - Part 2
Here’s the second part of my fascinating interview with Steve Keller . In it, we dove into how brands can harness the power of archetypes as well as what Steve calls the three pillars of return on sonic investment. We also discussed: Music’s impact on our perception of meaning How music soundscapes and noise affect the healthcare industry How consumers’ experience of products often differentiates brands more than the products themselves might Psychophysics—how our perception of reality is a combination of sensory inputs Using sound to affect other senses Carl Jung’s utilization of archetypes in psychology Both the science and art of sound—that they’re not at two opposite ends of a spectrum, but rather they’re two sides of the same coin The importance of brands being intentional and making educated choices around sound The problem of brands failing to make decisions based on the importance of sound, even though they understand the important role sound plays How critical it is to devote time and energy to audio branding in addition to visual branding Steve’s desire to inspire younger people to move even further with the current knowledge and research around audio branding For more information about Steve Keller, check out http://www.studioresonate.com . You can also follow him on Twitter at @AudioAlchemist_ (that underscore is important) or find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevekeller1/ . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! Support the show (https://voiceoversandvocals.com/resources/) This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E19 · Wed, March 25, 2020
Interview with Audio Alchemist, Steve Keller - Part 1
For Steve Keller , audio branding seamlessly blends together the three overarching passions in his life: music, psychology, and marketing. Steve had a passion for music from a young age but never considered it as a career. He became fascinated with and obtained his college degree in psychology. During what some may consider a “gap year” before he had planned to pursue a master’s degree and Ph.D., Steve decided to go in a different direction and ultimately found himself producing music in Nashville, Tenessee. While there, he discovered his passion for marketing and advertising. In 2005, all three passions came together as he began to delve into the world of audio branding. Steve now works for Studio Resonate, Pandora’s in-house consultancy for advertisers. In the first part of our conversation, we discussed Steve’s three passions and some of the research he has done, as well as: Starting the audio consultancy iV ( http://www.ivaudiobranding.com ) How Steve and iV began developing the sonic identity for Pandora Measuring KPIs and return on sonic investments The importance of developing the sonic piece of brand recognition at the beginning of the branding process, not at the end Understanding the entire ecosystem of a brand How audio influences buyer behavior Steve’s work with Studio Resonate Cross-modal hacking to influence consumers’ perception of flavor not only with taste but also with sound (this part blew my mind!) How sound affects our body’s release of dopamine and oxytocin How biases influence our decision-making processes You can find more information about Steve Keller at www.studioresonate.com , or you can follow him on Twitter at @AudioAlchemist_ (that underscore is important). You can also find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevekeller1/ . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E18 · Wed, March 18, 2020
Interview with Storyteller, Dave Bricker - Part 2
Here’s the second part of my interview with storyteller Dave Bricker. We talked about the four elements of a story, the difference between anecdotes and stories, and how to add value to people’s lives through storytelling. In our conversation, we also covered: Whether people are hardwired to want to hear depressing stories or happy stories The difference between happy endings and transformation and how that affects how stories connect with people A much more effective alternative to scare tactics in advertising Why children love reading storybooks over and over...and over…and over... Where most advertising falls short and how to improve How the most powerful stories speak to our innate drive to seek safety and survival How authentic conflict brings depth to a story How, in advertising, money must serve not as an outcome, but rather as a tool Using audio to prime an audience Different types of coaches and which audiences they’re best suited for You can find more information on Dave on his website at www.storysailing.com or on any of his social media channels: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbricker/ Twitter https://twitter.com/daveBricker Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DaveBrickerSpeaker/ This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E17 · Wed, March 11, 2020
Interview with Storyteller, Dave Bricker - Part 1
Dave Bricker discovered his love for "StorySailing” while spending 15 years living aboard sailboats. In 1983, after his first year of college, David got a job working with the Christo Surrounded Islands project. During that time, he realized something was missing in his life. After finishing college, he headed off to the Bahamas to begin his 15-year sailing adventure, which included a transatlantic sailing trip in 1991. Dave has authored 11 books, and his company, Remarkable Stories, Inc. , https://storysailing.com/, teaches the art of business transformation through storytelling. In the first part of my conversation with Dave, we explored how story and sound intersect, as well as: How his idea of storytelling for business started Heading off to the Bahamas with a small sailboat, $30, and a locker full of food and dreams How storytelling ties together music, writing, speaking, graphic design, and code The importance of storytelling about people, outcomes, and value instead of prices, processes, ingredients, and data Speaking techniques to draw people in Girls tied to railroad tracks, dream sequences, the country, and 1940s clubs (yes, you read that right! 😉) Whether our response to music is learned or innate—culture or predisposition Playing music with a Dutch jazz singer in the Azores How improvisation ties into storytelling A big mistake people make when giving professional speeches and how to avoid it How professionals can improve their speaking by getting involved with Toastmasters - http://www.toastmasters.org How we as humans are hunter-gatherers at heart and are always scanning for threats You can find more information on Dave on his website at www.storysailing.com . You can also find him on his social media channels: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbricker/ Twitter https://twitter.com/daveBricker Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DaveBrickerSpeaker/ This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: <
S1 E16 · Wed, March 04, 2020
Interview with Brainwave Entrainment Expert, Morry Zelcovitch - Part 2
In the second part of my interview with Morry Zelcovitch , we got a bit more philosophical. His work and research has led him to some very insightful observations about how he now deals with things in a healthier (brain chemistry-wise) manner - and how he might be able to help others do the same. So we started with a bit of science about how we hear things, the filter all sound goes through before we interpret it, and how this kind of research can help people dealing with PTSD, OCD and other issues. It's another very interesting discussion and I think you'll enjoy the hopeful nature of it. To recap, in this second part of our interview, we discussed: How vibration is interpreted into sound in our brains in a very subjective way How you get a cleaner, better effect with high quality headphones What he's working on now Testing the audio to help people with PTSD, OCD, etc. How the brain prefers things that are "uninterrupted". How life has become a very different experience for him How different his life is now How his work has made him feel like a super hero The evolution of discovery Designing products around the end user - and how everyone's experiences will be different How attitude changes everything You can find out more about Morry's approach to "brainwave entrainment" at www.themorrymethod.com . His more professionally oriented website is at www.activemindsglobal.com . And his newest product is at www.quantummindmethod.com . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E15 · Wed, February 26, 2020
Interview with Brainwave Entrainment Expert, Morry Zelcovitch - Part 1
Morry Zelcovitch has had a lot of challenges in his life including depression and addiction. In his search for something to help him with his difficulties, he came across something called "binauaral beats" and that led him into the brainwave entrainment field (a term he coined himself). Essentially, he's programming his brain to operate in a healthier way, through the use of sound. Exploring this continues to be his life's work. But like any self-improvement option, it works (or doesn't work) for each person differently. We talk a lot about this in our interview. I found it truly fascinating to discuss how sound - or vibration interpreted by our eardrums - may be able to heal us from the inside out. In this first part of our interview, we discussed: His background in "brainwave entrainment" (how he trained himself) His search to find a way to live How he started researching the science of brain chemistry He came across something that might work for him - something that would modify his neural chemistry How music can heal through its "steady pulse" and pattern Using a stimulus - sound and light - to influence his brainwaves so that he could feel better without drugs Unfortunately, binauaral beats didn't work for him How he needed to create his own methodology His opinion about some flawed science - the reason he wasn't really helped by binauaral beats How binauaral beats are supposed to work The differences (and names) of various brainwave states How our brains are designed to work Why brainwave entrainment is so important You can find out more about Morry's approach to "brainwave entrainment" at www.themorrymethod.com . His more professionally oriented website is at www.activemindsglobal.com . And his newest product is at www.quantummindmethod.com . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E14 · Wed, February 19, 2020
Interview with Creative Director, Monte Bowden - Part 2
Here's the second part of my interview with Creative Director, Monte Bowden We talked about his philosophies on directing voice talent and trusting his editors, discovering a brand "voice", consistency in branding, and his thoughts on creating a deeper connection with those who his clients hope to serve. We also spoke about things like: How he gives direction to the voice talent he works with, helping them find the "why" Consistency in branding - both in the tone of that brand and in the voice talent used How other ads have used INconsistency to create interest and engagement Authenticity and how it plays a part in advertising and fundraising How movie trailers seem to be getting more compelling His love of work that's "cinematic" What he's working on right now How a client of his is helping people to understand transparency in healthcare and leading in that field Working with a children's hospital and telling their caring stories How social media might play a role in hiring voice talent - and whether or not it should Monte actually interviews ME for a little bit. ;) (He asks some excellent questions!) You can find more information on Monte and Amperage on their website at https://www.amperagemarketing.com and on Facebook at https://facebook.com/AmperageMarketing . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E13 · Wed, February 12, 2020
Interview with Creative Director, Monte Bowden - Part 1
Monte Bowden knows a thing or two about advertising and marketing. He studied Communications in college and then worked in a TV News station for years, rising in the ranks from intern to news director. He also served as an adjunct professor in communications at his alma-mater. Monte joined AMPERAGE as a communications strategist, leading PR efforts for agency clients. And with his well-rounded background in storytelling, video production and management, Monte has worked in a variety of roles there. He currently serves as a Creative Director - and is someone I've had the absolute pleasure of working with for many years now. In the first part of our conversation, we spoke about a lot of different things, such as: How he developed his love of sound, starting with radio - and how it influenced the college he chose How radio led to working at a TV news station, learning a lot about video, writing, producing and managing How he started working with Amperage (hint: it had to do with a chance meeting in a grocery store!) The differences and similarities between working in TV News and working at an Ad Agency The use of wireless mics in the newsroom - and how that transformed the storytelling How storytelling factors in to his work now Emotional decision making How sound might best be used in fundraising and in advertising to draw someone in How everything works together - sound effects, good scripts and SILENCE Where music fits in (and how it should be thought of early in the process rather than later!) A case study about how he and his team came up with an ad for a hospital How technology would change the development of a commercial like this The story behind the NBC three note "audio branded" tone How sound can be described in writing - and how much more effective that can make it Designing sound for advertising You can find more information on Monte and Amperage on their website at https://www.amperagemarketing.com and on Facebook at https://facebook.com/AmperageMarketing . This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E12 · Wed, February 05, 2020
Interview With Josuel Rogers of Hip Hop Culture Coaching - Part 2
This is the second part of my discussion with Josuël Rogers , a coach who uses music - specifically Hip Hop - to help his students and clients develop self-awareness and confidence. We talked about how music influences our moods (making a playlist for yourself can really help!), how personal sound can be and the power of words (among other things). You can find him at Hip Hop Culture Coaching ( https://www.hiphopculturecoaching.com ), if you'd like to learn more about the services he offers and the information he has to share. In the second part of our conversation, we talked about: Foley in film and the making of weather sounds How your mind associates a type of sound with the weather How the "filter" of a microphone changes sound Hearing your own voice from a third-person's perspective Randomness and how that influences what we hear How the same song can represent different moods for different people How personal sound is How we fixate on sounds we're more familiar with (a drummer focuses on the drums in music, for instance) The best kept secret about making playlists to help us experience the world in the way we want to Repetition is key - words matter ("impossible" puts a block on things immediately, etc.) Everything around you is a word How a hockey coach learned to better coach his team through Neuro Linguistic Programming Your brain not registering negatives What he's working on right now - coaching More information about his podcast Where his podcast can be found: podcast.hiphopculturecoaching.com - and on Apple, Spotify, etc. You can find more information on Josuël by locating him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/josuelrogers/ , on Instagram and Facebook as JosuelRogers & HipHopCultureCoaching , and you can find out about his own podcast by looking up The HipHop Minded Professional on any podcasting app you have available. This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E11 · Wed, January 29, 2020
Interview With Josuel Rogers of Hip Hop Culture Coaching - Part 1
This is the first part of my discussion with Josuël Rogers , a coach who uses music - specifically Hip Hop - to help his students and clients develop self-awareness and confidence. We talked about how music influences our moods and what got him into the Hip Hop culture in the first place (among other things). You can find him at Hip Hop Culture Coaching ( https://www.hiphopculturecoaching.com ), if you'd like to learn more about the services he offers and the information he has to share. In this first part of our conversation, we talked about: His introduction to Hip Hop music and its culture and why it drew him in as a teen (hint: think rebellion! :) ) How he uses the philosophy, the mindset and the sounds behind it to influence moods. How building a playlist of music like a DJ can make your day better An article he wrote about music influencing how people see the emotions on other people's faces. ( https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-motivation-mood-headphones-josu%C3%ABl-rogers-/ ) How a smile is contagious - and audible in your voice Neuro Linguistic Programming - how the words you use influence yourself and the person you're speaking to How he applies it in his own coaching How he builds his workshops for students The tone of your voice and connecting with others in both voice over and music The tempo of music and whether or not faster means "happier" or something else How music can change the "feel" of a scene in a film ( I also spoke about this extensively with John McClain in our interview, if that subject interests you - https://voiceoversandvocals.com/blog/casinos/interview-with-john-mcclain-part-1/ ) You can find more information on Josuël by locating him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/josuelrogers/ , on Instagram and Facebook as JosuelRogers & HipHopCultureCoaching , and you can find out about his own podcast by looking up The HipHop Minded Professional on any podcasting app you have available. This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! <b
S1 E10 · Wed, January 22, 2020
The Architecture of Sound
We create lots of pieces of media that include sound as an element. But what about actual, physical, spaces ? This is where architecture and sound vibrations, meet. There are actually buildings crafted specifically to allow us to hear tones that feel uplifting or inspiring to us. Shea Trahan ( https://www.sheatrahan.com/ ), an architect intrigued by how sound works through his chosen instrument of creation, studied this in detail. He talks about Resonance – sound as “sympathetic vibration” – and relates that to buildings that seem to exist to amplify this. Then he adds information about Reverberation – how long a sound lingers once the source sound has stopped. The combination in a building, makes it the idea place for a concert. But this application could also be used for health care. Sonic therapy is useful for the treatment of PTSD, depression, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Imagine how useful a space could be if it had built in healing resonances and reverberations. And I'll talk more about sound for health care in future episodes. For now, have a look at his TEDx presentation, and see what you think: https://youtu.be/R-BMF4e-1bg Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E9 · Wed, January 15, 2020
Interview with Sound Designer & Studio Owner, John McClain - Part 2
John McClain knows a thing or two about sound. For one thing, he's the owner and lead sound designer/mixer at The Dog and Pony Show in Las Vegas, Nevada ( https://www.dogandponystudios.net/ ). For another, he won a Grammy for his work with the late, great George Carlin, and an Emmy for his work with HBO on the series 24/7, his work with PBS on the show Outdoor Nevada and his mix of the documentary African Americans: The Las Vegas Experience . If that's not enough, he teaches a class in Tech for voice talent through the Voice Actors Studio - https://www.thevoiceactorstudio.com/ - owned by Melissa Moats ( https://www.ladyluckvoiceovers.com/ - another fantastic voice talent in Vegas) and another course on Sound for Film at UNLV . The second part of our discussion covered a bunch more topics like: Voice actors and editors need to pay attention to the tempo of a script How sound that's inconsistent or simply not good, can make a person turn away without knowing why Information on a book John uses in his course called The Sonic Boom ( https://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Boom-Sound-Transforms-Think/dp/0544570162 ) How sound allows you to time travel When he first became conscious of sound and began to love it How architecture has its own sound Some information on his latest sound design projects More information on his podcast, VO Inertia ( https://anchor.fm/voinertia ) Dog and Pony Show can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DogandPonyStudios/ and on Twitter at @DnPSound This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E8 · Wed, January 08, 2020
Interview with Sound Designer & Studio Owner, John McClain - Part 1
John McClain knows a thing or two about sound. For one thing, he's the owner and lead sound designer/mixer at The Dog and Pony Show in Las Vegas, Nevada ( https://www.dogandponystudios.net/ ). For another, he won a Grammy for his work with the late, great George Carlin, and an Emmy for his work with HBO on the series 24/7, his work with PBS on the show Outdoor Nevada and his mix of the documentary African Americans: The Las Vegas Experience . If that's not enough, he teaches a class in Tech for voice talent through the Voice Actors Studio - https://www.thevoiceactorstudio.com/ - owned by Melissa Moats ( https://www.ladyluckvoiceovers.com/ - another fantastic voice talent in Vegas) and another course on Sound for Film at UNLV. The first part of our discussion was a fascinating trip through a bunch of topics, such as: What he teaches students who take his Sound for Film course How music can completely change the tone of a piece of film Why sound needs to be paid attention to How evolution has shaped our understanding of sound How voice talent can use silence to their advantage Why marketers and advertisers are starting to pay attention to good sound design Some examples of sound design - such as casino "win tunes" for machines The laws about manipulation using sound in casino gaming (there actually are some!) What music notes are used more often for the sound in casino games and why How it's the wild west in advertising when it comes to sound How to use compelling sound in advertising John's podcast, VO Inertia can be found at https://anchor.fm/voinertia Dog and Pony Show can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DogandPonyStudios/ and on Twitter at @DnPSound This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E7 · Wed, January 01, 2020
18 Minutes to Harness The Power of Sound
Sound has a very powerful effect on our behavior and it can be used to great affect in a variety of different settings. Here's a link to the "piano stairs" experiment I mention in the podcast: https://youtu.be/2lXh2n0aPyw This is the article from 2015 within the APS (The Association for Psychological Science) called Background Music Influences Buying Behavior - https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/background-music-influences-buyer-behavior.html I'm sure you all know about Pandora : https://www.pandora.com/ And here's a link to Steve Keller's very interesting TEDx talk on the subject. https://youtu.be/yvnxQ2fQg10 He's written an extensive white paper about using music and sounds within the healthcare industry and I'll be exploring that in a lot more detail in future episodes. Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Trailer · Wed, January 01, 2020
Audio Branding Podcast Trailer
What can you expect from this podcast? I explain what the podcast is about, and why you might find it interesting to listen to. New episodes can be found every Wednesday morning. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E6 · Wed, December 25, 2019
Interview with Podcast Producer, Kattie Laur - Part 2
Kattie Laur has a background in broadcast radio so it naturally seemed to follow that she would become interested in podcasts. She's putting that passion to good use as a podcast producer and gives us some tips on what makes a great show, why she feels podcasts are an important medium and how they're the wave of the advertising future. In this second part of our interview, she talks about: * what a podcast needs to do to keep her listening to their intro over and over * how she decided to create sound breaks to switch between thoughts within a podcast * how different cultures experience your audio differently (context is everything!) * the differences between podcasts she's paid to produce ("learned passion") vs. her passion projects * what she can do for people when she's producing podcasts * how many different hats she wears, doing what she does * some more information about how she's highlighting female-fronted podcasts in her blog * how podcasting is still a bit of a male-dominated industry - so she feels more people should hear women's voices in podcasts * why podcasts appeal to people so much * how advertisers are catching on to the potential in podcasts Her website is at: https://www.kattielaur.com She has some really helpful information in her blogs, too! She’s written about the 5 key things you need to think about before starting a podcast: https://www.kattielaur.com/blog/how-to-start-a-podcast-5-key-things And she's started a blog series that highlights women podcasters and their shows: https://www.kattielaur.com/blog/podcasts-by-women-to-stop-sleeping-on-vol-1 Her ethical travel podcast is called Alpaca My Bags : https://audioboom.com/channels/4984382 (and is in all the major podcast outlets) And you can find and follow her on Twitter: @podkatt This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E5 · Wed, December 18, 2019
Interview with Podcast Producer, Kattie Laur - Part 1
Kattie Laur has a background in broadcast radio so it naturally seemed to follow that she would become interested in podcasts. She's putting that passion to good use as a podcast producer and gives us some tips on what makes a great show, why she feels podcasts are an important medium and how they're the wave of the advertising future. In this first part of our interview, she talks about: * her beginnings in studying broadcasting * her interesting relationship with the CBC * how she got into podcasting * how she decided she could produce podcasts for a living * what kinds of clients she works with * what fires her up about producing podcasts * why she feels the concept is way more important than the equipment you use. * how audio branding plays a role in the production of podcasts Her website is at: https://www.kattielaur.com She has some really helpful information in her blogs, too! She’s written about the 5 key things you need to think about before starting a podcast: https://www.kattielaur.com/blog/how-to-start-a-podcast-5-key-things And she's started a blog series that highlights women podcasters and their shows: https://www.kattielaur.com/blog/podcasts-by-women-to-stop-sleeping-on-vol-1 Her ethical travel podcast is called Alpaca My Bags : https://audioboom.com/channels/4984382 (and is in all the major podcast outlets) And you can find and follow her on Twitter: @podkatt This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E4 · Wed, December 11, 2019
This Might Make You Really Uncomfortable
ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response . It has to do with certain triggers, usually having to do with sound or sight, giving you "tingles in your brain". It may seem like a strange reaction to have while hearing unintelligible whispers, someone using a marker on a pad of paper or seeing someone use a makeup brush to caress your "face" (when the face is the camera). But it's very real! Here are links to the article and videos I mention in the podcast: Duncan Geere's article in in Science Focus is here: https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/asmr-more-than-a-feeling/ This is IKEA's "Oddly IKEA" ASMR Video from two years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLFaj3Z_tWw Here's Gibi's ASMR video with a couple of her friends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxXnfGD3vUM For those of you that have been following my blog and podcast, you know I'm a gamer. Gibi even did a video where she interacted (the video was about wood tapping and scratching) with a product from Wyrmwood! (They were a sponsor for this video. And she promoted them perfectly for her audience.) https://youtu.be/nY_o_mloMEs And here's Gibi's guest appearance on Rooster Teeth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18zv8ruA8rM Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E3 · Wed, December 04, 2019
Interview With Creative Director, Hannah Strenger
Show Notes: Hannah and I talk about what she considers audio branding to be, how it affects the clients at her ad agency, and what she does to help those clients come up with their brand's consistent sound. She also reveals how she created an animated short and chose voices and music for that project. For more information on Hannah, visit: Hannah's Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahstrenger/ (lots of pictures of her adorable rabbits here too!) and Hannah's Website (she's also a creativity coach!): hannahstrenger.com This episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco ( http://www.humbertofranco.com/ ). Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E2 · Wed, November 27, 2019
Is It Too Late?
So according to Forbes ( https://www.forbes.com/sites/paularmstrongtech/2019/02/14/mastercard-just-spent-a-ton-of-cash-on-a-jingle-you-wont-care-about/ ) - Mastercard spent $15 Million Dollars on their new sonic branding. I talk about this in my latest podcast and show you the video of their new sound (at https://youtu.be/Wbh8btP5Tfg ) to let you see (and hear) how important this sort of thing is (even if this particular branding may not be the best). They wouldn't spend that kind of money on something they didn't think was important! As it turns out, Visa had already spent a year, two years before , developing a signature sound for themselves (as detailed in this discussion on CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2017/12/07/visa-spent-a-year-developing-a-signature-sound-report.html ). The future of branding is sound and if I can help you with the voice over end of that, feel free to reach out. Even if I’m not the right voice for your particular sonic image, I know a lot of talented folks that might be able to help and I’m happy to make introductions. Now – go out and make some noise! To subscribe to the YouTube channel, visit here: http://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO You'll also find more detailed show notes and subscription information on my blog here: https://voiceoversandvocals.com/blog/ Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
S1 E1 · Sat, November 23, 2019
Intro: Time For A Transition
I will always be interested in helping fellow Creatives. And if you're still interested in that topic, I’ve created a Facebook Group, just for you . Feel free to join me (and many other Creatives) there! But this new podcast will transition to my passion of Sound . Specifically, voice overs and music, but I’d like to delve deeper into how that works in the greater context of branding – both mine and my clients’. So while the Silver Linings blogs and podcast episodes will remain out there, and I hope you find them useful, I’ll be transitioning to a new podcast. I’m calling it: Audio Branding : The hidden gem of marketing . In a lot of cases, people forget just how much audio – voice overs, music and sounds in general – influence our behavior on a regular basis. We Could All Stand To Learn Something About Audio Branding. Even those of us who make a living in the sphere. ESPECIALLY those of us who do that. Learn how to leverage your own audio branding – whatever that may be – and you win at marketing. That’s why a lot of podcasts have musical and voice over intros (And if you need a voice for that sort of thing, that is certainly a service I offer. Feel free to get in touch ). It’s why TV shows have recognizable theme songs. It’s why there are some pieces of music in a film that are automatically associated with a character – like Darth Vader’s Imperial March. I’m Certainly Not The First One To Talk About This … … but maybe my perspective as a voice actor and a singer will be helpful in digging a little deeper. And I fully intend to enlist the help of some very knowledgeable friends and colleagues who can also provide some insights. Gary Vaynerchuck talks about this on his own website, in his article called The Rise of Audio Branding . Would you consider reviewing the Audio Branding Podcast ? If so, here's the Apple Podcast link : https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/audio-branding/id1489042453 And if you like what you hear (and read!) - please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
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