A Little More Background
Who am I? My name is Jim Edgar. I’m a full-time working voice actor (that journey is a whole different tale… suffice to say that voiceover kept hitting me over the head with a cartoon hammer until I finally paid attention) who spent a whole bunch of time messing around in computer music and traditional recording studios along the way.
When I started getting training in VO, I found that the hours of my youth spent positioning microphones for recording, cobbling together networks of computers and electronic musical instruments that really didn’t want to talk to one another, and wasting way too much time watching reel-to-reel tape rewind for the next take actually gave me a strong understanding of good audio practices.
I’d been fascinated with recording from a very early age, writing and recording “radio plays” when I was very young, then prowling around traditional recording and experimental electronic studios at every opportunity. That all paid off when I began to set up my own voiceover recording studio.
Setting Up Studios, Working With Voice Actors
Those many hours invested in learning recording and studio techniques transferred quickly to my VO workflow. VO classmates and and then other voice actors started asking for recording help. I engineered all kinds of classes and workshops at my local voiceover institute and dug deep into the experiences of other audio engineers when I was out on gigs. Soon, voice actors around the greater San Francisco Bay Area began regularly hiring me to set up their gear and solve studio issues.
Along the way, I started teaching VO recording classes and guiding narrators and voice actors from around the world to better quality audio. (thanks to the internet!)
Most people had been overwhelmed and confused by too much “helpful” but completely contradictory information they’d found or heard. The challenge is to figure out what matters.
For most clients, I demystify the recording process, helping gain mastery of necessary software, and teaching how to understand quality audio for voiceover.
In other situations, I set up easy workflows and processes which simplify audiobook mastering, eLearning projects, or just make your auditions sound better.
If that would be helpful to you, let’s connect!
Why Audio Quality Matters
Current digital recording systems are nothing short of amazing. It’s easy to take these tools for granted. Affordable technology now provides amazingly efficient and powerful tools to almost anyone. The challenge? While anyone can obtain these tools, not everyone has learned how to use them well.
As more auditions become the voice actor’s responsibility to record, one of the critical differences in booking work becomes the quality of the recording itself. Learning what to listen for in order to measure that quality is now a key skill to possess. I work with you to develop those skills.
Get the Audio Under Control and Focus on the Acting
Few individuals decided to become voice artists so they could learn more about audio engineering. As a working voice actor, I’ve learned what is important for successful auditions and efficient production work.
Combining that with my experience in studios, I help you focus on those parts of the recording process that matter in VO. Working together, we will find what is strong, improve weaknesses and create a way for you to consistently submit optimum audio.
I am available for on-site sessions through the greater San Francisco Bay Area, and can also work with you remotely. The quickest way to get going is just upload an audio file for a no charge review. Or let’s connect on a free 15 minute new client session!
