Whatever the celebrations may have looked like in your neck of the woods, fireworks of a different kind began flying late last week. Muse Group, the new owners of Audacity, publicly announced changes to their data collection policy which lit the internet’s fuse. A variety of articles and posts began labeling the audio recording application as “malware” or “spyware” without a lot of specifics. Most of those seemed to quote other articles which chose the most sensational posts.
I’m not saying there is no threat. In all honesty, it does seem to be a concerning development. But there’s been nothing to support the idea that it’s actively harming your computer system (which is what malware does) and it’s hard to call it “spyware” if they tell you what data will be shared (assuming that’s all they share).
This article from Engadget seems to have the most cogent information. If you use Audacity as your main recording tool, I would recommend reading it so that you understand the story so far. Of course, all of that could change as Muse refines or updates their initial policy statement. At this point, they have said little and not replied to public questions.
Two things caught my attention:
This will likely continue to play out over the coming days. Meanwhile, I hear the collective groans of people who have established workflows in Audacity and are dreading the change. In many cases, it may be the only audio recording software you have ever used. It’s scary to think about a change to something less familiar.
I’d like to offer some hope there.
In addition to learning the specifics of Audacity (or any recording software you have used), you’ve actually learned a fair amount about voiceover recording in general. File formats, input levels, the basics of Amplification and Normalization, audio signal paths and editing skills will all transfer over into any new recording software which you choose to use.
Sure, there will be some annoyances when a certain keyboard combination or mouse trick doesn’t quite work the same way. That’s just mechanics. You’ll learn new muscle memory fairly quickly (and you can also assign old keyboard shortcuts to the new applications).
Over the years, I’ve used and discarded many different software tools (does anyone remember Opcode Studio Vision?). But each time I did so, the process actually became easier. When I kept focusing upon what I wanted to do rather than the specific steps in the program, the conversion went more smoothly. Faced with a new program, I’d approach the challenge from that point of view. The result was that as I got more familiar with the new working environment, it became a translation process.
Within a few sessions, I found that the clumsiness disappeared.
If you plan to make a change away from Audacity, I’d look for a lull in your production schedule, or block out some studio “play" time to try other software options when you aren’t up against a deadline. I’d certainly encourage a move to Twisted Wave if you are already on MacOS (and there is still space in this month’s Twisted Wave Deep Dive workshop on July 23rd).
Alternatively, Adobe Audition is certainly a solid option, as is Studio One or Ocenaudio. All of those are set up nicely “out of the box” and can be optimized for voiceover workflows. If you want to tinker a bit, then I’d consider Reaper, which will require a more fine tuned setup process. I'm happy to assist in any way.
I have a workshop coming up on Twisted Wave:
Twisted Wave: Deep Dive -
Friday, July 23 from 1 - 5 PM Pacific US Time
Time to take a deeper dive into Twisted Wave? Join me in this live, small group workshop. We'll cover clever setup tricks, efficient editing, eLearning workflow, creating processing stacks, using plug-ins effectively and making your computer work for you through the batch processor. Includes Q&A and review materials (and a follow-up session!)
Prerequisites – Students should generally understand VO recording techniques and be familiar with the basics of Twisted Wave recording/editing software. Cost – $150 - Register here to reserve your spot via Paypal
Thank you. Now go be brilliant!
- Jim
Previous Tuesday Tech Tips Available at JustAskJimVO.studio
For previously posted Tech Tips, click this link.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (November 18-24) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (November 11-17) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (November 4-10) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (October 28-November 3) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (October 21-27) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (October 14-20) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (October 7-13) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 30-October 6) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 23-29) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 16-22) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 9-15) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 3-8) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (August 26-September 1) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (August 19-25) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (August 12-18) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (August 5-11) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 29-August 4) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 22-28) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 15-21) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 8-14) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 1-7) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 24-30) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 17-23) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 10-16) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 3-9) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 28-June 3) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 20-26) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 13-19) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 6-12) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 29-May 5) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 22-28) and what's coming your way next week.
Check out this article from People Magazine to see if you can guess the actors behind iconic '90s and '00s cartoon characters!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 15-21) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 8-14) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 1-7) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 25-31) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 18-24) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 11-17) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 4-10) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (February 26-March 3) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (February 19-26) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (February 12-18) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (February 5-11) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (January 29- February 4) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (January 22-28) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (January 15-21) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (January 8-14) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (January 2-7) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (December 11-17) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (December 4-10) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (November 20-26) and what's coming your way next week.
We wish you happiness, success, and good company this Thanksgiving
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (November 20-26) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (November 13-19) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (November 6-12) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (October 30-November 5) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (October 23-29) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (October 16-22) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (October 9-15) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 25-October 2) and what's coming your way next week.
Celebrating Hispanic Voice Actors for Hispanic Heritage Month
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 11-17) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 11-24) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (September 5-10) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (August 28-September 3) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (August 21-28) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (August 14-20) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (August 7-13) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 31-August 6) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 24-30) and what's coming your way next week.
What does the SAG-AFTRA strike mean for Voice Actors? NAVA shares a helpful resource.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 17-23) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 10-16) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 3-9) and what's coming your way next week.
Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian, and Voiceover
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 26-July 2) and what's coming your way next week.
With 148 Character VO Emmy Award nominees, who stands out and why?
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 19-25) and what's coming your way next week.
Video game voice actors discuss Artificial Intelligence and its impact on Voiceover
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 12-18) and what's coming your way next week.
The story behind why Kayleigh McKee decided to become a voice actor.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 5-11) and what's coming your way next week.
How do voice actors protect themselves with the rise of AI?
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 30-June 4) and what's coming your way next week.
A deep dive with ZeniMax Online Studio’s VO Lead, Becky Ichnoski about how all of Tamriel’s characters get their voices!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 22-28) and what's coming your way next week.
A hilarious social media handle has dedicated itself to narrating animals' inner monologues.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 15-21) and what's coming your way next week.
Celebrating AAPI Voice Actors for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 8-14) and what's coming your way next week.
If ad agencies are thinking about poetry, as voice actors we must also keep this top of mind.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 1-7) and what's coming your way next week.
Pros and cons of celebrity voice acting
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 24-30) and what's coming your way next week.
In honor of National Poetry Month, Sally shares her love of poetry.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 17-23) and what's coming your way next week.
