However, there’s a constantly growing stream of new episodes coming out – and if you’re anything like us, you’re probably finding it somewhat hard to keep up, and to figure out what’s worth listening to in the first place.
That’s something we’d like to help with here on A Sound Effect. And with this premier episode, it’s a great pleasure to introduce our new, on-going series, highlighting the very best in podcasts about audio from the community!
In this debut roundup, the episodes cover topics such as setting up a happy and effective home recording studio, maintaining a studio culture that grows the skills of the interns and veterans alike, and the zen and art of destructive editing. There is also an interview with the sound team behind Modern Family, and an in-depth look at the recent results of GameSoundCon’s 2016 Video Game Composer and Sound Designer Survey. Let’s jump right in!
When it comes to an ideal work environment, you’d be hard-pressed to find one more creatively-driven and hierarchically inspirational than Boom Box Post. ‘Tonebenders’ hosts René Coronado and Timothy Muirhead interview Kate Finan, the facility’s Owner and Supervising Sound Editor, who describes how the studio fosters an effective work environment that encourages learning, experimentation and admitting when you don’t know how to do something.
She describes their Lunch and Learn sessions, explains how they use Slack for more than just /giphy randomness, and details how they employ their interns as experimental sound designers rather than thumb-twiddling baristas.
Hear the episode:
Matthew Marteinsson and Gordon McGladdery are in crunch-time for PAX, but they managed to squeeze in a new episode of ‘BCAIGA’ for the turn of the month. In this episode, they answer a range of questions dealing with topics like managing communication with other departments, developing a consistent audio style, working on sound before having visual references, and of course demo reels—specifically when seeking indie and AAA gigs. They also get into adaptive music, time management, back up systems, bridge-burning edits, and the evolving definition of the dev cycle. If you are attending PAX this weekend, be sure to say hi to them!
Hear the episode:
In the new episode of ‘Smart Post Sound’s Smartcast’, Larry Benjamin speaks to Emmy Award Winners and current Nominees, Dean Okrand and Brian Harman. They talk about working on the dialogue-centric Modern Family and the unique challenge of working with writers, who are also the producers—and who are used to studio sets. They describe how they slowly brought in natural ambience to the often sterile sit-com and how they maintained consistent yet authentic ambiences in the meticulous and memorable ‘Connection Lost’—an episode that was not only shot with phones and tablets but also recorded live from five sets on one stage. They also talk dinosaur footsteps and jungle atmospheres in Terra Nova and how they’ve maintained their lasting relationships in the industry.
Hear the episode:
Sadly at ‘Game Audio Hour’, it is time to say goodbye to Alex May who will be moving to the less ‘6pm PST’-friendly Stockholm. With Mike Shapiro also away at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Kyle Johnson and Vincent Diamante hold down the fort and talk about the 2016 GameSoundCon survey. They discuss contractor and in-house pay trends, performing rights organizations, the lingering gender pay gap, and the fact many game composers still under-sell themselves. They also get into PreSonus preamps, Smaart and Room EQ Wizard acoustics analysis software, and Orange County’s Hybrid Studios, which claims to have a control room so balanced you can stand anywhere and hear the same EQ.
Hear the episode:
In the second episode of the ‘Orlando Audio Podcast’, hosts Chase Steele, Jonathan Coutrier-Owens, and Leo Linares discuss the gamut of setting up an effective home recording studio. They talk about knowing yourself and your goals, understanding your room’s acoustics, approaching your personal budget, and creating a studio that fits your vibe and roles as field recordists, recording artists and record/mix engineers. They also get into gear limitations, room calibration, the physical differences of mixing with headphones and monitors, and how to avoid the treadmill of DAWs and plugins. This episode is helpful not just for those starting out—if you are a jack of all trades, their insight will help you re-evaluate and better define your goals and multiple roles.
