The Logical Blog by IconLogic

eLearning: Two Awesome Microphones

by Jeff Harris  

In March, Kevin shared his techniques for improving sound quality by using sound absorbers. In this article, I cover two of my favorite microphones for voiceover recording: the Heil PR-40 and the Shure MV51. Each of these microphones delivers high quality sound for eLearning and podcasting applications. There are, however, important differences you should understand to determine which is right for you.

Let's start with the Heil PR-40, a dynamic microphone (meaning that it doesn't need power from a battery, USB connection, or mixer (sometimes referred to as "phantom" power). Dynamic microphones have a downside; they require a good quality microphone preamp to generate adequate recording levels. Without an amplifier, dynamic microphones produce recordings with low audio levels. This means that you may need to boost levels in post-production.

  

 

The PR-40 is well suited to recording voice-over because it has a full, warm sound that enhances the speaker's delivery. It is an "end-fire" microphone, which means you speak into the end of the microphone and sound is rejected from the side and rear. This design reduces unwanted room and background noise. Sound rejection is an important characteristic when recording in less-than-ideal circumstances. To get the best results from this microphone you will need a pop-filter and shock mount. If you want the "radio broadcaster" look, then get a boom mount that will allow you to position the mic in the most ergonomic position. The cost of a PR-40 is around $350, although a bundle that includes the shock mount and boom will push the price to almost $500.

 

The USB counterpoint to the PR-40 is the Shure MV51. The MV51 is a USB condenser that connects to your computer and draws power from the USB cable. The downside is that you can't connect the MV51 to an analog mixer to further boost or adjust the sound. For eLearning developers who are not using a studio or mixer this limitation may be a benefit.

 

 

 

The MV51 may look retro but it features several innovative "high-tech" capabilities. You can adjust the sound for different recording applications. For example, you can press a button to change from voice-over to music mode. The microphone will use an internal digital signal processor (DSP) to optimize the sound for the recording need. You can also adjust levels, mute audio, and monitor your recording directly from the microphone. Monitoring is very useful to make sure you hear how your mic position and speaking style are affecting the recording. You can monitor with your laptop or audio interface, but sometimes this introduces a delay which is disconcerting to the talent. The cost of a MV51 is $200. This includes the integral "kick-stand" that allows you to record on your desk or connect to any standard microphone stand. The MV51 uses a built-in pop filter so it may not be necessary to add an external pop filter depending on your talent.  

 

After reading this you may be thinking, "no brainer, I'm buying the MV51." Whether this is the right choice depends on your recording needs. If you record a solo speaker, directly into an application on your computer and you don't need the flexibility of using a mixer, then the MV51 is likely the best choice. If, however, you have bigger plans to record multiple speakers at a table or on-stage, then you should seriously consider the PR-40 and other professional analog microphones that use XLR connections.

 

Do you want to learn more about eLearning audio? Join me in the upcoming Audio Essentials course where I will get into more detail about these and other professional-class microphones and audio equipment.

eLearning Audio: Sound Absorbers

by Kevin Siegel   

 

During a recent online meeting (we use GoToMeeting), I decided to use my fancy Blue Yeti microphone. It's probably my favorite microphone ever. However, during the meeting, I was told that my audio had a bit of an echo.

 

My home-office won't ever be confused with a sound studio. When I record my voiceover audio, I make everything as quiet as possible. Nevertheless, the room itself doesn't have the kind of sound-absorbing cushions you'd find in traditional studios. Sure the room has paintings on the wall, furniture, and the typical things you'd find in any office, but the sound waves in my voice still bounce around the room and cause the echo. 

 

Because adding sound-absorbing panels to my office isn't an option (they'd stop the sound from bouncing around the room... but they're, how do I say it delicately... ugly), I went in search of a portable solution.

 

My search took me from booths that are as big as a small room (you enter them through a door such as the Taytrix SBK) to sound-absorbing kits. 

 

I wanted a truly portable sound-absorbing option that would sit on my desk (or travel well should the need arise). The range of options for portable sound booths included a cubicle-type booth (portable perhaps but I just couldn't see it sitting on my desk).

 

 

 

There are also boxes that can accommodate your microphone and your head.

 

 

 

I'm not claustrophobic so I might be able to use a coffin-like booth as shown in the image above, but I'm betting several of you are freaking out just thinking about it.

 

So let's move on...

 

In the end, I went with the ARF-05 Portable Vocal Booth. First of all, it looks cool. My 12-year-old even said so the second she saw it (and she thinks everything is lame).

 

 

 

It's inexpensive, very portable (collapses pretty small in seconds), and can hold the microphone on a bracket so it's always in the same position (I don't currently use the bracket because I'm too lazy to put it on, but I plan to install it soon).

I know you're dying to see how the ARF-05 looks on my desk, so here you go:

 

 

 

I've recorded several audio clips using my new setup. I'm happy to report that my audio quality when hosting training classes using GoToTraining or meetings via GoToMeeting, and the quality of my voiceover audio in my eLearning lessons, have all improved dramatically.

What are you using to absorb unwanted sounds in your home/office recording "studio?" Feel free to share your setup as comments below.

 

See also: Soundproofing vs Sound Absorbing: What's the Difference?

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Looking for training on all things eLearning? Check out this live, online mini course.

Adobe Captivate: Two-Bits for the Best Rate

by Kevin Siegel

You can easily record audio from within Captivate by choosing Audio > Record to. You can record audio directly to slide objects, a single slide, multiple slides, or the project background. Regardless of your choice, you'll find yourself in the Slide Audio dialog box.

After clicking the Device link in the Audio dialog box, the Audio Settings dialog box will open. This is where you have to make an important decision about your bitrate.

You have two choices in the Bitrate drop-down menu: Constant and Variable. Constant Bitrates (CBRs) produce smaller file sizes. By contrast, Variable Bitrates (VBRs) tend to produce audio with a higher, more consistent quality level than CBRs, but the VBR file sizes will be larger than CBRs. For that reason, most Captivate developers stick with Constant Bitrate.

Then you have to select from one of the four bitrate settings: CD, Near CD, Custom or FM. So many decisions... so little time. Bitrate is defined as the number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time. Using a higher bitrate setting, such as CD Bitrate (128 kbps), will result in higher quality audio but a larger published lesson.

If you decide to use a higher quality bitrate than FM Bitrate, you should spend time experimenting with the options to see which selection sounds best to you. As a general rule, the FM Bitrate is more than adequate for eLearning audio that will be played through typical computer speakers or headsets.

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Looking for training on Adobe Captivate? IconLogic offers multiple live, online Adobe Captivate classes each month including Introduction to Adobe Captivate and Advanced Adobe Captivate.

Adobe Captivate 6: Customize the Date Variable with a Little Interpretation

by Lori Smith 

I was recently asked by a fellow Captivate developer if it was possible to show the date on a Captivate slide. My answer was a quick yes... use the cpInfoCurrentDateString variable within a text caption. When previewed, the date on the learner's computer will appear within the caption.

The developer needed a bit more. He needed the appearance of the date to be in a specific format. For instance, he needed the date formatted as December 18, 2013. The cpInfoCurrentDate variable displays the date as 12/18/2013.  

I looked through the available Captivate variables and came across the following default variables.

Variable	What it Displays	Displays as
cpInfoCurrentDate	The day of the month	18 (1 through 31)
cpInfoCurrentMonth	The current month	12 (01 through 12)
cpInfoCurrentYear	The current year	2013
cpInfoCurrentDay	The day of the week	4 (Sunday being 1 through Saturday being 7)

Sadly, none of the default variables were going to work in this instance. Stumped only for a moment, I came up with a simple advanced action to solve the problem.

First, I created a user variable (Project > Variables) called myMonth with the following Value and Description:

 

Next, I created a Conditional action (Project > Advanced Actions) and named it InterpretMonth.

To make the action easier to work with, I created 12 Decision Blocks, and then gave each one the name of a month (January, February, etc).

Then I set up the InterpretMonth action as shown below within each Decision Block (January is shown below). It may feel like a lot of work, but once you start, it is a simple matter of repetition.

Note: In the two images above, notice that I have increased the value to match the Decision Block's month. For instance, February shows CpInfoCurrentMonth is equal to 2. My December Decision Block would read CpInfoCurrentMonth is equal to 12.

Once I was done with the Advanced Action, I returned to my slide and inserted a text caption. I typed the text and inserted the variables as shown below:

 

The last thing I needed to do was invoke the InterpretMonth action. An easy time to do this is as you transition to slide 2. Why not slide 1? Because invoking an advanced action as you enter slide 1 is not reliable. Your best bet is to do it on slide 2 or later.

 

Preview the project. When you get to the slide containing the variables, you should see the date formatted as the current month, day and year.   

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Looking to learn Captivate quickly? IconLogic offers multiple live, online Captivate 6 classes each month including An Introduction to Adobe Captivate and Advanced Adobe Captivate concepts.

Podcast: Writing Voice-Over Scripts for eLearning

IconLogic's Kevin Siegel and Jennie Ruby recently sat down with the folks at the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) and discussed Writing Voice-Over Scripts for eLearning. We talked about how critically important it is to write the scripts in advance.  Learn some important Dos and Don'ts you can put to use immediately.

Audio for eLearning: Do You Want to Sound Like a DJ?

by Rick Zanotti

One question I get asked a lot is "How can I get my eLearning audio to the point so that I sound like a DJ?"

The most sure-fire way to sound like a DJ is to have been born with great pipes (i.e. vocal cords)! But very few of us have been so blessed. So what's an eLearning developer to do? Here's some simple techniques to make your voice sound deeper.

• Talk more slowly. The faster you talk the higher your voice gets. The slower you talk, the lower it gets.
  
  
• Get intimate with your microphone. That means, get closer to it (maybe one to four inches away). Getting closer will engage what's called the "proximity effect," lower the sound of your voice, and make it sound fuller. But beware, if your breathing is too hard, you'll get popping sounds without a pop-filter as I discussed a few weeks ago.

These techniques won't guarantee a job in the radio industry, but they will help you get that sound you're looking for. Have fun playing with mic proximity!

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About the author: Rick Zanotti is an instructional designer, multimedia author, voice-over talent, video producer and Management consultant with more than 35 years of experience in IT and Learning. He has managed multi-million dollar projects and believes in a simple and practical approach to providing solutions. Rick founded RELATE Corporation 26 years ago, a successful eLearning and media development company. Rick teaches our Audio Basics for eLearning online class.

Audio for eLearning: Wake Me Up When It's Over!

by Rick Zanotti

There's are few things worse for a learner than to have to attend a class or take an eLearning course and the narrator speaks in a monotonous, dull tone. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Anyone? Anyone?

How do you make your voiceover narration more compelling, engaging and interesting?

Here are some quick steps to ensure that your recordings are not driving your learners into a comatose state:

• Practice reading your audio aloud and record yourself doing it. You may feel uncomfortable with this, but it's a time-proven technique that will help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your voice.
  
  
• Be honest with yourself when evaluating your voice. If you find your reading monotonous or boring, you can rest assured your learners will hate it.
  
  
• Work on your inflection. Ensure that the modulation of your voice includes emotion, emphasis or just plain life. If you can do this, you are 80% of the way there. The remaining 20% is clarity and pronounciation.

While these may seem like small things, they will reap huge rewards when done right. And your learners will appreciate it!

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About the author: Rick Zanotti is an instructional designer, multimedia author, voice-over talent, video producer and Management consultant with more than 35 years of experience in IT and Learning. He has managed multi-million dollar projects and believes in a simple and practical approach to providing solutions. Rick founded RELATE Corporation 26 years ago, a successful eLearning and media development company. Rick teaches our Audio Basics for eLearning online class.

Audio Basics for eLearning

Are you an eLearning developer planning to include voiceover audio in your eLearning lessons? Great idea... audio will enhance the learner experience. Good audio will enhance the learner experience. But what about bad audio? Well... bad audio might still work, but it could also diminish the effectiveness of your lesson.

Looking to get a jump start on the road to creating quality audio for your eLearning lessons? Not sure how to get started? We've got you covered! Attend this live, 3-hour online class and learn the basics of creating good sound for your eLearning projects that will improve the quality of your courses.

Instructor: Rick Zanotti

Click here to learn more or to sign up.

Audio for eLearning: What's that Popping Sound?

by Rick Zanotti

Have you ever listened to an eLearning lesson and heard annoying popping sounds as the narrator spoke? I'm betting that you're nodding your head right about now.

The popping sounds are called plosives, as in "explosives," or P-pops. If you've recorded your own audio for an eLearning project, I'm betting you're guilty of creating your own plosives at least a few times.

Plosives occur when we say consonants (like words beginning with the letter P) with too much air. The air causes the microphone to create the "popping" sound, which can be distracting to learners.

Fortunately, preventing plosives is fairly easy and can be accomplished in one of two ways:

• You can learn good microphone and breathing techniques. (I'll be covering some of these in my upcoming Audio Basics for eLearning online class.) This option is great, but it could take a long time to master. If you're busy, it's probably not a good option for you.
  
  
• Use a Pop Filter.
  
  A pop filter usually sells for under $20. It's a nylon-like mesh device that is placed inches away from your microphone. While a simple device, a pop filter actually stops strong puffs of air from hitting your microphone and virtually eliminates plosives.
  
  Here is a link to some pop filters you can buy from amazon.com.

 

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About the author: Rick Zanotti is an instructional designer, multimedia author, voice-over talent, video producer and Management consultant with more than 35 years of experience in IT and Learning. He has managed multi-million dollar projects and believes in a simple and practical approach to providing solutions. Rick founded RELATE Corporation 26 years ago, a successful eLearning and media development company. Rick teaches our Audio Basics for eLearning online class.

Adobe Captivate 5: Control the Volume of Background Audio

by Kevin Siegel

Captivate developers have been able to add background audio to their projects since Captivate was known as RoboDemo. The process of adding background audio hasn't changed much over the years. In Adobe Captivate 5, you simply choose Audio > Import to > Background and open the audio file (wav or mp3).

One of the options missing from RoboDemo and older versions of Captivate was the ability to control the volume of the background audio on slides that already had audio (voiceover audio for instance). When importing audio, you always had the ability to lower the background audio, but you couldn't control how much the audio was actually lowered. Adobe Captivate 5 addressed this shortcoming. When importing background audio, you are able to raise or lower the background audio by dragging the slider left or right. (You will find the slider just to the right of Adjust background audio volume on slides with audio.)



If you didn't see the volume slider and have already imported the background audio, it's not too late to adjust the volume. Choose Audio > Edit > Background. You will find the volume slider on the Add/Replace tab.

If you've added background audio and want it to stop playing on some of your slides, select the slide and, from the Audio group on the Properties panel, select Stop Background Audio.

 

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Looking to learn Adobe Captivate 5? We are now offering Beginner and Advanced classes, as well as a half-day course on Advanced Actions. Both Windows and Macintosh developers can attend the classes.

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