Portable Vocal Booths Used Everywhere . . . Even in a Hospital

Portable vocal booths have become a necessary equipment in a voice actor’s tool box . . . especially when they travel a lot. However, these handy vocal booths recently have become a career lifesaver for voice over pros who have been hospitalized long-term but still able to record.

VocalBoothToGo.com, a manufacturer and designer of vocal booths and other acoustic and soundproofing equipment, recently found that its own portable vocal booth was used in a hospital by a seasoned voice actress.

Voice actress Randye Kaye unfortunately was recovering from an illness at a hospital but still wanted to continue to work. So…she brought along her own Carry-on Vocal Booth to help her complete projects.

”My clients were very happy with sound quality even from a hospital room! Excellent product,” she said.

The Carry-on Vocal Booth Pro is a portable unit that folds into a carrying-bag. Constructed from sound absorbing blankets, this portable vocal booth has been proven to be excellent provider for acoustic treatment on-the-go. Recently tested in a hotel room when a voice actor needed to record on-deadline, this tool was able to deliver a professional sound for the voice actor without reflection or echo.

“We needed something convenient, portable, and quick to set up in a hotel room to reduce echo and noise while recording a voice over talent for a last-minute job,” said George Whittam, Director and Founder of Technology of VOStudioTech.com, a division of EDGE Studio, and a co-founder of EWAB podcast — experts in home vocal booths and recording studios. ”We found it [the Carry-on Vocal Booth] large enough to easily position the mic and a laptop inside, yet easy to transport and quick to assemble. It will work great for voice actors without the space to set up a proper booth, given their existing environment is quiet enough. ”

Whether in a hotel room or a hospital space or anywhere, the Carry-on Vocal Booth is equipment that has rescued many voice actors and provided the professional sound that they need — and what their clients demand.

Voice Actors Should Consider Their Vocal Health When Using Acoustic Foam

Vocal health is important for everyone but especially when you need your voice to earn a living. There are many ways to protect and keep a voice actor’s vocal chords healthy and strong especially during flu and cold season such as using honey and lemon. But, many are unaware there is a high possibility that acoustic foam in the very vocal booth voice actors use on a daily basis could be causing illnesses over and over again.

Acoustic foam based vocal booths can harbor germs that could affect your health.

So how healthy is acoustic foam? A case study.

After time, acoustic foam used inside a foam-based vocal booth or portable vocal booth absorbs smells and starts to stink. This is especially true if different people share the vocal booth. A communications director from a university from the United States had a similar problem when using a mobile vocal booth for his students, Aside from the smell from sharing the vocal booth, there was a concern over germs spreading because students were getting sick often. This was especially a concern during flu season.

The department tried to use Lysol to disinfect the foam and other types of deodorizers to mask the smell, but after some time the chemicals start to disintegrate the foam and the smell became even worse!  What to do? Maybe forgo using acoustical foam?

Looking closer at acoustical foam, and how it works

Acoustical foam is widely used as means of sound absorption and acoustic room treatment. What makes acoustical foam absorb sound is an open cell structure with long tunnels going through the foam. Sound gets into the openings and loses its energy in the long twisted channels.The acoustical foam has to have the open channels so the sound can get in.

To understand how foam works, you have to think of it like a sponge. Sponges absorb liquid — but what else gets absorbed by the foam? If the open cell acoustic foam behaves like a sponge, then it can also absorb and retain dust, mold spores, allergens, bacteria and viruses. What happens to the germs and allergens that landed on the foam? These warm, dark environments are a breeding ground for mold and fungi to grow. Mold spores, allergens or viruses trapped in the foam can potentially contaminate the next user when the foam gets disturbed.

Because the acoustic foam is an open cell material with long channels it cannot be easily washed. If water gets in, it would stay in those channels and cannot fully evaporate. On the other hand, how can you wash the foam in a vocal booth or home studio?  In most cases it is glued to the wall, you can’t take it off. The foam is too fragile to be properly washed.

How can voice actors keep healthy without using acoustic foam?

There is a healthier alternative to foam -based vocal booths and is truly portable — Carry–on Vocal Booth, available from http://www.VocalBoothToGo.com. The Carry on Vocal Booth is made out of Producer’s Choice Acoustic Blanket instead of acoustic foam. The material has a high Noise Reduction coefficient ( NRC 0.8) The Carry on Vocal Booth gives a great sounding recording – no boxiness and no boominess, Carry-on Vocal booth is a great tool for travelling voice actor.  It is light weight,  durable, portable, easy to set up, versatile and can carry all your recording gear as well! In fact, some voice use the Carry-on Vocal booth for book narration regularly when their publisher told them that it was the best sound they ever had!

Portable vocal booth made from sound blankets that can be washed

This booth will keep you healthy because if it gets dirty during traveling or if you are sick and sneezed and coughed all over it, you can easily remove the sound absorbing liner and wash it in a washing machine plus dry it too. VocalBoothToGo also makes upright, walk-in vocal booths that also utilize sound blankets instead of foam too.

Voice actors need to keep their voice sounding great and consistent. Maintaining good vocal health is imperative for this business and choosing equipment wisely may just be the answer.

The Carry-on Vocal Booth is portable, great for in-home studio or travel and is made from sound blankets that are completely washable.

Voice Actor Wins Portable Carry On Vocal Booth Pro During Voice Over Conference

I have told numerous folks about being the lucky winner of the Carry-On Vocal Booth and it has traveled with me from VA to SC up to CT, said Mark Smith, voice actor and attendee of the Mid-Atlantic Voice Over Conference, held November 8, 2014 at the Westin Dulles Airport Hotel, Herndon, VA. This was one of the first conferences held on the east coast.

Voice actor Mark Smith win the Carry on Vocal Booth presented by Gwen Farrell of VocalBoothToGo.com during the Mid-Atlantic Voice Over Conference headed by Val Kelly, left.

The group hopes that voice actors, new and old, will walk away with new knowledge about voice over, and with strategies to help them continue success in this rapidly changing field.

Mid-Atlantic Voiceover, LLC, led by voice actress Val Kelly, strived to bring voice actors in the Mid-Atlantic region together to offer unique networking opportunities and educational growth in this competitive industry. As a company located in the area, VocalBoothToGo proudly donated a Carry-on portable Vocal Booth as a prize for this conference and plans to show other vocal booth products during this one-day conference. Mark Smith, a voice actor, was thrilled to have won the portable vocal booth.

”Needless to say, it has already accrued some frequent flyer miles,” Smith shared with VocalBoothToGo. ”I absolutely enjoy the luxury of having such an easy item to travel with, and as you well know it folds up quite easily and it is very easy to pack. I have been looking at them for a few years and am very fortunate to win one.”

Traveling with a Vocal Booth for Voice Actors on the Go

Using the Carry-on Vocal Booth at the airport.

Everyone travels these days. And, so do professionals in the voice acting and audio recording industry. Often times, traveling and working for these professionals mean making sure to pin down a recording studio in the visiting city, reserving a time slot and then driving to the destination studio to do the actual work. Lots of steps, and lots of work to get the job done.

One option that professional can look into in investing in portable vocal booth. VocalBoothToGo.com created on called the Carry-on Vocal Booth, which folds into a portfolio type case and has enough room inside for other accessories. The booth is created using Producer’s Choice Sound Blankets, lab tested to absorb 80 percent of the noise. The booth can be easily assembled and dissembled — pops in and out. The good news for travelers is that it can be checked in as a — yep, a carry on.

In a deadline driven world, being able to deliver results — such as your recording work — is important. For audio recording professionals such as voice actors, owning your own recording booth can make you more competitive and life less stressful.

At the airport with the Carry-on Vocal Booth as a carry on.

 

VocalBoothToGo to Showcase Voice Over Products at Voice 2014

For the second time, VocalBoothToGo will travel to Anaheim, Ca.,to participate and showcase its innovative voice over and audio recording acoustic products during Voice 2014 Voice Convention, held August 27-30, at the Anaheim Hilton.

voice 2014 voice over event

As one of the largest voice over conferences in the world, Voice 2104, the international creative experience, brings together coaches, voice actors, entrepreneurs and other audio recording professionals for Education, Technology and Community. Voice talent at all levels of experience will be attending this event.

VocalBoothToGo will be hosting an exhibit that will showcase its Carry-on Vocal Booth Pro, its portable vocal booth. Also, at its exhibit, VocalBoothToGo will also have its popular Producer’s Choice Acoustic Blankets, which have been used by voice actors to create home audio recording studio spaces in any size rooms.

VocalBoothToGo attended Voice 2012, where it premiered many of its walk-in sound booths — all utilizing Producer’s Choice Sound Blankets, which are tested at 80% of noise (NRC 0.8) and exceeds any other competitors’ products in sound absorption quality and value.

 

voice acting portable vocal booth

 

 

 

 

Skype Interviews/Conference Calls Using a Portable Vocal Booth

Skype calling has become common because working remotely has become common. The Carry-on Vocal Booth Pro, a portable vocal booth, allows users to not only have an acoustically sound conversation or recording, without that annoying echo, but also plenty of privacy too. Now, not everyone will hear your business.

Voice Over Work on the Road is Possible But You Need the Right Equipment

You can be a road warrior this summer while voice acting! In fact, this field is so flexible that you don’t have to schedule vacations around your work — just take the right voice over equipment along with you.

Voice Actor Michael Johnston uses the Carry-on Vocal Booth Pro in a hotel room. He actually propped it on a luggage stand.

Today, voice actors and others in voice recording can easily take their audio recording gear, even a vocal booth, with them anywhere and continue to audition and work with clients — stress free. Traveling and working in the recording industry has gotten easier.

Key to Success

The key to successful audio recording while traveling is to make sure you take the right type of equipment with you. These things include a laptop, microphone and also a portable vocal booth – something that can be easily assembled and dissembled without needing tools. It is important to test these items before leaving your studio or home and also pack them carefully.

Some of the things you should consider when working on the road is to make sure you can obtain Internet access during intermediate stops or at the final destination. You may need to invest in an Air Card or Hot Spot in case some areas do not offer WiFi or Internet access.

Investing in the Right Equipment Will Save You Headaches Later

We’ve all done this before. Using the hotel comforter to create a soundproof or acoustic treated area for you to record. Normally, you cover you head and mic while recording but it is hot and can cause issues with you voice. These days are over. To get the best sound absorption and to create the best audio recordings, consider purchasing a portable vocal booth you can easily set up and use anywhere. The Carry-On Vocal Booth can easily be set up in seconds anywhere (even at the airport) plus serve as a convenient carrying case to store your gear. Also, the Carry-On Vocal Booth has 80% sound absorption.

Carry on Vocal Booth actually is a part of a bag that can fit other items for audio recording on-the-go.

 

With the right equipment, like a good portable vocal booth, voice over talent can virtually work anywhere. And, that means you can extend your vacation at the beach a little longer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creating a Home Studio for the Start-up Voice Actor

Creating a Home Studio for the Start-up Voice Actor

Maybe you are just getting into voice acting and need a place to practice or get your demos done. Or, maybe you are tired of traveling into a home studio and want or need to work from your home or office. This article will help the budding or the professional voice actor get an idea of how to create a home studio recording space without breaking the bank and achieving the best acoustic treatment to make your demos sound as good as you.

 

Carry on with Voice Overs During Your Travels with the Portable Carry-on Vocal Booth

The Carry-on Vocal Booth is mobile, portable and can carry almost all of your recording gear in one bag. It is constructed from washable Producer’s Choice Sound Blankets and does not create a boxy recordings like many other foam-based booths do. No echo. So, carry on with the Carry-on Vocal Booth Pro or the starter kit.

Improving the Acoustics During Skype and Phone Conference Calls Using a Portable Vocal Booth

We’ve all been there. A business related conference call that not only is boring but comes with annoying echoes, beeps, buzzes and high pitch noises. You develop a strong desire to throw the phone across the room from the poor acoustics but you need to stay on because it is related to your work — your job.

All businesses hold conference calls via phone system or training virtually via Skype. Although we live in a time blessed with modern high-tech devices due to the ability to work virtually or remotely, we still have issues with conference calls that are not clear and downright inaudible.

Conference calls or Skype meetings can be a nuisance if acoustics are not considered.

The main reason for the horrible noise is not the device but the lack of handling the acoustics properly when using them. Setting your laptop, mic or phone inside an acoustically treated area will help control the echoes or boominess when you speak into it. This is especially important if you are virtually training people via Skype meetings or through a phone system. You, as the main presenter, need to make sure your audience can hear you just as clear as if you were standing in front of them or the entire presentation is worthless.

Business professionals can benefit from a portable vocal booth like the Carry-on Vocal Booth Pro if they hold Skype meetings or conference calls often. It controls the annoying noise and makes the speaker sound clearer and more professional.

Portable vocal booths are used by voice actors and singers but can also be used by corporations and business professionals during during these type of virtual speaking and meeting engagements. The Carry on Vocal Booth Pro, from VocalBoothToGo.com, is lightweight and can sit on a table or desk and has enough room for a large laptop to sit inside of it. Other features include-

• Great Acoustic Quality. Carry-On Vocal Booth Pro is constructed with highly sound absorbent material Producer’s Choice Acoustic Blankets. (NRC 0.8 or 80% sound absorption), cutting down reverberation and echo to create a flat audio recordings and audible speaking engagements.
• Quick set up. The lightweight Carry-On Vocal Booth Pro can be assembled and dissembled in less than 20 seconds. Just unzip and set up — which makes it a truly portable vocal booth and an easy choice for business professionals, speakers and voice-over talents who travel often.
• Spacious. With usable space at 22€W x 22D base and 20H, the Carry-On Vocal Booth Pro is the most spacious portable booth on the market — capable of fitting most of the components for recording in the bag. Plus, the use of acoustic blanket material instead of acoustic foam makes it possible to create a vocal booth that is small when folded but opens into a large enclosure in its operational state.

We’ve all had issues with hearing someone speak on the phone during a conference call and sounding as if they were in a fish bowl. It may not be a big deal if it is a casual conversation but if you are holding an important meeting such as a Board of Director’s Meeting, or one that people paid for in advance, you have to make sure that you sound clear. Investing in acoustical solutions will help get that peace of mind … and maybe your listener will actually be listening to you.