Today we are talking about Plugins. Plugins are things you add to your audio editing software to make it better, more efficient, etc. The best way to avoid buying these (or using these) is to record good audio in the first place. That is not always an option (especially with interview shows with guests) so there is a company that has a bundle on sale 72% off and I put it through some tests. Please note this is an affiliate link (but also note – some of these are not great).
For videos and more information see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/era
ERA 4 Plugin Bundles Black Friday Deal
I looked at the $99 sales (normally $354) contains the following:
Plosive Remover
Plosives are when people say words with P's B's and some H's. The air from your mouth goes into the microphone making a loud sound. This tools does a good job of removing them.
Noise Remover
This tool does a good job of removing background hiss, noise (think air conditioner). You need to remove noise, you turn the knob to the right. I thought this also did a good job. Please note there is a free noise reduction tool in audacity. While not as easy to use (it's hard to beat one knob), it achieves similar results.
Voice Leveler
We've all been there. You can't make your audio and your guests audio the same level. I thought this tool did a great job of taking a file I mage with extreme audio differences and leveled every out.
De-Esser
Harsh sibilance can be very annoying both in dialogue and vocal recordings. When someone says something with lots of “Sss” sounds it can be harsh. This softens them up. While it did, I wasn't super impressed. It did the job. This is where the pro version (where you can focus on a certain frequency) would be better. Not horrible, but I think I could achieve the same thing adjusting the upper treble settings.
De-Clipper
Oops, you recorded too loud, and there is distortion in your file. Looking at the loud parts of your waveform, you can see clippings as blocks of audio that are chopped off. I was impressed with this tool. While you can't bring a file back from the dead, this definitely improved the audio.
Reverb Remover
While this tool works for very long, HUGE (think Gymnasium) type of reverb. It definitely improves the audio, but for me I need the ability to listen to shorter room noise (not giant bathroom type reflections). This is available in their pro version). Consequently, I don't seem me using this with great results (based on my recordings, not based on the software – we're not a good match).
Do I Think It's Worth it?
If you find yourself having to fix audio? Absolutely. Comparing it to iZotope RX7 (which is close to $1000 dollars) this is a no brainer. If your audio sounds fine, and you don't have plosives, uneven audio, etc then you can pass. The best advice is to do what you can when recording to avoid needing them.
Where Do I Get More Information?
See http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/era ( affiliate link). Their pro version is normally $952 is on sale for Black Friday for $299.
Question of the Month for November
20:00
What is bugging you?
Brandy Henry from engaging on social media with Brandy Henry
Karrie Bond from the Keywest Perspective Podcast
Jason Sacco from The Ankylosing Spondylitis Podcast
Libsyn and Spotify Changes
Spotify no longers makes a copy of your file and puts it on their website (they serve it directly from Libsyn). This makes it much easier to replace a file. This also means your stats are going to shift in the Libsyn dashboard. Instead of being in a separate section, the Spotify stats will go under the “normal” Libsyn stats (so don't panic).
Question of the Month for December
I do this every year. Please record your response and include the following:
- Your name and the name of your podcast
- Your website where we can find your podcast
- A brief synopsis of what your podcast is about (who its for, and what to expect)
- What is your favorite podcast from 2019?
- Why is it your favorite?
- What is the website of this podcast?
I need the answers in by December 27th, 2019 so it can be heard on December 30th.
Mentioned In This Episode
First Things First (Book by Steven Covey)
The Stephen R. Covey Interactive Reader – 4 Books in 1 (includes audio and video)
Audphonic Levelizing and Noise Removal Tool
For videos and more information about ERA 4 see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/era
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