So, I've been busy writing a book - it's really just a transcription of the diary kept by a British Army soldier, who is also my partners grandfather. William Warren was a Sapper (explosives expert) in the British army, and was captured in France in 1941, and held as a POW for nearly 4 years until his eventual release towards the  end of the conflict in June '44. It was a real marathon, 4 months of scribbling and deciphering in my spare time after work, his handwriting is very swirly and neat looking yet hard to decipher. One of the hardest things was the place names, as they were spelled phonetically mostly, and so I had to spend a lot of time trying variations on the spelling until I found the real place on a map. A selection of artefacts were kept inside, such as wartime propaganda leaflets from both sides, each promising a wonderful reception if you were to surrender your arms peacefully.
A small extract from the diary:

19 April. Which was Ray’s birthday, proved to be a most eventful day. The mucker and I were lying in the hay on our bed place just under the window musing on the lousiness of life – in fact everything was as usual. A few Thunderbolts were hovering around, but then they had been doing that most of the day. Suddenly we heard the roar of a plane dive which brought us both to our feet at the window. A plane was diving straight for us – Ray yelled to Harry Huntley who was lying on his overcoat opposite us & who immediately dashed toward us. Suddenly the plane opened up with machine guns and canons – the roof was riddled with bullets – instinctively we crashed to the floor with pieces of roofing tile spattering on our heads and backs. The machine-gunning ceased and was immediately followed by two dull thumps like the banging of a door – they were the light bombs.

The Bayberry mascot tired after a long day of Beagling

Recording audiobooks is fun and all, but you do need to get out and recharge your creative batteries every so often - how do you do it? I like head out with my camera and stalk the wildlife around the lakes near my home. This time of year is amazing, there's so much gorgeous stuff bursting into life!

This morning I went for a walk and saw the old favorite, small fluffy things floating on the water - ducklings and signets!!

For the nerds among us, I use the following kit: 

Canon C100 Camera, Sigma APO 300mm f4.0 prime lens and a Atomos Ninja 2 external recorder. I edit using Davinci Resolve 16. If you want to know more, comment below or message me.

 Shauna Richmond's Raghnall books

I asked Shauna Richmond to tell me a little about her books and the universe in which they are set, and what themes they explore.

 Raghnall series is a dark fantasy series with hints of Norse, Celtic and Gaelic mythology. Trigger warnings for the book include strong language, sexual references, sexual assault and violence throughout. The books are told through multiple points of view, much like game of thrones, nobody is ever truly safe. The wrath of Raghnall is book one to this series, here we are introduced to Finn Olden and the rest of the Olden clan. Finn is the male protagonist, although he is part of the gentry, he is often ostracized and left to his own devices due to his infamous temper and foul mouth. The Oldens are a prestigious household, and one of the longest to rule in all the lands. They are known for their fighting spirits and kind hearts , though they seem to share the same flaw of a short life expectancy. Finn’s Uncles were died young and although it is understood that Gabriel died in an ambush, Tristan’s cause of death is not only vague, he is scarcely talked about. Freya Raghnall is the only daughter to Bjorn and Catherine Raghnall. Her mother was a renowned shield maiden , her father heir to a stolen throne. Freya escaped an attempt on her life when she was a well-being the only person from the massacre to make it out alive. She survived another attack at the hands of her betrothed resulting in his death and her rise to the throne of Rosefort. When Freya meets Finn at a banquet held in his homelands the pair soon find themselves attracting all sorts of trouble. As the series moves on, the characters start to unravel the mystery of Tristan and Gabriel’s death and also Freya’s family’s massacre. The Raghnall series is much darker than that of prequel (The Olden Chronicles) as the reader is seeing the aftermath of the wars and the decisions the fallen heroes made. 

You find more books by Shauna here on Amazon.

 

 The Encore

I'm working on another new book, this one is by Canadian author Lauren Holmes. You can read all about Lauren here, she's a fascinating lady! 

Here's a summary of the novel from Lauren's own site:

The Encore is a gripping page-turner about extraterrestrials facing extinction from a terraforming enemy. Desperate, they kidnap the worldbuilders who rescued future Earth for an encore performance. Threats to survival multiply with eco-crises and intrigue from powermongers. However, The Encore is also more. IndieReader describes this award-winning thriller as “a must-read for those who care about our continued existence.” It plumbs deep for those who seek substance beyond suspense. The threats to future Earth are real. Thankfully, so are the solutions. New potential for individuals, humanity, and worlds are revealed. That is why The Encore captured the Inspirational Fiction award from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. This is “hard science fiction” set within an “alternate history” that will inspire all aspiring worldbuilders. Lauren Holmes writes from decades of experience maximizing the careers of global executives. Her education in evolutionary anthropology unexpectedly informed breakthrough techniques for promoting sustainable self-actualization and continuous self-transcendence for all – her current mission. The Encore is an otherworldly tale of catastrophe, courage, calling, creativity, and camaraderie. It is an eco-thriller forewarning of an all-to-possible threat to planet Earth. Yet it is as inspiring and heartwarming as it is alarming and unnerving. Live the mission with this legion of lovable heroes. Dare to remain unchanged by this transformational thriller.

 I'm delighted to be narrating this book for Lauren. Here's a sample of the book to get you thinking:

"Please call me Rikard, Connor. You are a most welcome addition to our life-and-death fight. Thank you for agreeing to help us. I look forward to hearing you introduce your process tomorrow at the Council meeting. My wife Ingrid and I would be delighted if you’d join us for dinner in the next few days as your schedule permits.”

“Thank you, Rikard. I’d be delighted,” responded Connor perfunctorily.

“Pardon my intrusion, Axl,” he said finally acknowledging the Minister’s presence with a nod in his direction. “I’ll leave you gentlemen to your important work.” With that, Rikard turned and abruptly exited the office with the same speed at which he had burst into it.

Supreme Commander Riis has the charm, charisma and sociability of successful politicians. However, he has very little of the substance that Axl possesses. It was obvious to Connor that someone had bought this man’s way into his current position. Riis was a front. A puppet. And by the strain he sensed between the two men, Connor suspected that Axl was not the puppet master but the enemy.

Riis also lacked Axl’s benevolence. In fact, there was a foreboding in his manner which made Connor fearful. He realized that he would be even more uneasy if Axl was no longer there to protect him. In an instant, he realized his dependence on the Minister. He accepted that Axl was friend not foe.

Alone again, Connor restarted the discussion, “So have you brought me here to die, Axl? I fear our friendship is going to be short-lived,” he quipped. Axl laughed. “I must have more faith in you than you do, Connor.” Connor continued to jest to break Axl’s tension. He motioned to the large picture on the wall of Vaudeville comedy duo and silent film comedians, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Their famous catch phrase was printed boldly on the top, “Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!” “I relate, Axl. I suspect I’m not the first,” he joked. Axl laughed again succumbing to the distraction. “Would you believe this is the oldest known relic from Earth? I ‘ve often wondered if it suggests the time when Annutia was terraformed. Laurel and Hardy were famous from the late 1920s to the 1940s. Annutians tend not to concentrate on history as much as they do on Earth because our religion has us focusing on the ‘now.’ We’re taught mindfulness and contemplative techniques and practices in school from the first grade to help us to do that.< /br>“Obviously, we need creative solutions now, Connor. We need you to repeat with acceleration your conversion of humanity to a talent- and creativity-worshipping power structure. We need our world’s talents working at the maximum to save our planet and ourselves. There is no one better than you to do that.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Unfortunately, we’re a population devoid of creativity. We have so many rules, and so many castes and so much prejudice and judgement that we’ve all but eliminated the courage to be creative. We’ve become a left-brain society where logic reigns supreme. Our creative right brains have atrophied.

What makes you think there is enough time, Axl?”

“I’ve studied your career, Connor. You’ve worked on the liberation of individuals to their full creative expression for 30 years. When you assumed the role of Commander-in-Chief for Global Human Resources Maximization, you had your strategic plan completed and being actioned in your first month. You established most of the structures for global conversion in your first two months. What is it you call yourself? Oh yes. An execution creative.

“This is your encore, Connor. Faster. Smarter. With higher stakes. And with more fulfillment than the first time around. There is no project more meaningful for you to undertake.

“If you went back to your retirement on Earth without at least trying, you’d regret it for the rest of your life. Facing death is not the anathema for you, Commander Kane. Facing a life without meaning, purpose, and mission is far worse for someone of your talents and passions.

“You’ll see, Connor. We’ve already started. We’ve released your speeches and writings into our corporations and upper educational streams to get people thinking about the conversion.

“I’m going to have Annalise arrange for you to access to the Planetary Government Library today. You’ll get an idea of how much we know already so you can formulate what you want to say to the Council tomorrow about your plan.”

Connor refrained from comment while he began to formulate possible strategies. He was indeed an execution creative by passion. He believed he could implement anything even if it had never been done before. He found new implementation challenges irresistible.

“I’ve studied your methods for achieving the restructuring to release the greatest creative solutions to global crises. However, what I haven’t been able to figure out yet is what levers you pushed to cause the break in the money-and-political power grid in the first place. A discussion for another day.”

Connor suspected Axl was referencing the forces behind Rikard Riis. The Minister jumped up without warning for a third time and stepped quickly to his desk to flick on the intercom. “Birgitte, has Annalise returned yet for Commander Kane?”

“Yes, sir. She’s been here for some time.”

Axl moved to the door and opened it.

“So sorry to have kept you, Annalise. Please come in for a moment. Commander Kane needs library access to Earth information to find common ground for his speech to the Council tomorrow. He’s also going to need information about the Council Ministers, so he can shape his speech to his audience.

“I think it’s also advisable that you make him aware of the conflicts among them so that he’s not blindsided. In fact, why don’t you bring him at the beginning of the Council meeting so that he can observe the conflicts and players in action.

“Thank you, Annalise. And thank you Commander Kane for undertaking this critical mission for us,” Axl said while shaking Connor’s hand. “I look forward to hearing you speak. Please use Annalise to let me know how I may help.”

And without even a moment to consider or to ask a question, Connor suddenly found himself outside of the Minister’s inner office next to its closed door. Connor was impressed by how smooth Axl was. He felt out-finessed.

“This way, Commander,” directed Annalise. The tall and muscled Brik again trailed them. Obviously, Axl considered him a VIP needing a bodyguard.

“Were you able to arrange the call with my wife?”

“I was indeed. We have thirty minutes to arrive back at the appointed time.”

As they stepped out of the elevator on his floor of the residential tower, Connor could see at the other end of the hall Jon sitting at the table guarding his suite. Perhaps Axl was right. Maybe he’d underestimated his talents somewhat despite the celebratory gala.

As they arrived at the suite, Annalise walked to the office where an external telephone resided. Connor took the covers off his lunch while he pondered how he was going to tell Lenore that there was a good chance that he would be dead within the year.   

Monitoring & Mixing my audiobooks

I've been using KRK Rokit 6 monitors for my audiobooks for nearly 4 years now, and I really like what I hear. My As I work in mono, I only need one monitor, no need for a stereo pair. I work using a digital audio workstation, AKA a PC with a half-decent audio-interface, namely a Audient ID4, which offers XLR & 6.35mm jack inputs and TRS balanced outputs for monitoring. It took a while for me to understand exactly what TRS was - initially I was hunting around fruitlessly for a USB interface that offered XLR outputs as I was fixed on having balanced output (for the initiated, balanced signals in audio terms are designed to minimise unwanted noise intruding into the signal, such as from nearby electronics). All the interfaces I looked at did not offer this, at least not the budget conscious variety I can afford. After consulting my slightly more knowledgeable elder brother I was realized that although TRS utilizes the 1/4 inch jack plug interface, it carries a balanced signal, care of the TRS wiring (TRS = Tip/Ring/Sleeve) follow this link for more information. With this new information I realised that I had a good choice of USB interfaces that will provide balanced output suitable for a studio monitor. After some investigation I plumped for the KRK Rokit 6, monitor. Opinions are a little divided but I find it more than enough for my audiobook needs. 

I will say that it is a little bottom-end heavy, and combined with my Rode Procaster XLR dynamic studio mic, which has low-mid warmth, I found initially my recordings seemed pretty muddy and woolly sounding. For anyone possessing either of those two components, I have a few words of advice born of my own experience: 

Rode Procaster: Requires plenty of gain to get the best frequency response, but has incredible signal-to-noise ratio, so it's very clean souding even if you EQ it heavily. I found that my Audient iD4 didn't drive it hard enough, and have since used a Podtrak P4 by Zoom, which has an insane 70db of gain. The difference in audio characteristics with the right gain is remarkable.

As for the Rokit 6 - this too needs a little attention - on the rear there are some EQ adjustments in precise 1, 2 and 3db increments. I rolled off the low frequencies by 3db to gain a more accurate sound that held up when I replayed the files elsewhere. 

Please read this article from Sound on Sound.

So, I've got a Spotify channel.

This is exciting. Well, I've had it for a year but just not really told anyone! For anyone that's interested, here's a brief summary of how I got started recording audiobooks..

I used to be in a band. 

Which ended a few years ago, and I was looking for something creative that I could do, preferably something I could do that would make the long winter evenings a bit more creative and fun. But most things I thought of required other people, and as much as I like other people, they do tend to let you down when it comes to organising stuff. Initially I wanted to do a podcast, I have tons of good ideas but really, I need someone else to co-present, and I just couldn't get anyone interested enough to commit to do it. So what could I do, that was creative, and self-contained? Well, I've been making short films and documentaries for years, and recording audiobooks seemed like a natural extension of that, and I had most of the gear already.....

So, what could I record?

Writing my own short stories is fun, but not something I could do on an ongoing basis, it's too time consuming to write and record. So, I set about finding novels that are out of copyright, classic novels, and started recording them. I'm still doing that to this day, a nd I've got Moby Dick, War Of The Worlds, A Cloud Over Innsmouth and others available on Spotify and Soundcloud. After a couple of years, a friend showed me the ACX website, which is where narrators and authors collaborate to make audiobooks for Audible. I was hooked immediately. I'm recording my 7th book now, and it's immensely satisfying knowing my work is publish and being enjoyed by hundreds of listeners.

The ACX process is somewhat unclear initially, but I've now got a firm understanding of their requirements, and my submissions seem to sail through the QA checks without issue.

A Spring Afternoon Stroll

Lock Gates on the W&B canal

Just a short post to share a short film a I made this afternoon while out walking with my dog, the spring sunshine was so lovely and the lakes looked so great I had to get the Osmo+ out and film it! The DJI Osmos+ is a neat little gimbal camera I've been using for a while, it's not new exactly but it works brilliantly, check out the silky smooth shots!

Getting Outside.

It's so important to get outdoors, the end of lockdown is coming and being outside and enjoying nature is so very, very important!

Getting outside is so utterly critical in these lockdown times... I always take my camera when I walk my dog, I hope you enjoy this little video I made, I never get tired of sunsets and warm evenings!

For those who are interested, I film using a Canon EOS C100 camcorder, and my trusty Canon & Sigma lenses. I also use something called an Atomos Ninja, which is an external recording device that allows me to capture video in superior broadcast formats like ProRes and DNXHD. 

I edit in Davinci Resolve, a fantastic piece of free yet totally professional post-production software. It's a steep learning curve but worth it!

Can you create a recording room at home without permanently changing the space?

I did, and here's how.

My recording room is probably the worst shape it could be - it's a small l-shaped room which bounces the sound around really badly, really unfriendly for recording anything. In fact, when I first started recording audiobooks I constructed what I called "the tent of doom", a 4ft x 4ft x 4ft cube, with cymbal stands (I play drums) providing the shape, and several duvets were the top and sides. I would sit in my tiny, dark, claustrophobic space recording books, and would emerge boiling hot and slightly dizzy. As much as I secretly enjoyed reliving my childhood squatting in my acoustic den, it wasn't a long term solution for my needs. 

So I had a loooong think about what I wanted to do with the room. I knew I wanted to use acoustic tiles but the thought of gluing anything to the walls was not something I could entertain, I needed something that I could put up and take down as needed. And budget was important too, I needed to keep it sensible. 

At one end I installed a desk for my DAW (Digital Audio Workstation, AKA a windows pc) and some chunky wall hooks to hang cables and such. Then I devised a cunning plan to acoustically treat the walls. After much though I settled on a plan. I would use 2ft x 4ft hardboard panels, glue 8 x acoustic foam tiles to each one (30x30cm each) and then hang them on the walls using picture hooks. So off I went. I made 10 panels and carefully glued the foam panels on, using PVa woodglue. I put an absurd amount of effort into ensuring the tiles were all perfectly aligned and symmetrical, and once my OCD was satisfied, I hung them in a very pleasingly symmetrical (there's a theme here) layout on the walls.

The trickiest bit of the whole enterprise was getting them all horizontal and evenly spaced. I truly would not have been been able to tolerate any deviations, my inner Asperger's would not allow this to happen. Quite some time later they were all on the walls. Time to test the room! Initial results were pleasing, there is a significant reduction in reverb, that said, the awkward shape of the room still bounces back some noise, but it is greatly reduced. I made creative use of my cymbal stands, a digeridoo and a blanket, placed them so that the corner with the mic booth was separated from the rest, I call this my acoustic blanket.

The room is now sounding great, and with my RODE Procaster and Podtrack P4 recorder, I am getting some fantastic results. 

Acoustic foam panels hang on the walls

 I've recorded two books using the RODE and eight books in the room so far, hoping to do many more!

 My new favorite microphone.

I've been using the Rode Procaster for a while now, I've recorded a couple of audiobooks and I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Initially I had issues with the sound being quite woolly and lacking sparkle. This is partly an inherent quality of the microphone; it's a dynamic mic which the internet tells me will tend to produce a sound with less sparkly top end than say a condenser, due the the mechanism by which the sound sensitive capsule is powered and responds to sound waves. It is this very quality, however, that makes it a winner for recording at home - even in my relatively well padded recording room (acoustic foam panels abound) I struggle with condenser microphones. The reason being that condensers are tooooo sensitive for anything less than a bona-fide studio. I was picking up noise from outside, I could hear the ventilation system in the roof, and of course I could hear every acoustic nuance and bit of reverb the room itself was contributing. 

A dynamic microphone, on the other hand, will pick up less of those elements, again due to the mechanism inherent in the technology. It will tend to listen in a very human way, it's good at focusing on the sound close at hand and rejecting stuff further away. The Rode Procaster does this in a very heightened way. The mic has a very narrow area of sensitivity - basically directly in front of the capsule and a couple of inches of distance. Move much to the sides or up and down, and your voice quickly drops away. 

Now, I mentioned the lack of sparkle - the trick to improving the sonic performance of the mic is to use it with an audio interface which is capable of 'driving' it with enough gain. I plugged it into my Podtrak P4 and the sound was transformed. The Podtrak has an exceptional amount of gain available via four VERY clean preamps for the XLR channels. Turns out the Procaster needs at least 35db of gain to get the best performance. I'm not nerdy enough to know exactly why, but it's common among broadcast quality dynamic mics to require a lot of power. The Shure SM7B is the same. When properly powered, the mic sounds much better, and has a super signal to noise ratio, such that you can mess around with the EQ to your hearts content and not induce any noise into the very clean signal. 

Read this article from Music Radar:

A broadcast quality dynamic microphone for the masses?

By Chris Corfield October 01, 2020

OUR VERDICT

The Rode Procaster impressed us. For podcasting, voice-over work, or any other speech-driven medium, this is a microphone we’re happy to recommend.

PROS

Solidly built

Great upgrade from USB-based setups

Free 10-year warranty (on registration) is welcome

CONS

An XLR mic is only as good as the preamps it feeds!

WHAT IS IT?

Rode has pretty much got the prosumer market for microphones sewn up. From its USB-powered entry-level models like the Rode NT-USB, through to its mid-range NT1-A large diaphragm condenser, the Australian brand delivers great value gear for a range of uses. Perhaps more than any other mic brand, however, it has set its stall out as being the go-to company for broadcast systems. This is particularly evidenced by its growing range of equipment geared towards the podcasting and streaming markets. 

Today’s mic, the Rode Procaster, is a perfect example. Where other mics will market themselves as being suited to anything, Rode is quite clear that the Procaster is designed specifically with speech in mind.

It’s actually part of a wider family of mics from Rode, all aimed at podcast and broadcast creators. The Rode Procaster itself is a dynamic mic, with a cardioid pickup pattern making it ideal for solo speech. The Rode Podcaster, on the other hand, shares many of the same characteristics, only it opts for a USB connection instead of the Procaster’s XLR connection. It’s clever of Rode; you essentially get the same microphone and make it fit your workflow, not the other way around.

The key difference is in the name. The Procaster is aimed more at a broadcast audience, who are more likely to have the required extras – audio interface or mixer – you’ll need to connect it. There are clear benefits to this, which we’ll address later. The Podcaster, on the other hand, is much more plug-and-play and so therefore doesn’t require extra equipment or technical knowledge. Let’s take a look at how it performs.

PERFORMANCE AND VERDICT

The first thing to note with the Rode Procaster is that, unlike many mics you see aimed at speech, it’s actually a dynamic mic rather than a condenser. Being dynamic, it doesn’t require phantom power, plus it does a great job at rejecting unwanted noise thanks to the switchable high-pass filter and cardioid polar pattern. Naturally, you lose a tiny bit of the nuance you would get from a condenser but overall, as a microphone for speech, this doesn’t pose the same problem as it would recording acoustic instruments or vocals, where every harmonic counts.

That said, it’s not a total rejection of sound coming from off-axis; indeed, we actually found recording outdoors delivered superb clarity from our subject and a nice gentle hum of ambient noise from the sides. Your own applications and workflow will vary of course, and there’s no substitute for recording in a well-treated studio, which is where the Procaster really comes into its own.

ALSO CONSIDER

Best vocal mics: Shure SM7B

Electro-Voice RE20

Rode Podcaster

The cardioid pickup pattern offers 180 degrees of rejection, so it’s best suited to directional use, specifically in front of one voice rather than many at a time. You also talk directly into the top of the mic, rather than the side, despite how it may appear at first. Performance here is aided by an internal pop-shield, however we’d always advise on the use of an external pop filter just to be safe.

To hold, the Procaster has a pleasing heft to it thanks to its all-metal construction. It’s not a mic we’d want to be hand-holding for any length of time though, so a desk mount or boom arm would be wise purchases. Rode also offers a shock mount, available separately, which will further help when seeking isolation from wobbly desks or mic stands.

The inclusion of an XLR input is what sets it apart here. By forcing you to go through a mixer or audio interface, as opposed direct to your computer via USB, you actually gain significantly more control over the recorded sound. We did notice it can be fairly gain-hungry, requiring a reasonable boost from the preamps on our audio interface. For some users, this may push it into fairly noisy territory, however in our experience that was largely negated by the high-pass filter. All told it didn’t impact hugely, and was certainly no worse than any of the Procaster’s competitors, but it is worth considering.

Overall, we were very impressed with the Rode Procaster. For any application involving speech – be that podcasts, voiceovers or video – the Procaster delivers pleasing results that don’t require masses of post-production to polish. As with any broadcast mic, the setting in which you record will have an impact on the sound you achieve, but in the Procaster we found a microphone we’d happily rely on.

RODE Procaster mic on stand