AKG PERCEPTION 120 Professional Studio Microphone for general purpose. Review

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AKG PERCEPTION 120 Professional Studio Microphone for general purpose. Feature

• Professional condenser microphones
• Solid, roadworthy construction quality
• Designed and engineered in Vienna, Austria
• Outstanding price-performance ratio

AKG PERCEPTION 120 Professional Studio Microphone for general purpose. Overview

AKG’s Perception microphones have built a strong following among musicians and engineers, proving to be among the best high-value true condenser microphones on the market today. The AKG Perception Series includes the P 120, P 170, P 220, P 420 and also the new Perception 820 Tube – each offering a switchable 20 dB attenuation pad and a low cut switch for an even wider range of miking capabilities including vocals, acoustic instruments, classical music, electric guitar amps and drums across multiple applications of studio recording, live sound and broadcast. The Perception line offers AKG’s signature “up-front” sound quality captured in a rugged precision-tooled zinc/aluminium alloy body with dent-resistant stainless steel grille screens.

B00160PRBUASIN

B00160PRBU

Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 09, 2012 03:57:52

Every once in a while, I'll be asked what needs makes a professional podcast professional. Creating a professional sounding podcast is important when trying to build credibility. Amateurish podcasts tend to make you come across as amateurish. However, a strongly professional podcast will make people automatically presume that you are worthy of respect. In essence, a professional podcast will borrow credibility from radio which like television provides an automatic level of credibility.

So how do you make your podcast sound professional?

Here are five characteristics of a professional podcast and what you need to do to produce the same result.

1. The content is relevant and interesting to the audience. Professional broadcasts spend ridiculous amounts of money surveying their audience and working hard to ensure that the content they are providing is relevant and interesting to their audience. The reason they do this is simple. Your audience will judge the quality of your podcast based on the relevance of your material to themselves.

2. The announcer is confident and practiced. Even professional broadcasters make mistakes. They read a sentence out of order. Or their mouths have problems forming the words. Despite this, they persevere and finish the work. Your presentation needs to be just as polished and your ability to overcome issues will be judged.

3. The recording quality is excellent. Most broadcasters invest in high-end recording equipment. Far more expensive equipment than a normal podcaster is capable of ascending. However, the equipment you need is still able to produce high enough quality records that is suitable for impressing your audience.

4. The material is well organized and focused. When just winging it there will always be a tendency to go off into irrelevant discussions. And the argument you are trying make won't be as clear and precisely focused discussion on the topic at hand. A professional broadcast knows what the audience wants to hear and therefore they are specific, focused and clear in the organization of their material.

5. The podcast is finished or packaged. We've become used to packaging in a professional broadcast. What do I mean by packaging? Each podcast needs to begin with a set of introductory credits, and a list of what will be covered in the podcast. Similarly, the podcast needs to end with a set of closing credits. These credits need to include music to help the audience feel connected. Finally, transitions between elements should also include a musical transition.

Do you want to learn how to write a book in 24 hours? Take my brand new free course here: http://www.learningcreators.com/

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

View the original article here

One of the things you always want to do if you are hoping to sell learning content is to appear professional. Everything you do has to be polished. Everything you do has to look like you know what you are doing.

That includes your podcasts.

People are used to listening to professional broadcasters on the radio and on television. This is the standard you need to meet when creating your podcasts. Fortunately, with modern computer technology it is quite possible to make your podcasts polished and professional sounding.

Here are seven tips you can use to help put together a professional podcast.

1. Always edit your podcast if only to remove the dead air. No one is 100% perfect. In fact, you don't want to be perfect with your podcasts. However, you also don't want to be focused on getting it right while you are recording. And everyone leaves dead air at some point or other. So use editing to correct your mistakes and don't worry about it during the recording session.

2. Volume isn't as important as having a consistent volume. Notice that when you listen to the radio only the commercials are at a different volume. People sometimes obsess over getting just the right volume level. But that's why the audience has a volume control on their headsets and computers. The one thing that you need to focus on is not perfection but consistency. All your podcasts recording need to be at the same level so that if you patch them together your audience doesn't always have to adjust the volume control.

3. Plan your podcast first. Every once in a while someone will get it into their head that they can just wing it. Don't bother. You'll just be disappointed with the results and have to spend more time recording it and editing it. Planning doesn't necessarily mean writing a full blown script. It can be as simple as listing all the points you want to raise. If you do the outline method aim for one point for every minute to speak (or one minute of talking per point if you prefer).

4. Practice, Practice, Practice. One of the characteristics of a professional podcast is a polished and professional broadcaster. The only way to become polished is to practice. Either that or be born as a naturally talented public speaker. Which isn't very likely.

5. Use music to your advantage. Have you ever wondered why they use music in movies? Have you ever listed to a movie before they've added the music? Listen to a professional radio news magazine. They use music to transition. They use music to introduce. And sometimes they even use music to set the tone.

6. Find a theme. No I'm not talking about a unifying topic to your podcast -- although that's a good idea too. I'm talking about a musical phrase that will be used for all your podcasts -- especially for the opening and closing credits.

7. Always have opening and closing credits. If you listen to a radio news magazine (the BBC and CBC both produce good ones), you'll find they have an opening and closing segment for each podcast. In the opening segment they introduce what segments they will be providing and who is involved. In the closing segment they provide who worked on each segment (recording, producing and editing). You need to do the same thing.

Do you want to learn how to create information products (learning content)? Check out my new free eBook "7 Myths and Seven Tricks in Nine Steps": http://www.learningcreators.com/myths.htm

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

View the original article here

One of the things you always want to do when creating content is to make it look professional. Or, in the case of a podcast, make it sound professional. After all, a professional podcast is the measuring stick your audience is going to use when they grade you. And they will.

But how do you make your podcasts sound professional?

In this article I'm going to share seven tips to making a professional podcast. Now let's get something clear from the beginning. Hiring a sound studio is not in the budget. In fact, none of these tips require much money. Sounding professional can now be done with the barest of budgets.

1. Always start with a plan!

Podcasts are usually a simple form of learning content. Like any learning content they don't just appear. At least not if they're good. Always plan your podcast for what content and format you'll use. Organization needs to be built. It doesn't just appear. In other words, write an outline before you script the show!

2. Don't make it up as you go!

It may sound like professionals make it up as they go. But that's what makes them professionals. Practice! Specifically practice at making it sound like the script being read is really an off the cuff speech. Even if you only work from an outline, always have a script. And then practice it.

3. Get a head start!

How many times have you heard people on a voice chat where you hear their kids playing in the next room? Usually better than you hear them! That's the result of using the wrong microphone. Don't use a desktop microphone. Desktop microphone bad! Headset microphone cheap. Headset microphone good. Yes, there is a technical explanation. But bottom line use a headset -- even a five dollar one is better than a twenty dollar desktop!

4. Take it on the chin!

Want that deep rumbly voice that all good radio broadcasters have? The voice of doom... even if you aren't planning a career on a ranch! Move the microphone to just below your jaw line. Say half an inch below your closed jaw or at the bottom of a stretched open jaw. Well out of the way of your mouth and the pops and sputters.

5. A different view of the bar stool!

How many bar stools have you seen the underside of? Too many? Okay this one's easy. When you record you should always stand up. If it's going to be a long recording session, use a bar stool. Just perch on the edge of it. That'll take the weight off your feet. But you'll still get the lung expansion that standing gives you.

6. Smile -- the audience will wonder what you're up to!

Sorry, this one is a little obvious. Smile when you are recording. It sounds silly but your audience can hear if you like them. So smile! You do like having an audience don't you? Tell them with your smile.

7. Spit shine and boot black.

What makes a professional sound like a professional? A good editor. Don't worry about mistakes. Just record enough material to give the editor something to work with. Record all your practice sessions. Then edit your podcast. Clean up the mistakes. Add music. Add audio packaging. You'll be surprised how good a little editing will make you sound.

Do you want to learn how to create information products (learning content)? Check out my new free eBook "7 Myths and Seven Tricks in Nine Steps": http://www.learningcreators.com/myths.htm

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

View the original article here

Podcasting has become a popular way for companies, specialists, and educators to share their message and services with the world. Some podcasts are made by individuals making commentary on society, doing movie reviews, or sharing their personal views on politics. Whatever topic an individual or organization wants to share information about, audio/video podcasts can be a user friendly, popular, delivery system. Many products exist that make podcasting fairly inexpensive and approachable to the average user. However, a gap exists between owning the equipment, knowing how to use that equipment, and even how to produce a top quality production for your podcasts. Podcasts are essentially on demand radio, or TV broadcasting. Wether the podcast is for profit, or just for fun, aside from advertising and distributing your podcast, making sure the quality and content of the podcast is the most important consideration in making a podcast. For this reason, the individual or organization that wants to do a podcast may need a higher production quality than what a $100 USB microphone and Apple's Garage Band software can provide.

Not all professional recording studios understand the goals and needs of a podcast. Additionally, not many recording studios are considered affordable. Considering the idea that podcasts are generally delivered to the end user free of charge, low budget restrictions discourage individuals from considering a commercial option for podcasting. Just because podcasts are free to the user, doesn't mean they need to sound "free".

So what makes a recording studio a "Professional Podcasting" recording studio? Lets first analyze the 3 main production problems that are commonly found in many podcasts. Understand that a professional podcasting studio will directly solve these issues.

First, basic audio quality. Popular USB podcasting microphones are not meant to be of the highest quality, they are generally meant to be the most approachable price point. While this is understandable, this is the reality of the microphones that are advertised for podcast creation. Professional recording studios stock a variety of top quality microphones, top quality microphone preamplifiers and high quality analog to digital converters. All of this equipment is relevant in recreating a optimal, pleasant listening experience. You want people to listen to what you have to say, that means that you should eliminate all the factors that would keep them from listening. You audience will not want to hear a brittle vocal quality, harsh "S's" or sibilance, muddy or muffled sound quality, or any other vocal quality that is undesirable. A good studio with good equipment can fix, or rather eliminate, these production issues altogether.

Recording studios are also treated acoustically in such a way that room reverberations are controlled. The goal of your podcast, to some extent, is to brand yourself or your organization as an expert or relevant voice on the subject matter. Good acoustics can be the difference between a respectable presentation, and a recording that leaves an individual wondering if they are listening to some nut job sitting at their laptop in their bedroom or basement. For example, if your podcast is about how to achieve financial success, you need to sound like you are a proven individual experiencing enough financial success to afford a good recording, not a con man sitting in their mothers basement selling unproven material. People generally listen to podcasts on.mp3 players/iPhones/iPods which means they are most likely listening on headphones. Headphones expose many potential technical and acoustical flaws as the sound source is placed as close to their ears as possible. A professional podcasting studio understands the considerations and challenges that arise from this common delivery system for podcasts.

Second, audio bed/background music. I love Apple's Garage Band software and the standard audio loops and background tracks that come with the program. They work good to introduce and close pod casts, so good that everyone uses the same songs. I hear the same loops from that program on several other podcasts. If your podcast is part of how you wish to develop your product or service identity do you want to be the same as everyone else? Or are you different; are you unique? A professional podcasting recording studio understands this challenge and has a library of audio samples, or has the ability to compose and record an original intro/conclusion audio bed that is used to help define your podcast as unique.

Third, (applies to video podcasting only), Video quality. Webcams, those little cameras placed above computer displays are not bad, but they are not professional. If you want to join the army of nut jobs that record themselves rambling about this and that and post it on youtube, fine. But, if you are to position yourself as an expert in your chosen field, if you are to be taken seriously, your video podcast requires something more, something professional. This doesn't mean that you need to have a full blown TV studio for this to happen. If you want that to be the case, more power to you, but for a majority of individuals looking to promote themselves through podcasting, their business or information does not require a full blown hollywood production. A professional podcast studio can not only accomplish outstanding audio quality, but also understands the needs of the video podcast as well. This means being able to edit video clips, power point or keynote slides at the appropriate times and lengths. Remember, with a video podcast, individual branding becomes even more important. It is difficult to instill confidence in those whom subscribe to your podcast that you are worth listening to if your video is grainy, pixilated, and if your dirty laundry is featured in the background of your bedroom webcam podcast.

With the technology for podcasting so widely available to the masses, the best way to stand out from the oceans of mediocre podcasts, seek to increase your quality and presentation by employing the services of a professional podcasting recording studio.

Nick Galieti is the owner/engineer/producer at Studio 5.1 a Utah recording studio

Podcasting has become a popular way for companies, specialists, and educators to share their message and services with the world. Some podcasts are made by individuals making commentary on society, doing movie reviews, or sharing their personal views on politics. Whatever topic an individual or organization wants to share information about, audio/video podcasts can be a user friendly, popular, delivery system. Many products exist that make podcasting fairly inexpensive and approachable to the average user. However, a gap exists between owning the equipment, knowing how to use that equipment, and even how to produce a top quality production for your podcasts. Podcasts are essentially on demand radio, or TV broadcasting. Wether the podcast is for profit, or just for fun, aside from advertising and distributing your podcast, making sure the quality and content of the podcast is the most important consideration in making a podcast. For this reason, the individual or organization that wants to do a podcast may need a higher production quality than what a $100 USB microphone and Apple's Garage Band software can provide.

Not all professional recording studios understand the goals and needs of a podcast. Additionally, not many recording studios are considered affordable. Considering the idea that podcasts are generally delivered to the end user free of charge, low budget restrictions discourage individuals from considering a commercial option for podcasting. Just because podcasts are free to the user, doesn't mean they need to sound "free".

So what makes a recording studio a "Professional Podcasting" recording studio? Lets first analyze the 3 main production problems that are commonly found in many podcasts. Understand that a professional podcasting studio will directly solve these issues.

First, basic audio quality. Popular USB podcasting microphones are not meant to be of the highest quality, they are generally meant to be the most approachable price point. While this is understandable, this is the reality of the microphones that are advertised for podcast creation. Professional recording studios stock a variety of top quality microphones, top quality microphone preamplifiers and high quality analog to digital converters. All of this equipment is relevant in recreating a optimal, pleasant listening experience. You want people to listen to what you have to say, that means that you should eliminate all the factors that would keep them from listening. You audience will not want to hear a brittle vocal quality, harsh "S's" or sibilance, muddy or muffled sound quality, or any other vocal quality that is undesirable. A good studio with good equipment can fix, or rather eliminate, these production issues altogether.

Recording studios are also treated acoustically in such a way that room reverberations are controlled. The goal of your podcast, to some extent, is to brand yourself or your organization as an expert or relevant voice on the subject matter. Good acoustics can be the difference between a respectable presentation, and a recording that leaves an individual wondering if they are listening to some nut job sitting at their laptop in their bedroom or basement. For example, if your podcast is about how to achieve financial success, you need to sound like you are a proven individual experiencing enough financial success to afford a good recording, not a con man sitting in their mothers basement selling unproven material. People generally listen to podcasts on.mp3 players/iPhones/iPods which means they are most likely listening on headphones. Headphones expose many potential technical and acoustical flaws as the sound source is placed as close to their ears as possible. A professional podcasting studio understands the considerations and challenges that arise from this common delivery system for podcasts.

Second, audio bed/background music. I love Apple's Garage Band software and the standard audio loops and background tracks that come with the program. They work good to introduce and close pod casts, so good that everyone uses the same songs. I hear the same loops from that program on several other podcasts. If your podcast is part of how you wish to develop your product or service identity do you want to be the same as everyone else? Or are you different; are you unique? A professional podcasting recording studio understands this challenge and has a library of audio samples, or has the ability to compose and record an original intro/conclusion audio bed that is used to help define your podcast as unique.

Third, (applies to video podcasting only), Video quality. Webcams, those little cameras placed above computer displays are not bad, but they are not professional. If you want to join the army of nut jobs that record themselves rambling about this and that and post it on youtube, fine. But, if you are to position yourself as an expert in your chosen field, if you are to be taken seriously, your video podcast requires something more, something professional. This doesn't mean that you need to have a full blown TV studio for this to happen. If you want that to be the case, more power to you, but for a majority of individuals looking to promote themselves through podcasting, their business or information does not require a full blown hollywood production. A professional podcast studio can not only accomplish outstanding audio quality, but also understands the needs of the video podcast as well. This means being able to edit video clips, power point or keynote slides at the appropriate times and lengths. Remember, with a video podcast, individual branding becomes even more important. It is difficult to instill confidence in those whom subscribe to your podcast that you are worth listening to if your video is grainy, pixilated, and if your dirty laundry is featured in the background of your bedroom webcam podcast.

With the technology for podcasting so widely available to the masses, the best way to stand out from the oceans of mediocre podcasts, seek to increase your quality and presentation by employing the services of a professional podcasting recording studio.

Nick Galieti is the owner/engineer/producer at Studio 5.1 a Utah recording studio

One of the things you always want to do when creating content is to make it look professional. Or, in the case of a podcast, make it sound professional. After all, a professional podcast is the measuring stick your audience is going to use when they grade you. And they will.

But how do you make your podcasts sound professional?

In this article I'm going to share seven tips to making a professional podcast. Now let's get something clear from the beginning. Hiring a sound studio is not in the budget. In fact, none of these tips require much money. Sounding professional can now be done with the barest of budgets.

1. Always start with a plan!

Podcasts are usually a simple form of learning content. Like any learning content they don't just appear. At least not if they're good. Always plan your podcast for what content and format you'll use. Organization needs to be built. It doesn't just appear. In other words, write an outline before you script the show!

2. Don't make it up as you go!

It may sound like professionals make it up as they go. But that's what makes them professionals. Practice! Specifically practice at making it sound like the script being read is really an off the cuff speech. Even if you only work from an outline, always have a script. And then practice it.

3. Get a head start!

How many times have you heard people on a voice chat where you hear their kids playing in the next room? Usually better than you hear them! That's the result of using the wrong microphone. Don't use a desktop microphone. Desktop microphone bad! Headset microphone cheap. Headset microphone good. Yes, there is a technical explanation. But bottom line use a headset -- even a five dollar one is better than a twenty dollar desktop!

4. Take it on the chin!

Want that deep rumbly voice that all good radio broadcasters have? The voice of doom... even if you aren't planning a career on a ranch! Move the microphone to just below your jaw line. Say half an inch below your closed jaw or at the bottom of a stretched open jaw. Well out of the way of your mouth and the pops and sputters.

5. A different view of the bar stool!

How many bar stools have you seen the underside of? Too many? Okay this one's easy. When you record you should always stand up. If it's going to be a long recording session, use a bar stool. Just perch on the edge of it. That'll take the weight off your feet. But you'll still get the lung expansion that standing gives you.

6. Smile -- the audience will wonder what you're up to!

Sorry, this one is a little obvious. Smile when you are recording. It sounds silly but your audience can hear if you like them. So smile! You do like having an audience don't you? Tell them with your smile.

7. Spit shine and boot black.

What makes a professional sound like a professional? A good editor. Don't worry about mistakes. Just record enough material to give the editor something to work with. Record all your practice sessions. Then edit your podcast. Clean up the mistakes. Add music. Add audio packaging. You'll be surprised how good a little editing will make you sound.

View the original article here