Audio Branding

“We should be hearing diverse voices. As I like to say, if the only time we’re hearing voices of color is in advertising to those segments, then we’ve not just segmented those voices, we’ve actually segregated them. So let’s lean into sonic diversity. You’ll create better representation and a better relationship for your brands with those communities at the same time, without having any negative impacts on your ad’s favorability or effectiveness.” -- Steve Keller

This episode’s guest is the Sonic Strategy Director for Studio Resonate, SiriusXM Media’s in-house, audio-first creative consultancy offering support to brands that advertise on the Pandora, SiriusXM, and Soundcloud platforms. He’s recognized as a leading authority on sonic strategy, blending art and science into award-winning creative content and sonic experiences for a variety of global agencies and brands. With a degree in psychology and business, and over thirty years of experience in the music and advertising industries, his research explores the ways music, sound, and voice influence our perception and behavior and his writing on the subject can be found in a very large list of publications.

His name is Steve Keller, and he and I first spoke in the very early days of this podcast, right before the pandemic started. I still consider his episode the most pivotal of this podcast, and he blew my mind on multiple occasions. He certainly does it again here, and you’ll get to hear it!

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - Exploring Sonic Diversity in Media

As we start our conversation, Steve tells us about his early memories of sound, including a surprising childhood discovery he made about train whistles. “One of the things I found out from talking to one of the engineers,” he explains, “is that there are patterns in the whistles almost like Morse code.” We talk about the subtext of sound that’s often hidden in plain sight, and how our unconscious biases can limit sonic diversity, whether it’s the vocal range audio codecs are built around or the roles AI voices are assigned. “We live in a diverse world,” Steve says. “We should be hearing diverse voices.”

(0:11:27) - Navigating Bias in Sonic Diversity

“One of the things that we’re trying to promote,” Steve tells us, “is to make sure that the synthetic voices that are being created are diverse, that the training populations that are used in developing these voices, that there’s diversity there.” We discuss how the early days of telephone and radio created audio biases that we’re still working to overcome, and the role AI voices will play as they continue to evolve. “The majority of them said yes, they could tell a difference,” Steve recalls a neuro-based study he led on distinguishing between human and AI voices, “but when we tested it, it was a flip of a coin whether or not they’d get it right. And the AI voices have improved even since we did that test.”

(0:23:54) - Implications of AI in Advertising

Steve tells us more about his work with AI, including the murky legal questions surrounding how AI learns and, much like human writers, borrows inspiration from what it’s learned. “A similar thing can happen with AI if you’re using copyrighted materials in the training sets,” he says. “So the AI could be drawing from a phrase, and there may be a way to document that it drew from a particular phrase, and that violates copyright.” We talk about AI’s growing role in advertising and audio branding and the legal pitfalls of relying on AI-generated music when it comes to copyright laws. “Are they incorporating AI into some of their performance libraries,” Steve asks. “Because until we get a handle on what the training sets are, there’s the potential that there could be copyright infringement.”

(0:30:00) - Navigating Brand Trust in AI

Our discussion turns to the interaction of machine and human minds, and how new algorithms can collide with our old-fashioned brains. “We may have gotten more sophisticated in how we think,” Steve explains, “but emotionally, which is really the driver for us, we haven’t changed much in millions of years.” We talk about the rise of deepfake media, and how we might adjust to living in a world where seeing and hearing are no longer believing. “It’s easier to start from the default of ‘I can believe that,’” Steve says, “to the default of ‘I don’t want to trust anything.’ You know, as psychologists, we would say somebody who lives in that condition lives in a condition of paranoia.”

Episode Summary

• Steve’s childhood in West Virginia and Studio Resonate’s research on sonic diversity.
• How audio technology has historically excluded certain voices and accents.
• The breakthrough success of AI-generated audio and the legal challenges it can cause.
• Knowing what’s real and what isn’t in a world driven by AI content.

Tune in for part two of my conversation with Steve as we talk about the hidden value of AI-powered audio branding, how social media algorithms have changed the way songs are written and performed, and who came out on top in a surprising study his company did on AI vs human marketers.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“For all of us, we are gaining our trust, our stability, our hope, our aspirations, our inspirations, all come to us through the medium of sound. Video is important, right? But FDR was able to keep a country from going mad on the brink of fear and concern and anxiety by fireside chats over the radio during the war. And we still look to our presidents today, President Bush during 9/11, was able to speak to the audience through that bullhorn with that famous clip there to be able to say what he had to say. President Lincoln with his 272-word Gettysburg address was able to come and heal the nation there on that battlefield.” -- Micah Thomas

This episode is the second half of my conversation with audible storytelling expert and Storymore CEO Micah Thomas as we discuss the role of music in audio storytelling, how classic cinema inspired Micah’s approach to sound, and the changes the pandemic brought to his company.

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - The Power of Audio Branding

Our discussion continues as Micah shares the process of scoring audible stories, and how it differs from traditional movies. “The music scoring is actually done,” he says, “as the very last step. We don’t approach anything from a music-first standpoint.” He tells us how it has more in common with silent movies and their live piano players, not to mention the movie The Truman Show, and the advantages of such a story-first approach. “When we come back to it,” he tells us, “it’s like playing the audio drama and the music under it as it’s going, which allows a very organic sense of music creation.”

(0:08:58) - Exploring Old-Time Radio and Storytelling

Micah elaborates on Storymore’s approach to narrative, and how he found inspiration from some of Hollywood’s old masters, from Bing Crosby and Cecil B. DeMille to radio noir characters like Johnny Dollar and the Shadow. “It’s all good dialogue on the page,” he explains, “and a good character that can bring it out. So I would say that got planted early and developed really well through the years.”

(0:13:31) - Sound, Content, and Branding

The conversation closes with a look back at the pandemic, and how it transformed both the sound industry as a whole and the careers of some of his voice talents. “The major change wasn’t operational,” he says, “because people, or our cast anyway, are already working from home. But for those that still worked a day job and would come home and do this as a side gig or something like that, this was an opportunity for them now to have much more time to devote to it.” We discuss why sound matters more than ever in today’s world, what he’s working on next, and how listeners can check out Storymore. “The experience is free, no subscription fees or anything like that. We wanted everybody to have access to a good story, so you can check it out wherever you find your favorite podcast.”

Episode Summary

• Micah’s insights on music scoring, from classic movies to church and wedding gigs.
• What vintage radio shows taught him about the power of audio-first storytelling.
• How the pandemic changed the industry and the way we approach voiceover work.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“Early on in that we noticed that there are so many people in the blind and visually impaired community that are underrepresented in the respect of entertainment, both as an entertainer and as the consumer. The only products they have are descriptive videos on Netflix or something like that. And so they can’t get the exact same experience as the sighted world when they’re dealing with forms of entertainment. So we shifted our focus to the blind and visually impaired market, both as people who could assist us in making these audio dramas, our stories, more original, as well as sound-designing these things in a 360-degree or surround sound way so that those whose world is nothing but sound, they really could enjoy it in a way that was meant just for them.” -- Micah Thomas

This episode’s guest is a twenty-plus year content creator, armed with a Master’s Degree in Internet Marketing and a BA in Media Communications who’s found the right content to pour his energy into…sound. This father of six and husband of one has worked as a jack-of-all-trades in media but has become a master of audio and storytelling with his company Storymore. As a person with low vision, he has a passion for telling great stories in the best way he can, which led him to form a global group that’s disrupting the audio entertainment industry with its accomplishments. Chief among them is providing a platform that equalizes the playing field for those with visual disabilities.

His name is Micah Thomas, and our discussion covers a variety of topics, from audio dramas and music to how AI is changing both those industries. I think you’ll really enjoy his insights!

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) – The Power of Audio Entertainment

We start things off with a trip down memory lane as Micah recalls the radio plays and adaptations that helped inspire his career in sound. “The stories captivated me,” he tells us, “because of the voice actors and how real they sounded, and I think that’s the first time via audio that it actually brought tears to my eyes.” We talk about how Storymore uses sound production to bring stories to life for blind and visually impaired listeners, and we listen to a clip from the Storymore original suspense tale Barley. “We had one guy that said the sound was so good,” he says, “that ‘I had to literally turn my head. I thought someone was entering the room because I heard a door open behind me.’”

(0:12:47) - AI Impact on Audio Entertainment

The conversation turns to AI and how it’s opening up new creative possibilities while leaving room for a human touch at Storymore, and Micah shares with us both the cover art and a sound clip of the Storymore original mystery Alibi. “There’s just no way,” Micah explains, “at this point in time, especially, that AI can reach the levels and depths of emotion and her mental state that she’s in to provide this type of performance.” We also discuss the difference between audible dramas and traditional audiobooks, and the storytelling power of sound. “It allows you the opportunity to point your own cameras,” he tells us, “to make your own movie in your own head with your vivid imagination. Our sound and our voice acting team just provides the fuel.”

Episode Summary

• How classic radio helped inspire Micah and the audio technology behind Storymore.
• AI’s role in sound production and what sets audible storytelling apart as a genre.

Tune in for part two of my conversation with Micah as we talk about Storymore’s unconventional approach to scoring music, what he learned from classic cinema about the dramatic power of sound, and how the pandemic helped pave the way toward a new appreciation for voiceover.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“It’s definitely an important aspect of our lives, and we can start with a small thing, just, like, when you feel that something’s odd, just pause for a second and ask yourself what exactly is off. Is it the music? Is it the feeling? Is it, is there a physical need? Like, literally just pause it for a second and ask yourself this question. And it’s important, but not a lot of us are used to it.” -- Anna Bohuslavska

This episode is the second half of my conversation with transformation coach and inner guide Anna Bohuslavska as we discuss how both positive and negative emotions can be contagious, her experience with music’s healing power, and how sound can help restore our connection to nature.

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - Power of Music and Voice Healing

The second half of our talk begins with Anna’s reflections on how music can spread emotions and connect us to one another. “The same happens at the concert,” she explains, “because, like, there’s a crowd and everyone really is in their emotions and you pick up on this emotion, and it’s like becoming one huge human being instead of every single one.” We also talk about the surprising impact vocal exercises can have on everything from building confidence to overcoming negative thought patterns, and her firsthand experience with its benefits. “Most of our way,” she says, “how we talk, our intonations, our high or low, everything is connected to the people around us, and it’s basically the habits that we picked up early in childhood and that we carry on in the life.”

(0:06:01) - Finding Connection Through Sound & Music

Anna also shares how her own experience with music and dance has guided the way she helps clients reconnect with themselves. “I took the dance classes,” she recalls, “I did all the moves, but when I now look at those old recordings, I see that I didn’t feel the music.” She explains how the power of sound can help guide our lives. “Ask yourself what exactly is off,” she explains. “Is it the music, is it the feeling? Is there a physical need? Literally, just pause it for a second and ask yourself this question.”

(0:18:35) - Inner Potential

Our discussion comes to a close as Anna shares her upcoming projects and community developments, and how we can get in touch with her. “I’m focusing on building my community,” she says, “and I’m working on launching my group program because I know that one-on-one is important for a lot of people, but there are a lot of people who need this sense of community.” She also tells us how sound can help us become our best selves: “I’m a strong believer that every single one of us has this inner potential to be the best person they dream of, and all it takes is to create the right surroundings.”

Episode Summary

• How music and voice can influence our emotions and help foster deeper relationships.
• Connecting with ourselves through voice training and discovering our inner music.
• Sound’s link to the natural world, and some of Anna’s current and upcoming projects.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“If you play on an instrument for a while, for example, every day for a week, for example, or something like that, you will start noticing that you have your own melody that you will play over and over again. And it could be that the melody changes while your emotion changes. It can be that, just the speed of the melody will change. But basically, you will have your own melody, and it’s interesting to see how it evolves through the time.” -- Anna Bohuslavska

This episode’s guest is a transformational coach and inner guide who’s helping women bring joy and fulfillment to their everyday lives. She’s a mother of two, a craft maniac, and a dance lover. She’s been passionate about psychology for as long as she can remember, and she’s been fortunate enough to learn from some of the greatest minds of our day while employing her own holistic approach to well-being. She seamlessly blends together coaching techniques, art therapy, mindfulness, and more.

Her name is Anna Bohuslavska, and our conversation is all about using sound for healing. If this is an interest of yours, I hope you’ll give this one a listen – it’s a very inspirational discussion!

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - Inner Work and Music Therapy Evolution

As our discussion starts, Anna talks about how the birth of her son inspired her to learn more about the psychology of sound, and how her work led to a community of like-minded women. “That’s why I started searching for other sources of information,” she explains, “and I was happy to find an online community that was all about parenting, and I felt like this is what will help me.” We discuss sound’s ability to tap into our deepest emotions and memories, and music therapy’s role in boosting our mood and broadening our perspective. “It’s about listening,” Anna says, “it’s about moving under the sound, it’s all this spectrum. But it helps a lot, and the simplest thing that I advise every single of my clients is to just, like, know what different types of music move you in different directions.”

(0:16:44) - Musical Evolution and Personal Expression

We continue with the story of Anna’s journey from Ukraine and around the world to her home in Texas, and her secret to getting in touch with our own inner melody. “If you play on an instrument for a while,” she tells us, “you will start noticing that you have your own melody, that you will play over and over again, and it could be that the melody changes while your emotion changes... basically, you will have your own melody, and it’s interesting to see how it evolves through the time.”

Episode Summary

• Music’s influence on our lives, and how it can help us overcome past traumas.
• Anna’s journey from Ukraine to Texas, and the cognitive impact of creating music.

Tune in for part two of my conversation with Anna as we discuss how background sounds, even the sound of our own voice in our ears, can influence our daily lives, how vocal exercises can help forge a deeper connection with ourselves, and her advice for living life on your own terms.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“Social media, if you want to be on all of the places, it’s a best practice to have your voice be represented in those places. But, also, the content is representative for that place. People go to Instagram with an expectation, they go to YouTube with an expectation, they open up your audio podcast with an expectation of a more immersive experience. So there’s different ways and there’s different ways that you need to be putting your information in the post. And so you can’t just take something that somebody gives you and just, that’s the same content that goes into TikTok, into Instagram, into YouTube.” -- Chris Stone

This episode’s the second half of my Clubhouse chat with Livestream Universe founder Ross Brand, Cast Ahead’s Chief Content Entrepreneur Chris Stone, Favorite Daughter Media president Sara Lohse, and Red Hat Media CEO Larry Roberts, as we talk about the future of social media content creation, the most useful AI tools currently available, and whether AI can help save a marriage.

 As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:01) - AI Content Creation and Personalization

As the second half of our chat begins, the panelists share some of their less-than-ideal experiences with trying to coax ChatGPT into an authentic writing style. “I have never in my life said the word delve,” Sara recalls, “but ChatGPT wants me to ‘delve’ into every topic.” We also take a question from John, who shares his experience with running a 100% AI podcast from start to finish, and Larry talks about his experience writing a hybrid-AI book and the process of crafting each chapter. “I think the exercise you’re going through,” Larry says, “is what we as content creators need to do so that we understand these tools and we understand how these tools can complement what we’re doing.”

(0:08:36) - Maximizing AI in Content Creation

Chris adds his thoughts on the importance of human oversight when it comes to AI, and we discuss whether AI could eventually render human creativity obsolete. “I think everyone pretty much agrees here that using AI is something that we need to do,” Chris explains, “and I look at it more of like assistive intelligence or administrative intelligence.” We talk about the clerical work AI can handle for us while retaining our authentic voices. “I think everybody here,” Ross says, “and, and pretty much anybody who’s competitive in this space, their biggest competitive advantage is themselves.”

(0:20:01) - Content Creation Tools and Strategies

As our talk comes to a close, Chris shares how AI can help us keep up with and customize our content across a range of social media platforms. “People go to Instagram with an expectation,” he explains. “They go to YouTube with an expectation. They open up your audio podcast with an expectation of a more immersive experience.” Finally, we take a question from a listener about the best AI tools currently available, and we ponder whether AI can even improve a marriage. “It can definitely help you write poems and happy anniversary sonnets,” Larry says, “and, I mean, it can make you sound and feel like you are just a cat daddy. So yeah, most definitely can help you in all your relationships.”

Episode Summary

• Our panelists discuss AI-generated content, its limitations, and the value of human insight.
• The critical importance of transparency and responsibility in using generated content.
• Tips for using AI tools to customize content for social media and maximize engagement.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“People either have a vision of a Utopian wonderland out there, that we’re going to create all this amazing stuff with AI, or, on the flip side, everybody thinks it’s going to be a dystopian wasteland when we start using AI, and everybody’s going to be out of work, and the robots are going to take over... And it’s very difficult to find anybody that has that middle ground. But it’s conversations like we’re having here that’s going to allow us to establish that middle ground. And as we continue to educate the public, and as we continue to expose these tools and teach people how to use these tools and let them know the limitations of these tools as they exist today, I think more and more people are going to become more and more comfortable with the integration of AI as tools and not replacements.” -- Larry Roberts

Some discussions lend themselves to more than one perspective. That’s definitely the case with sound in social media, and recently I had a Clubhouse room full of experts with a lot to say about it. They are Ross Brand, founder of Livestream Universe and author of the 100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions series; Chris Stone, Chief Content Entrepreneur at Cast Ahead; Sara Lohse, President of Favorite Daughter Media and author of Open This Book: The Art of Storytelling for Aspiring Thought Leaders; and Larry Roberts, CEO of Red Hat Media and co-host of the Branded Podcast. Our round-table discussion covered a lot of information on sound in social media, as you would expect, but we also delved into how AI is shaping that landscape, for better and worse. It made for a fascinating and fun discussion, and I’m glad to be able to share it with you now.

 As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - Sound in Social Media

Our Clubhouse chat starts with introductions from each of our four panelists, and we focus on social media and the role sound plays in getting your message out. “Social media is interesting,” Ross says, “because sometimes you have to change it up as well, which kind of goes against some of the rules of sonic branding.” Chris tells us the simple secret to incorporating video in your audio brand, and Larry and Sara share their thoughts about machine learning and how important it is to keep pace with the growth of AI. “If we’re not aware and we don’t start making the adjustments we need to make this early in the game,” Larry notes, “we’re going to wake up in 12 months and go ‘oh my gosh.’"

(0:14:48) - AI in Audio Production Debate

Ross discusses the AI tools he uses in his studio, and Sara outlines the difference between using AI to improve content versus creating it. “What I don’t necessarily do,” she explains, “is use AI to the degree that some people do for content creation. I’ll do it for ideas, but kind of like what was said before, it’s still about those genuine stories.” We discuss the role that human stories and perspectives play in guiding AI content and the challenge of “AI proofing” the next generation. “I stress, with the people that I work with and myself,” Chris tells us, “to be excellent... at what you do, and I don’t care if it’s pest control or if it’s AI generation or if you’re a shoe salesman doing a podcast.”

(0:28:22) - Embracing Creativity and Standing Apart

As the first half of the discussion comes to a close, Chris shares his thoughts on the future of chatbots. “AI is eventually going to be like electricity,” he says. “It’s just going to be there and it’s just something that you’re going to have to incorporate in whatever you’re doing. And don’t be afraid of it.”

Episode Summary

• The panelists discuss sonic branding, social media, and the importance of video content.
• AI technology’s role in podcast production and assisting in content creation.
• Embracing the future of AI, from clone voices and ChatGPT to AI sound production.

Tune in for part two of our Clubhouse discussion as we discuss some of the tell-tale signs of ChatGPT writing, Larry’s recent human-AI hybrid book and the process behind its creation, and we hear from a listener who’s running a successful AI podcast: script, show notes, and even the host.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

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Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“Specifically as it relates to voiceover, that was, the whole industry has shifted hugely, as you know, and it has democratized the industry a huge amount, which is, you know, I appreciate. You know, some people made a lot of claims about their studio when COVID first happened, and it wasn’t true. And so they would go on to live sessions, and there were dogs barking, and the neighbor revving their engine, and people mowing their lawn. And these, it wasn’t usable and, and so a lot of people were scared of hiring anyone from home, then a lot of producers [were] like ‘oh no It has to be in-studio.’ Now I think we’ve reached an equilibrium where everyone’s kind of figured it out. ‘Oh, you know the pros have figured it out.’" -- Jamie Muffett

This episode is the second half of my conversation with renowned voiceover artist, podcast producer, and RPS founder Jamie Muffett as we discuss how the pandemic and machine learning have reshaped the audio industry, the advantages of AI when it comes to everything from research to sound editing, and what the latest voice-cloning breakthrough has in common with 1960s record deals.

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - Business of Voiceover Events and eVOcation

Our discussion continues as Jamie tells us about the challenges of founding the voiceover business conference eVOcation just before the start of the pandemic. “It was so weird that there was no New York event other than, like for audiobook people,” he recalls. “And so we found out why: because it’s really difficult.” We talk about how the event evolved through the lockdown and became a lifeline for its very first participants.“I think that was kind of what kept me sane while I was locked in the house,” he says. “We’ve had in-jokes from that event that have carried through even until today.”

(0:07:48) - Impact of AI on Voiceover Industry

The topic turns to machine learning and its expanding role in everything from writing content to composing music. “I think everyone is just throwing everything at the wall right now, and just seeing what’s going to stick,” Jamie says, “and I don’t know what is going to stick, you know, in terms of that permanent change.” He shares his own experience with AI tools and we discuss how much of an impact generative content might have in the long run. “There’s going to be a market for all of the above where the content doesn’t really matter and never really mattered,” he explains. “I use this example, [it’s] like when microwave dinners came in and restaurants were quaking in their boots.”

(0:19:30) - AI in Music, Podcasting, and Editing

“The more AI video and pictures and text that goes out into the world,” Jamie remarks as we talk about the future of AI development, “the more it’s feeding into itself. So, you know, who knows where it’s going to go? It might even get worse because it’s using itself as source material.” He shares a before and after AI audio clip that reveals its startling potential as a sound editing tool, and the variety of uses he’s found for ChatGPT in his production schedule. “It’s not necessarily doing something I couldn’t do myself or couldn’t figure out,” Jamie says, “but half the time it’s just quicker to do that.”

(0:25:08) - Busy Life of a Voiceover Professional

As we wrap up our conversation, Jamie shares some of his upcoming projects, including his work with the star of Netflix’s new series Ripley. “Today I’m producing an episode of Backstage’s podcast with Dakota Fanning that we’ve got coming out on Thursday,” he explains. “We interviewed her a couple of weeks ago [and] she’s lovely.” He tells listeners how they can get in touch with him, and talks about what he’s working on right now: “doing the auditions, doing the sessions, of course, and trying to figure out time to spend with my wife and have dinner, and sleep every now and again.”

Episode Summary

• The story behind eVOcation’s launch and how COVID-19 brought its attendees closer.
• A demonstration of how AI can transform audio, and its emerging role in voiceover.
• Jamie’s firsthand experience with AI audio tools, their strengths and limitations.
• His upcoming work with podcasts, interviews, and how listeners can reach out to him.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“There was one we did a few years ago. This was while COVID was going on and it was with Nicolas Cage. And he was such a surprising guy. I mean, we all know, kind of… He’s an unusual fella. His films run the gamut really, and stylistically and genre. But he showed up early to get the tech right. He was super chatty. I always gauge, like, how someone is based on how they work with me because I’m not the host of that show. And if they’re sort of friendly and helpful and wanting to get things right with me, it’s usually a good sign that they’re, you know, not just there for the glory of being on the show.” -- Jamie Muffett

After twenty years of experience as an audio engineer and podcast producer with millions of downloads, as well as a successful voice talent and lead producer, my next guest founded RPS, a boutique podcast production company that turns the spark of an idea into compelling, beautiful-sounding podcasts. He’s worked with such companies as HBO, Warner Brothers, Google, NBC, Backstage, and National Geographic, helping them to create captivating and engaging audio content that resonates with audiences. His production clients include the likes of Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, Natalie Portman, Janelle Monáe, and many more.

His name is Jamie Muffett and not only does he craft incredible-sounding podcasts, he also co-hosts VOcation, a voice conference about the business of voiceover. You may also recognize his voice from his narration of the TV show Bondi Vet and some of its spin-offs. If you’re interested in podcasting, voiceovers, or sound in general, you’re going to get a lot from this conversation.

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - From Music to Podcasting

As our conversation starts, we talk about Jamie’s early memories of sound and what inspired him to become a musician and voice artist. “I think probably the first memory of sound that moved me was hearing ‘Imagine’ for the first time,” he says. “Obviously it’s a great song, it’s an iconic song, but as a kid, I’d never been exposed to creativity like that before.” We discuss the early days of digital workstations and cassette recorders, and how Jamie’s career shifted to podcasting. “I was so focused on voiceover and music,” he recalls, “and as music drifted away and production drifted away, I started sort of leaning more into podcasting, because it’s sort of a combination of those two worlds.”

(0:10:33) - Podcast Production and Audio Branding

Our conversation turns to some of Jamie’s most memorable production moments, such as helping Nicolas Cage prepare for an interview. “I always gauge, like, how someone is based on how they work with me,” he explains, “because I’m not the host of that show, and if they’re sort of friendly and helpful and wanting to get things right with me, it’s usually a good sign.” We talk about his podcast production company RPS and how it all started with a suggestion from his wife. "‘Why don’t you just put it under a banner,’” he recalls her saying. "‘Create a company that you can put it all together, you can highlight all the different shows that you do and, you know, maybe grow that thing as its own thing.’"

(0:24:01) - Podcasting and Work Updates

The first half of our interview comes to a close as Jamie talks about his role as the narrator of Bondi Vet and Vet on the Hill, and about a heartwarming podcast he just recently produced. “They wanted to create a podcast,” he says, “where a sort of older generation was sort of giving advice to a younger generation, and it’s the most adorable podcast you’ll ever listen to in your life.” He tells us about his upcoming projects, and what he’s working on right now. “We’re in the middle of the planning phase for our conference,” he explains, “which is coming up, you know, a couple of weeks’ time, and we’ve got a virtual conference coming up in September. So any time we’re chatting, it’s work.”

Episode Summary

• Jamie’s early musical memories and his journey through piano, drums, and the guitar.
• Working with Nicolas Cage, Bondi Vet, and a crocodile with a taste for lawnmowers.
• Jamie’s upcoming projects, including the upcoming podcast The VA Breakfast Show.

Tune in for part two of my chat with Jamie as we talk about the origins of the voiceover business conference eVOcation, Jamie’s experiences with AI-assisted sound editing and digital compositions, and which creative industries he foresees being hit the hardest by machine learning.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“People are actually tuning in from their phones or, like, listening on Spotify or whatever while they’re shopping. And they actually measured how conscious people were of what they were spending. So yeah, it’s just really fascinating. It influences us in so many ways that I don’t even think we’re conscious of.”

“Oh, absolutely. I totally agree with that 100%. You know, they play music at sporting events, they play music, you know, virtually everywhere you go. It’s a component of everything. You just have to stop and listen to really be able to identify it. And yeah, now it’s got me wondering if I’m getting music piped into places I’m walking in. ‘Why am I so hungry right now?’ You know? ‘Why do I want to have pancakes?’" -- Chris Stone

This episode is the second part of my interview with longtime podcast producer, podcast host, and live streamer Chris Stone as we talk about the versatility of podcasting, some of the most memorable interviews he’s produced, and how sound impacts our lives in some surprising ways.

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available and what the newest audio chats will be about. If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts.

(0:00:00) - Impactful Podcast Episodes and Audience Engagement

The second half of our interview begins with some of Chris’s most memorable podcast productions, such as a powerful interview with author and Afghan veteran Thomas Schueman. “We got some feedback from that show,” he says, “that, really, you could tell people were impacted by that and it kind of made us change a little bit of the direction of the show.” The conversation turns to the versatility of podcasting and the importance of planning ahead, even when the episode itself is unscripted. “I think there are people that need to understand,” he explains, “like, if you want to take this seriously, you have to, you have to, you know, be excellent. And that means you know, have a pre-call.”

(0:12:00) - Podcast Episode With Bret Michaels

We talk about another unforgettable interview he produced with musician Bret Michaels and the challenge he faced of working around Bret’s demanding tour schedule. “I had to route him in through my mixer,” Chris tells us, “and kind of pull him in and I was, like, spinning plates and doing all kinds of wild stuff here to just kind of get him in. Well, we got him in and it was a fantastic interview.” Our conversation turns to his earliest memories of sound, and his dad’s passion for the trumpet. “You know, music is just in my DNA,” he says, “it’s just a part of everything. It’s why I got in the music business, why I started playing bands, it’s… it’s really why I do everything.”

(0:18:05) - The Power of Sound in Podcasting

Chris shares his thoughts about what makes sound so important in our daily lives, and its hidden value in podcasting. “No one listens to an audio podcast because it sounds so good, right?” he explains. “They listen to an audio podcast because of what you’re delivering to them, and no one is going to receive what you’re delivering if they can’t hear you clearly and understand you.” We also discuss how sound is used to influence everything from social media to shopping decisions. “They play music at sporting events,” Chris tells us. “They play music, you know, virtually everywhere you go, it’s a component of everything. You just have to stop and listen to really be able to identify it.”

(0:25:23) - Updating Website to Represent Business

As the episode comes to a close, Chris tells us what he’s working on right now, from upcoming projects to his redesigned website, and how people can get in touch with him. “What I’ve been focused mostly on,” he says, “is serving my clients better. I’m always looking to improve the skills in live, remote production, in audio and video production, and scaling it up. I’ve got a team of folks that work with me now and it’s really just focusing on making that business better and scaling it up.”

Episode Summary

• Chris’s most memorable podcasts and the value of behind-the-scenes preparation.
• His work on interviewing rock icon Bret Michaels and early memories of sound.
• Music and sound’s impact on our lives, from personal connections to consumer behavior.
• How to get in touch with Chris, his latest projects, and revamping his website.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/