Audio Branding

Sound is a subject I’m very passionate about, and it’s more important than we think. When I started this podcast I wanted as many people as possible to know that their audio shouldn’t be an afterthought. But as I spoke with people about this topic, I learned that I had a lot to learn about it too. Every guest on this show has shared valuable information about how sound shapes us, and I’ve been fascinated by the depth of these conversations. I hope you have too.

There’s a lot to unpack here, and the samples featured in this episode really just give you a basic overview. I’ve included links to each of the episodes here so you can go back and listen to any that intrigue you. Ultimately I’m on the same journey of discovery that you are, and it’s a journey that we’re taking together.

It Seems Like Magic

We start things off with a look back at my Episode 19 interview with sonic strategy director and audio alchemist Steve Keller, and his amazing work in using sound to change the way our brains perceive different flavors. From there we revisit Episode 81, an interview with Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret of Lotas Productions, and the trends they’ve followed in the voiceover industry after Covid-19.

Steve Keller: https://www.sxmmedia.com/

Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret: https://www.lotasproductions.com/

“Hey Jodi, it’s Marie Hoffman. I just listened to your podcast with Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufrent, and the excitement and positivity that they brought to the podcast about the future of voiceover and synthetic voices and AI was palpable. I felt like I went to four years of college in your thirty-one-minute podcast. Thank you so much for airing this, and keep up the good work!”

— Marie Hoffman, Voiceover Artist

The Timbre of Your Voice

We continue with audiologist and parent coach, Dr. Lilach Saperstein’s interview in Episode 79, and the subtle connection between our sense of hearing and emotional relationships. Then we jump back a little further to Episode 71 and Hamish MacDonald, the managing director of Squeak-E-Clean Studios, and how he conveys the true value of sound to his clients and partners. After that, we check in with casting director and coach Mary Lynn Wissner in Episode 36, to talk about how sometimes the best voice for a job isn’t the one her clients expect.

Dr. Lilach Saperstein: https://allaboutaudiology.com/

Hamish MacDonald: https://www.squeakeclean.com/

Mary Lynn Wissner: https://www.voicesvoicecasting.com/

“This is Cheryl Holling, host and creator of the podcast 19Stories: From Fear to Hope. I’m also an avid listener of your podcast, Jodi, and given you’re about to celebrate the release of your hundredth episode and inquired about our favorite episode, I’d have to say that as much as I enjoy all of your wonderful guests, I so appreciate your solo episodes, especially your most recent one entitled “Positive Vibes Only.” The amount of research you do, the really interesting information you provide, and your delivery always make me feel like I’m listening to an audio documentary where everything you describe comes to life. Congratulation on your one-hundredth episode and I look forward to the next hundred ones!”

— Cheryl Holling, Voice Over, Podcast Producer & Host

A Hell of a Statistic

Next, we take a look at Episode 29 and my interview with multimedia storyteller Brandee Sanders, who shares her insights into the connections between sonic branding and audio storytelling. After that, we jump to Episode 30 and marketing upheaval expert Rudy Fernandez, who discusses the science of sound and advertising.

Brandee Sanders: https://www.brandeesanders.com/

Rudy Fernandez: https://creativeouthouse.com/

“I don’t know, just picking one out of all the amazing content there’s been between the podcasting and Clubhouse, it would be tough to do. But if I had to pick one, I think it would be the podcast with Brandi Sanders. There was so much good information there crammed into sixty minutes and she has so much energy doing it. That is still one of my favorite Audio Branding podcasts, so thank you, Jodi.”

— Jim Cooper, Voiceover Artist

“Real People” is the Word

We start the second half off with a look back at Episode 42 and my interview with creative director and composer Nick Crane, who talks about the challenges and rewards of bringing an artist’s insight to commercial branding. Then we move on to Episode 53, where iHeart media audio producer Macha Gruber, now Macha Kane, talks about some of the more subtle advertising and branding trends that have emerged in the 21st century. After that, it’s time for a quick peek at Episode 77, where sonic branding strategist and Pirate Group Inc. CEO Tom Eymundson discusses his three-step branding methodology.

Nick Crane: https://racketclub.tv/

Macha Kane: http://machacreative.com/

Tom Eymundson: https://www.piratetoronto.com/

“We’re in the age of Voice First and, yes, it’s a relatively young industry, so it’s going to require a combined effort and partnerships between designers, developers, and the voiceover industry that I’m a part of. Jodi’s Audio Branding podcast provides a space where, as a guest or as a listener, we can all share and be inspired.”

— Jim Kennelly, Voiceover Producer and Director

Most of Our Decisions

From there we look back at Episode 87 and discuss filmmaker Kevin Elliott’s “three promises” system for creating videos that are sure to move people. After that, we revisit Episode 62, my interview with Dr. Cornelius Ringe and Lars Ohlendorf of the Audio Branding Academy and Berlin-based sound agency WESOUND, who talk about the ongoing process of audio management to help maintain a brand.

Kevin Elliott: https://wewafilms.com/

Dr. Cornelius Ringe and Lars Ohlendorf: https://www.wesound.de/en/

“This is Anne Ganguzza, voice talent coach and demo producer, and host of the VO Boss podcast. Jodi, I am such a fan of your Audio Branding podcast. I love how you explore the depths of how audio affects and influences us and it’s a topic that is so especially relevant for us in the voiceover industry. Your podcast should be required listening for all who want to elevate their brands and make more meaningful connections. Thank you for all you do for your listeners, and I can’t wait for the next episode.”

— Anne Ganguzza, Voice Coach and Producer

Something We’re Not Used To

As Audio Branding’s one-hundredth episode comes to a close, we revisit Episode 50’s interview with Eric Seay, co-founder and CEO of Audio UX, who talks about the fascinating process of localizing music and audio aesthetics for different cultures. Then we look back to one of my earliest interviews, Episode 8, with sound designer and studio owner John McClain, who discusses the evolution of sound and how it affects us, and end on a positive note with Episode 89, my interview with physician, speaker and author Dr. Teri Fisher.

Eric Seay: https://auxnyc.com/

John McClain: https://www.monstersp.com/

Dr. Terry Fisher: https://drterifisher.com/

“Hi, it’s Christoff Trappe. Jodi’s podcast has really been a fantastic resource for me. I listen to it every week when it comes out and always learn something new. Audio branding isn’t something that was always top of mind for me, even though I spent my day creating content of all kinds of different types. Fantastic show, would highly recommend it. Jodi is definitely an expert in the field.”

— Christoph Trappe, Content Marketer and Podcast Host

Thanks so much to all my listeners, to my wonderful guests, and to my colleague and friend Humberto Franco for his tremendous job in editing these episodes so that they sound as good as they possibly can. I hope you’ll join me for the next one hundred episodes.

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

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

Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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/

“This is about an enhancement. This is about a more immersive experience, not even an immersive audio experience, but an immersive experience because even if we tried and we just wanted to experience one sense, we can't."

Jeanna Isham

This week’s episode is the second half of my interview with composer, podcaster, and sonic branding expert Jeanna Isham, where we talk about voice technology and Jeanna’s inspiration as a podcaster, as well as the unlikely sound lessons we can all learn from Disneyland.

A Self-Led Journey

We begin with a quick look at Joel Beckerman’s book Sonic Boom and the subtle but effective audio strategies that Disneyland employs to make each of its themed sections stand out. Jeanna goes on to talk about her podcasting career and how it began as an effort to learn more about the audio side of marketing, and then as a way of sharing what she’s learned with others. “Through all this, I found the lack of sound strategy," she explains, “and as a musician, I was like, why would you just throw this in? So I started this self-led journey into sound marketing and realized that there was a lot missing."

The Beginning of Sound

Next, we discuss her Sound in Market online course, which is linked below along with her website. “We go back to the beginning of sound,” Jeanna says, “and realize that we are sound, and we do make sound, regardless of what you think, so why don't we make it on purpose?”  She explains that sound makes a quicker sensory impression on the brain than sight and that user experience and voice AI design in particular can benefit from a more creative audio approach.

"I want to open up the possibilities in your brain. I want your brain to start spinning and thinking independently of what I'm saying."

Needing to Untether

We wrap up with a look at the future of audio and media technology, both its dangers and the potential it holds. “We have become so oversaturated with technology and visuals,” she says, “and just being on that people need to untether, and just take a break from it.” Jeanna and I discuss Mindshare’s Media Dystopia web series, and the effort to keep up with emerging technology as well as successfully engaging the human beings behind it. “It hurts my heart when something doesn't land, but it's because of execution.”

Next week will be my 100th episode – be sure to check it out!

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://www.dreamrproductions.com/

Follow Jeanna Isham on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DreamrProductions/

Connect with Jeanna Isham on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannaisham/

Tweet with Jeanna Isham on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jeanna_Isham

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

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

Tweet with me on Twitter : https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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/

“I really like creating but it is a lot of work and one thing that I have noticed is that companies and even industries do not fully understand the potential of sonic branding.”

Jeanna Isham

This episode's guest has over twenty years of audio experience, ranging from film composition and production music through the world of sonic branding and sound identity as a creator, strategist, and thought leader. Her company, Dreamr Productions, creates audio identities for companies and brands as well as consulting and educating on sound in marketing and its best practices.

She also produces, hosts, and edits the Sound In Marketing Podcast while teaching courses on The Fundamentals of Sound In Marketing. Her name is Jeanna Isham, and one reason I wanted her on the show is that she’s right there in the thick of things, creating and consulting to help people understand how powerful a strategic and intentional audio brand can really be. Besides that, she’s just a great person doing great things, and that’s something you need to know about.

Memories of Summer

“The sound of cicadas makes me so happy," Jeanna says, recalling one of the sounds that always takes her back. "I have memories of sitting on my grandma's back porch sipping ice tea, yelling over the cicadas to talk to people, and that is my happy place." In the first segment, we take a look at how sound shaped her early life and dreams, from the tranquil hum of the cicadas to the music that helped inspire her as a teenager, from Sarah McLachlan to the Smashing Pumpkins.

It’s Not About Music

After trying her hand at traditional songwriting, Jeanna discovered that creating instrumental melodies and production music appealed to her more on a personal level. She soon discovered, though, that many companies still had a limited view of sonic branding, and hadn’t yet learned how to fully embrace its potential. "What it all whittles down to is that it's not about music, it's about sound. And when you take that limitation out of the mix,” she says, “it might come across as daunting, but the way I see it is that it's liberating."

The Power of Sound

By using the full power of sound, not just in the form of traditional jingles but in more innovative approaches like ambiance, licensed music, and even Spotify playlists, Jeanna explains how audio branding can make a deeper, more lasting impression than many people realize. “If it was a pleasurable experience,” she explains, “and it was strong enough of an experience, then you are advertising to your customer without having to be present. That's power."

Next week we'll continue the interview with a look at Jeanna's podcast series, her monthly Sound on Purpose chats, and the direction she sees sonic branding and the future of sound taking.

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://www.dreamrproductions.com/

Follow Jeanna Isham on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DreamrProductions/

Connect with Jeanna Isham on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannaisham/

Tweet with Jeanna Isham on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jeanna_Isham

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

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

Tweet with me on Twitter : https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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/

“Voice does communicate so much more meaning than what you can read. No matter how well written it is, it's still the voice that really carries the meaning of the feeling of that, and you know as a voice actor how important that is and how much more it communicates.”

Jeff Vidler

This week’s the second part of my interview with Jeff Vidler, audio researcher, media analyst and the founder and president of Signal Hill Insights, as we discuss smartphones, Clubhouse, the future of podcast growth and marketing, and his latest audio studies.

The Problem of Downtime

We continue with a look at how much the audio industry has changed over the past ten years, especially as smartphones, smart speakers, and streaming audio have come to replace traditional radio. "One of the things that smartphones do," Jeff explains, "is that they solve the problem of downtime when my mind is free but my eyes are busy and I'm bored." Despite the changing technology, he notes that radio programming itself has turned out to be more resilient than we might have expected, with more 18-to-34-year-olds listening to the radio than reading newspapers or watching network television.

Clubhouse vs Podcasts

Jeff and I also talk about the emergence of Clubhouse as an entirely new form of audio media, and whether it'll replace or enhance the role of podcasts. "Being part of something," he notes, "interacting with something in real-time, is different than settling into a podcast and losing yourself in a podcast, in a story that's being told." We also discuss Apple's recent change to its podcast language, and whether you "subscribe" or "follow" podcasts.

A Whole New Vista

We wrap up the interview with a look at the Megalab Truth Test and the surprising insights it offered about how well people can detect a lie, and some of the upcoming projects Jeff’s working on right now, such as the Radio on the Move study for the Canadian radio industry as well as commercial podcasts and radio contests. "For many years in radio research you weren't finding many new things,” he says, “the last ten years... has opened a whole new vista in audio."

If you'd like to know more about Brand Lift Studies for podcasts, radio, and streaming, you can visit Signal Hill's Brand Lift Help page: https://signalhillinsights.com/brand-lift-help/ to access their free videos on Brand Lift Studies for audio,  as well as a checklist you can use to help set you up for success on your next Brand Lift Study.

Connect with Jeff

Website: https://signalhillinsights.com/

Follow Jeff Vidler on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/JeffVidler

Connect with Jeff Vidler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffvidler/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

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

Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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 a gift to listeners. If you make your podcast a gift to listeners, they'll appreciate the fact that you gave them that gift and they'll remember you for that and they'll think better of you for that as a brand.”

Jeff Vidler

This week's guest has remained at the forefront of changing audio landscape. From his start as a radio station manager and program director, he's spent more than twenty-five years in research, sharing his passion for audio with North America’s major broadcast companies. More recently, he’s been doing the same with podcast publishers. His name is Jeff Vidler and we'll be talking about his insights into this steadily growing media segment. For those of you curious to learn more about the world of podcasting and how things have changed over the years, this is definitely the interview for you.

Listening to the Funnies

Jeff tells us how he grew up with an older brother who wanted to become a radio DJ and, as a child, helped his brother cut demos for his first radio job using a portable record player and the family’s home stereo system. Radio had a powerful early influence on Jeff, and he tells us about the radio program that awakened his passion for broadcasting and the audio industry: a local show that turned the newspaper comics into comedy skits every Sunday morning. “I can remember even thinking,” he tells us, “this company is so cool that they're allowing me to hear the funnies brought to life.”

A Really Exciting Time

Next we take a closer look at Jeff’s career and how much it’s evolved and grown since those early days in front of his brother’s turntable. After starting his audio career as a copywriter, music director, and radio consultant, he moved on to media research in everything from print and digital media to television and radio. “In the last four or five years the whole audio world has opened up with the growth of music streaming and particularly the growth of podcasting,” he explains. “It's a really exciting time for audio.”

Nobody Really Knows

One of the challenges that he’s working to overcome is the lack of marketing research into podcasts and new media. As Jeff puts it, "nobody really knows that much about what gets listened to and who's listening... and is it working for the advertiser." Although podcasts have seen incredible growth over the past five years, ad spending has

lagged behind it for a variety of reasons such as segmentation, measurement, and the sheer number of podcasts out there.

Podcasts By Brands

We also talk about his research into the emerging market of branded podcasts, or, as one of the companies that Jeff’s worked with prefers to call them, original podcasts by brands. “They're not trying to sell,” he explains, “they're telling stories." Despite having no editorial impact and having a very light brand touch, they’ve turned out to be surprisingly effective at garnering brand recognition and creating a positive association with the podcast’s listeners.

Be sure to check back next week for part two as we take a closer look at the rise of smartphones and smart audio, Clubhouse's impact on podcasting, and some of Jeff's latest market research.

If you'd like to know more about Brand Lift Studies for podcasts, radio, and streaming, you can visit Signal Hill's Brand Lift Help page: https://signalhillinsights.com/brand-lift-help/ to access their free videos on Brand Lift Studies for audio,  as well as a checklist you can use to help set you up for success on your next Brand Lift Study.

Connect with Jeff

Website: https://signalhillinsights.com/

Follow Jeff Vidler on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/JeffVidler

Connect with Jeff Vidler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffvidler/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

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

Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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/

“I came into the world listening. Other people came in noticing, visually, or touching things, tactically, which is why there are sculptors and visual artists, and some of us were just innately oriented toward the sound of the world.”

- Michael Joly

This week is the second half of my interview with Michael Joly, founder of solu® and maker of the n.o.w. Tone Therapy™ device, where we talk about microphones, share tips for improving your sound recordings on a budget and look at the future of sound healing.

Sound is a Doorway

“I think sound is a doorway," Michael says, "that can help us experience truth." We begin with a discussion of microphones and audio recording equipment, comparing such diverse microphones as the Shure SM7 cardioid dynamic microphone, the Electro-Voice RE20, and the classic Neumann U47 microphone. Michael also shares his tips for creating an optimal sound environment for recording at home, using such everyday items as a clothes closet, furniture-wrapping blankets, and curtain rods to achieve surprisingly effective results. "What we're trying to achieve here is to communicate to people through a voice, and people love the intimacy of the audio medium."

The Future of Healing

We wrap up the interview with a look at what the future of sound healing might bring as audio continues to play a bigger role in our everyday lives. Michael also talks about the emerging field of “well buildings,” an international standard of wellness that includes sound reduction and ambient sound systems. “Sound is dynamic and always changing, and I think that we connect to this and we know something about ourselves and the way that the world is constructed.”

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://www.nowbysolu.com/

Connect with Michael Joly on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-joly-043513144/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

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

Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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/

"In tone therapy, we've created a space which is both safe and intriguing so we can solve some of the discomfort problem with mindfulness meditation and we can also solve some of the boredom aspects of it."

- Michael Joly

This episode’s guest is the founder of solu®, maker of n.o.w. Tone Therapy™, a sound meditation device. Before solu®, he designed a range of professional and consumer audio products for motion picture sound, home theater, and recording studio use. He has a background as a musician, an on-air announcer and radio business development executive, and he's also been immersed in the study of metaphysics, focusing on the intersection of sound, listening, and consciousness.

His name is Michael Joly and you can find the n.o.w. Tone Therapy™ System at nowbysolu.com. There’s a lot to unpack here, but Michael’s enthusiasm for audio and its proper use is something I really think you’re going to enjoy hearing. If you’re one of those people who are extremely sensitive to sound, I think this episode will validate and soothe you. I know Michael understands your pain!

Sounds in the Fog

Michael tells us about his first memorable experience with sound at the age of five when he heard the sound of distant foghorns on a misty morning in New Hampshire. That early memory not only sparked his interest in such experimental sound projects as Brian Eno's Music for Airports but also paved the way for his own work with ambient audio and tone therapy. "I realized," Michael explains, "I heard something like what Brian Eno is doing when I was a kid, that is, quasi-random overlapping of simple sounds to make new compositions. And that's what eventually led to tone therapy."

Listening to Nothing

We also talk about Michael’s early professional work, a career in cinematic audio technology that introduced him to a surprising new way of considering sound. “I spent a lot of time listening to the noise floor of optical soundtracks and the noise floor of magnetic tape, so I got really, really experienced at listening to nothing.” Listening to nothing became a big part of his approach to tone therapy, and turns out to be harder than we might expect. As he puts it, “I realized that you can't be thinking and listening attentively at the same time. It's just not possible to do. You're either giving your full attention to what you're hearing or you're thinking about it, or you're asking a question, or you're judging it.”

The Power of Now

Michael admits that when he first read the book The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle, he wasn’t impressed. But a series of changes in his life several years ago, including his struggle with depression, helped him see it in a new light. We discuss how the name of his n.o.w. tone therapy system is an homage to the book and its role in shaping his approach to sound healing, and how the sound of church bells in Frankfurt, Germany inspired the distinctive sounds of tone therapy. “I remember hearing two bells ringing, then one bell ringing, then no bells, just the foot traffic on the street,” he says. “And then, like out of the movies, the clouds parted and this beam came down.”

Surprising Yet Familiar

Tone therapy can be a challenge at first, he explains, because so many of us simply aren’t used to sitting still and turning off all our thoughts and worries. That’s why he’s worked to create a sound therapy system that, as he describes it, is both safe and intriguing, and incorporates the harmonic sequence to create an instinctively soothing quality. We also take a look at his upcoming tone therapy software service, including a brand new sonic logo.

Next week we'll continue with a discussion of the best quality microphones, share helpful recording tips to try at home, and a look at what the future might bring when it comes to tone therapy.

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://www.nowbysolu.com/

Connect with Michael Joly on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-joly-043513144/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

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

Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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/

“Producers are people who are interested in developing and creating new ideas that expand human awareness and human consciousness.”

Randall Libero

This week is part two of my interview with online media authority Randall Libero. He's an executive producer of VoiceAmerica as well as co-producer of the new dramatic podcast "Marilyn: Behind the Icon.," and we'll be talking about myths, movies and the future of audio storytelling.

The Power of the Image

We begin the second half of the interview with a closer look at the concept of cinematic audio and “painting the scene with sound.” Randall discusses the innovative techniques of such cinematic legends as Stanley Kubrick and Orson Welles, and how they understood that art isn’t just created, but is brought to life by its audience. “When you look at a great painting,” he explains, “there's so much of your interpretation of it from everything that you've experienced in life, and you interpret that painting completely different from somebody else who's had a completely different experience in life.”

Stories That Bring Us Together

Randall also talks about the myths and archetypes of our ancestors, and the role imagery, geometry, and sound played in bringing those ancient stories to life. He sees such a holistic approach to stories making a return in the 21st century, and with it an opportunity to forge a new connection to art. “The challenge is can we actually create content both on the screen and through storytelling, through audio sound, that actually expands human consciousness.”

The Way That We Dream

"We're in a full-out revolution now, and you can see that in many forms today.” Randall and I talk about how social media and the information age have empowered millions to create and share their work on an unprecedented level. “This digitized media landscape,” Randall notes as we look to the future, “has disrupted and forever changed how movies and media are changing the way we think, the way we live, the way we relate, and the way that we dream.”

Creating It Together

The episode concludes with a discussion of audio storytelling and the unique techniques that are involved in bringing a story to life entirely through sound. We explore just what it truly means to be a producer in the age of new media and what responsibilities creative producers have toward their audience and to future generations. As Randall puts it, “when you create media, you have a responsibility to your audience to make their lives better.”

Next week I'll be interviewing Michael Joly, the founder and CEO of solu and creator of the n.o.w. Tone Therapy meditation device, for a look at sound, stillness, and the healing power of music.

Connect with Randall

Website: www.VoiceAmerica.com

Follow Randall

Libero on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/randall.libero

Connect with

Randall Libero on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-libero-7677364/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

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

Tweet with me on Twitter

https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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/

“All throughout this, in the background, it's been, for me, a study about the effect of media on human consciousness.”

Randall Libero

When it comes to creating a brand and being known as an authority in your field, podcasting truly is the

new frontier. This week's guest is on the forefront of that frontier, particularly audio drama: he's a producer, online media authority, speaker, and radio and TV host who's been creating original productions for network and independent television, broadcast news, and online media for over thirty years.

His career began as a cameraman, editor, and producer in Los Angeles during the 1980s, and in the 1990s he created the first online media research facility and historical news archive for the U.S. State Department's International Bureau of Broadcasting.

He switched to the world of journalism, writing international breaking news for CBS Radio and AOL Time

Warner and today he co-produces a dramatic podcast, "Marilyn: Behind the Icon." His name is Randall Libero, and if you want to learn more about what it takes to have a successful podcast, this is the interview for you!

A Different Kind of Kid

We begin with a look at Randall’s childhood, his heartwarming first encounter with his grandfather’s wire recorder, and how a near-death experience at the age of five changed his perspective and gave him an early sense of maturity and awareness of the future. “I was a different kind of kid,” he explains, and he knew from an early age that he wanted to devote his life to exploring the magic of sound, to sparking the imagination and bringing stories to life.

How Did They Do It?

“I knew King Kong was not real,” Randall explains, remembering the movie monster who first inspired his fascination with sound, “but how did they do it?” We talk about the science-fiction and fantasy shows that influenced him as he grew up, such as The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone and the groundbreaking 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the beginning of mass media and commercial entertainment, a new form of storytelling that emerged quite literally before his eyes.

A Study of Consciousness

Randall and I talk about his wide-ranging career, spanning from broadcast television to international news to online radio and podcast production. Through it all, he says, his focus has remained on human consciousness, the complex relationship between the storyteller and listener's expectations, and how movies have helped transform our very definitions of stories. "You have to think of when did storytelling change and how did it change."

When Storytelling Changed

With the evolution from silent movies to traditional Hollywood films and now podcasts, stories are taking on entirely new forms and being told in new ways. Randall discusses the way both stories and their audience has evolved alongside the ways stories are told, and how the role of sound has changed along with them. "Most movies even today,” he observes, “are seventy or seventy-five percent sound."

Dramatic audio stories like his new podcast Marilyn: Behind the Icon seek to take that further, bringing to life a character’s thoughts and memories using sound and the power of imagination.

Be sure to check back next week for part two as we talk about cinematic audio, the future of mass media and storytelling, and take a sneak peek at some of Randall’s upcoming projects.

Connect with the Guest

Website: www.VoiceAmerica.com

Follow Randall Libero on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/randall.libero

Connect with Randall Libero on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-libero-7677364/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals

https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter

https://twitter.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 written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

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/

“In space, no one can hear you scream.” At least not according to a certain famous movie tagline, and for the most part, it’s absolutely right. Sound as we know it travels as vibrating waves through matter, and there just isn’t enough of it in the vacuum of space to carry sound. But that doesn’t mean space is really silent. Ancient scholars believed in the “Musica Universalis” or the “music of the spheres,” a universal harmony created by the movements of the planets and stars that, though inaudible to the human ear, filled the cosmos. And they turned out to be right in ways that even they couldn’t have conceived.

Most of us know what the Sun looks like, but what does the Sun sound like? Modern astronomers before 1962 would have said it doesn’t sound like anything, but then they discovered that the Sun oscillates every five minutes as sound waves ripple across its surface. A new branch of science, helioseismology, was formed that uses those sound waves to map the inside of the Sun, the same way we can study the Earth by measuring earthquakes.

It turns out that the Sun itself has a resonant frequency, just like a drum or a violin string. At 0.0033 hertz it’s too low to hear, but just check my blog for an audible clip of the Sun created by Stanford University’s Sounds of Solar Harmonics Project:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a9KasH8dhWjaY9gHKgS1iu6EWhf_oojQ/view

Each and every star in the sky has its own unique harmonics, its own voice, and we’re just starting to study those stellar sounds. The European Space Agency’s PLATO space telescope is scheduled to launch in 2026 and one of its missions will be to study the oscillations of nearby stars, to literally listen to the sounds they create.

Stars aren’t the only things in the sky that have a resonance frequency and a sound all their own. Even the planets possess their own unique sounds, created by magnetic fields and transmitted throughout the solar system as radio waves. Saturn in particular has a complex sound that includes its own magnetic field as well as the sound of its rings and moons swinging around it. You can find an audio clip of Saturn created by NASA on my blog; you might find it unsettling or even soothing, but it’s definitely unearthly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh2-P8hG5-E

This sort of celestial harmony stretches far beyond our solar system to include the whole universe. Just a few months ago astronomers discovered that a nearby star system, TOI-178, has five planets locked in resonant orbits around their star. All five planets orbit their star with a single harmony, like a music box dancer. You can find a link to an audio representation of TOI-178 on my blog. While our Sun and planets can have very uncanny, whispering and howling sounds, TOI-178’s orbits almost sound like a song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WevvRG9ysY

If planets and stars and even star systems can resonate with their own unique sound, what about the universe itself? The answer is surprisingly yes, and it was predicted by Albert Einstein. Gravity, according to relativity theory, literally creates waves in the fabric of space and time, and those gravitational waves were first detected in 2015. Although every moving object creates gravitational waves, the strongest ones, the ones we’ve detected, come from black holes as they collide and merge together; those collisions send vibrations racing across the universe at the speed of light.

The universe itself is vibrating like a drum as gravitational waves ripple back and forth across it, with a vast and complicated rhythm that we can’t even begin to comprehend. Trillions of years from now, even after the stars have faded, those gravitational waves, the sound of the universe itself, will still fill the cosmos, and it’ll continue until literally the end of time.

There’s another link on my blog to a video called “Timelapse of the Future: A Journey to the End of Time.” At 30 minutes it’s a little long, but absolutely worth watching as it explores the future of the Earth, our galaxy and finally the universe, and how sound and harmony, in the form of gravitational waves sweeping through space, may well be the final, most enduring aspect of the cosmos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD4izuDMUQA

The next time you look up at the night sky, think of the stars and planets, and even the empty space between them, all filled with vibrations and secret melodies that we’re only beginning to discover. Music is a part of the universe itself, filling every distant corner and reaching further into the future than we can imagine.

Would you consider giving this podcast an honest review? You can do that here: https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding. And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much!

And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – Top 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/