Music Library Recommendations

Anthony Williams · **Voice Talent** Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Posts: 663

Also GarageBand has beautiful jingled loops. SoundTrack is a good resource to be creative with.

Too many to count Scott ! Deals everywhere!

Very Happy

Scott Pollak · Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007, 21:46 (GMT) Post subject:

Allen, I, too, used Manhattan music library many moons ago but I don't recall being overly impressed at the time. But that was also at LEAST a decade ago and I'm sure they've come a long ways. And yes, you're right about some of the music libraries mentioned here. I went to radio-mall and honestly was underwhelmed by what I heard. Very dated sounding.

Anthony, I'm an original musician, too, getting ready to release my second cd in a few months (my first is available on iTunes and cdbaby.com) but it's impossible for me to make the time, or have the resources, to do my own original stuff for every spot I cut. I appreciate the lead for Impact and am getting ready to jump over to ebay and check it out.

Allen Brown · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007, 15:41 (GMT) Post subject:

You're right, Scott - I wouldn't have used Manhattan either judging by their old library. Talk about dated! But, since they became Apple Trax it's a top-notch library with one or two CD's added each month.

These libraries get stale VERY fast.

Phil McCullough · **Voice Talent** Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 3

Try flashkit.com and use some of their loops to make a music bed. They certainly work for auditions, and can work for podcasts and flash presentations.

Phil

Allen Brown · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007, 21:46 (GMT) Post subject:

Hi Phil,

When you say "work for auditions", do you put music under your auditions?

This might be best discussed on another thread but, as a producer and voice seeker, I automatically throw out any audition with music behind it. I really don't want to hear anything but the voice.

I've seen other producers make the same stipulation on their leads..."no music!"

Maybe that wasn't what you meant?

George Karnes · **Voice Talent** Joined: 26 Dec 2006 Posts: 905

Allen-
This has come up in several threads. The last one was started by a talent seeker who chose a read that was fully produced. So now everyone is scrambling trying to do produced/semi produced responses.

Mind you this was based on pretty much one person who chose the fully produced one.

This could be another radio button that V123 adds. So the seeker can just hit the no music please selection when submitting their lead.

Phil McCullough · **Voice Talent** Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 3

Hi Allen:

I meant for the auditions that request production or that wanted to hear voice -with-music. Like you say, my auditions are voice-only, unless otherwise requested. That's why for me, the investment in a music production library seemed to be unneeded. if they wanted a music sample, I used a loop.

Phil

Allen Brown · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007, 03:54 (GMT) Post subject:

10-4 folks. My opinion (as usual) - a producer who wants music under a VO audition is . . . well, there could be so many things wrong with that picture. Freddy, (and others), there needs to be some standard by which voices are presented on this site. Are we auditioning our voices? OR, are we auditioning our music library, production services, etc.? I say again, the field needs to be level in this respect. Voices...voices only...same uniform watermark...etc.

Freddie Molina · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007, 18:17 (GMT) Post subject:

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007, 18:35 (GMT) Post subject:

Here's my 2.3 cents on all this and why I asked...

I do quite a bit of freelance work for local radio stations, from my home. Currently I can only offer very limited full production due to not having a production music library. I KNOW for a fact that it would not only help out these producers who are hiring me, but would probably increase the amount of work they send my way if I could do this turnkey for them and have them NOT have to worry about finishing up the production after I send them the dry reads.

As far as adding production to the auditions here, I'm doing it sparingly. I think MOST clients just want to hear the voice, but if it adds to my chances of getting the job I'll add a music bed where appropriate.

I just landed a job this week from a V123 lead where I added a music bed to the audition and the client wants me to provide him with a fully produced finished spot, so in this case it paid off.

Allen Brown · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007, 19:06 (GMT) Post subject:

OK - but I thought it was "VOICE" 123, not "PRODUCTION" 123. The point I would like to make is that there are people here throwing music behind auditions in which the seeker makes no mention of requesting production services. Now, some seekers would see that as a negative - I know I do. On the other hand, there are some less discerning seekers who would listen to say, 30 dry voices. But, guy #31 throws a music track over his read and gets the job based almost totally on the perception that he's giving more for the money. The guy may not be right for the spot, but much emotion can be added to a read with the right music and can even "gin up" a poor read.

Also, Mr/Ms Voiceseeker might say to themselves "Heck, this spot is finished, all I really have to do is hire this guy and it's already in the can."
This diminishes the value of the music - especially if Ronnie Radio is throwing the music in for free. I don't know about the rest of you, but a huge amount of my income is derived from production services.

So, you see, those without production services could really, really be at a disadvantage. You say there are still plenty of dry read auditions, so not to worry, right? That's not stopping a bunch of people from sending produced tracks on the dry reads.

Hey, if I have to produce a spot for the audition, then I guess that's what I'll have to do. I can compete with the best of 'em, especially now that I know the rules of the game. But, I think it's very unfair to many, many people using the service. I say again, level playing field. People should be competing here based on the merits of their voice over talent...voice only...uniform watermarks.

I'll stop whining. ("Wahhh...Voice123 isn't the way Allen wants it to be!") I don't think there's anything that can be done about this nor do I even expect the admin to try. I've got to get back to work. Maybe I've come down with a bad case of GOMS. (Grumpy old man syndrome)

PS - Scott - I didn't see your post (above) while I was writing this one. Please know that I'm not calling you "Ronnie Radio" Laughing

Joe J Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1521

I mostly agree with Allen on this one.

Partially because I prefer they hear my voice without any effects. That includes compression, eq, sound effects and music. My philosophy is to "Be The Meat in the Sandwich"... the bread and condiments will come later.

The other reason is that I don't own a music library, and am a bit lacking on the production side of the coin.

Good Meat, Good Sandwich,
Joe J Thomas
www.JoeActor.com

Todd Ellis · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007, 20:09 (GMT) Post subject:

Allen wrote:

Joe J Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1521

Hey Todd,

You're on the Marx there.
I'm in favour of a communist VO market... As long as I'm in charge!
(cue evil laugh)
MUUUUEEEEEAAAAAHAHAHHSAHAHHAHAH...

Some are more equal than others,
Joe

Keith D. Milby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 570