My new YouTube channel

[Blackleaf]

Hey, guys. I've had this idea for a while, for a channel that dissects and corrects Christian media, and I've uploaded my first video. I have a lot planned for the future, picking apart Christian music, making crude animations to make a point, that kind of thing. These forums are where I drew inspiration from for this, so I'm interested to know what you guys think.

BTW, I know that the audio is bad. I'll see if I can do something to help with that without buying an expensive microphone.

[gentle_dissident]

Thanks, we need more voices in the wilderness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zQeQunbBmk

[Johan]

Good job. The audio is not that bad. Yeah it could be improved, but its not so bad as to be distracting. The audio aside, my suggestion would be to consider editing out most of the dead air between your sentences. There isn't a ton there now, but editing out what's there will improve the flow and help to hold the listeners attention.

As for audio, like I said, it doesn't sound that bad. Don't know what mic you're using but first step is to try to get closer to it when you're speaking. Get that thing right up to your mouth. This will take advantage of proximity effect and should give you a fuller sound. With the mic close to your mouth like that, you might end up needing a pop filter. About $10 on amazon gets you one. I don't know what you're recording your audio on, but putting a compressor in the signal path and experimenting with the settings can also go a long way to improving what you get out of it.


As for mics, remember that decent microphones aren't all that expensive these days. At least relatively speaking. When I first got into pro audio production, a decent mic for voice over work would have required at least $1000 for the mic plus another $500-$1000 for outboard gear (preamp, compressor, noise gate eq etc). These days, about $40 on amazon gets you a USB condenser mic that will sound pretty darn good without any extra processing. Use a boom mic stand to get up close to your mouth then add some software compression and eq and you'll sound like a pro.

[Blackleaf]

Good job. The audio is not that bad. Yeah it could be improved, but its not so bad as to be distracting. The audio aside, my suggestion would be to consider editing out most of the dead air between your sentences. There isn't a ton there now, but editing out what's there will improve the flow and help to hold the listeners attention.

As for audio, like I said, it doesn't sound that bad. Don't know what mic you're using but first step is to try to get closer to it when you're speaking. Get that thing right up to your mouth. This will take advantage of proximity effect and should give you a fuller sound. With the mic close to your mouth like that, you might end up needing a pop filter. About $10 on amazon gets you one. I don't know what you're recording your audio on, but putting a compressor in the signal path and experimenting with the settings can also go a long way to improving what you get out of it.


As for mics, remember that decent microphones aren't all that expensive these days. At least relatively speaking. When I first got into pro audio production, a decent mic for voice over work would have required at least $1000 for the mic plus another $500-$1000 for outboard gear (preamp, compressor, noise gate eq etc). These days, about $40 on amazon gets you a USB condenser mic that will sound pretty darn good without any extra processing. Use a boom mic stand to get up close to your mouth then add some software compression and eq and you'll sound like a pro.

Thanks. I was actually recording with my laptop. No mic, really. I remembered afterward that I had a headset. I don't know if it would be any better, though. I also recorded it inside of my closet, because I remembered that Matpat from the Game Theorists channel did that to limit the echo.

Good advice. I think I can afford a $40 microphone.

[Johan]

https://www.amazon.com/CAD-U37-Condenser-Recording-Microphone/dp/B001AIQGUO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466292367&sr=8-1&keywords=cad+usb

Something like this ought to do quite nicely. I have an old CAD E-350 that I still use. It ain't no Nuemann U87
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/U87AiMT?adpos=1t1&creative=110424430801&device=c&matchtype=e&network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4pO7BRDl9ePazKzr1LYBEiQAHLJdRxEAR_p7cekv43eNnm7wr-tpQ-Jz8z5IwYs_e3KO2xoaAuEM8P8HAQ
but it sounds about 90% as good and cost about 10% as much money when they were still making them.


And I don't think I stressed enough earlier, very nice job otherwise. Definitely keep it up.

[widdershins]

A good start.  I look forward to more.

If you ever get bored and find yourself with extra time I've actually been considering getting together with someone who can do animations and voices to do a little series on the life of Jesus as a kid and the troubles he would have faced.  It's purely a comedy piece with no point or message, neither designed to be particularly offensive nor non-offensive.  Essentially I have what I believe to be good ideas, but zero skills to bring them to life.  Let me know if you're ever interested in hearing more.

[gentle_dissident]

If you ever get bored and find yourself with extra time I've actually been considering getting together with someone who can do animations and voices to do a little series on the life of Jesus as a kid and the troubles he would have faced.  It's purely a comedy piece with no point or message, neither designed to be particularly offensive nor non-offensive.  Essentially I have what I believe to be good ideas, but zero skills to bring them to life.  Let me know if you're ever interested in hearing more.

My GF and I are amateur voice actors. I'd like an excuse to use Anime Studio Pro.

[Blackleaf]

https://www.amazon.com/CAD-U37-Condenser-Recording-Microphone/dp/B001AIQGUO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466292367&sr=8-1&keywords=cad+usb

Something like this ought to do quite nicely. I have an old CAD E-350 that I still use. It ain't no Nuemann U87
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/U87AiMT?adpos=1t1&creative=110424430801&device=c&matchtype=e&network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4pO7BRDl9ePazKzr1LYBEiQAHLJdRxEAR_p7cekv43eNnm7wr-tpQ-Jz8z5IwYs_e3KO2xoaAuEM8P8HAQ
but it sounds about 90% as good and cost about 10% as much money when they were still making them.


And I don't think I stressed enough earlier, very nice job otherwise. Definitely keep it up.

Thanks a ton. I'll definitely give some serious consideration for this. I thought that a decent microphone would be hundreds of dollars, but $40ish plus shipping is much closer to my price range. lol

[Blackleaf]

A good start.  I look forward to more.

If you ever get bored and find yourself with extra time I've actually been considering getting together with someone who can do animations and voices to do a little series on the life of Jesus as a kid and the troubles he would have faced.  It's purely a comedy piece with no point or message, neither designed to be particularly offensive nor non-offensive.  Essentially I have what I believe to be good ideas, but zero skills to bring them to life.  Let me know if you're ever interested in hearing more.

Sounds interesting. Although I am not an expert on voice acting or animating, I do pride myself on having a very creative mind. I plan to either teach myself how to animate or partner with someone who can. I've also made some pretty decent impressions of Sonic the Hedgehog characters, particularly Shadow and Knuckles, so my voice could be useful for that.

What I'd really like to do, though, is find someone with musical talent. I can sing, but I can't really play any instruments. It would be fun to pick apart the problems of Christian music and then make a spoof of the song with "corrected" lyrics. lol

[drunkenshoe]

I first thought you made your voice that way on purpose,lol. Sounds like -at least sounded to me- as it was digitised later.

[Flanker1Six]

Sounds interesting. Although I am not an expert on voice acting or animating, I do pride myself on having a very creative mind. I plan to either teach myself how to animate or partner with someone who can. I've also made some pretty decent impressions of Sonic the Hedgehog characters, particularly Shadow and Knuckles, so my voice could be useful for that.

What I'd really like to do, though, is find someone with musical talent. I can sing, but I can't really play any instruments. It would be fun to pick apart the problems of Christian music and then make a spoof of the song with "corrected" lyrics. lol

Perhaps Weird Al could give you a hand? 

If there's any way you can work it into a critique; a little humor (as opposed to my kind) can go a long way.  I laughed my *** off until I replayed the section where you were first talking about gay marriage not preventing traditional marriage.  I misheard it as something like; if you don't like gay marriage; don't marry a gay person..........very true (even though that is not what you said)!  Kinda like people bitching about it hurting when they hit themselves in the head with a hammer!n 

Keep up the good work! 

[Blackleaf]

Perhaps Weird Al could give you a hand? 

If there's any way you can work it into a critique; a little humor (as opposed to my kind) can go a long way.  I laughed my *** off until I replayed the section where you were first talking about gay marriage not preventing traditional marriage.  I misheard it as something like; if you don't like gay marriage; don't marry a gay person..........very true (even though that is not what you said)!  Kinda like people bitching about it hurting when they hit themselves in the head with a hammer!n 

Keep up the good work!

Thanks. I do speak with a lisp, so I can understand why you'd mishear me. I took multiple takes to try to cover up my mistakes. I'll work on making my speech more clear.

[widdershins]

Since there's a little interest, I'll elaborate on the idea with a little more info.

The idea is to portray the unique issues Jesus would have faced in a humorous life, especially as a child.  It's not meant to either promote or particularly deride religious beliefs, more to take the stories at face value and say, "What if..."

Here's the idea for the first one that got me going on this.

Some kids are swimming in a river.  Some are younger and the water comes up to their necks, some are older and it comes up to their chests.  We see a young Jesus walking by, glancing longingly at their fun.  One of the kids notices him and yells to him with excitement, inviting him to join.  Jesus gets a big smile and starts running excitedly.  The smile slowly fades as his speed decreases and he comes to a complete stop, looking down, expressionless.

Pan out and he's standing on top the obviously deep water, all the kids looking up at him.

"You're weird," one of the older kids proclaims.  Jesus puts his head down, turns and walks away.

That was the first idea I had.  Some of the later ones are quite a bit racier, but that's the general idea.

[Blackleaf]

Since there's a little interest, I'll elaborate on the idea with a little more info.

The idea is to portray the unique issues Jesus would have faced in a humorous life, especially as a child.  It's not meant to either promote or particularly deride religious beliefs, more to take the stories at face value and say, "What if..."

Here's the idea for the first one that got me going on this.

Some kids are swimming in a river.  Some are younger and the water comes up to their necks, some are older and it comes up to their chests.  We see a young Jesus walking by, glancing longingly at their fun.  One of the kids notices him and yells to him with excitement, inviting him to join.  Jesus gets a big smile and starts running excitedly.  The smile slowly fades as his speed decreases and he comes to a complete stop, looking down, expressionless.

Pan out and he's standing on top the obviously deep water, all the kids looking up at him.

"You're weird," one of the older kids proclaims.  Jesus puts his head down, turns and walks away.

That was the first idea I had.  Some of the later ones are quite a bit racier, but that's the general idea.

That does sound funny. Maybe in another episode, Jesus could get fed up with the teachers in the temple always asking him to teach. Or Jesus' brother and friends could try to talk "teenager stuff," like girls, but Jesus can't talk about that stuff because he's supposed to be perfect.

"Hey, Jesus. What do you think about her? 7/10?"

"I can't."

"You can't what?"

"To lust over a woman is like sleeping with her."

"Jesus, Jesus. I just wanted to know if you thought she was attractive. Don't you have any hormones?"

"Oh, well. I just hope I can become rich one day, like my sister who married into a wealthy family. She has a nice house, a pantry full of cheese and..."

"You shouldn't covet your neighbor's possessions."

"That's it! Come here, Mr Perfect!"

[widdershins]

Yeah, I have a few more planned.  In one he's talking to an adult who finds it difficult to believe he has NEVER had an impure thought.  He is convinced when Jesus' balls explode.  In another he's in the tub holding a wash cloth, fretting what he has to do.  The wash cloth goes down, he starts to enjoy it, "NOPE!"  Still another is about a man coming to him telling him that they support the young man.  To show their support, they all wear funny white collars.  You can guess where that one goes as Jesus looks to the Heavens and informs God that he's ready to be crucified now.