The Future of Voice Licensing: AI, James Earl Jones, and the Ethics of Voice Replication
Release Date: 10/07/2024
SSL One First Look: Tiny Interface, Real Knobs
The Pro Audio Suite
This week on The Pro Audio Suite, George brings out a little show and tell with the SSL One, SSL’s compact single mic preamp interface aimed squarely at the same world as the Scarlett Solo and other simple home studio boxes. The team gets into what actually matters for voice actors and home studio users, including physical gain knobs, direct monitoring, high pass filters, 4K mode, USB-C connections, headphone control, auto gain, clip protection, and why simple interfaces are sometimes the best interfaces. There is also a little live testing with Twisted Wave, a quick look at Source Elements...
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Can You Trust What You’re Hearing? Monitoring, Headphones and Room Lies
The Pro Audio Suite
This week on The Pro Audio Suite, the crew dives into one of the biggest traps in audio production: trusting what you think you’re hearing. Robbo talks about working in an unfamiliar studio and being reminded how much your room, routing, monitoring chain, headphones, templates and habits shape the way you work. The conversation moves into headphone mixing, crossfeed, SPL monitoring, virtual control rooms, Sonarworks, Waves room emulation, EQ Mac, old school graphic EQs, and the fine art of not destroying your mix because your room has a 120Hz attitude problem. There’s also a proper old...
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Source Elements Recorder, First Look
The Pro Audio Suite
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Acceptable Audio: What Voice Actors Should Listen For
The Pro Audio Suite
The team breaks down what “acceptable audio” really means for voice actors recording from home, from reflections and noise to mic placement, editing, clothing rustle and using reference recordings. What actually counts as acceptable audio when you’re recording voiceover from home? That question came up after Robbo spoke with a group of aspiring voice actors in Perth. The advice was simple enough, don’t overprocess, don’t gate everything, and send clean raw audio when asked. But one student asked the thing every beginner wants to know: how do I know if what I’m recording is...
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Apple Silicon, Old Macs, and Why Working Gear Shouldn’t Die
The Pro Audio Suite
Apple has not always been known as the bargain option, but the latest Apple Silicon Macs might be changing that conversation. In this episode, the team gets into the surprising value of the M4 Mac Mini, why even a base model can be serious overkill for many voice actors, and how smaller machines like the MacBook Air and MacBook “Neo” style systems compare for remote sessions, Source Connect, Pro Tools, and travel rigs. The conversation also wanders into classic Pro Audio Suite territory, including old Macs that refuse to die, running Linux or Windows on ageing Apple hardware, right to...
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Studio Rebuilds, Vintage Gear & Reclaimed Timber Rabbit Holes
The Pro Audio Suite
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Fix Bad Audio Instantly? Inside Waves’ Voice Regeneration Tool
The Pro Audio Suite
What happens when audio is so bad… even the best plugins can’t save it? In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, we’re joined by Michael “Gomez” Pearce-Adams from Waves Audio to talk about Voice Regeneration, a new AI-driven tool designed to rebuild poor-quality dialogue into something actually usable. And this isn’t just noise reduction or EQ… it’s a complete rethink of how broken audio gets fixed. We dig into: Why this will never be a plugin How AI is actually “rebuilding” voice recordings Real-world use cases, from podcast disasters to phone interviews What this means...
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TwistedWave 32.3 and 32.4, One Keystroke Processing and a New Repair Tool
The Pro Audio Suite
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The Pro Audio Suite
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Who Owns Audio Now? The Industry Consolidation Problem
The Pro Audio Suite
In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, the team dives into some major shifts in the audio industry. Audio Tonics has acquired DPA, Austrian Audio, SSL, Harrison and more. What does this wave of consolidation mean for boutique brands and the future of innovation? Then we unpack the developing Native Instruments insolvency proceedings. With Kontakt, iZotope, Plugin Alliance and Brainworx under that umbrella, what could this mean for producers, composers and post professionals? And does this reignite the subscriptions versus perpetual debate? We also wander into: • Neumann U47 reissue rumours...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Pro Audio Suite, the team dives into the ever-evolving landscape of AI and voice licensing, exploring the groundbreaking decision by James Earl Jones to license his voice to Disney. What does this mean for voice actors? And where do we draw the line between legal licensing and exploitation? We also discuss recent lawsuits surrounding AI voice replication, the ethical boundaries of using voices without permission, and what these changes could mean for the future of the industry.
The conversation gets heated as Robbo, AP, George "The Tech" Whittam, and Robert Marshall debate whether AI voice replication is an opportunity or a looming threat. With insights from the legal world, current case studies, and expert opinions, this episode is a must-listen for anyone in the audio or voiceover industries.
Want to get involved?
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Topics Covered:
- The legacy and implications of James Earl Jones licensing his voice to Disney
- Recent lawsuits against AI companies for unauthorized voice replication
- How AI is reshaping the voiceover and audio production industries
- Ethical and legal questions around using synthesized voices
- Future trends in AI and voice technology and their impact on artists
Key Quotes:
- “For generations to come, your voice will still be heard. That’s amazing, isn’t it? But it’s kind of weird, actually.” — Robbo
- “I think that if you should absolutely own the rights to whatever you upload into some AI engine...the fact that these companies are enabling theft, it’s bullshit.” — Robert Marshall
- “It’s straight simple, it’s plagiarism. If you quote somebody, you have to give them credit. Sucking in a bunch of information that’s not yours and turning it into code is theft.” — George "The Tech" Whittam
Episode Highlights:
- James Earl Jones’ legacy: How licensing his voice ensures he and his family continue to benefit from its use long after he’s gone.
- Case studies on AI misuse: Real-world examples of AI companies exploiting artists’ voices.
- Legal perspectives on ownership: What do you actually own when it comes to your voice, and how can you protect it in the age of AI?
- Predictions for the future: How AI will continue to shape the landscape of voiceover work and what professionals can do to stay ahead.
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
- Tribooth: The best vocal booth for home or on-the-road voice recording. Use code TRIPAP200 to get $200 off your purchase.
- Austrian Audio: Making passion heard. Enter the competition on our show notes page to win a pair of the brand-new Austrian Audio Hi-X20 headphones.
Show Notes Links:
- Enter the Austrian Audio Hi-X20 Headphone Giveaway
- Download the show stems and submit your mix
- More about James Earl Jones’ Licensing Deal
- Current AI Voice Licensing Lawsuits
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