How to Create an Easy, Affordable Self Tape Setup

in ,

THIS BLOG HAS BEEN MOVED TO OUR NEW WEBSITE. GO READ IT HERE.

Frustrated with your self tape setup?  

After posting a video HERE on IG of my self tape setup that included a little clip of the audition that landed me a guest star on a hit network TV show, I got a lot of DMs asking for more details.

I used to half dread getting an audition because the setup was so frustrating, and I was never that happy with how my auditions looked and sounded.  

The last thing you want when you are about to film your audition is to be futzing around with your equipment and setup.  

Now, I can get excited when I get a self tape audition. With an easy self tape setup, my focus will be more on the performance and less on the equipment and tech.

Not only that, shortly after putting this easy, inexpensive self tape setup together, both my husband and I booked guest starring roles on hit network TV shows! The proof is in the pudding!

Take a tour of my setup:

And, because you asked, I’ve created a shopping list just for you! 

This is my ever-growing list of products and resources I recommend for creating a basic, easy self tape setup. I mostly recommend products that I actually use myself, but I have included a few others that I think you might find helpful based on reviews from others.

Easy Self Tape Shopping List

 

ITY Knit Stretch Jersey at Fabric Wholesale Direct
$4.99/yard This is the exact fabric I purchased, but it took a few weeks to arrive. This might have been because it was at the very beginning of the pandemic though. Also, it looks like they are sold out of this color, so I listed an option below at Amazon. They do have Royal Blue, a color I also recommend. Three yards will take you from ceiling to floor in most cases.

Charcoal Grey Jersey Knit, Fabric by The Yard
$9.75/yard at Amazon. You might get it faster from here, as I had to wait a couple of weeks to get it on Fabric Wholesale Direct.

 

Ravelli APLT6 72" Light Weight Aluminum Tripod with Bag Includes Universal Smartphone Mount
$36.96 + $10.10 shipping We wanted the 72” tall one because my husband is 6’2”, so the shorter one would shoot up at him or we’d have to fuss with finding something to put it on, and that just makes it a pain.

 

Inkeltech Ring Light - 18 inch 60 W Dimmable LED Ring Light Kit with Stand - Adjustable 3000-6000 K Color Temperature Lighting for Vlog, Makeup, YouTube, Camera, Photo, Video - Control with Remote
$79.95 After working with this light for the last 6 months, I am happy with it overall. The remote control is a little finicky sometimes, but it works and the light looks great. I also find the camera mount has to be tightened up often when I’m using it, but I actually use a tripod, so it doesn’t really matter to me.

 

Saramonic SmartMic Mini Condenser Flexible Microphone for Smartphones,Vlogging Microphone for iPhone and YouTube Video, Mic for iOS Apple iPhone 7 7s 8 X 11 6 6s iPad and Android Phone
$25.00 I had an iPhone 6 when I bought this, so that’s why it has a headphone jack. I bought the adapter below when I upgraded my phone, and it works great.

 

[Apple MFi Certified] 2 Pack Headphone Jack Adapter for iPhone, 2 in 1 Lightning to Charger Port + 3.5mm Headphone Aux Audio Dongle Splitter, Compatible with iPhone 12/11/X/Xr/Xs/8/8Plus/7/7 Plus
$11.99 I love the ability to charge my phone while I’m shooting just in case it’s running low. Nothing worse than running out of juice while you’re in the middle of shooting an audition.

 

USB-C Mic, Saramonic SmartMic UC Mini Condenser Flexible Microphone Plug&Play Mic Compatible with iPad Pro, Samsung Galaxy, LG, HTC Google, and Other USB-C Type Devices for Vlogging YouTube Video
$40.00 I don’t own this because when I purchased my mic I had an iPhone 6 with a headphone jack, so when I got a new phone with the lightning connector, I purchased the above headphone jack to lightening adapter. This is made by the same company, but I can’t make a recommendation from my own experience.

 

Shure MV88 Portable iOS Microphone for iPhone/ipad/iPod via Lightning Connector, Professional-Quality $149.00 Digital Stereo Condenser Mic for Vloggers, Filmmakers, Music Makers & Journalists, Silver
I’m throwing this in here for you if money is not an issue. While I haven’t personally used this, if I wanted to upgrade to something more pro than the $25 Saramonic Mic, I’d get this Shure. The reviews on Amazon are fantastic.

** Please note that I am an affiliate for many of the resources listed above. As an affiliate, I may earn a referral fee if you purchase these products based on my recommendations.

 

Pro tips:

Background colors

I love the charcoal grey for myself. It’s less harsh than black, and my lighter skin and hair pop off of it. If you have dark skin and hair, you might consider going with a lighter color like a medium grey or blue, so you pop off of it too.

I would not go with pure white. White tends to throw off the white balance on the iPhone camera making your skin look underexposed and muddy. It would probably work if you were lighting the background as well as you (the subject), but it’s doubtful you’ll be lighting your background.

Royal blue is a very common color for backdrops in casting offices, so you can’t go wrong with that. It might even subconsciously suggest to casting that it’s a more professional audition because of that familiar royal blue color.

Where to stand

In general, I stand about 4 feet from my camera. I usually have to zoom in on my iPhone to about 1.4. I also try to be at least a foot or so away from my backdrop. That way I don’t create as much of a shadow behind me, which can be distracting.

Mic + Sound

You could skip the microphone if you need to save on money. The iPhone has a decent mic if you are standing close enough. What I notice with it is that there is less echo in the sound.

Try to use a room that has other furniture and drapes so that there isn’t too much reverb in the room. If you don’t, then it can make the sound even more echo-y.

Go break a leg!

I’d love to hear your comments! Let me know if you’d like an audition cheat sheet, acting tips, what-to-wear tips etc. I’ll keep adding!

And, PS. I know this isn’t a high end set up. It’s not meant to be. It’s meant to be simple, affordable, and easy to put together.


Waking Up Your Speaking Voice

in ,

THIS BLOG HAS BEEN MOVED TO OUR NEW WEBSITE. GO READ IT HERE.

From the moment you open your mouth, your voice is one of the primary ways people gather information about you and begin to create judgments.

If you are someone who wakes up in the morning feeling like you croak instead of speak, you may not be putting your best foot forward when it comes to how people perceive you.

By taking a little time to prepare your voice, you give people the chance to take you in as your best, most confident self.

When people hear you speak with a voice that warmed up and expressive, they are more able to fully receive your communication and feel emotionally moved and influenced by you.

Getting Rid of Morning Voice

Check your vocal hygiene

  • Get plenty of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep per night for adults to function at their best.

  • Hydrate the day before. The vocal cords aren’t exactly your body’s first priority when it comes to hydration. How fast your vocal cords rehydrate is directly related to how dehydrated you are in the first place.  Water will travel to your cords faster if you are already hydrated, so I like to think of the water I drink today being for the voice I use tomorrow!

  • Use a hygrometer. Check the humidity of your living and sleeping environment, and consider using a humidifier at night if it’s too dry. 

  • Mist with a nebulizer. Nebulizers can be used with saline to directly hydrate the vocal cords.  Some people prefer steaming, which feels good, but the water particles from steam are too large to get all the way to the vocal cords. A nebulizer creates smaller particles which allow the moisture to directly reach the vocal cords.

  • Warm up your entire body. A short stretch and brisk walk can help get the blood flowing in the body, which will also help it flow to your vocal cords.

Find Your Ideal Speaking Pitch

Many people speak too low in their range and fall into using vocal fry. This can be tiring to the voice. Watch the video below and I’ll lead you through the following process of finding your ideal speaking pitch.

  • Say “uh huh” like you are agreeing with someone, and you’ve got to really mean it, or it doesn’t work as well.

  • Use the second pitch you get on the “huh” part, which is usually higher than where you start the first one.

  • Play around with speaking around that second pitch you found.

  • Is it higher than where you normally speak? It might feel or sound strange to you at first, but it’s most likely that you just aren’t used to it. When I’m using my ideal pitch, I like to think of it as using my “happy voice”.

Warm Up Your Speaking voice

For the same reasons you warm up your body before you exercise, it’s wise to warm up our voices before vocalizing.  This is true whether you plan to speak or sing.

Warming up:

  • increases blood flow to the vocal cords

  • stretches and relaxes the muscles we use for singing

  • gets the voice into vocal balance

  • helps prevent injury

Let’s try it…

Mini Warm Up for your speaking voice

In this simple 3 minute warmup, you can take your voice from frog to princess (or prince), so that you have more confidence and build stronger trust with your audience, allowing them to fully receive you and your message.

Feel free to pause the video at any point and repeat each exercise as many times as you’d like until your voice feels warmed up.

Please note that I am an affiliate for many of the resources listed above. As an affiliate, I may earn a referral fee if you purchase these products based on my recommendations. Rest assured, I only recommend products and services that I actually use myself.

Introduction to Scale Patterns for Singers

in ,

THIS BLOG HAS BEEN UPDATED AND MOVED TO OUR NEW WEBSITE. GO READ IT HERE.

In my years of teaching, I have seen how being unfamiliar with scale and arpeggio patterns can get in the way of making the most of a lesson. They might be intimidating at first, but don’t worry, I’m here to ease the worry and prepare you for what’s to come.

These patterns will feel easy in no time!

Below you’ll find practice recordings of the 3 most commonly used scale patterns for you to listen to right here, or download to your device so you can practice them on-the-go.

Let’s start with this video to see what these patterns are all about.

The 3 Most Used Scale Patterns for voice lessons

What are The scale patterns?

Scale and arpeggio patterns are a specific order of pitches and intervals that form a repeated melodic sequence.


  1. 5 Tone - uses the scale degrees 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1. We will use this for your vocal assessment and other exercises.

  2. Octave Repeat - uses the scale degrees 1 - 3 - 5 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 5 - 3 - 1. This one gets used a lot for a variety of exercises.

  3. Octave and a Half - uses the scale degrees 1 - 3 - 5 - 1 - 3 - 5 - 4 - 2 - 7 - 5 - 4 - 2 - 1. This one is usually the trickiest, but just keep listening and either humming or lip trilling along like I demonstrated in the video. I would not attempt this one with numbers.


Scale Pattern Practice Recordings for Singers

How to use the practice recordings

  • For each pattern there are two versions, one set for higher voices, and one set for lower voices.  Use what feels most comfortable for your voice.  

  • When you practice the patterns, just focus on getting the pitches, so that you’ll be free to explore your voice and technique once you get to your lesson.

  • As I demonstrate in the video, you can sing along, hum along, use numbers, or even a lip trill while you get familiar with these patterns.

  • If ever it feels too high or too low, just drop out, no big deal!

Higher Voices

Lower Voices