Friday, March 23, 2007
Do you have sloppy mouth?
Daryl Cognito has coined a new, industry term: sloppy mouth. It’s a highly technical term that Daryl explains as the host sounding drunk. For me, the term describes a radio host here in Ottawa that I can’t listen to because I can clearly hear tongue, cheek and lip movements — not the kind of thing you want to hear through earbuds in your ear canal.
Daryl asked if I had any thoughts on how to avoid sloppy mouth. I rushed together some initial thoughts:
- Mic position - don’t have the diaphram of the mic aimed directly inside the centre of your mouth.
- Voice - don’t speak so softly and carefully “inside” the mic so that the volume of your voice and mouth come through at the same ratio. Position your mouth several inches from the mic.
- Inflection - if your voice is rich with dynamics and passion, it will be distracting enough for the listener to not notice the slop (that even sounds gross).
- Equipment - use a microphone that is suited to your voice and style. While many singers use elaborate and expensive mics for their vocals, Phil Collins typically uses a low-end dynamic mic because that’s what works for his voice.
- Processing - if you apply compression to a recording that already has sloppy mouth, you will boost the presence of the sloppy mouth and it will be impossible for your listener to ignore it.
It probably helps to not have dairy products before you record.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Don’t talk about Bob that way!!! I’m glad I don’t live in Ottawa. :D
-Charles
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:29 pm
There is a reason singers hold the mic up in the air and sing to it like it was a flaming sword that were about to swallow. I think your pointers sums up well what to do.
-Charles
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:33 pm
I think that you could also add not to podcast tired. I find when speaking when I am tired my words start to run into each other.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 pm
also don’t comment tired and not finish your thoughts. I’ll add that when you combine tired podcaster and coffee, the mouth gets slow and sloppy.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:02 pm
I find listening to up-beat music before podcasting helps with my engery level and you can really hear the improvement in my voice! ;)
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:07 pm
I just realized that I left an important pointer out. If you try hard to clearly annunciate your words as you speak, you will likely cause some sloppy mouth, too.
March 24th, 2007 at 7:29 am
I like sloppy mouth, just not on the first date…
March 24th, 2007 at 10:33 am
That’s not what you told me David!!!!! ;D
BTW, Mark you should have released this on March 14, International S&JB day!! :D
March 27th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Word choice also probably helps:
From dictionary.com:
an·nun·ci·ate (ə-nŭn’sē-āt’) Pronunciation Key
tr.v. an·nun·ci·at·ed, an·nun·ci·at·ing, an·nun·ci·ates
To announce; proclaim: “They do not so properly affirm, as annunciate it” (Charles Lamb).
You probably meant:
e·nun·ci·ate (ĭ-nŭn’sē-āt’) Pronunciation Key
v. e·nun·ci·at·ed, e·nun·ci·at·ing, e·nun·ci·ates
v. tr.
1. To pronounce; articulate.
2. To state or set forth precisely or systematically: enunciate a doctrine.
3. To announce; proclaim.
v. intr.
To pronounce words; speak aloud.
March 27th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Sorry about all that. I didn’t mean to come across as smug, but I figured it was appropriate, given the topic of conversation.