The Advantages Of Using Online Conference Calls

By Richard Arnesdale

Nowadays both individuals and companies have a lot of choices when it comes to making conference calls. They can, of course, take the traditional route here and make an audio conference call via telephones, take up the option of video conferencing or look at online conferencing as an option.

Given that even the smallest business has access to fairly powerful computers, state of the art technology and a robust Internet connection nowadays it's hardly a surprise that many of us are choosing online conference calling options to meet our needs here. This can simply be the cheapest, quickest and easiest way to communicate with other people without getting them all together in one room.

Like any kind of conference calling, online conference calls allow you to bring together a group of people no matter where they are located in the world. So, you could have a single conference call that involves people in your town, in your country and even in other continents.

As you can appreciate the biggest advantage here is cost. If you can bring together 5 people from different areas or companies in an online conference then you will be saving the costs of them all traveling to the meeting in the first place. You can also save on time costs here as well -- the less time people are away from their desk/offices, the more time they can concentrate on their work.

Another of the big advantages of online conference calling is that the people participating in this kind of call do not need access to a range of expensive and highly specialized equipment. In its simplest terms an online call here simply needs each participant to have access to a computer with a microphone and loudspeakers and an Internet connection.

And, you can add elements of 'real' meetings here by adding a web camera or other form of video conferencing. This allows participants of the meeting to actually see and talk to each other in real time giving them virtually all of the advantages of meeting face to face. It is also possible to record/transcribe online conference calls relatively easily which can make it easier to record meetings for future reference.

More complex online conferencing options really can take conference calls on to another dimension into the bargain. You can, for example, use this kind of conference call to have a 'real-time' meeting where everyone is online at once. Or, you can use it to set up longer term conference calls where people participate at various times on a specific conference forum or topic.

Online conference calling also allows you to use specific software packages as part of your call. So, for example, all participants can access slides and see projections, presentations and charts at the same time. In some cases you can even set up interactivity for the call which allows people to use virtual 'whiteboards' to put down their thoughts or to outline options. All in all these kinds of conference calls can be just as effective (if not more) than traditional meetings and conferences.

About the Author:

Richard Arnesdale helps people research free conference call numbers at his website on conference call numbers.

Affordable destination weddings

By Randolph Quan

Even if you've dreamed about getting married in a place far, far away your entire life, that doesn't mean that you have the funds to actually pull it off the way you want it.

The truth is, a destination wedding can be much more affordable for the bride and groom - it's their guests that have to shell out the extra cost. But even then, an affordable destination wedding can be done for everyone if you make the right choices.

First, plan well in advance. This gives both you and your guests time to shop around for the best rates on airfare. If you're set on a certain destination - Jamaica, let's say, or any other destination that only has one major airport - then let everyone know the place and the dates so airfare can be booked right away. Some airlines will offer discounted rates on big groups of people, so you might be able to cash in on that for your immediate family members - or the entire group, depending on how many people are going.

Second, shop around. Don't be afraid to negotiate with hotels for any extras, such as upgrades. These are troubled times, and the hotel industry is feeling it just as much as anyone else. That means they're willing to give you a little extra incentive to book your gala there.

In conjunction with the second tip, make sure you are getting a discount of some sort. Automatically, a hotel or resort should offer a discount for booking a large group.

Fourth, make your affordable destination wedding also affordable for your guests by keeping them in mind when choosing the location. If you couldn't afford to go there on vacation, then your guests probably can't either - after all, while you've been saving up for and dreaming about this day for years, most of them probably haven't.

If you do go for a little bit more expensive destination, make clear to your guests that their presence is the only gift necessary. This isn't the time to be greedy.

Fifth, as with any other wedding, an affordable destination wedding will be cheaper when it's smaller. Cut the guest list, if you have to. The good thing about destination weddings is that they typically only include people who would do anything to see you get married, so it makes the reception less expensive.

Destination weddings (and all weddings in general) are only as expensive as you want them to be. By limiting things a little, you can have the affordable destination wedding of your dreams.

About the Author:

Randolph Quan specialises in wedding photography london, and advises people on the top 10 honeymoon destinations at his website.

Vocal Recording Essential Techniques

By Evan Shaffhauser

Before you record your next vocal track, take a moment to consider a few basic best practices which will improve any vocal recording. Keep in mind that once you get the performance down, you can always add effects or dirty up your track later, but starting with a clean track is always the best.

Good mic technique is easy to achieve. Keep two things in mind: First, remember that the microphone's diaphragm reacts differently to the subtle variations in your voice, and the intensity of your vocal delivery. Second, your body position and proximity to the mic should be adjusted throughout the vocal delivery depending on the dynamics of your performance.

For vocal performance that remain soft and intimate from start to finish, the singer should stay positioned just a few inches from the mic. For louder, full volume singing, stand back two or three feet and let loose. If your delivery requires a mixture of both, then you need to move in close and back off the mic as needed. Start getting used to doing this even if its just for a couple words or a short phrase.

Ideally, your mouth should be as close as possible to the mic without overloading the level. If you overload the level, two things can happen. You will either end up with digital clipping on your track, or in the case of super-sensitive mics, the mic itself with temporarily shut down. Both of the scenarios effectively ruin your recording. The easy remedy here is just to aim your mouth slightly off to the side or above the mic during loud bursts.

Getting rid of mouth pops and lip noise is crucial! Depending on the type of mic youre using, there may already be a pop-filter built in. Stage mics generally have the pop-filter built into the ball-shaped mesh grill that also serves to protect the sensitive parts. However, studio mics generally come with a foam sleeve that slips over the mic itself. Many engineers argue that the foam variety kills some of the high end frequencies and prefer the newer, nylon stocking O-ring pop filters. Positioning one of these between the singer and the mic will prevent blasts of breath from overloading the mic.

Avoid recording annoying mouth noise. Its and easily avoidable situation that requires minimal effort to correct, and makes a big difference in the end. Ok, brace yourself, here it is: drink lots of water, or have your singer drinks lots of water. It will go a long way towards eliminating unwanted mouth noise, and a few extra trips to the bathroom is a small price to pay.

If you follow these simple rules, you will start with a nice clean vocal track. From that point you are free to add reverb and whatever crazy effects you can dream up without enhancing the unwanted noise when you're trying to get at the meat. These simple practices will save you hours on Mr. Fix-it time in the end.

About the Author:

About to buy your next vocal mic? Before you do, check out the insanely low factory direct vocal microphones from VocalMicrophonesDirect.com. Why pay extra so your local music store can get new carpeting? get great deal on a wired mic, or even one of many wireless microphone systems at the lowest prices allowed by the manufacturer.