2023.09.21 – 0994 – The Diction-ary of Voice – P

Polyp - usually unilateral (one vocal fold) mass that grows off the surface. Can be hemorrhagic (filled with blood) or not, and’s usually due to voice misuse or overuse. 

Pop – when a plosive sound is too close to the mic and causes distortion

Pop guard (or ‘pop screen’, ‘pop shield’, ‘pop stopper’) - a fabric, foam or metal shield between the mic and the mouth to help disperse ‘breath blasts’ from plosives and so reduce the likelihood of distorted sound being recorded  

Post - the point at which a voice appears, or the start of a sound or part of a sound, for example, a specific drum beat in a ‘bed’: “make sure you hit the post”, that is, stop talking a beat before the drum comes in

Post (‘post-production) - the final step in a recording process, including the editing, mixing. “It’s OK, we’ll fix that in post”

Predictive eye – the name given to the process of scanning ahead as you read to give prewarning of what's coming up

Pre-produce - to mix or record a piece or interview in advance of a live show, perhaps for technical or timing reasons

Producer - the producer can have more than one role (much like a director), but usually the one who hires the voice actor and other staff, and liaise with clients and agencies

Production master – a final, ready audiobook

Production studio – where programmes are recorded rather than go out live

Production value – the ‘effort’ (including duration, complexity, and post-production) put into the making of an audio or video show. One lasting an hour with several guests, archive footage, and theme tunes would have ‘high production values’. A single presenter ‘read’ lasting just a few minutes is likely to have a ‘low production value’

Pronunciation - a general term for the way a word is spoken (see: ‘enunciation’, ‘diction’)

ProTools - the accepted professional standard for a DAW

PSA - Public Service Announcement such as a government or charity appeal

PTC – Piece To Camera: style of a video presenter, looking directly at ‘the viewer’

Punch – an energetic reading style

Punch and roll - a form of ‘continuous editing’, where you scroll back and record from a convenient break, and then start re-recording where the mistake was made

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