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Fluffy Audio Scoring Piano – is this the nicest piano I have recorded…?

Fluffy Audio Scoring Piano Product Box Image
Scoring Piano from Fluffy Audio

For years and years I mostly recorded with Apple’s Logic stock Steinway sampled piano VI – not so much for the sound but for the feel. It’s just always been very playable. All of the piano albums I have done including tracks like Eternity were done on that piano.

But there are now better options and one of those is Fluffy Audio’s ‘Scoring Piano’. It delivers a beautiful rounded rich sound without any harshness and it’s super nice to play. Often you listen to demos of VIs and think they sound amazing but when you come to play them, you eventually feel disappointed. The real test for me is – after a couple of months am I still using it…. and with the Scoring Piano… yes I am. It features in the track below called ‘Sweet Moments’.


Find out more about the Scoring Piano from Fluffy Audio here


Sweet Moment
Composer Jonathan Slatter
Piano, bass and viola played by Jonathan Slatter
Published by Sounds Visual Music Ltd

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Music for beautiful horses filmed at dusk

Came across these stunning racehorses in a field near Wick (Bristol) whilst on a walk back to Bath on Grandmother’s Rock Lane towards the Retreat Woodland. Very inquisitive and beautiful to be around and film – but left me worried as to how cold it was for them to be in a field with no coats….

Filmed at sundown in January 2025 on Fujifilm X-T4 and Canon FD 50mm f1.4

Music is titled: Across the Plains – by Jonathan Slatter.
Available on YoPo Music

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Woodland Sounds

British Woodland Sounds | January 2025 | Dusk | Light Rain
These sounds were recorded using a Sound Devices MixPre-3 and a Audio-Technica BP4025 stereo mic

Also available to purchase from Pond5


Also available to purchase from Pond5


These sound effects were recording using the Primo 172s in stereo

Also available to purchase from Pond5

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Sandbanks Poole, the most expensive coastal area in the UK – calm waves at dusk in January 2025 – X-T4 & BP4025 stereo microphone

Sandbanks waves recorded on Fuji X-T4/ Canon FD50mm f1.4 and Audio Technica BP4025 stereo mic

These beautiful waves were recorded at Sandbanks beach, Poole, UK at dusk in January 2025 using a Fuji X-T4 with a Canon FD 50mm f1.4 and the sound recorded on a Sound Devices MixPre-3 & Audio-Technica BP4025.

Fuji X-T4 & Audio Technica BP4025 in Rode Blimp

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Plug-in-power mics with Fujifilm X-T4 camera

Despite the Fuji X-T4 manual stating that microphones requiring plug-in-power will not work, I have found that the exellent EM172 PIPS from Micbooster work very well with this camera. I wonder whether they mean microphones requiring phantom power, as wthout an adapter there is no way to use phantom power mics on the X-T4.

Plug-in-power (PIP) mics typically require 5 or less volts to operate whereas phantom powered mics typically require 11-48v.

Pip mics EM172s plugged into X-T4

With headphone monitoring via the USB-C adapter (which comes with the X-T4) recording decent audio on this camera is quite good.

EM172 PIPs with dead cats mounted on head…

I use some little dead womble fur wind protectors for the EM172s which in gentle breezes are quite effective in reducing wind noise and rumble. And attached to a hat on either side of my head they create a really good stereo image and there’s nothing to hold on to so you can concentrate on getting a good shot with the camera.

3.5mm Mic input socket on X-T4
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The Canon FD 50mm f1.5 lens, a rescue dog and a woodland retreat

A beautiful tranquil escape into nature within a woodland nr Bitton, Bath called ‘The Retreat’. Stunning trees, paths and views towards the Severn Estuary and Bristol.
https://forestofavontrust.org

Shot on XT4 with Canon FD 50mm f1.4 fully manual lens

Music: State of Mind by Jonathan Slatter
https://www.pond5.com/royalty-free-music/item/237163895-state-mind

Sweety was rescued from the kill shelters of Romania by Pennypaws Rescue https://pennypawsrescue.org.uk

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Extract Audio from Video in Reaper DAW

A quick easy way to extract the audio from a video is to drag your video into Reaper, and then simply select the audio in the timeline, and then right click the selection and hit ‘Glue’. This will bounce the audio to WAV (or whatever format you have selected in Project Settings / Media – it defauts to your recording Format – e.g. WAV 24bit)

As that process has now created a new audio track – you can delete the video file from project media if you no longer need it want to save space.

Project Settings / Media
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Adding a terms and conditions checkbox to a Payhip digital download product

If you are selling a digital download product on Payhip and want to require the customer to tick a terms and conditions check box before they pay, this is how you can set that up.

This product is triggering a Terms and Conditions choice

Once signed into your Payhip account go to ‘Account’ on the right, and click ‘Settings’. Then select ‘Advanced Settings’ and scroll down to ‘Checkout Settings’. You’ll see an option to:
Display your own questions for customers to answer during checkout.

Once ticked you will be able to add a checkout question which will appear on the checkout pane if a customer buys any of your products, or you make the question only appear for specific products. Very handy if you have different terms for different products. If you choose specific products you’ll then be able to add the relevant products, but you can edit this at any time.

Then add your question. Here I am going to choose ‘Legal’ as I want to ask the customer to agree to my terms in order to purchase:

I’m going to select legal type question to add T&Cs


Then you can type your question or statement. For example: I agree to the terms and conditions.
And if you want to link that text or part of it to a webpage – somewhere where the customer can review the terms – hit the # symbol and enter the URL.
Important! Also make sure to hit the spanner icon and make this a ‘Required’ question – so the customer has to agree to the terms in order to purchase your product. As you make these changes you should see the checkout pane on the right updating with your changes. Once happy – remember to ‘SAVE CHANGES’ – and then SAVE SETTINGS – and that’s it.

If you later add more products and want to add those to your exisiting terms and conditions question – come back into advanced settings – come down to your Checkout settings, and the specific question you wish to add to and click: ‘Edit Checkout Question’. Then click:
Questions will be displayed if one of these products are in cart (edit)

Now you can add and remove products from this question.

It’s a really professional feature and easy to setup on Payhip




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How to Make Money from Voiceovers – The Funny, Alternative Guide by Jonathan Slatter

Anyone can be a voiceover. It’s easy, and if I can, anyone can. So, if you want to become a voiceover, don’t delay, don’t think about it, just remember – it’s only reading aloud for money (usually).

At last, a slightly more self-depracating & tongue in cheek book about ‘how to make money from voiceovers…’

This book will guide you through the process of becoming a successful voiceover. It covers finding your voiceover voice, setting up your voiceover studio, marketing your voice, how to nail your first session, how to breathe, dealing with difficult producers, how to say words you can’t pronounce, why you don’t need an agent, why A.I doesn’t really matter, how to keep your neighbours quiet, what to wear and why you sometimes need two duvets.

I laughed out loud – Voice artist Kate Parker

As you turn the pages, you’ll learn all the tricks of the voice trade from someone who has been a professional voice for over 30 years and who has read over 2 million characters of on-hold messages.

Published by Sounds Visual Music Ltd. Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Google Book Store

Buy on Payhip

Buy on Etsy

Author Jonathan Slatter Voiceover Website



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Nearer, my God, to Thee: Free Sheet Music

On this page you will find recordings and sheet music of the beautiful hymn, Nearer, my God, to Thee. The words were written by Sarah Flower Adams (1805 – 1848) and the famous hymn tune ‘Bethany’ was composed by Lowell Mason, (1792 – 1872) to accompany her text.

Many films about the sinking of the Titantic depict this hymn as being the last piece played by the ship’s string band. Sadly all of the ships’ musicians died when the vessel sank off the coast of Newfoundland, on its maiden voyage to New York, on April 15, 1912.

Sheet music arrangement of the hymn Nearer my God, to Thee, for piano and voice by Jonathan Slatter

Nearer my God to Thee The Sinking of the Titantic by Willy Stower
Der Untergang der Titanic Willy Stöwer 1864 – 1931

Here’s a recording of a string arrangement of Nearer my God to Thee, by Jonathan Slatter.

To purchase a commercial licence to use this recording in your productions please see here.

Or purchase from Pond5 here.

Or from Envato here