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From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves

From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves - Early Days Recording Local Bands

Like many great ideas, Clone My Voice started small. Co-founders John and Mike first crossed paths while recording local bands on Long Island. Weekend warriors by day, the two had a passion for music production and saw untapped potential in the local scene.

In those early days, the focus was on helping local artists record high quality demos and EPs. John recalls the first band they worked with - a young punk group called Unruled. “Their energy and attitude in the studio was infectious. You could tell they were going to be stars someday.”

Recording local bands taught John and Mike the value of artist-producer chemistry. To capture the perfect take, you need trust and comfort on both sides of the glass. This insight would prove invaluable as the studio evolved.

The local bands were ideal training grounds for honing their craft. John explains, “We cut our teeth doing those sessions. Learning how to mic guitar amps, get big drum sounds, and bring out the best in vocalists. Our ears got sharper, and our instincts more refined.”

Word spread quickly about the promising new studio on Long Island. Unsigned bands would drive hours to record with John and Mike. Their reputation for big sounds and good vibes meant booked schedules.

Looking back, those early days capturing the energy of local bands formed the foundation. As John puts it, “The heart and soul of this place came from bands that just wanted to make their mark. We’ll always be grateful for those kids that took a chance on two producers barely older than them.”

Even today, with high profile clients and Grammy nominations, Clone My Voice stays grounded by working with unsigned regional bands. As Mike says, “No matter how big we get, we’ll always have time and space for the next generation of artists. Keeping it local keeps us honest.”

From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves - Investing in Cutting-Edge Tech

As Clone My Voice continued to grow, John and Mike realized they needed to keep pace with rapid technological advancements in the audio production world. This meant investing heavily in cutting-edge gear and software to stay ahead of the curve.

One area that became a priority was adopting AI and machine learning for certain studio tasks. Mike explains, “We closely followed the AI voice cloning space and saw huge potential. The tech was still young, but the demos showed serious promise.”

After testing some early voice cloning tools in 2017, the team decided to take the plunge. They purchased licenses for proprietary AI software and hired an in-house machine learning expert. The goal was integrating AI voice cloning into their workflow in a big way.

John reflects on the decision to invest in this new tech, “It was a calculated risk. The voice cloning results back then were decent but not flawless. We believed the tech would progress quickly and wanted to get in early.”

That gamble paid off tremendously. Within two years, the AI voice cloning quality went from good to mind-blowing. The virtuoso voices produced by the software were indistinguishable from the real thing.

Clone My Voice gained a huge competitive edge by adopting this tech so early. While competitors were still relying solely on human voice actors, Clone My Voice could offer clients ultra-realistic AI-powered voice clones.

The studio also purchased cutting-edge mastering software and revamped their vocal booth mic selection. This allowed them to achieve greater recording fidelity and craft professional sound for podcasts. No detail was overlooked when it came to equipping the studio with the latest tech.

Some clients were skeptical of the new AI voice cloning capabilities at first. But their doubts vanished once they heard song narrations voiced by AI clones of Elvis Presley and Freddie Mercury. The results spoke for themselves.

John sums up the studio’s forward-thinking mindset: “If there’s game-changing tech on the horizon, we want to be the first to test it out. Our clients expect us to be on the bleeding edge. So we make sure to keep aggressively investing in the next big thing.”

From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves - AI Voice Cloning Opens New Doors

The integration of AI voice cloning technology opened up exciting new possibilities for Clone My Voice. This cutting-edge software allowed them to create ultra-realistic voice clones quickly and affordably. While most studios still relied solely on human voice talent, Clone My Voice could now offer clients something unique and powerful.

The immediate applications were obvious - clients could get voiceovers voiced by AI clones of celebrities, historical figures, or anyone with existing voice samples. As Mike explains, "We had music producers ask us to clone Elvis to narrate their projects. Authors wanted their audiobooks read by clones of Morgan Freeman or David Attenborough. The requests were wild."

But the more Clone My Voice experimented with AI voice cloning, the more potential they saw. It wasn't just about mimicking famous voices - it could help clients personalize content in creative ways.

One podcast producer used AI cloning to create different "hosts" for each episode of his show. As John recalls, "He gave us voice samples from his three sons. We made clones to voice certain episodes as if his kids were the hosts. It allowed him to put a unique spin on each show."

Another client, an audio drama company, had Clone My Voice develop distinctive AI voices for each character. No longer constrained by only hiring voice actors, they could populate their stories with unlimited unique voices.

But it wasn't just clients exploring the possibilities. Clone My Voice also used voice cloning internally to improve their own productions. For instance, they started cloning narrator voices to expedite the audiobook creation process.

John explains, "We clone the author's voice to narrate their book. Or if the author isn't suitable, we'll clone a voice type that fits the genre and tone. It makes production faster compared to hiring and directing voice actors."

They also use it for voicing video explainer scripts. As Mike says, "We initially tried using text-to-speech, but it sounded robotic. With cloning, we can generate a human-like voice tailored to the brand in minutes."

From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves - Producing Custom Audio Books on Demand

The rise of on-demand digital entertainment has created new opportunities for audiobook publishing. Readers increasingly expect the convenience of accessing books instantly, without delays for production and distribution. This has led innovative publishers like Clone My Voice to develop on-demand audiobook capabilities.

The on-demand model allows publishers to create audio editions as soon as a print/ebook is available, instead of waiting months for production. Katie Chen, an independent author, explains the benefits she experienced after publishing on-demand with Clone My Voice: “My novel released in July, and by August it was already available as an audiobook. Being able to publish the audio simultaneously with the ebook was huge for building momentum.”

For authors like Chen, who lack the resources of major publishers, on-demand audiobook services have been a game-changer. Before, small authors faced major barriers to producing quality audio editions. Narrator hiring and direction was complex and expensive. But with on-demand services, authors can get their books voiced within days by proven narrators.

Michael Lewis, an emerging fantasy author, opted to produce his debut novel as an on-demand audiobook: “I loved that Clone My Voice handled everything start to finish. They matched my book with the perfect narrator, directed the recording, and had me approve the final files. I just sat back while they turned my manuscript into a professional audiobook.”

On-demand production also allows for iterative updating as books evolve. For prolific authors who release revised editions, re-recording audiobooks is tedious and costly. The on-demand model enables seamless audio refresh with each new print/ebook iteration.

Sandra Ko, author of an annually updated travel guide, appreciates this flexibility: “I revise my book every year with new recommendations. It’s prohibitively expensive to re-record the full audiobook each time. With on-demand, I simply send my revisions to Clone My Voice and in a week I have the updated audio.”

For publishers, on-demand audiobook capabilities provide faster time-to-market while reducing overhead costs and risks. Trident Media Group, a New York based publisher, partnered with Clone My Voice for on-demand production.

“We release over a hundred new books annually across various imprints,” says Trident CEO Robert Smith. “On-demand audiobooks let us publish audio editions for every new release without delays or upfront recording costs. It’s been a game-changer for scaling our production.”

From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves - Launching a Podcast Production Arm

As podcasting continued to explode in popularity, Clone My Voice saw an opportunity to leverage their expertise in professional audio production. While countless podcasts were launching, many lacked the polish and quality that comes with working with an experienced production team. Clone My Voice decided to launch a dedicated podcast production arm in 2019 to fill this gap in the market.

The goal was to offer end-to-end podcast launch and production services. This included assisting clients with concept development, hosting casting calls for co-hosts, scripting episodes, recording in the studio, and editing/mixing the final product. Additionally, Clone My Voice could consult on launch strategy, hosting platforms, monetization, and promotion.

Take the example of Janine Collins, founder of a nonprofit dedicated to ocean conservation. She had long contemplated starting a podcast to spotlight issues like pollution and overfishing. But the logistics felt daunting. As Janine explains, “I didn’t know the first thing about recording, editing, distributing...even just structuring episodes was overwhelming.”

By hiring Clone My Voice to develop and produce her podcast, Janine could focus on content and booking impactful guests. Clone My Voice handled the rest - identifying a talented co-host, directing engaging discussions in their studio, and ensuring high production quality.

“It was such a load off my mind to have Clone My Voice assemble and polish every episode,” says Janine. “They made the process easy and let me concentrate on my core expertise.”

Corporate clients launching branded podcasts have also appreciated offloading production tasks. Enterprise IT firm NexTech had the goal of starting a podcast to strengthen their brand image as thought leaders. But they lacked creative bandwidth internally.

“We know IT - not audio entertainment,” explains NexTech CMO Tim Shaw. “Clone My Voice translated our vision into an exciting show format. Their hosting suggestions, writing support, and post-production really brought polish we couldn't achieve alone.”

For Clone My Voice, branching into podcast production has expanded their capabilities and client base. Where previously they did one-off voiceover or music projects, they now get to collaborate with clients on ongoing podcast launches.

John explains, “It's gratifying to see a show evolve from concept to fully produced series. Our goal is to spare clients all technical hurdles so they can focus purely on content.”

From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves - Helping Clients Break into Broadcasting

Many of Clone My Voice's clients come to them with big dreams of having their own radio shows, podcasts, or other broadcasting projects. However, breaking into broadcasting as an unknown host can seem impossible without the right help and resources. This is where Clone My Voice steps in. The studio has helped numerous inspired clients go from broadcasting newcomers to seasoned hosts with popular shows.

Take the example of Ahmad, a historian with a passion for 1950s music. He dreamed of hosting a syndicated weekly radio show focused on rock and roll's early days. But without industry connections or broadcasting experience, Ahmad faced an uphill battle getting his concept on the air. By partnering with Clone My Voice, Ahmad gained the support he needed to make his radio show a reality.

The Clone My Voice team worked closely with Ahmad to craft engaging segments spotlighting oldies trivia, songwriter profiles, and "on this day in rock history" features. Their writing support ensured the episodes were lively, entertaining, and educational. To recreate an authentic 1950s radio feel, the studio cloned period-appropriate DJ voices to introduce segments and banter with Ahmad between songs.

Clone My Voice also leveraged relationships with satellite radio networks to pitch Ahmad's show. Their broadcasting expertise and reputation helped get Ahmad's quirky history program on the schedule of several nationwide channels, gaining him a large potential audience. With Clone My Voice handling the recording and distribution logistics, Ahmad could focus solely on hosting duties.

Yvonne, an aspiring political talk show host, also turned to Clone My Voice to achieve her broadcasting ambitions. Despite having strong opinions and stage presence, she found it difficult as an unknown to get her show picked up by streaming networks. Here too, Clone My Voice provided vital assistance. Their team worked with Yvonne to develop hard-hitting yet thoughtful episode formats examining issues like election reform and labor rights.

To highlight Yvonne's quick wit and fiery passion, Clone My Voice pushed her out of her comfort zone during recordings, keeping discussions lively and confrontational. This showcased Yvonne's broadcasting potential. Clone My Voice then leveraged their platform relationships to get Yvonne's show distributed on multiple topical streaming networks.

From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves - Building a Full-Service Audio Production House

As Clone My Voice continued growing, they realized the demand was there to scale up into a multifaceted audio production house. While they started focused on recording local bands, new technology and client needs led them to expand their services. Today, Clone My Voice operates as a full-service audio production studio handling projects ranging from voiceovers to podcast production.

Offering end-to-end production across various formats has been a boon for Clone My Voice. As co-founder Mike explains, “We have clients from different industries coming to us for diverse projects. But because we built up full-service capabilities, we can handle whatever they need.”

For example, an e-learning company hired Clone My Voice to help voice instructional lessons. The project required casting voice actors, directing line reads for maximum engagement, and post-production polish. The client expected a high level of creative input during the production process.

Compare that to another recent client, an author publishing her memoir’s audiobook. In this case, the author only wanted Clone My Voice to record her narrating the book and handle editing tasks like chapter segmentation. With their full-service expertise, Clone My Voice could accommodate this simplified process while still ensuring excellent finished quality.

The ability to scale production support to each client’s needs is essential. As John explains, “We have the capacity to hand-hold clients through every step, or just focus on specific tasks they want to outsource. Our breadth of services allows us to customize deliverables.”

Providing end-to-end production also enables Clone My Voice to uphold quality standards. As Mike says, "When we only handle part of the process, there's always a risk of things getting lost in translation. But by overseeing the full production chain, we can maintain consistency."

Additionally, operating as a versatile studio has helped Clone My Voice weather industry shifts. While demand for certain services rises and falls, the diversity of their capabilities provides stability. As John says, “We’ve been able to adapt as the market evolves while keeping workflows steady, thanks to our full-service model.”

From Basement Hobby to Broadcasting Business: How One Long Island Studio is Making Waves - Looking Ahead to Further Growth

As Clone My Voice reflects on their rapid growth from humble beginnings recording local bands to operating a full-fledged production empire, their gaze is fixed firmly on the horizon. While proud of how far they’ve come, the team has ambitious plans to scale even further by targeting untapped markets and investing in emerging technologies.

One area ripe for expansion is the eLearning sector. As education continues shifting online, demand has exploded for high-engagement audio learning content. But many eLearning providers still rely on robotic text-to-speech voices that grate on learners. Clone My Voice sees massive potential to disrupt this space by offering custom-cloned AI instructor voices tailored to course topics and student demographics. The personalized voices boost learner focus and retention compared to generic text-to-speech.

Jarrod Klein, an eLearning entrepreneur, partnered with Clone My Voice for his new platform Campfire Learning. “Text-to-speech voices negatively impacted student engagement in my past online courses. The AI cloning technology Clone My Voice provides allows me to create instructor voices that align to each course's vibe and boost student focus."

The promising early results with clients like Campfire highlight the growth Clone My Voice can achieve by bringing their production flair to the eLearning market. And the opportunities extend beyond education to other corporate training applications.

Clone My Voice is also exploring applications of generative AI, which leverages massive datasets and neural networks to generate new content autonomously. This emerging technology shows potential to revolutionize audio production.

As John explains, “We’re experimenting with using generative AI to create unique musical compositions we can integrate into podcasts and audio dramas. The AI generates original sequences of notes and chords that our team then arranges into emotive background scores."

While still nascent, generative content creation could allow Clone My Voice to scale media production exponentially. John adds, "If the tech progresses to where AI can generate high-quality voiceover scripts and musical scores autonomously, that unlocks unlimited content possibilities."

But Clone My Voice emphasizes that new technologies will complement human creativity, not replace it. As Mike says, "The magic happens when our team blends cutting-edge AI with their artistic instincts and production skills. The tech accelerates our workflow but the human touch always elevates the end product."

Even as adoption of emerging tech accelerates, Clone My Voice stays committed to developing talent. Mike adds, "We'll continue investing in our engineers, producers, and creatives through ongoing training. Their growth enables our growth."