Guest Prep

Hi, I'm Tom Guild, co-host and engineer for USModernist Radio. We're often asked how to prepare for coming on the show. First and foremost, check out a few shows to get the vibe. Scroll down the list and you'll likely see people you know.

Our audience is the general public, so try to avoid as much architectgure jargon as possible. We may ask you to explain something if it's a common term.

Find a quiet spot to speak with us. You’ll sound best if you’re in a smaller room with curtains and carpet or other soft surfaces. Unfortunately, many incredible Modernist interiors, with high ceilings and lots of glass make for terrible acoustics – it sounds like you’re in a bathroom, and nobody wants to hear that.

If possible, either use your phone the old-fashioned way – held up to your face and speaking into the built-in microphone, or wear headphones or earbuds. Using a speakerphone can make you sound like you’re not really “present," or worse, like you’re in the bathroom (see above).

In any case, please don’t use a speaker to participate unless you absolutely must. We’re trying to minimize having anything but your voice be picked up by your microphone. It just sounds better.

Earbuds (like Apple AirPods, etc.) are okay, but what sounds best is the wired earphone/microphone combo that came with most smartphones up until recently. If the microphone is part of the wires, that’s better.

Make sure your phone or other device is charged! And if you’re on wi-fi, please stay close enough to your hub so that you have a great signal. We’d hate to lose you in mid-interview. Unless you hear otherwise from George, we won’t have video turned on. If you’re joining us using Zoom or Skype, etc., turn your video off before we start recording. It makes for a better audio connection, since there’s much less data being sent. Besides, our crack research team already knows what you look like, and sometimes even know what you had for breakfast this morning…!

Finally, relax. You’re not live; it’s all being recorded. So, if you get a little tongue-tied, you can start over again. We’ll edit it and make you sound smart and gorgeous. Besides, George and I get tongue-tied all the time.