Posted by Stew Crossen on June 3, 2009
Chapter 4:
2 More Things You Can Do Right Away
Build a Knowledge Base
There are lots of books written about voice-overs, and while none of them can replace face-to-face training or practical hands-on experience, many of the authors have a lot of interesting things to say about the voice-over business. In particular, Harlan Hogan’s book, VO, is great for its fascinating anecdotes. For character work, Pamela Lewis’ Talking Funny for Money is a good choice. Another good one is Making Money In Voice-Overs by Terri Apple.
Keep A Notebook
Jot down the day and time that you practiced and what you read. Make notes about how your voice sounded (e.g. rough, dry, wet, lower pitch, higher pitch). Also, if you’re interested in character work, a notebook is invaluable. When you come up with a new voice (or vocal attitude), give it a name and a back-story, and put it in your book. Turning these voices into real characters aids in your recall of them when you need them later. Referring to “Gizmo the Sprightly Elf” is easier than “that high-pitched squeak where I talk through my nose with a lisp.”
In Chapter 5, we’ll talk about Interpreting And Understanding Copy.
Posted in Getting Started in VO | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Stew Crossen on May 24, 2009
Chapter 3:
4 Things You Can Do Right Away
Voice Exercises
The best exercise is to practice, practice and practice. In the car, the shower, wherever. Start with your regular, everyday speaking voice and read out loud. Use the newspaper, magazines, your kid’s bedtime stories or your company memos. Just read out loud to build and strengthen your natural speaking voice. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Getting Started in VO | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Stew Crossen on February 7, 2009
Chapter 2:
5 Things You Must Have and Do to be Succesful in VO.
Get Training and Coaching.
You will need training and coaching to learn how to use your voice. Even if you’re blessed with a silky smooth set of pipes, you’ll need to learn how to use your voice and how to deliver as wide a range of vocal styles as possible. Can you be serious? Whimsical? Can you do accents or dialects? Character voices? Can you raise your performance to another level? The more versatile you are, the more jobs you’ll get. Your voice is your instrument and coaching will help you learn to play your instrument. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Getting Started in VO | Tagged: Character Voices, Voice Over Demo, Voice Over Training | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Stew Crossen on February 2, 2009
Chapter 1:
What exactly are voice-overs?
The term comes from the world of film, when a narration was referred to in the script as “Voice Over Picture”, or VO for short. Now, voice-over can refer to any number of ways you can use your voice to get a message across. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Getting Started in VO | Tagged: Animation, Auditioning, Commercials, Narration, Voice Over Training | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Stew Crossen on January 28, 2009
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The Ekectro Voice RE20
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The Shure SM7B
I have two favorite mics I use for my voice, clients and students.
First, for close work and for people with a fair amount of experience on mic… I prefer the Electro Voice RE20.
What? That old war horse?
You bet! For my money the Electro Voice RE20 is far and way the best sounding, most rugged, reliable and cost-effective microphone in the business. The EV RE20 will never lie to you, or let you down. It’s a favorite of broadcasters and engineers world-wide, and has earned its stellar reputation. The Electro Voice RE20 is also a great mic for musicians too. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Voice Over Microphones | Tagged: Electro Voice, Shure, Voice Over Mics | Leave a Comment »
