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Voice over training is the first step in achieving quality voice over work. Indeed, proper knowledge and practice of voice over are essential in mastering this art and craft and delivering extraordinary performances.
In the past, voice over was done by classically trained actors. Today, however, voice acting exercises work is becoming more and more specialized. The most famous screen actors do voice over work in big animation movies, for sure, but there is a wide range of work for voice artists in other facets of entertainment, such as voice over announcers, voice over narrators, voice actors in general and other voice over artists like those who, for example, do guiding voice announcements at a subway station.
If you’ve always dreamed of being a voice actor, or if you think that the voiceovers you provide are important, even if they’re only for your own use, voiceover training can make all the difference.
Working With A Voice Coach
Like any other role in your life, there are certain qualities to look for in a good coach or trainer. Here are some of the factors to consider when looking for a good voice over coach:
1. Professionalism and Experience
Voiceover coaches should have professional experience in the industry. Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can tell right away. Make sure to look for a coach with expertise doing voiceovers that you can find through online searches or by asking your local voice talent community!
– Look at their acting and coaching experience to see how long they’ve been in the business and what kind of impact they’ve had as a whole.
– Look at their resume to see which studios they’ve worked as male voice actors and if they’ve done any commercial work (this is a great starting point!).
2. Skill Level
One of the first things you’ll notice with a coach is their ability to customize your training to the strengths of your vocal talents. Of course, it’s not always easy to tell exactly what they can do, but there are some excellent ways to tell:
- Understandable feedback means that the coach gives you clear, practical, and helpful information on how you can leverage your strengths.
- Personalized attention – the coach will take your input into account when giving critiques, so they know what skills they’re working on without having to look it up.
- Direction – the coach knows what they’re doing, and they have a plan to get you there, which makes the practice sessions much more useful.
- Clarity – the coach can take complex concepts and explain them in a way that helps you understand them.
- Excellent feedback and support – this is where really great coaches make all the difference. They’ll not only keep you motivated but find ways to fix things that might be holding you back!
3. Methods and Training Material
There are loads of training methods to choose from when doing voiceover work. A good coach will know how to determine what’s best for your voice and help you develop it into something great. It’s also important that they have the right kind of training material for your unique needs!
– A voice coach should be able to help you build a solid foundation for your future work. The more techniques they can give you, the better!
– Voice coaches should also have resources that help you understand exactly the point behind each exercise and why it’s important.
– Voice coaches should also have methods for learning how to do any raw material that you might be struggling with.
Can I Train by Myself?
While working with a professional (especially when new to voice acting) is generally advisable, you can also train by yourself. Remember, though, that you might not get the same results you’d get from working with a coach. Here are some tips to help you to do so you can have the best training experience possible:
1. Read Out Loud
– Read out loud to yourself. It’s a great way to practice your material and get a sense of how it sounds.
– Read out loud anything you’d like! Read a script, read your training material, or just read random sentences.
– When you’re reading something out loud, it’s essential to pay attention to the emotion. Reading out loud can be super helpful for this!
– If the emotion isn’t coming through in your voice, try changing the pitch or speed of the words. – Some exercises can help you improve your tempi, such as vowel exercises or word-to-vowel exercises.
2. Watch TV Commercials
In the commercial industry, it’s super important to learn how actors present! Commercials and voice over actor news websites are a great place to get real-world experience.
– Watch as many commercials as you can, listen to the voice actors delivery, paying close attention to their pacing, delivery and subtle nuances in their voice.And learn the difference between male voice actors and female voice actors..
– Try to mimic the presentation in your voice. You can also try picking up on the rhythm of how they speak.
3. Attend Acting Classes
If you don’t have a local acting class in your area, consider taking one online! They can be super helpful in understanding how the voice-over industry works and brushing up on your skills in acting and auditions.
4. Audition and Read Professionally
Many voiceover services require you to send out a copy of your work to be evaluated before you can join. This is a great way to see how your work sounds to real actors and professionals.
5. Watch Professional Voice Actors on YouTube
This is another great way to check out how other professionals have gotten their work done.
YouTube can be a great resource for getting new ideas on how to help you come up with new voices or vocalizing your characters in a unique way!
Check into the voice acting community for more feedback and advice!
6. Watch TV Shows and Movies
This is an excellent way to see how the voiceover industry is presented!
– Take note of the styles used and what actors are used for roles. Often, you can tell if they did voiceovers or not based on their parts!
– You can also see how directors use specific techniques while promoting their shows, commercials, or films.
In conclusion
It’s important for any aspiring actor to never give up and keep working hard at whatever it is they’re interested in!
