Finding your niche in voiceover is a very individual thing.

And one of the most important things you need to understand, before you launch yourself into the world of voiceover is. ‘what kind of voice artist are you’?

So, therefore, which styles of script and which area of VO are you most suited to.

And while the innate personality of your voice may suggest you’d be a good voice artist, understanding the techniques to deliver an engaging, convincing or compelling read is something that always needs attention.

You might already have an idea about what you’d love to be doing; and you may have the perfect voice for that.

Now you need to know that the voice you use in the real world, while it may be the one you feel, or have been told, would suit voiceover, may not be the one you use when you record your script. 

I’m talking technique here.  Not changing your natural voice in any way.

So, learning the techniques to becoming a versatile voice actor who gets work, is always down to you understanding how to look at your script, and work out what it needs from you.

Let me explain a little more.

Every voice is different

Just listen to any commercial break to discover that.

You’ll also hear that voiceover scripts are very different in style and purpose and so there are myriad ways to approach them.

I look at three simple techniques when I’m making decisions about ‘how to perform’ the script.

And those decisions are; how I apply any of these three things.

Energy.  Pace.  Volume.

Knowing how these elements work to produce great reads, is what will help you establish yourself as voice actor who can change the way your read sounds by deciding which of those techniques to use.

 

In this Blog I Want to Talk About ‘Volume’

You are unique and so is your voice.  And your voice is your instrument.  So you need to know how to play it. 

It’s never just one note.  It’s never just one style.  And it’s never just one volume setting.

And the first part of the lesson is this.

The digital medium doesn’t like loud.

No one likes to be shouted at.

And because the recorded medium doesn’t like it loud, if you’re too loud with any kind of script, you’ll sound too strident.

And the listener will either tune out or turn off.  Oh, oh!

That’s why understanding volume is so crucial.

So, I’ve created a short audio lesson which will help you hear what a difference choosing the right volume can make to your read.

In the lesson I’m going to use two scripts to demonstrate the difference using the right volume can make.

You might listen to the two versions of each and say, ‘there’s not that much difference’.  And that’s true.  The difference is subtle.  Think of it simply as the difference between talking to a group of friends, and one friend.  Same words, same story, different focus.

First, read through the rest of the blog and the scripts below to familiarise yourself with them.

When you’re ready, click on the audio track for the lesson

 

 

Let’s Look at Volume for the Energised Voice Style

This style is used mostly in Retail Advertising or Promo reads, where the VO artist can sound like, whatever it is, it’s the best news since sliced bread.

Often, it’s this style that can be the most irritating if it’s recorded too loud.

I’ll give you an example of too loud and then, what I call ‘contained excitement’.

First, here we go with too loud.

 

‘Looking for the smallest prices on beddings biggest names?

Well, you’ll find them right now at Snooze

There are massive savings, with up to 30% off beds and bedroom furniture

So, if you’re looking for the smallest prices on the biggest names in bedding, you’ll be sure to find them at Snooze

But be quick.  These massive savings end soon

Hurry into Snooze…and sleep well’

 

Oh gosh!  Awful eh!  And because the voice volume is a bit too ‘hot’ and, let’s face it, it takes a lot of energy to talk loud and, you heard it, it’s hard to listen too.

To ‘act’ like you’re very excited about something and not be too loud, you’ll need to create something I call ‘contained excitement’.

You drop your volume and ‘increase’ your level of excitement.

This kind of read works best if you’re standing.

Engage your ‘core’ and really feel the energy pushing up from there.

So, here we go with a more manageable volume.

 

‘Looking for the smallest prices on beddings biggest names?

Well, you’ll find them right now at Snooze

There are massive savings, with up to 30% off beds and bedroom furniture.\

So, if you’re looking for the smallest prices on the biggest names in bedding, you’ll be sure to find them at Snooze

But be quick.  These massive savings end soon

Hurry into Snooze…and sleep well’

 

So, you also hear that the lower, easier on the ears level of volume, also gives you the opportunity to let key words and phrases do their job, because you’re able to access voice acting when you work at a lower volume.  Your read will sound more interesting and engaging to listen to.

 

Now we’ll Look at an Empathetic Script

This is a script that needs warmth.  If it’s too loud you won’t achieve that.

First, I’ll give you a read that would be too loud for this kind of message.

 

‘It affects one in 10 Australians.

That’s more than two million people at any one time.

It’s the most debilitating illness in Australia.

It’s not heart disease…or cancer.

It’s depression.

And it’s time we opened our eyes to it.’

 

Can you hear how hard it is to engage with meaning?

If your script has an empathetic warmth in its message, your volume can be at a more intimate level, as though you were just talking to one person.

Now I’ll do it with less volume and increase my ability to make some key words and phrases mean a little more.

 

‘It affects one in 10 Australians.

That’s more than two million people at any one time.

It’s the most debilitating illness in Australia.

It’s not heart disease…or cancer.

It’s depression.

And it’s time we opened our eyes to it.’

 

Can you hear how the message is clearer and makes more sense.

So, once again, voice acting and delivery of the right meaning, tone and emotion in the script can only be achieved by your knowledge and judgement of the right volume to use.

 

I’ve just given you two examples of volume and what you can do to change it.

But because every voice is different, you’ll need to practise recording to find your own measure of where volume works best for you.

Just do it on your phone if you don’t have any gear yet.  And put yourself in the listeners shoes when you listen back.

Getting across the techniques for choosing the right volume level when you record can be a voiceover life changer.

 

And if you want some live time with me in a small group, where we work with these techniques and many more, I run a Saturday course in Melbourne. I have one coming up soon.

So, if your next step is to unravel the little mysteries of voiceover, here’s the link to the page on the website for more information about the day.

Happy voiceovering!