Long before I ramped up my voiceover business I became an internet junkie. I went through the process of learning how to develop websites and then how to market them. It was a foundation that has proven very helpful to me in growing my business. In fact, I am an Internet Marketing Consultant for AT&T and Google/Yahoo adword certified. I’m not sharing that to impress you. Just wanted you to know that I am qualified to give you advice on how to market your voiceover biz on the internet.

Back in 2001 if you googled “plumbers” you would have come up with 300,000 results. That same search today will produce over 4 million. A July 2009 web server survey reported over 239,611,111 websites around the world. The number of websites is growing by about 1.5 million per month. The point is that it is growing increasingly difficult to be found on the net. Just having a website is of little to no value. Getting noticed is no small task.

I talk to people all the time who have put up websites and found them to be useless as a vehicle for building business. “Been there. Done that. Didn’t work.” But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Your website should be your top salesman. That’s good news for voice artists. Most of us are going it alone without a sales team. A fine tuned, rightly positioned website will outperform all other marketing efforts. It can do more than an agent, more than websites that represent multiple voice artists, and more than you can do soliciting ad agencies by phone.

You don’t have to spend megabucks to build a successful website. In fact, you can do it yourself. Doing your own website also gives you quick access for important changes and updates. And you don’t have to spend hours learning techno-geek language. There are plenty of user-friendly services and software that can get you on the web at minimal cost. However, stay away from the free sites. There are too many limitations and strings attached to free sites.

Following are crucial elements in building the foundation for all your web marketing through the construction of a website strategically designed for success.

1. Content is king

Research indicates that the average person seeking a product or service on the web will spend no more than 8 seconds on a web page looking for what they need. Ask yourself what your typical customer is looking for and make certain that they can find that info quickly and easily.

Don’t be wordy. Be succinct. Say it in as few words as possible.

What sets you apart from your competitors? Why would somebody want to hire you? What can a client expect when doing business with you? Give very specific information about the services you offer. If a shopper doesn’t see what they’re looking for they will assume you don’t have it.

Make certain that your content is well organized on the page and that your site is easy to understand and navigate.

2. Strategically target your customer

Who is it that want to reach? Remember that you’re not building a website to impress your friends or even the people in your vocation. The object is to create a website that appeals to your preferred clientele.

When targeting my website I aimed at reaching two advertiser groups. The first was made up of creative advertising professionals. Most are well-versed on how voice talent works and they have a pretty clear picture of what it is they are looking for. As a second group I have endeavored to reach small and medium business owners and managers. The voiceover industry is foreign to them and a good website gives them useful information on how the process works and what the talent can do for them. Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience and consider what they will be looking for.

3. Create the right image

The look and feel of your site must capture the image you want to portray. Many voiceover sites miss the mark because they’re too dark or flashy. If you’re going to deal with a variety of business types you don’t want to turn them away by not looking like a serious business professional. Use photos sparingly and stay away from jumping and gyrating images. Keep it classy and clean.

4. Give a call to action

What is it that you want the client to do? Call you? Email you? Get a quote for a project? Get that message prominently displayed to move them toward that important contact. “Call me today!” “Call me for a free consultation!”

5.  Contact information should be big, bold, colorful, and near the top

One quick way to frustrate a potential customer is to send them hunting for your contact info. Make certain that your phone number and email address are a major focus on every page of your site. If your address is important to your voiceover business then also include that information. Use email forms with caution. Potential clients want to be able to interact with you and not a questionnaire. If you have specific hours of operation be sure to also make that information easily accessible and highly visible.

6.  Testimonials from satisfied customers, awards, and certifications

Ask your clients to give you a few words of recommendation and supply that info on your home page. Don’t use phony testimonials. Use only real people with genuine comments. False testimonials will come back to bite you. Be genuine.

Have you received any awards or certifications that validate your work? Use that info and related logos on your home page.

7.  Make use of ALT tags and Meta Tags

You may need to do a little research on these important elements. ALT Tags give key info behind graphics and photos that is picked up by search engine web crawlers. Meta Tags supply the crawlers with important keyword info about your products and services that can not be seen on your site.

8. Keep the main thing the main thing

Your website must have a clear focus. Many of us in the voiceover business have other jobs and backgrounds. Use only that which is pertinent to voice talent. Your potential client doesn’t care if you are or have been a radio superstar or stage actor. The question is “Can you do the work that I need?” What you can do today is far more important than what you did yesterday. Many websites fail because they are all over the road. Stay on point.

9. Potential clients don’t want flash – they want information

Ever go to a website that locks you in and you can’t get out by hitting the back arrow on your browser? You probably didn’t like it. Well, neither do the search engines. You may think that you have trapped the potential client into staying on your web site but what you have actually done is told the search engine web crawlers to leave you alone. Also, all that fancy flash slows your website down and the crawlers ignore it. Don’t hurt your site with too many bells and whistles. Right information strategically placed is essential for success.

10. Keep it fresh

A website left alone will die. Update your site regularly with relevant information. Incorporate changes in your business and give potential clients reasons to come back to your site.

11. Be an expert

Devote a page or two of your site to helpful information to others in your industry and to potential clients. Pertinent information that you may consider commonplace can be valuable to others. Demonstrating a willingness to share free information makes potential customers feel more at ease in doing business with you. Further your image as an expert with a blog that links back to your site.

12. Create special offers

Look for creative ways to offer special incentives for doing business with you. Coupons, discounts, or online specials cost you nothing but can be the extra enticement necessary to gain a new client’s work. Save your blogs and turn them into an ebook that you offer free to new clients. It’s not necessary to give away the farm but remember that “everybody likes a good deal.”

An effective business website is a labor of love. Done right it will serve as your star salesman. But the website alone will not succeed unless you aggressively market your site. In my next article I’ll share a strategy for making use of free and pay web marketing opportunities for driving the right traffic to your website.

If you want me to take a look at your website I’ll be happy to give you a free consultation. Just email me at rw7475@gmail.com .

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How much does it cost to build a professional voiceover studio? What equipment do I need to get started? These questions are at the top of the list of those trying to get started in the voiceover business.

If you’re asking the “how much does it cost” question there is a high likelihood that you’re high on ambition and short on cash. Don’t feel bad. My best educated guess is that 99.9% of the people getting into this business are in the same boat. Maybe a better way to phrase the question is “What’s the least I can spend on a professional voiceover studio?” Also a fair follow-up question, “Can I expect a good return on my investment?”

Assuming you already have a computer you can get started with an investment of as little as $100. Plug a cheap microphone into your pc or laptop and use a free audio program and you can get to work. You can also expect to be a miserable failure as a voiceover artist. Additionally, if you don’t have the voice, talent, and work ethic necessary for success you can spend thousands on audio equipment and still fail. Before you make the investment in a professional home voiceover studio you should be convinced that you have what it takes. Get a working pro in the business to assess your potential.

This article will focus on the “how much” question as well as addressing essential audio equipment needs. As far as a guaranteed return on investment there is none. However, the old expression “you have to spend money to make money” definitely applies here. Your goals should be to showcase your talents and abilities in the best ways possible and to provide your clients with a quality product and superior service.

Here, then, are 5 Essential Keys to Building a Professional Home Voiceover Studio:

1. Don’t Skimp On the Computer

Make certain that you have adequate processor speed and ample hard drive storage for handling a growing library of sound files. The $300 Walmart special will not give you the quality and reliability that you need. Run a Google search for “best CPU for a digital audio workstation.” Do your homework before you buy.

You can purchase a computer designed specifically for audio applications. However, these workstations are costly. If you don’t plan on bringing in the local symphony or rock band for a session and your sole function is for voiceovers then a good quality computer will suffice. You can get the computer that you need for professionally recording voiceovers in the $500 to $700 range. I’ve found some great prices on excellent systems at http://www.tigerdirect.com/ .

Desktop of PC? It doesn’t matter. That’s a personal preference issue. I use a laptop because it’s better suited to my needs. I like the flexibility of being able to lay down my voice tracks where all my sound equipment remains stationary and then moving to a more comfortable setting for the editing process. It also gives me the luxury of taking my studio with me when I’m on the road. Use what makes the most sense for you.

Designate one computer for handling your voiceover business. You’re opening the door for trouble if your audio workstation is also the family computer.

Purchase an external drive and backup your files regularly.

2. Use a Professional Microphone

Select a high-end pro microphone that is best for your voice. You can spend anywhere from $200 up to $7000. Currently I use a Rode NT2-A which can be purchased in the mid to high-$300’s. If you’re really strapped for cash you can get by with a MXL DRK condenser microphone which sells for a few pennies under $100. However, as your business grows you will want to replace the MXL with something better. Shure, Neumann and Sennheiser make superior microphones to name a few. The more you work with your voice the more you’ll be sensitive to the sound quality that you want to achieve.

When selecting a microphone you will want one that is unidirectional. That keeps the sound focus on you and not on what’s happening on the other side of the microphone. The Rode NT2-A is omnidirectional but can be set to a unidirectional mode and has additional filters that can be utilized for achieving your desired reproductive sound. Again, do your research and select the product that puts you in the best possible light.

3. Cleanup Sound Card Issues

Generally, factory installed sound cards leave a lot to be desired. Sometimes you’ll encounter speed issues where the soundcard won’t keep up with the computer processor or vice versa. A more troubling issue is that internal cards pick up noise from within the computer. The extraneous sound is barely detectable but a nightmare for generating clean recordings. One solution is to invest in a high-end audio workstation soundcard if you can afford it. Most of us mere mortals aren’t in a position to swing for that kind of cash so I recommend that you go for an external solution. The best that I’ve found in this regard is made by M-Audio which offers a line of USB audio interfaces for multiple applications. The M-Audio Fast Track should be sufficient for your needs. It sells for about $150 and provides phantom power if you use a condenser microphone. The pro model costs about a hundred bucks more and is good if you plan on doing some midi recording. The M-Audio device also solves some issues that cause your headphones to be out of sync with your voice as you record.

4. Use the Right Software

I wish I would have invested in the M-Audio product sooner. It would have saved me a bunch of money on audio software. The Fast Track comes with an introductory version of Sound Pro. I’ve played with it a little and it appears to be and good choice for voice-tracking and multi-track recording and editing.

If you want to pay out some big bucks you can purchase Adobe Audition which sells for $300 to $400. I prefer a product made my Magix called Samplitude Music Studio 15. I like it because it gives me the capacity to do user-friendly multi-track production and it only costs $80. Every function I have needed has been available on Samplitude. Another good basic audio product is the AVS Audio Editor that sells for $35. AVS is good for laying down tracks and simple editing. If you lack experience in audio production and have no interest in developing that skill and providing that service then AVS Audio Editor is an excellent choice.

Sony produces a product called Sound Forge. I know some folks in the biz who use it exclusively and have had good results with it. There are several versions ranging in price from $40 up to the high $200’s.

5. Master Your Sound Environment

In a previous article I addressed this important issue. For more go to Voiceover Home Studio Acoustics for Dummies.

Good luck to you as you build your professional voiceover studio. If you need some free advice I’ll be happy to help. Send me an email with your voiceover questions.

About a year ago my wife and I decided it was time to downsize. Our boys were grown and had finally left the nest and both of us were tired of the hassles and responsibilities that go with home ownership. We finally decided that an apartment was our best solution. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to come home on Friday afternoon and see that my lawn has already been mowed. And when the plumbing leaks I don’t have to crawl under the sink to repair it or pay somebody $50 to give me an estimate on how much it would cost to fix it.

As we went through the process of apartment hunting it was always amusing to watch the responses of apartment managers when my wife told them that her husband needed a big closet so he could do his work. In fact even after we had made a deposit on an apartment I was still unsure as to how I would tackle building a studio in an apartment environment.

On the first night in our new home I was awakened to a very troubling reality. Either the neighbors above us were health nuts who worked out in heavy work boots or they were chopping wood for their fire place in their living room. Nothing in my thought processes had prepared me for dealing with sound issues from above.

The point of this story is that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to assembling an in-home voiceover studio. Every situation is unique with numerous challenges.

Since most of us are not acoustical scientists we need a reasonably simple solution to our sound quality issues. What follows then is a simple approach to help you put together a voiceover/home recording studio that meets the technical and competitive requirements of the voice talent industry.

Adjust to Your Environment

If you have an endless supply of cash you can purchase a very nice pre-fab sound booth or purchase costly materials to build your own. I didn’t have that luxury and probably most of us in this business aren’t among the affluent. Consequently, we’re going to have to make some concessions to our sound environment.

Work-around the noise

Here in the apartment I learned that the disturbance from above came at night and on weekends. At our previous residence there were 4-wheelers, motorcycles, pickup trucks, leaf blowers, lawnmowers, a squeaky floor above and kids playing in the neighborhood. Then there’s the issue of air conditioner and heating/furnace noise. You may have to turn the units off while you are recording and then back on while editing. Also you’ll need to remain flexible and realize that something or somebody will inevitably find a way to create noise in times you don’t expect. Mother Nature has a way of sending rain, thunder, and lightning at inopportune moments. Relax, chill, be flexible, and learn not to procrastinate. Strive to work ahead recognizing that there will be times when you just cannot record.

Locate your sweet spot

Your sweet spot is that place where the right sound and the right comfort level come together. I’m certain you’ve seen how a dog lays down. He circles until he gets into that “just right” comfortable spot. You’ll need that “just-right” spot for your recording studio. I thought my sweet spot was going to be in a closet. As it turned out, I was wrong. Sure enough I was able to get the sound stability that I wanted but I hadn’t counted on 100+ temps during the summer and sub-freezing temps in winter. All it took was one audio book for me to realize that the closet wasn’t going to work. Sound is not the only issue in building a studio. Comfort is essential to good performance. Unfortunately, every location in your home will have unique sound and comfort issues that you will have to solve. If you’re recording/work environment isn’t right then the quality of your voice talent production will be diminished.

Control your environment

Don’t let the sound environment control you. You must take charge! Once you have worked out the location issue then you must solve the sound issues. There are three critical steps that will make it possible for you to control your sound environment.

(1) Assess electronic noise- It has been my experience that electronic noise is easier to eliminate than room noise. Through trial and error you can usually get to the source of the problem. It can be as simple as a cord touching a metal surface. Other causes can be bad connections, incompatible devices, substandard equipment, or improper wiring.

(2) Assess room noise and echo- Set you microphone at a normal record level and hit the record button. Record several minutes of room noise. On playback turn up the volume and listen for room noise. Listen for low-level buzz or hum. Whatever noise you discover must be eliminated. Once again turn on your microphone and read some copy at different voice levels and intensity. Playback the recording and listen for room echo. If there is echo then that also must be eliminated.

(3) Correct your sound issues- Assessment is easy. Correction is considerably more complex. The Electronic noise issues can be solved by good equipment, the right software, and proper wiring. However, room noise issues are more complex. I often come across articles on this subject touting the wonders of recording inside your car. Yeah, good acoustics, but I’m just not up to setting up shop on an isolated country road. And quite frankly, the sound of a sheriff’s siren is just a little too unnerving for my taste. The quickest and least expensive solution is to go with a simple device developed by Harlan Hogan called the Porta-Booth. Actually, you can build it yourself. My wife is pretty handy with arts and crafts, assembling it in less than an hour after a quick trip to a music store (pyramid acoustical foam) and Target (folding box). The Porta-Booth is not a complete fix. I’ve still had some echo issues which I ultimately controlled by attaching pyramid foam to a simple room divider screen which sits behind me while recording. The setup is not aesthetically pleasing but it is very functional. There are plenty of resources on the web that should give you workable solutions to fixing sound quality issues. Most importantly keep at it until you have a clean sound. You may have premium sound equipment but if you don’t get the room acoustics right then your voiceover production will always be substandard.

In this article I have not addressed sound equipment. That will be addressed in another writing. Rather the focus has been on the often neglected issue of sound environment. I have given you a simple approach to tackling the complex science of acoustics as it relates to the voice talent business and in particular to home voiceover studios. Your good voice deserves to be showcased in the best way possible. A clean sound environment is crucial in achieving that objective.

My inspiration for this blog came in a coffee cup. I observed that I was drinking bargain brand coffee from a Starbucks’ cup. The lesson is simply that good presentation makes things better. As it relates to the work of the voice artist: good presentation is essential in creating a voiceover demo that achieves its goal of creating new voice talent clients.

The competition for voiceover business is enormous and growing. I don’t know if you listen to what the other guys and gals are doing but there are many who are extremely good at their craft. Moreover, they have good demos. Quite frankly, I am in awe of much of the talent I hear.

I often think of the voice talent seekers who have to wade through all those demos. How do you choose a voice from so many good demos? What is it that catches the seeker’s ear? What can be done to get your demo noticed and selected?

Eventually you will want to have multiple demos geared to the markets you want to reach. However, you should have one signature demo that I call the Anchor Demo. This is the one upon which most of your work will be generated. Most of the voice rep sites encourage multiple demos for multiple markets. I am not in disagreement with that but I do believe that the majority of your client response will be generated from one demo.

Following are 10 Tips for Creating Winning Voiceover Demos

1. Well Planned- A good demo must have reason and form.
   1. The first question that must be answered is “who will produce your demo?” There are some excellent services that you can find on the web that will assemble your demo for you. If you possess superior production skills and quality audio equipment then you can handle it yourself.
   2. Develop an outline for your demo that has an introduction and an ending. Most demos are just a string of voiceover audio clips. Look for a common thread that ties it all together and make it flow from cut to cut.
2. Attention Grabbing- Get the listener’s attention right away. Use someone else to introduce you. Another voice talent, your grandmother, a child. Make it brief but get their attention. It can be as simple as having another voice artist say your name. It’s a matter of staging, setting up that which is to come.
3. Focused- Consider your market. Who is it that you want to reach with this demo? What kind of business do you desire to get from this demo? Think like a client who is looking for what you are trying to sell. Address that need. Keep in mind that there are different kinds of clients who will be listening to your demo:
   1. The advertising professional- These are individuals who for the most part know exactly what they want and how the voiceover process works. To cater to this group it’s important to do your research and stay on the cutting edge of the norm for the industry. They’re also more likely to be impressed with “name brand dropping” in your demo.
   2. The do-it-yourselfer- They have little to no knowledge of how the voiceover process works. They certainly don’t have trained ears and are less prone to be attracted by the voiceover sound-de-jour. A little entertainment value may go a long way with these folks and the big name brands might be a turn-off.
4. Branded- Make certain that your name is on your demo, beginning and end. Also, when you save your file include your name in the file name.
5. Variety- Here the variety should be in style and tempo only – not in genres. Let the seeker know that you have the range and the ability to adapt to their requirements. Include cuts with music and without. Be cautious in using other voices. Remember, you’re selling yourself. Too much dialogue from somebody else is confusing and keeps the focus off of your talent.
6. Tempo/Texture- Use changing tempos to aid flow and create interest. Open in a moderate tempo, pick up the pace, then slide to something soft and slow. If you have a gruff sound then balance that with your natural sound. It’s like creating a fine musical work. Make it flow.
7. Quality Production/Superior Audio- Make certain that your edits are clean and that they aid flow. Your presentation must be devoid of extraneous noise and heavy compression. Resist the temptation to dazzle the client with your production prowess. As a voice talent you are selling your voice and not your ability to manipulate sound.
8. Time Sensitive- Opinions differ on the proper length for a demo. I believe that a good demo should be in the 2 minute range. Clients most often only listen to a few seconds of a demo. That’s why it is so important to grab their attention from the beginning. This is not a time for saving your best for last. Nor is it a time for starting strong and ending strong. Every part of a great demo should be stellar.
9. Honest- A great demo should be the best possible representation of what you really are. Your demo is only part of the cycle involved in building a successful voiceover business. If you can’t deliver the product after a great demo then you have been dishonest with your client.
10. Keep refining- Monitor the effectiveness of your demos. Are they getting listened to and are you getting client contacts from them? A while back I made the mistake of changing a demo that had been working well for me. I had grown tired of it and thought it was in need of change. The result was fewer calls from clients for quotes. More recently I analyzed the differences between the two demos and built a new demo based on my study. As a result I am getting more inquiries than ever.

A good demo is part of our foundation for voice talent success. The investment of time, energy, creativity, and even monetary funds will be worth your while. Make a good impression with the best possible presentation of your work.

Need a demo critique? I offer the service for free. I’ll share some ideas on how to improve your presentation. You can contact me at rw7475@gmail.com.

All the best to you as you pursue your voice talent dream.

When you work out of your own audio studio you can cut yourself a lot of slack. Work in your underwear if you want. But on those days when you’re not going it alone and in the presence of your client, ad rep, and a producer then life changes. How will you handle working an audience in a new environment? You’re used to calling the shots. Now somebody will be scrutinizing every word you read and making suggestions that just might be unsettling. Following is a Q&A to help you make the most of your voiceover studio sessions:

How do you handle negative criticism during a session?

When it’s negative or corrective then you must learn to not take it personally. That’s easier said than done since most of us take great pride in our work. Make negative criticism work for you. Immediately take the posture of working with and not against the person directing the session. The harder you work at giving them what they want the more you will earn their respect. Be courteous, smile a lot, relax, don’t get rattled, be cooperative, and don’t lose control. Don’t be a prima donna. Be professional.

How do you mark copy for reading?

If it helps you to make notes, highlight, draw circles, underline, or whatever, do it. There is no established system for marking copy. Develop your own if it helps to strengthen your performance. Personally I seldom, if ever, mark copy unless the copy has typos, is poorly written, or requires difficult pronunciations.

How much preparation time should I use before reading copy?

As much as you need. I almost never pre-read and generally my first read is my best and most natural. This comes from my days as a musician when I learned the art of site-reading. The exception is in a studio environment when the copywriter, ad creative type, or client is in the room. In this case I just think that it’s good etiquette to study the copy and ask questions about the read they’re looking for. More important than pre-reading is getting a feel for the client’s expectations. If the client offers to email the copy to you prior to the session then gladly accept the offer. Find something good about the copy and share that with the copywriter or ad rep during the session. I can’t emphasize this enough. You must always represent yourself well. Good PR will do much to make sessions go better and lead to future projects with your clients.

How can I find proper pronunciations for technical or unfamiliar words?

Generally a simple Google search will get you what you need. Contact the copywriter or author. In fictional writings authors frequently create words. In this case go directly to the source. Occasionally I call on my friends. For example, I was recently narrating a theology book with numerous Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic terms. I called my pastor, a former seminary professor, for help. Usually there is somebody you know who can help. You can also use your social network to dig out a pronunciation. There will be some words to which nobody can give you a concrete answer. In that case, wing it.

How do you handle “know-it-all” sound engineers and producers?

I’m not sure what you mean by this question. Some producers/sound engineers seem oblivious to what’s going on. They pre-set a level and go about doing other things while you’re laying down your track. Then there are those who don’t capture the voice quality that you want. The answer in both of these scenarios is the same. “Suck up.” We have a tendency to focus our attention on the client. However when you’re working with a new producer then take time to build a working relationship. I have a soft voice that requires more level and a touch of processing. Yes, processing. Not heavy compression, just a touch. I make that point known before we get started. Get him or her working with you from the beginning. Always do research on the people you work with and for. Sound studios almost always have a website where you can find audio samples of their work. Take time to listen, make mental notes, and use what you’ve learned to compliment. “Hey, man. I heard that spot you did for Adamson Ford. I really liked it.” Don’t just turn on the charm for your clients. Give a little extra love to the guy running the controls.

“I have a good voice and I am a good reader. Vocal exercise is a waste of my time.” You are certainly entitled to that opinion. Without question, in every field, there are those who are naturally blessed with extraordinary talent. However if you truly want to master your craft then you need to do all possible to reach your maximum potential and develop a competitive edge that will result in a successful voice talent career.

There are people who make music and then there are musicians. There are those who can draw or paint a pretty picture and then there are artists. And there are many people who can read commercials and narrations but only a handful who are truly voice artists.

The point here is that artists at the top of their craft get the majority of the work. The crumbs go to everybody else. If your desire is to rise to the top of your profession then you must build on good fundamentals. Vocal exercises help you to develop, fine-tune, and maintain your voice and vocal abilities. It comes down to this: “How good do you want to be?”

Here then are some of the basics upon which you can build your craft:

Breathe Properly

The quickest way to learn how to breathe correctly is to lie flat on your back on the floor. As you lay there focus on your breathing. As you breathe in and out notice how you exhale. You naturally push air with your diaphragm. This is the way you should process air when you speak.

Now sit or stand and practice taking air into the stomach and forcing the air out with your diaphragm. Use your lungs for extra storage. Once the air has been depleted from the stomach then continue with the reserve air in your lungs.

Again take a deep breath. If you catch yourself filling just the lungs then start over. If you can’t get it right then lay back down on the floor to again study the natural process.

Now, take in air correctly while pushing a steady stream of air from the diaphragm and humming a single comfortable tone. HHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Repeat the process each time seeking to sustain the tone longer.

Find something to read and apply the breathing technique. Read as many words and sentences as possible without taking a breath.

Mastering proper breathing technique for vocal performance takes discipline, dedication, and hard work. It is the foundation for voice talent excellence. Without fail use proper breathing technique for all vocal exercises and for all vocal performances.

Warm Up

Before a voice or practice session you should always warm up. These exercises will serve to loosen the vocal cords and tune them to where they are most productive. Your voice naturally changes pitch during the day. In the mornings it will be deeper and raspy or hoarse. By evening your voice may grow weak and lose range. Proper warm-up and exercise will help you overcome these difficulties.

• Hum
  

  In your most comfortable sound zone, with proper breathing technique, hold out a monotone hum for as long as possible. Repeat several times until your voice feels more relaxed, natural, and comfortable.

• B – O
  

  Think fog horn. Slowly hold out a comfortable low tone – BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB – followed by a lower comfortable tone – OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO – Repeat frequently

• Yeow (”ow” as in “wow”)
  

  Roll and stretch your mouth and facial muscles. Still in a comfortable low tone, slowly, and relaxed. – YY-EEEEE-OW- Repeat frequently. Watch your breathing.

Vocal Sound Improvement Exercises

Personally, since I have a background in music, I use arpeggios and scales when working with vowel sounds. If you’re not musically inclined there are still some ways that you can apply this exercise.

• First speak the vowels drawing out each letter in a monotone phrase. “AAAAA – EEEEE – IIIII – OOOOO – UUUUU.” Repeat several times.
• Now employ different sounds, still in monotone, related to each letter. “AHHHH – EHHHH – IHHHH – OOOOO – UHHHH.” Repeat several times.
• Now apply music. Everybody knows the children’s song “Three Blind Mice.” Using just the first 3 notes sing each of the vowels in a comfortable range for your voice. “AAAAA – EEEEE – IIIII – OOOOO – UUUUU.” Again, repeat several times.
• Still with “Three Blind Mice” employ the related sounds. “AHHHH – EHHHH – IHHHH – OOOOO – UHHHH.”
• Remember the song “Do-Re-Me” from the Sound of Music. Use just the first three notes and repeat the exercises.
• Now, use some of the songs that you know. All you need is the first few notes.
• Next, change your range. Start on higher and lower tones.

What you’re doing here is loosening your vocal cords and strengthening your quality vocal range. Singers have ranges in which they sing their best. You, as a voice artist, must learn where to pitch your voice. Find the zone where you sound best. These exercises will strengthen your sound zone and enable you to expand your usable range.

Articulation Exercises

You’ve worked on the sounds produced by your voice. Now, let’s work on articulation.

As a kid you may have played around with Tongue Twisters. In regard to voice talent development they are invaluable. You will likely find your favorites but here are some of mine. I use these because they deal with some of the challenges often encountered in reading copy. Use a half dozen of these at a time and repeat them 5 times each.

• Six sick slick slim sycamore saplings.
• A box of biscuits, a batch of mixed biscuits
• Six thick thistle sticks. Six thick thistles stick.
• Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat.
• Mrs. Smith’s Fish Sauce Shop.
• Three free throws.
• Knapsack straps.
• A noisy noise annoys an oyster.
• The myth of Miss Muffet.
• Friendly Frank flips fine flapjacks.
• Vincent vowed vengeance very vehemently.
• Cheap ship trip.
• Lovely lemon liniment.
• Moose noshing much mush.
• Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.
• Peggy Babcock.
• Six sticky sucker sticks.
• Crisp crusts crackle crunchily.
• Thieves seize skis.
• Truly rural.
• Ed had edited it.
• Preshrunk silk shirts
• The epitome of femininity.
• Please pay promptly.
• Strange strategic statistics.
• Complex Multiples

Take Good Care of Your Voice

• Watch when and what you eat
  

  Some things just should be eaten before a performance. If you’re serious about raising the voice talent bar on your career then you’ll learn what you can and can’t eat. Greasy foods, acidic foods, sweets, and dairy products are a no-no for me. Also, don’t eat late. Acid reflux can be very damaging to your voice.

• Keep the weight off
  

  Excessive weight hampers good breath control and even changes the sound quality of the voice.

• Watch what you drink
  

  Coffee, alcohol, and carbonated beverages are bad for the voice. Coffee? Yes, that’s been hard for me too. Coffee is very acidic and can, over time, adversely affect the voice.

• Don’t smoke
  

  That’s a no-brainer.

• Don’t scream
  

  Screaming can do serious damage to the vocal cords.

• Don’t take on too much
  

  I learned the hard way. Audio books pay well but they can wreak havoc on the vocal cords. Recently I was trying to finish an audio book while taking on several other projects. In the process, I lost my voice, not once but twice in a 3 week period.

• Get plenty of voice rest
  

  Rest between sessions. Resist the temptation to handle long projects in one sitting. Don’t talk so much.

• Stay Away from Sick People
  

  Now more than ever. Practice good hygiene.
  

Breathe correctly, warm-up, exercise, and practice every day for as long as you want a voice talent career. Drive + Determination + Discipline = Success!
Become more than a voice talent. Become a voice artist.

My wife asked me to explain what was obvious to me. “Who is Ron Radio?”

Ron Radio is a term I have used for years to refer to radio veterans who have experienced the rich radio experience and who have been affected by the radio culture. We are the ones who lived, breathed, and passionately gave our all for something we thought was the greatest job on earth.

As youngsters we dreamed of the opportunity to get behind the microphone. We listened to legendary disc jockeys on legendary radio stations and longed to be like them. We copied their styles and even their content. If a big name personality said something daring on the air then you could expect that same colorful phrase to spread across the country.

A famous aircheck made the rounds in the 70s featuring a big name radio personality declaring on the air that he was so excited that “he had just wet his pants.” Not surprisingly, disc jockeys all over America were proudly announcing that they too “had just wet their pants.”

Then there were the tight formats that demanded that air personalities conform to the formula de jour. Format clocks, aircheck sessions with the program director, liner cards, and very strict limitations on allowable talk time were the rule for many years. It’s amazing that some of the most undisciplined human beings on God’s earth were locked into such an incredibly disciplined profession.

Of course, there have always been the rebels who dared to be different. But by in large, Ron Radio was molded and shaped by an unavoidable environment. Although radio voices come in many different varieties most are easily recognized and associated with radio. That is not a bad thing until Ron Radio determines to become Victor Voice Talent.

When you’ve always made a living with your voice there is a natural assumption that voice talent is a natural progression from radio personality. However, when the day comes that you are finally ready to part from the radio ranks you are in for a rude awakening.

I’m not suggesting that you need to forget about everything you ever learned. But I do believe that you’re going to have to do some reinventing. I’ll preface that by saying that if your plan is to just pick up a few bucks on the side then just leave things the way they are. If you were good in radio and if you were in demand to cut commercials then that should be enough to keep you going. On the other hand, if it’s a voice talent career that you’re looking for then you will definitely need to make some changes.

Here now are some steps you can take to “get the Ron out of Ron Radio.”

1. Listen to successful voice talent professionals. One of the things that will quickly become obvious is that most of them don’t have the radio sound. In fact, you may find yourself amazed at the quality of their voices. That beautiful rich resonant voice that you worked so hard to develop is no longer “in.” The voices getting the most work these days belong to voice actors with “unique” and “natural” voices.
2. Find your unique “sound print.” Get to work on cleaning up your vocal sound. Record yourself and listen with a critical ear. Try to identify that part of your voice that is truly natural. Remove intentional coloring of the voice. Push with the diaphragm for a smooth stream of air but don’t pinch or constrict the vocal chords in any way that is unnatural. Strive to get back to the voice that God gave you. Practice daily. You’ll sound awful initially but keep at it. Hold off on cutting demos and sharing your work until you have arrived at your unique sound print.
3. Voice act. Find some books and magazines representative of all kinds of literature, turn on the recorder, and read aloud for as long as you can. Don’t just read. Act.
4. Slow down. Learn the difference between “natural” on the radio and “natural” in regard to voice talent. Work at being conversational.
5. Talk “to” – not “down.
6. Invest in the best audio equipment you can afford. To be competitive you’re going to have to provide a product that is technically superior.
7. Don’t over produce. In radio we learned all kinds of techniques for editing, mixing, and manipulating sound. Voice talent is about your voice… not your production abilities. There will occasionally be opportunities to use those acquired skills but most often you will be hired for your voice and not your production wizardry. Avoid electronic manipulation of your voice and use no more than a hint of sound processing.
8. Avoid the temptation to audition for everything. Now more than ever you need to be honest with yourself. Only audition for those projects for which you are best suited. In radio you were often assigned spots outside your element. As a voice talent you must find your niche and stay in your element. Don’t be all over the road. What makes you “special?”
9. Define your market. Once you have clearly defined what you do you must then identify who you plan to do it for. What and who is your target “market?”
10. Aggressively and intentionally market yourself. You’ll need a well-conceived and highly targeted web site. Keep it focused and not all over the road. Make sure the landing page gives that potential client everything he is looking for. You’ve got about 8 seconds to get the point across. Maximize the potential of your web site with solid SEO (search engine optimization), SEI (search engine inclusion), and SEM (search engine marketing on Google, Yahoo, and other major search engines). There are plenty of web gurus around who can help. Invest in memberships in the best of the voice talent web sites.  Voices.com, Voice123.com, VOPlanet.com, and Bodalgo.com are worth a try. Take advantage of free social networking like Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, and MySpace. I also use direct marketing through an online service called Digital Express.

Building a business is hard work and it takes a lot of time. Divide your day into segments that allot time for personal and product development, marketing (minimum 2 hours daily), recording/editing projects, and auditioning (at least 5 per day), and record keeping. Give phenomenal customer service.

Get committed. Be persistent. Define your dream. Set goals. Go for it. And by all means, don’t look back. The best days of your life are still ahead. You can get the Ron out of Ron Radio.

Once upon a time in a land not so far away when radio was magical and exciting, when live personalities were on the air 24 hours a day, and when nobody had ever heard of an anemic thing called “voice tracking” there lived a young man who was living out his dream. That would be me and countless others who were fortunate enough to have experienced the radio of the pre-2000’s era.

Don McLean lamented “the day the music died” in his 1972 hit “American Pie.” The song referred to a 1959 plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Richie Valens. Similarly, a case can be made for “the day radio died.” I can’t tell you when it happened but I’m thinking somewhere around the end of the 90’s.

It’s hard to turn loose of someone, or in this case, something you love. I took that step almost one year ago today. Although ultimately forced out the door in the wave of mass firings in the profession I also saw it as the wakeup call that I needed. It’s not that I didn’t see it coming. The industry had been in decline for most of the 2000’s. I should have made the break a long time before but just couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye.

The question was, “what the heck can I do to replace a sizeable income?” Fortunately, I’m the eternal optimist. I knew I would find something and that life would go on and I would make the best of a frightening situation. Unemployment is no picnic.

As far as transferable skills, I had a boatload. Air personality, program director, manager…. I had worn just about every hat there was to wear in radio. I put together some pretty impressive resumes and signed up with all the major online employment services. There were plentiful job offers, that is, if I wanted to sell insurance or credit card swiping devices. However, radio was not on my list of job possibilities. It no longer offered the outlet for my creativity and the potential that once was so great. I was determined to rekindle my dream elsewhere.

My wife kept telling me to go back to recording commercials. She reminded me that I once made extra cash cutting spots for ad agencies. “Just think what you could do if you went at it full time.”

I began to explore the voice talent market to see what it had to offer. Initially I wasn’t impressed and had pretty much dismissed the possibility. But my wife persisted (as all good wives do so well).

Then I came across Voices.com. Signed up for a free membership, put together a demo, and uploaded it to the site. Nothing happened. Upgraded to a paid membership. Still nothing happened so I dropped my membership. But then I got a call from Hong Kong to record an answering machine message, not just for one business, but for a number of businesses. Then somebody from New York called about an audio book. Another call came from Germany requesting voice talent for a documentary which resulted in one of those “light bulb” revelations. “Voice talent is not just about voicing commercials and it’s not confined to your area of residence!”

One day I woke up to a wonderful reality. The magic and the potential are back. The excitement that I once found in radio is now alive and well in the voice talent industry. I remember a time when I couldn’t pass a radio tower without getting excited. Now my passion for what I do has been reignited with this intriguing and challenging thing called “Voice Talent.”

No, my income isn’t what it was a year ago but it’s getting close. More importantly, I’m doing something that brings me great fulfillment. There’s nothing better than doing what you love.

The jump from radio to voice talent is no small task. It may appear to be an obvious extension of an established broadcast career. To make the leap you have to be willing to reinvent yourself. In my next blog I’ll share some specific things that you can do to “get the Ron out of Ron Radio.” The good news is that it can be done. A famous quote from the movie The Waterboy says it best, “You can do it!”

Finally my 4-year-old granddaughter said the magic words. “Gandad, I want to talk on your microphone.” So off to the studio we went.

She refused my offer of sitting in my chair but opted for a better solution, sitting in my lap. A patch cord here, a level set there, a click of the record button, and we were up and running.

I told her simply to repeat after me. “My name is Katie.” What came out was not the clear, distinct, precious voice that I love to hear. Instead there came a shy, affected, even fearful voice as she was obviously intimidated by the microphone.

“Don’t be afraid. Talk like you normally talk,” I said in a comforting tone. “I don’t want Gram to hear me,” she responded timidly.

For several minutes I continued to exhort and encourage helping her to overcome her fear and arrive at her natural voice.

The expressions on her face during playback revealed her appraisal of the experience as she went from displeasure to elation. Even at age four she could distinguish between good and bad.

This experience demonstrates two of the greatest obstacles that must be overcome in order to become a competent and successful voice talent: (1) fear of an audience and (2) natural doesn’t come naturally.

Fear of an Audience

Public speaking has long been highly ranked on the “fear” scale. Voice talent is a form of public speaking. If you’re alone in a studio, just you and the microphone, you’re likely relatively comfortable. But when you know someone is listening then the fear level escalates. Some of us are naturally born hams and love an audience but it has been my experience that many shy individuals have been drawn to the microphone. The best way to overcome microphone fear is to, borrowing a phrase from Nike, “just do it!” The more you do it the more comfortable you will become.

Invite family and friends into the studio with you to grow accustomed to the presence of an audience.  Employ the help of a friend who is already in the business. Get them to critique you as you read through a script. You will need to get accustomed to handling the input of others.

Hire a voice talent coach to guide your performance. Learning to employ direction with which, on occasion, you take exception will go a long way in helping you to advance your career. I’ve had directors and clients who insisted on a read that I perceived as ridiculous. Sometimes they actually brought a better performance out of me. In other situations I was right and they were wrong. Despite my feelings on the outcome, I still got paid.

Natural Doesn’t Come Naturally

When you hear your recorded voice for the first time you are probably going to be shocked. The way we sound to ourselves is radically different than the way we sound to others. Often I’ve heard people, hearing themselves for the first time respond by saying, “Do I really sound like that?”

All of us have probably seen the old-time radio announcer with his hand pressed over one ear. Actually, there was a reason for the doing it. Not a good one, but nonetheless there were those who employed the practice. The idea was to be able to hear yourself the way you really sound. In reality, it may help a little but it still doesn’t really give you a true reproduction of your natural voice. Wearing headphones can be helpful but even they can be a crutch that tends to cause you to focus more on your voice than on your read.

You can easily identify the voices of family, friends, and celebrities because you clearly identify the sound. Your individual voice is not recognizable because you’ve never heard yourself in the same way as others hear you. When you first begin to record your voice you will seek to arrive at a sound like you think you sound. And if you don’t like that sound you will keep doctoring it until you arrive at a sound that is closer to what you think you should sound.

Take a couple of deep breaths, relax, and remove all tightness from your throat. Refuse to do anything that discolors your natural voice. Practice and record, practice and record, and keep repeating the process. Once you’ve mastered natural add your personality including mood and emotion. Then work on inflection and modulation. Beware though, even inflection and modulation can sound unnatural.

Once you’ve arrived at your natural voice you will have uncovered that which makes you truly unique. Your voice-print is like your finger print. It is who you are and what audiences will most easily be attracted to.

Now, that voice calling you to supper. Is it your wife? Your girlfriend? Your husband? Your momma? How did you know? You’ve heard that recognizable voice-print that distinguishes them from anyone else thousands of times before. Find your natural voice, accept it, develop it to its full potential, and start making money being you. Don’t think that you can fix it once and keep it that way. Maintaining your natural voice-print requires continual monitoring throughout the remainder of your career. Natural doesn’t come natural!.

My wife is an artist. Consequently our home is filled with constant reminders of her passion. Stacks of canvas, boxes of brushes and paints, and shelves filled with bottles, saucers, cups, and other objects that provide studies for her work. What I find most fascinating is her ability to take simple and ordinary subject matter and turn it into something extraordinarily beautiful.

Observing professionals in the arts provides valuable insight into voice talent as an art form. It enables us to understand the leap from voice talent to voice artist.

A few years back I accompanied my wife on a trip to Vermont where she was participating in a workshop led by her mentor, Richard Schmid. While there we went to a gallery to see his paintings and the works of other area artists. We strolled through the giant hall where hundreds of paintings were on display. As we neared the corridor my eye was drawn to another room where there were yet more paintings. What I beheld I will never forget. It was like a brilliant light was drawing me toward something remarkable. This room contained the works of the showcase artist, Richard Schmid. It was an awe inspiring site, an unforgettable experience.

We viewed hundreds of paintings that day and most were good. However, at least from my perspective, only those created by the master artist “moved” me. His subject matter was not unlike that of his counterparts. Schmid’s work had that something extra that is often referred to as the “wow” factor.

As a voice artist you are challenged to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. Your voice becomes a canvas on which you capture the essence of meaning and mood in words and phrases. Every piece of copy brings with it a new challenge and a new opportunity to bring it all together into a cohesive, moving, master work.

Following are some observations of visual art as it applies to the voice artist. I call them the 8 C’s of Voice Artistry: Conception, Creativity, Color, Contrast, Care, Courage, Confidence, and Choice.

1. Conception

Conception has to do with your unique ability to observe text and then convey that interpretation to the listener to the satisfaction of the client. It ignites the power of the second C, Creativity.

2. Creativity

Your creativity is your approach, your style, your signature. It is the place of inspiration, excitement, and produces the joy of performing.

3. Color

Visual artists learn that it’s not important to paint every detail. Suggestion is as important as emphasis. The application of the right color in the proper quantity at the right place sets the mood and feel appropriate to the subject.

4. Contrast

Utilization of appropriate changes in pitch, tone, tempo, and volume create interest.

5. Care

Every piece of copy matters. Your work is always a reflection of you. Every work deserves your best effort.

6. Courage

Courage enables you to think outside the box. Stretch yourself and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Back to my analogy from the Richard Schmid exhibition. As I was standing there two men stepped in front of me observing a painting that I had found to be stunningly beautiful. To my surprise they were critical of the work pointing to perceived flaws. There will always be those who want to rain on your parade. Don’t let the fear of criticism hold you back. Be of good courage.

7. Confidence

You must believe in yourself. It is that attitude that keeps you working and will always be reflected in your work. How many times do you hear that a client is looking for a voice talent who sounds “confident?” Confidence compels the listener to trust the reader.

8. Choice

The decisions that you make in a project will determine the effectiveness of your performance. You must decide how to appropriately apply all the tools(C’s) in your arsenal. Ultimately you must decide when to stop. Overworking a project generally leads to destroying a project. I often discover that my first read is my best read. Fix the obvious imperfections and move on.

One of your greatest tools for advancing your career is the remarkable power of observation. Principles from the varying disciplines overlap with one another. If you are moved by an artist in any profession take time to ask yourself “why.” There’s bound to be a valuable lesson to be learned.