Am I missing anything?

Anne Wright · **Voice Talent** Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Posts: 4

Hi! I'm basically brand new to this, though I signed up a while ago. I've taken a voiceover class, and the teacher told me I had potential to make this at least a part-time thing. I just have a few questions:

- Could you be brutally honest about my demo? I'm prepared to make a new one if I need to. The one up now was given to us for free at the completion of the class, when I had only been practicing for about 6 weeks.

- I have an MXL condenser mic, a mic screen, and a MacBook with GarageBand. I've also fixed up a voiceover box that I found instructions for on http://www.harlanhogan.com/portaboothArticle.shtml (and also have been reading a book of his) ... does this sound like a decent setup for someone just beginning? I know I'll need to take time to really get comfortable with working with everything.

- Should I include any singing demos if I don't have any that are technically for commercial use?

- And finally, does anyone know of any resources/coaches in the Boston area for someone starting out?

Thanks for the amazing information I've already been able to read on this site - you seem to really care about each other.

-Anne

Claire Dodin · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 400

Hi Anne,

Welcome to Savvy.
You need to post your demo in the demo section if you want more feedback.
I'm not the best person to talk about demo, but I had a listen.
To me, it all sounded the same, and it felt like you were reading.
The last clip was the worst offender, the style of your delivery didn't match the style of the clip.
Your demo is the first thing people will listen to, it needs to be much much stronger. It's worth paying to get it professionally done, but only when you are ready.
I like the tone of your voice though, you have potential, but I think you need to develop styles, range, mic technique.
Keep practicing and enjoy! Very Happy

When you are ready, get your demo professionally done (you'll hopefully have a coach to help with the deliveries and a great engineer for the production), it will sound miles better.
I can't comment on your setting, I'll let the geeks do that! But you will need to post a sound sample for them to hear.
If you can sing, then yes make a singing demo (separate from the voice over one though). It can't harm! and you never know when someone may need a singer.
Good Luck!

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008, 16:25 (GMT) Post subject:

Welcome, Anne.

Most people will only listen to audio files you attach to your post. I did link to your page and listen. It's a typical VO class demo. And I think you have a long way to go before you make even any part-time income, frankly. While you seem to have a pleasant enough young voice, it sounds like you're just reading and not connecting in any way to the copy. I believe your teacher was hearing in you the flat, punched down young voice that's so in demand these days, but it's too flat, I think. Even the emotionless voice has to have some texture or edge to it, and I'm just not hearing that in your demo.

As far as technical aspects, there's a lot of popping and sinus noise on the first spot. You were too close to the mic, I think, or at a strange angle to the diaphragm...not sure. I have a lot of sinus noise at certain times in the year. To compensate, I position the mic with the diaphragm straight up and lift my chin to speak over the top. Always use a windscreen and pop filter, too.

There's also no variation in your reads. All spots sound exactly the same.

Finally, the demo is laid out and edited the way demos were 20 years ago. Now, the style, if you will, calls for one minute, no entire spots, clips not to exceed :08-:12 and no fades between clips. Hard cuts after a complete phrase. Don't know how much that matters, but I'm just saying.

I'd say, go get some improv training (Boston has some great troupes!) and loosen your voice and your self up before you do much else in VO.

Anne Wright · **Voice Talent** Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Posts: 4

Thanks! Your comments definitely help. I'll start looking for a voice coach in Boston, and just start practicing a lot.

Don Randall · Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008, 06:19 (GMT) Post subject:

Anne - you have a very pleasant voice.

You have potential. With instruction from someone who actually knows how to teach and coach and help you develop your natural talent, you can become very good.

It will take work and it will mean hearing things that may hurt your feelings and bruise your ego, but here are a couple of things to consider:

First, I will suggest what you are doing wrong. You are reading as if you are reading in a classroom. You just gotta stop that. Now that I've told you what NOT to do, I'll tell you what you actually should do - Pretend you are talking TO someone instead of talking AT someone.

Larry Jones · **Voice Talent** Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 3

Anne,

I think you have an excellent voice. I'm a newbie too, so I won't offer any advise or constructive criticism other than to say heed that which the more experienced among us have said to you, and by extrapolation, to me also.

Good Luck.

Bob Bergen · **Voice Talent** Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Posts: 224