The Most Important Facet Of Your Voice

Hey, there!

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times from prospective new clients: “I’ve always been told I do very funny voices.”

Which is great, when you’re entertaining kids or performing in talent shows or on open mic night at a comedy club.

But it’s hardly necessary or even a help when doing most kinds of voicework. There’s something far more important.

Don’t get me wrong: being able to do “funny voices” can also come in handy when you’re doing some types of voicework.

But there’s another, much more essential attribute that’s necessary for building a great VO practice.

And the good news is, you already have this attribute, because you use it every day.

It’s authenticity.

Plain and simple, the ability to make people believe that you are telling the truth, with a realistic and authentic voice, is much more valuable than your ability to do wacky voices or great impressions of famous people.

Even in animation and video games, where you’re sometimes called upon to do out-of-the-ordinary characters, your talent for making the character believable and authentic is paramount. And because, in normal conversation every day you do just that, it’s a skill you already have.

You need to remember to let “you” shine through – the authentic you – when doing auditions, performance, rehearsals, whatever. That authenticity will get you booked more often than being able to do a Liverpudlian accent or a believable android from Venus.

Trust that “you” – what you bring to the work – is more than enough.

Relax.

Think how you’d convince your best friend, as your character, to buy the product or service you’re hawking in your audition. Then go for it.

How you mold you to the character, in an authentic way, is what really counts.

Hope this helps.

David