What Should You Do Between VO Classes?

David H. Lawrence XVII November 7, 2017
3 Comments

Hey, there!

A VO2GoGo Pro client recently asked me this question:

David,

What is it that I should be doing, in between online live workouts via Zoom, and Pro Connect Lives? Most if not all of your other students are working pro’s. I’m still learning how to enunciate, and getting on with ACX, and that’s a little scary. My tech buddies are around, but availability is always in question.

Some direction would help. Thanks!

Dan

That’s a great question. And it got me thinking about all the different ways you can move your tools, career and skill set forward in between learning opportunities.

So, I started a list.

  • Practice with all the clips on the class notes you get. Record them all. Record them again.
  • Join a Facebook group that revolves around VO.
  • Pimp out your LinkedIn profile, and make it more professional and relevant to your VO career.
  • Do something to make your recording space quieter.
  • Get out of the house, and meet other people local to your area that are in VO. See if there are VO related meetups in the area – I go to several every month, so I can meet other VO talent.
  • Invite an engineer at a recording studio to lunch. Get to know them as a person – don’t spend all your time peppering them with audio questions.
  • Practice more – with magazine ads. They’re written for the ear as well as the eye.
  • Watch TV (and listen to the VO on the commercials), and listen to the radio (and critically listen to all the VO there: commercials, imaging, etc).
  • Make some time to get to know your equipment better. Crack the manual or do some googling on your AT2020-USB Plus (or whatever microphone you have).
  • Join Paul Licameli’s Audacity Voiceover Users’ Group to get more familiar with Audacity and what it can do.
  • Start a podcast. Start talking about (and recording using all the tools and techniques you’ve learned) something you’re passionate about.
  • Create your own content. Look around for material that can help you make a product you can sell (legally – no copyright violations allowed).
  • Enjoy life – achieve something great, solve a mystery, get your heart broken. It will all make you a better actor and story teller.

What do you do to stay sharp and get better between gigs and classes? What are your downtime recommendations?

Let me know in the comments below.

Hope this helps!

David

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  1. Jennifer Jernigan December 5, 2014

    Been doing some of the above since my one on one with you. Unfortunately just experienced the heartbreak but now I will use it in my work
    See you in your class on December 16th in Burbank. Sounds like a great class!
    Thank you for always being so helpful!
    Jennufer

  2. Tamara April 29, 2016

    Hey there 😀 During the “Create you own content” video, you mention a website that has a list of copyright-free materials, but now I can’t find where I wrote down the site address. Do you know off the top of your head where it was?

    Thanks!