Software for the Voiceover Artist or Voice Actor

You are going to need to be somewhat computer savvy, luckily, I’ll probably put up a video tutorial on the lower end of these programs to give you a hands on look at how to get your voice from the mic to the computer then on to the web.

Here are the paid software programs that you can use. If you already own them or are familiar with them, then there is no need to purchase any new software, these should suffice. If you don’t own them, don’t go buying them until you have read the FREE options.

PAID

1) Any Kind of Video Editing Software. If you already know how to edit video, the stretch into audio would be fine. Just make sure that you can EXPORT to an mp3, wav, or AIFF software. Of the top of my head, Vegas Video, Avid, Final Cut Pro, and Pinnacle’s video-editing equivalent would work as well.

2) Adobe Audition: This is the high quality application created by Adobe primarily for composers or musicians, however I’ve heard it works very well with voiceover as well.  Expensive but does the job and if you ever want to utilize various plugins on the sound engineering end, this may be a good choice, but to the beginner, not worth it.

3) Pro-Tools. The avid GOD of audio. Unfortunately, the investment is WAY too high compared to the fact that you could probably spend years in a private college learning the ins and outs of the program. If you have this and are familiar, then do it. There are things that this monster can do that no other program can do.  It’s kind of like using a hummer to go to the post office. It get’s the job done, but you wonder why exactly you bought it.

FREE (or combined)

1) Garage Band: Macs have an application that is very basic and I know a few voiceover peeps who use it. All you need is something that you can press record and the wav will move from your microphone to the computer. It works.  Though this was made for other things, and the bells and whistles may confuse you.

2) Pro-Tools SE: This is a program which I received along with my M-Audio Mobile Pre. The Mobile Pre is a PreAmp and a PreAmp is required to get an  XLR Microphone to the computer. Bundled with it was a version of pro-tools. It is terribly limited, but if you do end up buying the Mobile Pre, probably one of the cheapest options out there, why not check the software off your list.

3) Audacity: A free audio editing software that is FREE compact and does everything you need it to. Nothing fancy just a way to get from point A to point B. Best of all, free free free. Simple in design and gets it all done. I remember doing a webinar with a few voice actors and the teacher was explaining ProTools only to find that only 2 people owned pro-tools.  The rest were either Garage Band, Audacity or a slough of others.  Why go overboard?

In conclusion, just get audacity, unless your comfortable with some software you’ve used to edit before. I familiarized myself with Audacity while i was on vacation and had to do pickup voiceover with a friends computer. It did the job, worked fine with my Mobile Pre. No problems whatsoever.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Use this link and have it downloaded and ready to go before, god forbid, they stop giving it away for free.

New Review: Voice123 Review from Everything Voiceover by Justin D. Torres

Here’s the newest review for Voice123. Justin D. Torres has been a part of Voice123 for about 2 years and you may be surprised with some parts of his review.

 

What is Voiceover Acting? Is it Different than other types of Acting? Absolutely!

Voiceover Acting is an entirely different monster than theatre acting or film acting. However, if you have extensive experience in either of those fields you can definitely draw from it, but you also have to realize a few things.

Voiceover, for the most part, lends itself to bigger acting. Here’s a few niches and their acting descriptions.

• Cartoons: Obviously, crazy large over the top acting, usually actors are putting their body into the acting itself. Staying still isn’t recommended. As in both film and theatre acting, the more choices you make with the character the better it will be.
• Audiobooks:  Storyteller type acting, think of it as a REALLY long monologue and you have to play out the voices of every character as well. You also have to experience each page as it is happening. If something was missing from the room, make sure the audience hears that you were scanning the room before hand in the way you speak.
• Promos/Commercials: There’s a lot of types of promos, but for the most part it’s a borderline walk between Subtle Film and Over the Top. Too much doesn’t always in these things. Sometimes you get an actual commercial or promo that they want to imitate. For example, Mike Ro, Denis Leary, or Morgan Freeman. They are kind of normal everyday guys with that little sarcastic wink or that little extra small or like my teacher Melissa Gray says, “The Tip of Your Hat.”. It could be a little sexy or flirty. My point being it’s hard because it is the true midpoint of acting,bigger than film, smaller than theatre.
• Websites-Corporate: These are primarily educational so you need to be understood, so making sure that you emphasize specific words that would make a non- learned person understand would be great. But, if you overemphasize, you run the risk of sounding like your teaching children. Good rule of thumb: “Act like your talking to a friend who knows a little bit about what your talking about.” Always smile as well, especially on the product itself.
• Videogames: You’ve got your cartoony videogames that are pretty much cartoons, then you have the more realistic videogames. I’ve only done one, but they wanted an accent.  I, personally, believe that like Promo/Commercial, it’s a midpoint between Film and Theatre, except it’s a little closer to film. If you are getting eaten by zombies, the player needs to believe it. So, if you have a basic character like a soldier, the more work you do to make him real the better. Give him a tone to his voice, maybe an accent, maybe he jokes and laughs when he says stuff, maybe he just got dumped by his girl today. Character development is only going to help you.
• Voicemail: Honestly, no clue. I’ve only pulled one voicemail job and since then I’ve used the same strategy and it hasn’t worked. lol.
• Children’s Book: Like an audiobook, only slower and you have a lot more fun with the characters. I’d say try watching Babar narrated by Sigourney Weaver or any PBS or Nick Kids show. They know how to communicate to kids so it’s a great template. It’s a slower more caring acting and emotions are very drawn out but not overdrawn.

In Conclusion, you’re gonna be wandering between film acting and theatre acting and maybe going a little over theatrical acting.

Okay, this IS NOT set in stone just a visual to show that if you have the chops of all three of those acting styles, doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be good in Voiceover but know that it is a learned skill, you’ll either learn as you go or do some actual classes, workshops, and one on one’s. It’s a different monster.
Thanks for reading.

Check out my blog : Goal: Become a Voiceover Artist

My Website:               JustinDTorres.com

My Theatrical Site:  Justin D Torres Theatre

Brand New Review of Voices.com

 

First review from Everything Voiceover!! Enjoy!

Questions to Ask Yourself.

I’m gonna give a few key questions to all the beginner voice artists out there. Now keep in mind, there’s no set route to becoming successful. No one can tell you that you can or cannot do anything.  It’s entirely up to you. These questions are just letting you see the mountain ahead. It’s a challenge and that mountain is different than everyone elses. These questions are primarily for the beginners who know nothing about the voiceover industry.

1) Is this something you really want to do?

• Some people may think of this as an easy straight shot into big time money. In my experience, it’s an investment and if you have no training in acting or improvisation then the investment would start in getting training. There is also equipment costs, audition website costs, marketing costs.  Like any skill it takes time and money and if you’re willing the sky is the limit.

2) Do you like the sound of your own voice?

• Lol! That may not sound like a good question but it really is. Because you are going to be sitting in a room listening to yourself for hours and hours, might as well enjoy it. Personally, I couldn’t stand to look of myself on film and that was a major reason I never pursued film acting.
• When I say your OWN voice, it doesn’t really mean your everyday voice, it could be a character voice or imitation voice. In essence, do you have the confidence to give it a go, do you believe in yourself.

3) Money and Time, do you have it?

• Personally, I spend about 20 hours a week doing non-union voiceover auditions.  Last night I did a paid project that took me about 12 hours total to finish. Time is definitely an aspect you need to have. If you have an 40 hour a week job,  it’s gonna be tough.  Though I must say, if you are a theatre actor, it’s similar to that kind of commitment. If you’re willing to dedicate what little time you DO have to this, then GREAT. Go for it!
• Money! Ouch!!! The initial investment can gradually go up.  I’d say if you had about 3-5k that was spread out over about 6 months, you could get started.  Mind you, this is also if you don’t have a computer or internet connection. In the next post, I’ll go over exactly the equipment you need.

4) Are you excited?

• The more I got into voiceover the more excited I got about the possibility of voicing videogames and books and whatever, but it takes a constant drive.  The money you make is kind of a side bonus, in my mind, because I’m acting for a living. That in itself is my dream. Is this along the lines of your dream.

Things to Think about.

For more info about me personally:

My blog “Goal: Become a Voiceover Artist”

My Voiceover Website  Justindtorres.com

My Theatrical Website 

Welcome!

Welcome to Everything Voiceover! This is a site for …..? You guessed it, Everything Voiceover. From tips to links to reviews to interviews, this is going to be a great source of information for the budding voice actor to the curious cats out there.