VO Tips From Bill DeWees: 5 Ways to Sound Better | Part Two
By: WhisperRoom™
May 20, 2021
WhisperRoom™ is a proud sponsor of professional voice over artist and coach, Bill DeWees. His YouTube channel is full of insightful content to help new voice over artists learn the ropes, everything from picking your first mic to landing VO jobs and getting paid.
5 Tips to Sound Better
Bill DeWees dives into the specifics of performance in voice over. He discusses how to decipher confusing script notes from clients, what to do when you read, and some general tips that will help you sound your best. Check out Part 1 of this series to hear more about the mindset of performance.
Watch the video below and learn what you can do right now to start sounding better behind the microphone.
Tip #1. Spring Board Technique
A spring board is where you use something that will help you get out of your head just prior to reading the script. When talking to somebody, you don’t just grab a script out of thin air before responding to them. You usually respond to something that was said, an event, or from what you’re thinking and feeling in response to the conversation. You can try using a name or some sort of phrase before going into the script. This will help you get your mindset where it need to be to sound conversational.
Tip #2. Speed Read the Script
Speed read the final script right before you do the recording. Read as fast as you can without taking a breathe; stumble your way through the script. Why? Our brains are wired to control the way we sound, but speed reading helps us to take that control away. It’s amazing how when you lose control and don’t give yourself a chance to regain it, you will sound much more natural and will have a better chance of making your listener “feel something”.
Tip #3. How Do You Relate to the Script?
Have you ever asked yourself how you relate to the script? Your subconscious opinion will translate to the listener. When you know how you feel about the script and it sounds personal, you will better relate to your audience.
Tip #4. Laugh, Yell, or Scream
This is where it gets kind of funny and weird. Once again, this helps you lose control and get out of the relaxed state so you can give your best voice over performance. Simply by doing something out of the ordinary that stretches you away from your comfort zone, you will have better-sounding voice overs. The more control you lose in the studio, the better your read.
Tip #5. Intense Emotion
Think of something in your life that makes you happy, sad, or excited. Take a few moments to think about that and capture the intense feeling. When you allow yourself to deeply feel an emotion it makes you vulnerable, this will make your client feel what you’re doing because it will revolutionize your performance.
Learn More from Bill DeWees
Bill DeWees has been a professional voice over artist, coach, and demo producer for 15 years. In addition to recording voice work for hundreds of the world’s best-known brands, he also runs a coaching program (The VO Blueprint) to help other voice actors start and build their own successful voice over business. To learn more about the program, book a call here: https://bit.ly/bill-sp-k1
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