Voiceover Career

If you had told me six years ago that I would find inspiration in voice over and become a full-time voice actor I would have never believed you. I have worked in the corporate world for over 20 years, and throughout that time, I was taught that the more secondary education you had, the more successful you will become. With that mindset, I aimed to work for the largest companies and the most professional, and I took as many courses as possible I could get my hands on in order to stay diverse and competitive in my respective industries.

Although these positions did provide stable income, there was always a creative side that I craved so badly within these positions. I tried very hard to think of different and interesting ways to make my job more exciting and creative. Whether that came from purchasing bright highlighters to make my work notes look more appealing, using different colours in my spreadsheets, or thinking of new and interesting ways to engage with my staff or to lead meetings, I was always searching for something.

Diverse Artists That Provide Inspiration in Voice Over

Enter Voice-over! A good friend of mine told me about voice over, and for four months, I researched everything I could about the industry before jumping in. Throughout my career thus far, there have been certain individuals that have helped me personally with my trajectory in voice-over and some that I admired from afar. Today I will speak a little more about the influences that have helped me become the diverse, contemporary, and millennial voice actor that I strive to be.

Influencer Joan Baker

Joan Baker is a legend in the VO world. She is known as one of New York’s premier voice actors. She has won countless awards as a voice actor, on-camera host, and producer. Joan also plays a pivotal role in helping to host the SOVAS awards, which is likened to the Oscars in the VO world. She and her husband work tirelessly at promoting voice over, recognizing talent in their credited fields, and being integral influencers in our industry. Although I have never personally met Joan in person. I view Joan as Diana Ross meets Beyonce of the VO world. Following her line of work has motivated me personally as a BIPOC woman #slay! Joan’s accolades are encouraging and inspiring to me as an ethnic and diverse woman.

Legendary Inspiration in Voice Over J. Michael Collins

J. Michael Collins is the OG of the VO World. With over 25 years of experience, JMC (as he is more commonly known to those in the biz) has worked with countless #1 brands, sports teams, and organizations on the planet.

JMC brings a subject matter expert essence to the voice over industry, speaking as a main point of resource for all things pertaining to trends and statistics. I have heard JMC speak at voice over conferences, and when he presents, all actors are left hanging on his every word as he speaks with incredible credibility and trustworthiness.

I have worked with JMC twice in my career thus far. He and his counterpart AJ McKay, whom I refer to as the Lennon/McCartney of the Voice-over world, work tirelessly at producing the most award-winning demos in the industry. They wrote my Commercial and In-Show Narration demo scripts as well as directed and produced both demos. I was grateful to have received an award for the Commercial demo, which was recorded in a record-breaking 23 minutes from start to finish. That’s what a great director can do!

This suit-wearing, lobster-eating phenom recently has taken on the enormous task of producing VO Atlanta, the industry’s longest-running voice-over conference. There’s nothing JMC can’t do, and I’m here to see just what he will accomplish next.

Marc Scott Offers Marketing Inspiration for Voice Over

Marc Scott, in my opinion, is the Joe Rogan of the voiceover world. Listening to his podcast is an integral part of my inspiration in the voice over business, and without his words and wisdom and “keeping it real,” I would never have stuck it out this long.

Marc is a full-time professional voice actor based in South-Eastern Ontario, Canada, and gives a unique, guy-next-door, down-to-earth approach to the voice over business. He is an expert in business. Marc is synonymous with BBQ, drinking Dr. Pepper, and wearing his favourite colour, which is orange. His branding is spot-on, and we can all learn something from his marketing approach.

Each episode of his podcast Everyday VOpreneur is chock-full of resources, tips, and ideas to get your business where you want it. And if you’re ever having a down day, his advice will always fill your preverbal “VO cup”. Don’t forget to check out his courses on LinkedIn Marketing, Nimble, and the VO Marketing Playbook, a coveted guide on how to market yourself in voice over.

VO Royalty Elle-Ray Hennessy

Elle-Ray is a prodigy in the voiceover world. She is Canadian voiceover royalty and has worked in the business of acting and voice acting for over 40 years, performing in over 300 theatrical roles. Elle-Ray lives, breathes, and emits drama. When you meet her, you will never forget it!

Have you ever taken her world-renown animation classes? Drop everything and book one! You will leave a different human. Elle-Ray takes voice over to a spiritual level. Her uniqueness (and that’s a massive understatement) and eccentric coaching style pull countless characters and emotions out that you never thought you had, and I guarantee that.

Elle-Ray beats to her own drum, and that’s why we love her so much. Also she loves the colour pink – my favorite colour!

Christy Fabbri Keeps it Real

Christy Fabbri is the Gayle to my Oprah. Christy is a fellow voice actor from Canada whom I met at the VO conference back in 2018. I recognized her from a popular play-and-play voice over audition website, to which I yelled out, “You’re Christy Fabbri from such-and-such website! You’re #1 on the website.” I think I must have embarrassed her, but that’s just Christy. She is the most humble and genuine person you’ll meet. She is a busy mom of three and kills it in the VO world.

We exchanged numbers back in 2018, and not a week goes by without us talking about all things VO from the industry as a whole, life, reality TV, and all things in between. Coming into the VO world is a very solo endeavor, but having a resource like Christy to answer all my VO questions has been a fundamental part of my business. I am proud of all the work she has accomplished, and stay tuned for an incredible podcast she and her husband are working on with award-winning actress Jessica Biel!

Animation Goddess Dalal Sabra

Look-out world introducing Dalal Sabra. This fierce and ferocious French-Canadian voice talent is about to take the voice over industry by storm, and I am here for the ride. Dalal and I also met at VO North back in 2018. I didn’t know anybody at the conference, but I saw this “punk-looking” girl with one side of her head shaved and the other side with red hair, and I thought, “Ok. I got to sit next to her!” By the end of the weekend, Dalal and I were attached at the hip, bouncing business ideas off each other after every panel session. Dalal is a fierce animation goddess. There literally isn’t anything she can’t do. Animation is her passion, and I know soon enough, she will be living her dream of working on some big projects. She is an incredible actor, loves the craft, and she inspires me every time we talk. She is the kind of person who is in this business for the right reasons.

The Innovative and Trail-Blazing Jodi Krangle

Jodi Krangle, in my opinion, is the steadfast workhorse of VO. She just gets things done! Jodi has been a voice actor for about 17 years, and her accolades could put anybody to shame. There isn’t anybody who doesn’t want to work with Jodi.

I first heard of Jodi when we were on the same roster as a popular Toronto talent agent. I then realized we lived in the same small town and was so thrilled that someone so credible in the VO world lived so close to me. I have had the luxury of meeting up with Jodi and meeting at conferences, and she is light years ahead in the VO world and always provides reliable advice that I appreciate so dearly.

Jodi is at the forefront of what’s new in the VO world. She is also the host of an award-nominated Voiceover podcast where she focuses on Sound in the marketing industry; very cool! Her marketing and branding are direct, clear, and so consistent.

Share Your Inspiration in Voice Over

There are so many inspiring voice actors, coaches, and agents I wish I could include here, but please know that each and every one of you in the business makes voiceover one of the most unique and enjoyable professions, and I’m proud to be a part of it. Thank you!

Have you dreamed of starting your own business but need to know how to start it? Are you afraid of all the pitfalls that may come from getting started? Let’s discuss why it’s great to own a business and be a voiceover entrepreneur. 

Searching for Opportunities

If you were to tell me ten years ago that I would be a business owner and an entrepreneur, I would have never believed you. Being a small business owner was never my life plan, and the idea seemed overwhelming, confusing, and scary. I have always worked with reputable companies such as Sears, Guess, Allstate, Oracle, and the Canadian Government.

I tried to seek jobs at larger companies because they had paid training, paid time off, benefits, pensions, etc. Although working with a large company has its perks, life has an exciting way of shaking things up. I always appreciated working for a large company and loved the camaraderie with my co-workers, the paid vacation time, and the stability. I never considered running my own business, but now that I am on the flip side, I see some great benefits to working for myself.  

At one of my previous places of employment, a co-worker decided to quit her stable job and move to another company. My co-workers were shocked and awed that she would ever consider leaving, and there was quite a bit of chatter behind the scenes about her decision. Even I got caught up wondering why she would leave such a stable job. During that time, my friend at work said, “Leah, you know there is life outside these walls, right?” Many people who don’t work here lead very normal, happy, successful lives. This may not be the best place to work.” Those words fell on deaf ears back then but ring true now. 

Becoming a Serious Voiceover Entrepreneur 

When I started in voiceover, it was just a side hustle for me with no real intention of turning it into a full-time gig. To my surprise, after a lot of hard work, it has turned into a very stable career. As someone who loves financial stability, betting on myself was scary, and I mean terrifying. I was laid off from my job during the Covid 19 pandemic, and my best option was to make voiceover work. After trusting the process, all worked out very well, and I have come to have a whole new appreciation for being my own boss. 

In my previous work life, I would wake up early and didn’t get the recommended hours of sleep each night. I often found myself stressed with the week’s priorities, always watching the clock to ensure I arrived on time, took breaks and lunches, and never left early. My weekly 1:1’s were full of anxiety, not to mention all the office politics. The staff was friendly, and it was mostly a positive work environment. 

The Benefits of Being a Voiceover Entrepreneur

The benefits of being a voiceover entrepreneur have been incredible. Although nothing in life is perfect, being an entrepreneur is worth the challenges. My favorite things about working for myself include the following: 

Making my own schedule: This is my favorite thing about working for myself. You absolutely can NOT put a price on time, and making my schedule brings me joy daily. I don’t take this for granted. I can wake up when I want, work when I want, take days off when I want, and plan a vacation anytime. I don’t feel guilty when I want to sleep in. I listen to my body and perform better because I am rested and ready to do my best. 

Work from anywhere, anytime: The beauty of voiceover in the digital age is that most artists can work from home. How amazing is that? In the golden age of voiceover, you had to live near a large urban city and travel to the studio to audition and record work. We need a professional home studio and good WIFI, and we can work from anywhere. I recently heard a success story of a voice actor who retro-fitted her van and works from all over the continental US. How amazing is that? One of my dreams would be to spend winters in Aruba. I’d have a studio in my home in Canada and a studio there. I’ll have to manifest that one.  

Unlimited earning and learning potential: Working for myself has taught me much about business and other fantastic life skills. I only learned what was tailored to my role in other jobs, but now I am competent in the following:

• Accounting
• Collections
• Forecasting
• Marketing
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Lead generation
• Customer service
• Audio editing and recording
• Acting
• Improv
• On-camera auditions
• eLearning
• IVR
• Commercial acting
• Leadership
• Problem-solving
• Communication
• Media production
• Social media marketing
• And much more!

It would not be easy to learn all those skills in one position. I’m only five years into my business, and I can’t wait to see what other skills I will add as my voiceover business grows. 

Answering only to myself: At my old jobs, I had to ask permission and get approval for days off, vacation time, or even taking a break. Now, I am the boss and accountable, and there is a lot of freedom in that. 

Creative freedom: I can be as creative as I wish in my voiceover roles. In my line of work, creativity is vital and encouraged. I try to be as diverse as possible with the jobs I audition for daily. There is always room to play, laugh, have fun, and give as much energy as possible.  

No glass ceiling: Working for myself, my opportunity to earn an income is up to me. It is directly related to how much time and effort I put into this. A significant amount of time in the audio booth is required to be successful at voiceover, so if I want to succeed, I have to work hard daily. 

Start Your Journey as a Voiceover Entrepreneur

If you’re interested in learning more about working for yourself and being an entrepreneur, ask any of your friends or family about their experience. LinkedIn has some great courses to give you the encouragement you need to get started. 

So you’ve heard about this job or career called “voice over,” and you’re curious to learn more about it. You may know a little already because you know someone who does voiceover as a side hustle, and you’re interested in getting into it yourself. There are more voice actors than ever before. Because of the amount of work available today, producing quality content is essential. Perhaps it’s because we live in a very digital world, and working from home is appealing. More people than ever are getting into the world of VO. 

It Starts With Voiceover as a Side Hustle

As a diverse, millennial, and contemporary voice actor, I got started in VO because I heard it was a good side hustle. It was the summer of 2018, and I had already worked at my Canadian government job for nine years. I had good roles at my place of work, but ultimately most of the positions were administrative. It paid the bills, but it wasn’t the most exciting job. 

I pushed around papers and made a lot of spreadsheets, and after a while, most of what I was doing became mundane. I had begun to notice that many of my friends were picking up side hustles to make a little extra cash in their spare time. One friend had a side hustle as a model, another made beautiful cakes, another did eyelashes, and another micro-blading for eyebrows.  

Before the Side Hustle Job

I was sitting at work one day completely bored and took out a pen and made a long list of potential side hustles. One that was interesting was teaching English to international students. And that was the one I chose. So, for two months in the summer of 2018, I taught English to Japanese students online. It was great. I enjoyed teaching English, and the students I met were very friendly. I even got to teach English to some famous Japanese soccer players. Although I enjoyed what I did, the money could have been better. After two months, I realized I’d rather be outside in the summer than sit in front of my computer. 

So back to the drawing board! The following week I was at work again, sitting at my desk, downtrodden about my failed side hustle, and my phone beeped. A message had come in. My best friend Natasha Thompson said, “Hey, Girl, I heard of a cool side hustle. It’s voiceover, and you can do it from home. Here’s a website with more information; it’s voices.com.” And that was the text that changed my life – although I didn’t know it then. 

“Voice over. Hmm. that does sound interesting.” I thought. 

Research, Planning, and Preparation

I stumbled upon a commercial demo of a voice actress on YouTube 1-2 years prior as I was studying for college one day. Listening to her demo, I thought, “Wow, she is so talented. How could I ever do something like that?” But that was just a fleeting thought, and after a few minutes of imagining life as a voice actor, it seemed too overwhelming, and I went back to studying. 

After seeing Natasha’s text, I went to the website she mentioned, with hundreds of freelancers highlighting their voiceover skills, and I was instantly intrigued. That evening, I raced home to tell my husband, and he advised me not to rush into anything but to take my time and research, as a job like this requires a commitment of money and time. 

Turning Voiceover as a Side Hustle Into a Career

And he was right. Every year I was always getting into something new that would cost money and time. So between July and November of 2018, I took my time and learned everything I could about the voiceover industry. I researched how to get started, how much it would cost, what goals to set, and whether I should try this as a side hustle or a full-time gig. 

By the fall of 2018, I was still very interested in voiceover and did some planning. We decided to wait until Black Friday to purchase equipment. We went to the music store for a microphone, music stand, and a pre-amp. I also ordered studio foam and a moving blanket on Amazon for sound insulation. I had also contacted voices.com to purchase their annual Premium membership, which was on sale. 

We went home, set up the equipment (well, my husband did; I am not techy at all), and I tried my hand at my first audition. I had no idea what I was doing, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’ve mentioned before that if I could make my career all over again, I would have gotten coaching before jumping in head first auditioning. Instead, I explored how far I could take this with zero experience. 

Eventually, it worked out for me, and I booked my first job one week later for a great company, and slowly but surely, things picked up. 

Are You Interested in Voiceover as a Side Hustle?

Voice Over can be a great side hustle, but some factors must be met to succeed. Voiceover today is highly competitive, with many experienced actors booking regular work. They are skilled, have a coach, and incredible state-of-the-art studios. They have professional demos, direct marketing in place with optimized websites, and long lists of clients who are very happy with their work. So, the opportunities are there, but you only get what you put in. 

When I started in VO, I was only on one pay and play platform; voices.com. I auditioned about 15-20 times a day and booked about 5-6 jobs a month for approximately $1000 USD. Those were my statistics. I had no professional demos or coaching, but I did fully complete a profile on voices.com so clients could find me quickly on their platforms. I would come home for lunch each day, do 5-6 auditions, and then do more after work. The additional income helped with the bills and funded the vacations we had lined up throughout the year. 

The Jump to Full-Time Voiceover Talent

Deciding to make voiceover a full-time gig is what changed my business. I was laid off from work during COVID, and I had no choice but to make it work. That was when I had to put the pedal to the metal and dig deep to proceed with all the tactics at my disposal. I hired a professional coach, acquired a commercial demo, built a website, and created a marketing plan. The same month I received my commercial demo, everything changed monumentally. I saw a significant difference in my income within four weeks. I couldn’t believe it. That demo changed everything. It told my potential customers that I am a “committed professional voice actor,” Finally, potential clients took me seriously. 

The Reality of a Side Hustle 

I went from part-time to full-time millennial voice actor in a year and a half. That is a relatively quick trajectory from what I understand from other voice actors, but I trusted the process and believed it would work. Many successful voice actors only do it part-time and still hold a day job as a lawyer, doctor, or government official. They may want to keep voiceover as a side hustle so they can play and be creative without the pressure of earning.

It’s your choice. I started it intentionally as a side hustle with no desire to take it full-time until I had no choice. Plus, I enjoyed what I was doing and found it addictive. There’s always another opportunity coming your way: a new audition or a new client. If you don’t get this job, no problem, be consistent with your efforts, and another opportunity will come to your inbox soon. It’s always a fantastic feeling when you book a job! 

How to Jump Start Your Voiceover Career 

If you want to be successful, I recommend researching and planning with maximum effort. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting your time and money. Here are the items you’ll need to get set up!  

• Set up your studio to sound as professional as possible 
• Get professional coaching 
• Have a professional demo made with a reputable producer 
• Sign up on pay-to-play websites 
• Get a website (voiceactorwebsites are the best loaded with SEO)
• Participate in direct marketing 
• Audition, Audition, Audition for diverse jobs

This list can be daunting for most. Each month I have inquiries from friends or family on how to get started in voiceover. I tell them what to do and remind them to set small goals, and success will come. Your ability to be diverse will get you where you want to be. 

Voiceover can be an outstanding side hustle if you do it right. Just take your time to get set up, trust in the process, and you can do it!

Many factors go into choosing a voiceover talent for your next project. You can evaluate them based on their experience, skills, education, rates, location, studio, voice, and what they offer as part of their business package. As a diverse millennial voice actor, I may have a particular set of skills (channeling my inner Liam Neeson voice here) that may be beneficial for your next project. I have worked full-time for 20 years ( I feel old saying that) and in many different and exciting industries. Looking back at my work experience and voiceover in detail, it’s easy to see how they have led me to my current career. 

Business Experience by Working in Insurance

I worked for four years in the field of Insurance for a large well-known company. My two roles were Accounting Clerk and Risk Management Coordinator. I gained knowledge and experience by balancing books, handling checks, making daily deposits, and analyzing policies. Within risk management, I edited the rate books, worked with underwriters, and did some HTML edits on the rates on the company website. 

Confidence From the Fields of Sports and Nutrition

In the past, I have always had an affinity for health and fitness. From the age of 13, I used to work out with my dad lifting weights, and I then was one of the only girls in the weights classroom. I also took high school biology and fitness classes, gaining good marks. That passion for fitness propelled me to become a personal trainer by the time school was finished, but my guidance counselor steered me in another direction. He mentioned there was “no money” in personal training and that I should pursue a business career. I took his advice with a heavy heart, but a few years later, I was still left feeling sad and disappointed. 

My local gym at the time was having a 12-week weight loss contest. I entered the contest, and once the 12 weeks were complete, I lost 20 lbs and gained a significant amount of muscle. To my surprise, I won the contest, a 2-year free membership, and prizes. This result encouraged me to try a professional on-stage fitness competition. That was and still is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Waking up at 4:00 a.m., heading to the gym for morning fasted cardio, then back to the gym after work was daunting and exhausting. Nevertheless, the principles I learned from that show and the gym competition have stuck with me and given me a strong work ethic.

Sales and Trade Shows for Marketing Experience 

From the fitness experience, I was a Sales Rep working for a well-known nutrition company with over 150 stores and gyms to take care of in the Greater Toronto Area. That was an excellent job where I could connect with fitness enthusiasts around the community at stores, gyms, and trade shows.  I tried my hand at one more fitness competition a few years later. It was the official EAS Canada Body For Life 12-Week Challenge. This competition was the most prominent of its kind in Canada. I used the same principles I learned from my first competition a few years back. To my surprise, I won this competition as well! I won a red Audi TT convertible, cash, swag, and free products. From that experience, I was a spokesperson for the company sharing my story at competitions and trade shows.

Benefits of Technology in Work Experience and Voiceover 

After selling sports and nutrition products on the road, I was interested in working back in an office environment as I found life on the road exhausting and took a job working for a technology company. I was hired as a Sales Assistant for busy reps who sold computer hardware, software, and professional services. This was a significant role because I got to be the right-hand woman learning about CRMs, Opportunities, Leads, SAAS, and more. I also learned how to run various sales reports, which were crucial to my team’s success. I was also in charge of all the hockey and basketball tickets for our company box at the Air Canada Centre, which is pretty cool!

Practicing Independence Through Government Employment 

In 2008 unfortunately, the recession hit, and I was laid off. I spent the next four months traveling Europe, and when I returned in Sept of 2009, I took a job at a local government office. For the next 12 years, I worked here and was able to hone the majority of my business skills. This fostered my entrepreneurial spirit and eventually helped me go out on my own.  I started in the Environmental Services Department. I learned much about how our water is used within the community, how it is treated to remove bacteria and viruses, and about the innovative water and wastewater treatment facility that handles these processes.

I then worked in the Community and Health Services Department in the Healthy Living Division. Our division worked on Substance Misuse and Prevention, Sexual Health issues, Senior Services, Elementary and High schools, Healthy Aging, Injury Prevention, Smoking Cessation, and others. I learned much about the efforts to help high-risk populations and witnessed firsthand the daily hard work our 100+ nurses did to better the community. I organized and hosted multiple health conferences with upwards of 500 people.

Community and Human Resources Experience

For about a year, I worked on the Immigration team running the largest immigration conference welcoming newcomers to Canada and getting them work in their desired field as quickly as possible once they’ve arrived. Over the next few years, I worked in the Records Department as a Records Technician, organizing and onboarding the annual summer students. This role taught me about adult education and staff training, and I became familiar with eLearning and the importance of privacy within health records.

Lastly, I worked in the transportation department for five months with various teams, such as HR and Transportation Security. Then the pandemic hit, and they canceled all my current projects and said they would call me when I could return to work.

A Voiceover Career is Launched

This was when I hit the ground running with voice-over, and within months I was on an entirely new career path. Six months later, my work called me back in, and I officially turned them down; the rest, as they say, is history! 🙂

Benefits of Secondary Education to Voiceover Work

Over the years, I have taken many business-related courses that have made a difference in my career, making me more confident and competent in my roles. These courses have included:

• Accounting
• Marketing
• Computers
• Public Relations 
• An honors certificate in Adult Education/Staff Training
• Effective Business Writing
• Suicide Prevention
• Sexual Harassment
• WHMIS
• Project Mapping

I got experience in eLearning and the exact factors adults need when learning new material. Learning these crucial principles has allowed me to understand the nuances required to succeed in eLearning. I have also sat through a plethora of eLearning courses, some good and some bad, so I know precisely the right voiceover tone to use to help keep employees engaged and compliant.

When I took all these courses, I had not yet considered voice-over a career, but I am sure happy I took them all because the education has helped me in my business. I feel more confident when given scripts regarding the various industries I have worked in. Often, I am familiar with the industry, vocabulary, and goal of the script and feel that I can familiarly relate the information and makes clients happy. By working in many industries, I’ve learned the many acronyms and each one’s everyday speech that the average person may not understand. Because I have a wide range of experience, I can repeat the titles, acronyms, or phrases quickly with confidence.

Biggest Project That Used Work Experience and VO

My most significant project to date has been a Nutrition-based eLearning project of about 50,000 words. The segments were quite technical and mentioned phrases such as oligosaccharides, pantothenic acid, ergogenic acids, carotenoids, and other challenging words.  I would have suffered tremendously with this project if I had never worked in the sports nutrition industry. It would have taken me twice the time to read, record and edit because I had to look up each word and understand the meaning. I was grateful I was familiar with the words and phrases, as it made the whole project much easier to complete.

Work History and Voiceover Equals Success

Each day I am still learning how to be a great voice actor and business person. It is no easy task, but I can say that I am grateful for those 18+ years that I have worked in various industries. Now I enjoy learning more about this incredible industry of voice over every day.

 

I had to dedicate this week’s blog to music and voiceover! June was a big month for music internationally, and I spent extensive time traveling through Europe a few years back. During the time I spent in France, I discovered a La Fete de la Musique, which is a day dedicated to all things music.

June is Black Music Appreciation month internationally, June 25th is International Beatles day and June 24th of this year was also the release date of the new Elvis movie. By the way, have you seen it yet? What were your thoughts? I thought it was very entertaining.

Similarities Between Music and Voiceover

Since June is a big month for music, I wanted to discuss the similarity that music has to voiceover. You may think – how can music and voiceover have similarities as one is speaking and one is singing or playing an instrument. But, speaking or voice-over does have a musical quality, and they both have Timing, Tone, and Pitch in common.

As someone who has played instruments, sang, and danced for many years, I can hear the similarities in timing, tone, and pitch in voice-over. Having those elements as a foundation helps me with each voice-over I perform for my clients. This week, we will discuss these elements more in detail.

How Does Pitch Relate to Both?

Pitch relates to the frequency of sound and vibration. Is the sound low, or is it high? A high frequency is a high pitch, and a low frequency is a low pitch. In an orchestra, for example, an oboe, which is a woodwind instrument, is used to tune the entire orchestra to a specific pitch, so all the instruments sound in unison. Some people, rare as it may be, have absolute or perfect pitch. It’s the rare ability to identify or re-create a given musical note without a reference. Only a few musical artists have this ability, for example, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Puth, and Frank Sinatra, to name a few.

Understanding pitch helps us speak a language correctly as it aids in how we respond to what is being said. You’ll notice that when someone asks a question, they may raise their pitch at the end of a sentence. That helps us to know what is being said. If the pitch is low when ending a sentence, it is usually perceived as a statement.

Adjusting Pitch

When I perform voice over, I often raise or lower my pitch depending on the copy. If the spot I’m working on requires a softer feel, perhaps playing a character speaking to a child or loved one, I will lower my pitch slightly and speak more introspectively. If the spot is a quick-moving sales commercial, I may raise my pitch and annunciate more to show a call to action and demand attention. If I’m playing a child or teenager in a spot, I will certainly raise my pitch to sound younger, and if I’m playing a middle-aged to a senior character, I will lower my pitch accordingly to sound older.

For an audition with a large casting, I may do the opposite of what you may think to do to stand out amongst the hundreds of others auditioning. Having an understanding of pitch and being able to adjust on the fly will help you to get into character quickly and hopefully win the job.

How Tone Plays a Part in Music and Voiceover

The definition of tone is a musical or vocal sound regarding its pitch, quality, and strength. Tone refers to the color of the sound you are speaking or playing. Many instruments can sound drastically different depending on the tone you are playing. A guitar can sound soft, melodic, and romantic. On the other hand, it could sound loud, moody, and dark, depending on how you play. Also, a piano can sound muffled, soft, and sad, and then in an instant, it can sound bright, excited, and brash!

Musical artists also have a variety of tones. Elvis Presley, Isaac Hayes, and Barry White possess a deep, melodic, warm, velvety tone of voice, which fit in perfectly for their R&B, Funk, and Gospel sounds. Other artists such as Macy Gray, Bon Jovi, and Steven Tyler have raspy voices that fit perfectly for the rock genre they are known for. One artist may also change their tone depending on the genre of the song they are singing. Paul Mc Cartney, for example, was an excellent example of this. He could sing a sweet melodic song like Blackbird, which is on their famous White Album, then change his tone entirely in an instant and sound like a blues-rocker, for example, on the renowned track Darlin’ on their iconic last album Abbey Road. Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson also gave great examples of fantastic tone in their music, adjusting from song to song. One technique isn’t better than another, but the ability to adapt quickly can make you book the job.

Adjusting Tone

The same can be done with your voice in voice-over. In my voice-over jobs, I perform a variety of tones daily. One spot could ask for me to speak with an authoritative tone, which means using downward inflections, adjusting my tempo, and pausing. At the same time, the next spot could ask me to speak in a cheerful tone, perhaps playing a younger character or a commercial for a fun new product. It would mean using more inflections, going upward in the middle and end of sentences, and adjusting my tempo with a quicker pace and less pausing.

Music, Voiceover, and Timing

Timing is the choice, judgment, or control of when something should be done. A command of timing is crucial in music; otherwise, a song would never start or finish on time. Also, an orchestra would never stay in line with the sheet music, and you would most likely have no idea what song they are playing.

Many musical artists are known for their excellent timing. When watching a band on stage, you’ll see how they always look back and forth at each other to ensure they are moving simultaneously and staying together. One example of this is recently I watched The Beatles – Get Back series on Disney+. At the end of the documentary, you’ll see the band do an impromptu performance on top of the Abbey Road studios rooftop on a cold January afternoon in 1969. Though cold and playing relatively new music, they knocked it out of the park. Very often, you’ll see both John Lennon and Paul Mc Cartney look over at each other constantly to ensure they keep in time and play together. Also, thank goodness for Ringo playing the drums at the perfect time to ensure all band members are in-sync. Another great example of timing is rap artists. They must ensure their many lyrics fit in with the music that backs their vocals. If they didn’t keep in time, their music would sound chaotic, manic, and frenzied.

Practicing is Crucial in Music and Voiceover

The same is very important in voice-over. Often, I will receive a timeframe of how long my voiceover should be, usually 30 seconds or 1 minute, and I have to have an excellent inner stopwatch to ensure I hit the mark each time. Also, sometimes up to 10 people are on the call during live-directed sessions, so having an excellent inner clock is crucial to keep the clients happy. Sometimes they will also play music in the background, and you will have to speak over the music. It can sometimes be distracting, but you must ensure you finish your voice-over right as that last note plays. This can be tricky, but with good practice, it’s possible to nail it each time. 

Practice recording voiceovers with music underneath, trying to hit specific phrases on or off the beat. If a part of the song speeds up, brighten your voice, try smiling, and drop your voice if there is a sad moment. Play with pitch and tone, and that will help your overall timing. So, is voice-over musical? It is. You may not be singing in your voiceovers, but you are essential because you are constantly playing with pitch, tone, and timing, and understanding those in detail will make your clients happy and satisfied and help you book that job!