The right voice

I hear this sentence from clients and contractors a lot.
What is the "right voice"?
Is there such a thing or is it just a fancy way to say "the one I like"? How many clients come to a meeting with an open mind, ready to hear and chose instead of having "some idea" of what they want, vaguely sounding like something they once heard, somewhere....
The challenge in our business is to guess what the client wants. Sometimes he says British accent and he chooses an Australian one. Other times he says "deep voice" when he means husky. Most times he wants you to convey an emotion, the way he would convey it.
Voice professionals have their own variety of expressions. I, for example communicate sorrow in a different way than one of my colleagues.
The challenge to overcome, is to be able to bypass all the pre-made expectations the client has, and make him appreciate what YOU have to offer.
You can't infuse in 10 mns the knowledge you accumulated over the years, or patronize him. The man owns a butcher shop and he wants an advert. done, now. He wants Angelina Jolie with Kathleen Turner's voice as the butchered cow on the table.
Customer is king.
So what do we do in those circumstances?
We accept the fact that this client is so set in his ways and stop "selling".
We politely say that "this is my voice, this is how I can express the fun of being slaughtered by a beautiful woman, the sense of adoration and sacrifice to feed the human race, and I'm sorry, I can not do a "British" accent (Australian, really).

I personally avoid such fussy clients, as they do not know the business. My business. They do not realize that they pay me to voice over their vision, but also my years of accumulated experience, my knowledge, my acting skill and the ability to sit down, relax and let someone take charge for 3 seconds.
I understand, specially if money is tight, their need to make sure everything is ok. But this is where trust comes into play. That you hired a voice you like. Good quality. Responsibility. Knowledge.
And that's what you pay for. And you get what you pay for.

You get retakes if I didn't get it right. You don't get retakes if you change the script after the recording. It's common sense. The right voice, is not just a sound. It is an attitude. It is patience, it is understanding, it is psychology, it is professionalism.
But it is also boundaries. Value of time. Respect of ones effort to please you,
Accent, tone, acting, power...language, pace, elocution, pronunciation.
Mixing, editing, filing.
Patience, willing to explain, willing to listen, willing to please, give 100%.
Swiftness, reliability, responsibility.
The right voice is more than just a voice.



It's the person who greets you on the phone and gives a je ne sais quoi to your company.
It is the person who soothes you, or excites you or sells for you.
It is your voice in the business world, the voice that comes in contact with your clients.
It is your energy, your personality, your imprint.

That's what "the right voice is". A perfect fit on all levels.


I remember when I worked for the Eurovision contest, the director asked me to be loud and strong to match the male speaker that was voicing the countries in English. The result was bad, in my opinion. My voice was set too high and sounded unnatural.
I gently suggested if we could also make a take with my own voice, how I would say it, how I pictured it in my head, without trying to match the other speakers tone and energy.
The director agreed that the sound coming out was more pleasant, relaxed and yet ceremonial ( at least I think he saw that this is what I was aiming for). My take was kept in the final mix. He was able to go past his initial idea and appreciate that new "image".
Narrating is a skill, that implies more than just reading a text.

You may not see the subtle details or hear the changes or intonations, but once the feeling you wanted to get across is expressed, you know you found, "the right voice".

Why sound

Of all the senses and the tools and the means we have as human beings to communicate, to make a living, to make an impact, I chose sound.

I love sound. And here is why. (I don't know if this will make sense, I write as I go along to put an order to my thoughts, and I am sleepy....)
Looks can be deceiving.
I started my first career solely based on my looks. Don't get me wrong, I was no Nicole Kidman, and I' m short. But I got my break on tv due to the fact I was photogenic. I got singing jobs cause I was cute. And a female.
I didn't know it then. The thought is insulting, but I was able to get to that conclusion without being too upset about it, because I did do something after the breaks I got,
 I was able -in some cases- to make people see the value of my labour and establish myself professionally.
In my 20s,as every other snobbish snotty overgrown teenager who thinks "he's made it" to the grown up world, I thought I was sophisticated, talented and ready to be discovered.
 And I was. Talented, that is. Just not as much as I thought. *( Every time I hear my first demo tape, made by Billy Dertilis a very accomplished, famous and established producer who was doing a favor to a friend,, I cringe. Even more, I am embarrassed with the ease and nerve I displayed- asking him to re do the whole thing when he had worked on the wrong song. On the other hand, when I got my opening on tv, I was not satisfied with just presenting some video clips, I wanted to interact with the audience at home. I wanted more. I wanted to get them involved and proceeded to do just that, organizing auditions, rehearsals, recording and airing time. The newly hired director insisted I would show cleavage, I refused, we fought, he got fired. But I'm digressing.)

Oddly enough, I did get discovered. Someone paid for my education- I was living alone since I was 16 and had no means to study with the teachers I later had. It was someone with business sense who never saw anything more in my looks, than an asset to sell records. So yes, as a general rule, the way people perceived me visually, were a door opener.....and closer. What I could and was able to do once the door was open, was up to me. And the business sense of my bosses. If they could go pass the looks, the sex, and the age, sometimes.

I can still remember a journalist trying to find me and hire me for his newspaper, really excited about an article I wrote, who decided the moment I got into his office, he didn't want me. Was it my unconventional outfit? Or my extra kilos? I don't know, but it was one of these times when you can actually feel the energy changing in the room, instantly.
Living in a land where women were -in my experience- second rate citizens, and where ones attractiveness is a double edge sword, I realized, deep in my mid thirties, that the way I looked and how someone experienced my physical presence, was my best ally and worst enemy.
 Usually talking would set the record straight. My voice, my way of expressing myself would immediately convey the right energy, and set the tone. No misunderstandings there. (But I won't dwell on the misfortunes of being a working woman in Greece, this is not the topic today although it would be fun to write someday this little horror story)

So to sum it up, looks were a big factor that I wanted out of the way.
As I grew older, I started working in the media, that were less open to public scrutiny. Less ...visible. Teaching. Blogging. Writing. Event planning. I kept singing but not as often, just to remind me who I really was. Not a mom, not a divorcee, not even an author, a daughter, a lover, a bitch or whatever.

Opening my mouth to create sound was like putting comfortable slippers after a long day with high heels. Singing was what I wanted to do ever since I could put dolls people gave me,  around me, and perform. At least they had some purpose now. ( I hated dolls, yet my voice was not powerful enough to be heard by grown ups). 
Singing was just who I was and the only way I had found to make people stop and listen to me, pay attention to what I had to say, or how I felt. It was a way to shoo away  all the expectations, pressures and other peoples idea of who I am or should be.
Sound is not something that you can interpret. It's there. It shows who you are. Soft, or energetic, sexy or angry, sensual and vulnerable....

I had my share of recognition till then. I worked in front and behind the cameras. I sang all over Europe.And to be honest, I needed not to draw attention any-more, but stir the focus on the product, the book, the article, the concert, the pupil...I felt satisfied, full, and in a good place.

I enjoyed stepping sideways and create in a different, more abstract way. This time it was no pencils, or a piece of music that needed lyrics. I had a virtual audience and a keyboard to write my thoughts. I had roles and tasks and imagination to create something, out of nothing. A seed of an idea that would give a product. I enjoyed the fact all of my previous experience was coming into play, even when I worked for an organization for deaf people. (The irony. I can't stop talking, I adore to sing, I love my job as a voice artist and here I was, surrounded by people who could not hear a sound. The challenges I had to overcome, out of my comfort zone were immense but I had chosen it and I loved it.)
A voice is to me, the soul's (finger)print.
It is enriched with emotions, feelings, expectations, fear, hope and all these things that it betrays. A voice can not be controlled when we are in a deep emotional state.Try to talk when you had sad news.
A voice makes you guess.It triggers your imagination and makes the other person familiar, close, intimate sometimes. It creates a connection.

A voice on the other end of the line, has no restrictions. You don't judge and are not judged.
You can imagine the other person and listen to the message he/she has to say. Really listen.
In business, a pleasant voice is attractive enough to get your attention but not to the point of distracting you from the goal.
Voicing your thoughts, opening a window to your mind, is a wonderful thing, and people's reactions to what you say are telling far more about the way they think than when they act or speak the way they think they should.
Writing has its magic, as you read my post with your own tone, your own intonation. But it also creates misunderstandings. Because you read the post in the tone you think the other person is using. Sound, is missing. Sound that sets the mood. The pace. The intentions.
Image is powerful, but distracting from the message. If someone is too attractive.
Or too old. Or too fat. Or filled with pimples, or dirty, or whatever....We miss valuable things solely based on the fact that our eyes decide what is worthy or not.
I recently enrolled to CPHbusiness and conducted my own little experiments. How many people would stereotype me due to my age. How many would come forth and maybe ask me questions, as I made it clear with some hints here and there, I had experience in the field. How many teachers would feel at ease or not. Make eye contact, involve me in the process, feel confident or uncomfortable...How my age would be a factor. It was for some.
You cant really put a person that doesn't fit in a box, in a box. A mom but... a former tattoo artist? A professional but a student? A talkative 44 year old who doesn't keep a "grown up distance"? Am i like your mom? I am. I am not. How, when .... ah, never mind.
Now imagine if classes were held on skype. You get my point.

Another example of how what we see inhibits and limits us...I had an obese  friend who was unemployed for years and as soon as she lost the extra weight, she was hired. Was she suddenly qualified? Was something in her body mass stopping her from being adequate?
Of course not. But people perceived her differently.

When I was getting on stage for an opening number, I knew after the few first notes, that eyes would open wide and the comments after my performance about how "such a strong voice can come out of such a tiny person" would pour. It was not about liking me, but how they were surprised and got something they didn't expect. Based on my looks. Height. Whatever.

When you are alone with your loved one in the dark, and he is holding you, even kissing you, hearing his voice, voicing his thoughts, and that husky timber betraying his emotions, you get involved. Even if two minutes before you were mentally going through the grocery list for tomorrow, his voice reeled you in. Because it was real, and moving and gripping. Can't fake that. (And I know some will think that some women do fake "that". But are they women or girls afraid to show how they really feel? Are they dealing with men or inexperienced boys who don't really listen or are involved spiritually and mentally as well as physically?)
Sound, is real. Sound never deceives.
Sound is also related to experiences from childhood.
Tomatis has proven that we can't hear some sounds that are related to one or both parents. Depending on early traumas, our ears "shut down" some sounds related to the parent in question. It makes you think what happens when we relate to a person who emits those missing nuances and sounds. Also when learning a language we are deaf to certain sounds. It takes re-education of the mouth, the tongue, the throat and the ear to be able to lose that deafness.
Eyes deceive. Sight is used to evaluate a person, a situation, to label it and to move on.
But eyes, the sense of sight, is poor. Even in the film making industry, they use sound in crucial points, in order enhance the experience.
Of course I will use imagery when presenting a project to my colleagues. It helps people understand the little movie in my head. But its not the images, or my green eyes that gets the point across.
Its the passion in my voice, the excitement, the care, the enthusiasm and the honesty that pours out of me. If I was a movie and you muted me, you would not be sure 100% what I am saying. Arching brows, smiling, talking,(with my hands) it would set a positive note, but it would not get the point across. The personality is missing.
The voice and the sound are always able to communicate feelings, ideas, thoughts without complications. Without prejudices. Without stereotypes.
And yet, it is the most neglected, underrated, unappreciated tool in today's business world.
And it is my job,and personal agenda, to change this. To prove how voices are the back bone of every advertising venture, how a voice can ruin a film, a spot, a presentation, a first impression.
How music can add the right set and mood to any situation.
How the tone and articulation can attract listeners or shoo them away.
Speak up, present yourself. How do you sound?
Would you buy from you?
Would you trust you with your money?Are you convincing?

Most sales men, sound like sales men. Rehearsed, trying to convince and push their product.
Most IVR messages sound like tired secretaries put to the job.
Most web videos fail due to poor quality of sound and image.
On the other hand, all tv spots are done by actors. ,Animation and games. Actors. People who study the art of projecting their voice, an emotion and communicate through words, the message needed.
It is clear to me that we all need to learn the art of speaking, and develop the ability to dig deep inside in order to convey the right message, at the right time, at the right person. Find our own voice and use it the best possible way. Authenticity and energy must pour out of you and strike the other person to the core.Whether it is a book, a menu, a spot, a radio announcement, a meditation tape, a self help tape, a gym program, a game, an app, a power point presentation.... we need to know how to do it, or hire the person to do it for us.
Think of a bad play, a non professional performance. What gives it away, 99% of the time? Their voices.
That's why I chose sound to be my tool. Because of all the forms of expression I had the luck to obtain, it is the one that forces you to soul-search, that makes you dig deep in yourself to create a sound and present it in an effective way, while it shows who you are, and what energy you are made off.
I rent my energy to companies who have no voice of their own, to spread their identity across.
I read a book and bring it to life.
I keep company to someone who is waiting on the line.
I help you meditate, relax, work out.
I sing your sorrows and your pain.

I am someone you know. Even if we never met.

Voice overs, that overlooked driving force

The past few years, whenever I tell people I am a voice over artist, I get a multitude of reactions, varying from "oh?" ( as " oh is that a job?) from "oooh" ( as "ooooh I have no idea what you do but it sounds cool").
Well, it is. A job and cool.
But it is also extremely demanding. A voice over artist has to:

a) Have good pronunciation
b) Have versatility.Know how to act. There is a difference in story telling, in selling, in advertising, when reading a manual, or a book. When voicing a cartoon or recording a dictionary.


A GOOD voice artist has to:
a) and b)
c)Have a home studio and have knowledge of editing and mixing.




A GREAT voice artist has to:
a), b) c) and
d) have studied acting or singing in order to know his/ her craft in depth ( or have some artistic background as a radio producer, MC, television presenter, actor, singer etc)
e) know more than one language
f) be able to proofread and translate
g) have a professional studio
h) have patience, people skills and a good business sense.


If these are covered, voice acting can be very fulfilling and diverse. No job is the same. You connect with all kinds of people from any kind of industry.

The reason is that voice overs are needed almost anywhere.
a) every time you call a company, there is a voice over greeting you and guiding you through the steps.
b) every time you watch a commercial on tv or hear it on the radio, a voice over is heard.
c) every time you pass an exam in a foreign language or hear an exercise, a voice over artist was hired.
d) every meditation or yoga tape was voiced over.
e) every exercise dvd or documentary that was dubbed in your language, every cartoon you took your child to, a voice over artist is behind it.
f) every you tube video that is half decent, has used a voice over.
g) every learning application was voiced over.
h) every time you listen to a gps system someone probably did it.
i) every game you play had voice over artists play the parts "Greetings traveller" ;)
j) every film or tv series you watch had parts that were voiced over, especially if it was filmed outside.


People in the entertainment industry have found out long ago the importance of sound and the valuable tool the right voice can be. The rest of the world is catching up, and more and more companies rely on professionals to voice their marketing videos, their presentations, their in-company videos and telephone menus.

Big companies had researchers to point out the importance of impressions and they have the funds to produce such impressions with videos, tv spots and web advertisements.

But what about the smaller companies?
Well, nowadays it is easy to find a few bilingual voice artist to greet their customers on the phone, and the kind of voice they want at a fair price for their promotional videos.


www,thepros.dk ( ignore the certificate warning, godaddy is a company that did not include it in my package)  id a company that creates non expensive phone menus, but still gives a decent rate to their voice artists.
You can also order a ready made package with up to 20 prompts for the price of 100 dollars, in 3 languages. That is a very good deal.

So what is this not more known?
Because customers and business men tend to overlook things that have always been here.
Try to think today, how many times you will hear a voice over, anywhere.
You will be quite surprised.:)


( If you are interested in becoming a voice artist contact info@thepros.dk  for info and tips)

So you want to be a voice artist.

Lets start with the basics. You can't record with your phone or Ipad.
 I mean, you can, if you charge 4 dollars. And your client is not fussy. But that's not being a VO artist. That's being an opportunist. Doing anything for anyone. And creating a very bad name for yourself amongst your peers and never being able to step up, for the good jobs. If you are serious about getting in this business you need to know it is a very competitive field and some work non stop but most, work occasionally.

If you want to get into this business, you have multiple ways to start.
This is the utmost rudimentary, cheapest starters kit you can have if you want to jump into the field.
First thing first, the technical stuff.
You need a decent microphone. A little inquiry online will help you decide what you need, but a safe bet -from what I hear- is to not use the blue yeti or snowballs kind of microphones because although they are great for skype and twitch and your youtube videos, they are not as good as needed for a pro voice over. You need a pro microphone. No need to get a very expensive one, but you can not buy a cheap one either.
You will need a recording program. Audacity is good for beginners but it is unreliable sometimes so a good choice would be to choose Reaper.
 It can be free, for small business and for big business allowing you to choose how much money you will spend. Try to avoid noise gates, normalizing and noise removals, as they distort your final result. This is why it is important to get a good mic and a decent audio card setting like the Steinberg. The M Audio is very popular but there have been problems with some Pc's.
(Thomann is a good site to buy what you need).
You will also need, a stand, a pop filter, some sort of padding around your area. When I first started I was in a very quiet area and all I needed was two ikea libraries with books right and left to drown the room noise. Later on I used a futon on top and on the sides, instead of buying foam bricks. Whatever works, without spending too much. A heavy blanket...a carpet. Improvise and experiment.

So now that you are all set up, you need to find your first gigs.
I would suggest you start with low expectations and low quality sites that offer little jobs. This way you can practice while learning and get a little bit of a pocket money. You will have to learn how to edit, clean, file and enhance your audios. You will experiment with your settings, your mic position and before you know it, you will have enough money to upgrade your microphone and system. Make youtube videos, about your favorite game or topic, practice practice practice. Youtube is your friend in learning and getting exposed.

Working as a booking agent at myvoices and speak and not ThePros.dk, I have to listen to many samples a day, and most are pretty good. Good elocution, good rhythm, good pronunciation and acting, good sound... but, if I can hear the sss or the space or room around the microphone I have to turn down the file. And it's a shame because many of the candidates have everything needed to be heard, except the right set up.
I often reach and tell them the problem and sometimes they reply that they never had a problem before. And I know they didn't, the internet is filled with voice over artists but also voice over crap. Clients with high standards and clients who don't care or don't know better. My job is to allow in the site only those who reach a certain standard. For our reputation as a company, of course, but also for my artists' sake. They need to know. They need to be humble as well.
When working with an international company, it doesn't matter if they are the best in their country. By being in the data base, they are exposed to a different market, they start over and they need to adjust to the kind of sound that particular market is used to.
Every country and culture has a different preference. American sound is very different than Arabic. And I am not talking about the language, but the setting. The sound itself.
Most times there is no problem, the files come back re arranged, re edited and the profile is activated. Of course the internet is filled with sites, agencies and vo artists. But my job is to weed out the ones I want, nurture the ones that have potential, negotiate their fees. 

This is what I get paid for, to be the middle man, to fence for the pay of the voice artist, to present a finished, impeccable product. The client expects of me to search, negotiate and connect them with someone who will give them what they need. The Vo artists expects me to find him work. And that is possible only if he has a good product to give.
So yes, I weed out. But I don't turn down. I educate, I give my opinion, I redirect, I encourage. This is also part of my job. I am not the worlds leading expert, by all means. But I have a good ear, I have worked in the voice field over 20 years and I have managed to raise my child solely on my vocal abilities. whether I was singing, teaching how to sing or pronounce correctly or doing voice overs. I must be doing something right :)In fact in  the near future, I will hold seminars and lessons and free recordings of demos for those who want to get into the business, in Copenhagen.


So, to get back to the basics. If you want to start this career you need to earn it to pay your duesas we all have. To have your ears and eyes open and to learn from those willing to include you. Not always the case I have to add.
You need to include a pro studio to go and record in your price, but only if you are good enough to get that price, or invest a minimum on a set up.
You need to read out loud, act and play, bring your emotions to your voice.
And most of all, you need to have self awareness. Who you are, who you are addressing to, and what your target groups is.

And find someone who cares enough to help you out when you are in doubt ;)

What kind of voice talent are you or want to be?

Obviously, the working kind :P
But in my two decades of training others, hiring others and working as a voice talent for others, these are the few things I have noticed, picked up and found out.

Voice talents are people. And as such, they come from different venues of life and have their own character and personality. We all put our working mask when it comes to clients, but between us, Voice artists, there is no such thing as a mask.

So here is what I have picked up. Please keep in mind these are generalizations.
Voice artists, do not like agencies or P2P sites. Why? Because they feel that the agencies or sites are taking a cut for THEIR work. And that may apply for certain sites that do absolutely nothing, except maybe create a funnel fro ongoing clientèle, but some agencies actually do the work. Non billable hours of putting a portfolio of sometimes 100- 200 samples for the client, in hopes he will accept and chose the ones he wants. Negotiations and phone calls to Europe, Asia, Usa, with people that may speak or may not speak English. Tracking of offers and names and audio files, checking for quality. And that is only the part before any deal is done. So, agencies, true agencies, should get paid for providing openings to clients.
Of course there are sites that not only take a cut, but also charge Vo artists to be in their rosters, and in return they do not provide any client, or too few to explain the registration fee. And these, are bottom feeders and loathed by the VO community. But more about sites and agencies in the future.

Another problem is humility. Either there is too much of it, people willing to work for nothing, totally destroying the market, or there is none.
Some VO artist keep looking at the pocket of the client and say things like "The client will make thousands of dollars with my commercial, it's only fair I get paid adequately". The problem with that way of thinking is that the VO artist is not realizing two fundamental things.
a) No one is that unique or irreplaceable. A Danish woman living in Thailand, will ask far less than a Danish woman in Denmark. A French artist living in Denmark or Greece, will ask far less than a French artist in Paris. It is a big world, with lots of gateways and lots of people willing to work for less, so focusing on ones true needs and value is important, and as my mother always used to say "Regarde ton assiette", which means, look at your own plate and do not look on what others have, with envy or greed. If  Coke will make millions, it will go on making them, with or without you, you are not a key component to its success. Ask for a logical price, put the brand in your resume and be happy for doing a great job that allows you to have your schedule.
b) Big companies spend lots of money for an ad, that includes writers, translators, film-makers, directors and producers, social media specialists, radio and tv stations and the voice over comes last in the food chain. Once the budget is decided, a chain reaction starts, with the ad agency hiring the writers, the producers, then the voice overs. If as a voice over you think your voice, again is the main component, you need to realize that for an ad that you get to voice, usually 6 to 20 people are involved and get paid from the prearranged budget.


Then there is the union one's. The ones that try to keep the job alive, and with decent pay and I have nothing but admiration for them, because they are passed by, many times. But on the other hand, they work in different venues.

And this is what it is all about, isn'it?
To find your niche, what you are good at. To exploit and market it.
For example, my English is Neutral. For years people told me I had an American accent and I agreed, until someone pointed out it was a global, undefinable accent that was very in demand.
I exploit my French and Greek.
I am very good at emotional readings, at portraying attractive feminine sultry or maternal characters. That does not mean I say no to e learning material, or applications, but  my ability to convey vulnerability and a certain je ne sais quoi, has allowed me to work on tv commercials, a lot.



If you are just starting in this business, you will need to read the guide. (coming shortly)
And with practice, you will find out who you are, what you are good at, and what your voice overs are worth.