Good day all.
By audience demand, I’d like to take a moment and talk about the art of voice acting. I’m going to share what I’ve learned over the last few years, and answer a few audience questions. Let’s cut the crap and dive right in.
What Exactly is Voice Acting?
Voice Acting (or VA work, VAing for short) is simply the art of recording yourself being someone or something you’re not. It doesn’t matter if you post it, or if anyone hears it but you. If you’ve ever hit record and done a bit, you’re a voice actor.
Note that I leave the adjectives “aspiring” and “professional” off there. That’s because those terms are ultimately irrelevant. The difference between the two is skill and time, and all voice actors can transition from one to the other. The difference between you and Mark Hamill is much more minimal than you think. With time comes skill, with skill comes connections, and with connections come recognition.
So, once more with feeling-you’re a voice actor simply by virtue of doing. No matter how often you produce, how often you post, how big your audience is. If you’re doing the thing, you’re already light years ahead of people who only think about it. I’m proud of you.
But.
Even answering the question isn’t quite enough, is it? Being a VA is one thing, but we so enjoy that recognition, that clout, that audience. It’s okay to admit to that. All artists by default are either narcissists, attention whores (like me), both, or too shy to admit to that. I envy those that can create in a vacuum or only for themselves. They’re the most sure of all of us.
So.
How do you build an audience? A brand? Recognition? Let’s start with the basics.
Throw All Illusions of Granduer Out The Fucking Window
The iconic stereotype of the “starving artist” isn’t far off in the gig economy.
With the rise of social networking came the ability to tap into an audience simply by existing. Regardless of your skill level, you probably have a brand and you’re not even aware of it. If you’ve more than a hundred or so followers, congrats. You’ve just effortlessly built an audience. However, just having an audience isn’t engagement, nor can it turn into growth or profit for your works.
Just making a thing isn’t enough. Your creations are competing with every post with untold millions of others. When you think about it, it can get incredibly overwhelming. It’s easy to grow disheartened before you even begin.
Allow me to give my best piece of advice for fighting this feeling:
Fuck the numbers.
No, seriously. Fuck the numbers.
Audience engagement, especially in the post-social media gig economy, is rooted in utter chaos. An excellent performance can get two retweets, where screeching “It’s ya’ boy tarantula dick” can get tens of thousands. With such unpredictable and utterly volatile metrics, audience engagement numbers are-at best-taking the fastest route to causing your next panic attack. Fuck the numbers, fuck the listen counts, fuck the retweets and the favorites. They’re an illusion built to fucking kill you.
If we disregard that, if we ignore all the traps of assumed “status” and “fame”, that leaves the work. Your craft, which now has your primary focus, free of all anxieties. This brings us to the question, which can be stated as thus:
What kind of performer do I want to be?
While this question is incredibly important, I want to state this upfront before continuing: The answer to this question can and will change. That is totally and utterly normal and no, you’re not alone with facing this change.
This question is one rooted firmly in introspection, and the answer for each of us is drastically different than our peers. For many, emulating their favorite bits from television, the internet and more is the easiest starting point. By all means, don’t be afraid to lean into this. Use these imitations as learning experiences for feeling what you’re into, and what you dislike. The first recording I ever did for Splat Speaks was literally so my discord server could hear my voice. As attention grew on my (now defunct) Tumblr page, I turned towards imitating performers I had long admired. Wolfman Jack, Don Cornelius, and Art Bell all served as templates for what eventually grew into the personality I use for Splat Speaks. I wanted to appear as a sassy, grave (and perhaps a bit airheaded) creepy but lovable idiot.
I’m staring down the barrel of episode 1000 in probably a few months time. Since then, I’ve grown to realize what I enjoy about performing and tried out new things. Heck, we even have an after hours show now. In using these templates, in imitating these heroes I’d held in high regard, I found my own voice and footing. I left them behind when I personally felt I didn’t need them anymore.
Find a voice actor or performer you admire. Note what you like about their professional works, and what you dislike. Try these out for yourself, but do so without worry towards critical reception (especially if you’re starting out) and with a mind towards finding what you want to show the world with your work.
Don’t do this for the clout, the money, or the audience.
Do it for you first.
Technical Details, Equipment, Hosting
If you’re like me, every single time you open your wallet you weep openly. If you’re new to being a VA and looking at mics, software and equipment, you’re probably crying twice as hard. Let’s address something very, very important right now:
Your gear and software does not make you more or less talented.
There are plenty of voice actors (myself included) that started off recording in their closet on their phone. While good equipment and software can enhance a performance, they’re polishing a turd if you’re not working on the skill you bring to both. You do not need great equipment or great software to make great works. A thousand dollar mic in a sound both with an engineer can’t burst your eardrums, while one muffled person in a closet can bring a tear to your eye.
The difference is you, individually. Not the equipment.
For the record, I produce literally everything for Splathouse on an Asus Chromebook C302 with Lexis Audio Editor and a Yeti Blackout. By industry standards, I’m screaming in a dumpster behind Wendys. Before that? My Google Pixel 2 XL in my closet-or a slightly dirtier dumpster behind a non-brand gas station. You do not need great equipment to be great or to build an audience.
If you want the “good” equipment, be my guest. Literally nothing is holding you back except your wallet. I personally recommend learning your editing software first over getting a great mic. Any recording can be cleaned up to be decent. Any recording can be enhanced by noise cancellation, sound effects and stereo sound. Your first focus should be software-and don’t get something so complicated you can’t figure it out. You’ll get frustrated and angry, and give up. When you’ve the bands for a decent mic, learn your mic. Learn the raw hardware-how to control the gain, volume, and different recording modes. Learn how software drivers affect it. Learn how it works as an input device in your setup. How do your recordings sound in different spaces?
Which brings me to a detail a lot of performers don’t actively think about-recording space. Mics and software can do wonders, but the acoustics of where you choose to record can save you a lot of hassle. If you have no idea how to measure such a thing, try different locations. Does your voice echo a lot? A little?
You can affect the acoustics of your recording location with sound proof foam, cardboard, thick curtains and more. However, if your space is enclosed (like say, a closet) you won’t be able to raise your voice too much without your gain spiking ridiculously. As such, I recommend a moderate sized room (like a bed room) and recording in a corner. The walls will act as natural deflectors for sound. Again, learn your software and remember noise cancellation. If your space is limited, you can also build a soundproof box for your mic like I’m doing. While that wikihow is for a room, the same basic principles apply.
With all of this said-you’re likely seeking to host your work somewhere. You’ve dozens of options for doing this. If you have a Gmail account, you can upload your stuff to GDrive and send out links that way. Plus, Gdrive storage is super cheap. MEGA is alive and well, and is also an option. I’ve used both for a variety of things and have had positive experiences with both. Beyond that, a Soundcloud Pro subscription with unlimited uploads is $15 a month. It’s an easily accessible platform complete with tagging and one of the best block (because yes, you’re going to need to block people) methods I have ever seen.
There’s other options, but my suggestion is go where the people are. If you’re a certain kind of performer, notice where your peers are hosting and post your stuff there. Reddit has been an absolute boon for Splathouse. Many GoneWildAudio performers use Soundgasm to great success. Hosting can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be-however, when possible, I advise hosting on a site where you ultimately have creative freedom and control. Splathouse went belly up on Tumblr due to the sites gross mismanagement and misunderstanding of its user base.
Payday: Because You Deserve Compensation
I’m going to keep this section brief.
There’s eventually going to come a time you’re either able to be compensated for your work or are in a position where you’re getting tipped. Ko-fi, Cashapp, Paypal, and Patreon are all the standards here. However, be professional. Hold yourself to the promises you make for compensation. Nothing kills a performer faster than being a scammer.
Yes. You deserve to be paid for your work. Yes, your rates are fair, and if someone thinks they aren’t? Fuck ‘em. There will always be an audience and people happy to compensate you for your talent and time. One angry idiot does not determine the attitude of the entire audience.
In the sense of full disclosure, here’s my comm sheet. My rates are cheaper than my peers based on my professional opinion of the quality of my services. If I ever reach a point I can charge “industry standard” rates, I will. When you undercut your rates, you affect the entire creative market as a whole. Charge what you are worth and not a penny less.
And Now, Some Questions From The Audience
“How has your workflow changed between single takes without editing, and with?”
For those that aren’t aware, everything in Splat Speaks is done in a single take. Until recently, that was also done with zero editing. Before I learned my editing software, there was a bit more “manic energy” to each recording. I felt if I pushed I could deliver an outstanding performance, finish, post and move onto the next request while the previous one uploaded. While this leads to what I consider some of my best performances, doing single takes with editing has allowed for what I do to have a much richer sound. I also believe it’s encouraged me to build a better structure for the show. As for the actual work flow, I usually record raw audio first, take a break for a few hours, then come back and edit. Every track receives noise cancellation, conversion from mono to stereo, and intro/outro music. Some receive more enhancement beyond that in the form of sound effects, though I still use practical effects when possible and applicable. I firmly believe the show is better for this, as it allows me to pause and focus on what I’m doing instead of rushing to the finale.
“Is there any difference between how you talk on mic, and how you talk in person?”
Oh, absolutely.
Splathouse and “IRL Jack” are totally separate people. As a performer, keeping these aspects of my life apart has helped maintain my personal sanity many times. “Performance Jack” sounds much more confident and arrogant. “IRL Jack” is actually extremely quiet, with more of a southern drawl.
“Do you have any tips for aspiring voice actors?”
Do the thing, do it fearlessly, and do it well.
There’s nothing holding you back but you.
“Does any planning go into your improv?”
Nope! Not a bit!
The most I do is occasionally plan the opening skit. Beyond that, I plan absolute nothing, be it audio, fic or articles.
“Hello sir. Your range is one of your most impressive skills. Is there any voice training you do that makes it so easy?”
Yep-I talk to myself. All the time. About everything. I mutter like a madman regardless of where I’m at. I narrate my actions, carry on full conversations and more. The act of speaking, out loud, allows you to hear and understand your voice across a range of emotions. It also allows you to move past the initial fear and dysphoria some feel about the tone of their voice. It allows you to naturally learn your own inflections, your range, what you sound like angry, what you sound like sad, what you sound like normally. Talk to yourself. Hear yourself, and know yourself.
Conclusion
I hope this has been of use to some of you. If anyone would like me to write more articles about the craft, feel free to let me know.
I love you deviants.
You can do this.