Go On Let me Have it.. I can Take it!!

Crystal Mazza · **Voice Talent** Joined: 19 Nov 2005 Posts: 2

As I sit here day after day recording tracks for auditions, I realize that the only person that it telling me if this is any good is ME, and frankly, I am a little bias.

So feel free to offer any constructive critisism you might have.

Thanks so much

Crystal

Paxton Greene · **Voice Talent** Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 91

hey crystal!

good voice. relax on your read. this take doesn't sound natural. do a couple run throughs on your script. think of how you'd deliver this naturally. best to you.

pax

Anthony Asselta · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Posts: 4

Hi Crystal, You do have a wonderful voice. I am new to this business and do not feel I have enough experience to critique but may I suggest not trying so much inflection. It sounds as if you have a wonderful natural tone. Good luck to you, Anthony

Crystal Mazza · **Voice Talent** Joined: 19 Nov 2005 Posts: 2

Thank you for the great feedback. I am really going to put your advice into use and post a new demo once I get over this nasty cold. Rolling Eyes

Thanks again.
Crystal

Robert Jadah · **Voice Talent** Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 2627

Crystal:
Gave your demo a couple of listens and think you have a nice, crystalline voice. To me, though, the inflection does seem off; unnatural. You also get a little shrill on occasion.
I would agree that you need to relax and maybe get a tad closer (more intimate) to the mic. Have the script vaguely committed to memory so that you can deliver it in a more conversationally animated manner.
Hang IN,
Robert

Julie Williams · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 168

Hi Crystal,

A few notes of critique...
It's awesome that beginners are on voice123. You're out there marketing your craft--while many others are sitting home waiting for the phone to ring! If you're not always out there, you will be forgotten! We all will.

I do think it screams beginner when you have a demo that's just one spot...and cold voice. Also, It does feel like you're "pushing" too hard. You're using inflection when you should be emphasizing with color. This makes the read lack credibility.

I would suggest you continue doing custom demos as much as you can--while you work on getting a good demo (or several) together that is professionally polished and fully produced. I do demos...but only when I do workshps--every 18 months or so is all I have time for!!!

When you listen back to your auditions, ask yourself, "Do I sound like I'm talking to my best friend?" If not, then redo it.

Sounds like you've got a great studio and are definitely on the right track. What you appear to lack at this point, is nothing that a few good workshops, and some practice won't cure! BTW... remember...even world class musicians practice.

One good way to do it is to record a book onto CD for your mom for CHristmas! She'll love it no matter what... and you'll get practice cold reading (sight reading.) You'll be training your brain to read a line ahead of what you're saying. It's a skill that can be learned through practice!

I wish you luck Crystal... One more thing... a marketing package tying your name and a slogan like "crystal clear voiceovers" or "Crystal clear delivery" or something like that would fit!

Good Luck!
Julie Williams
www.voice-overs.com

Nikki Saco · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 465

Julie's idea of interpreting an audio book is excellent, but don't read it. Julie likes to say find the color in the words. I see music in them. Especially if you're narrating for children. There's an inherent tempo in most text, IMHO.

Doing auditions and more custom demos while visualizing a friend's ear when you're recording are all good ideas. The guys are right that that will help you attain a more natural tempo and inflection to your beautifully crystaline voice. Someone else mentioned you may want to get closer to the mic. That's a good point; right now it sounds like you're further away from it which is creating a very slight tinny quality.

However, if you'll get closer, you may want to make sure you use a pop filter and in general pull back some air when you approach plosives, P's in particular. You' don't have to buy a $20 pop filter. Pantyhose stretched and doubled over the plastic frame of a 5 or 6" strainer works just fine. Believe me. You can blow on your hand through the pop filter. If the pop filter works, you won't feel the air on your hand. In general, I don't like metal pop filters because to me they seem to vibrate a bit and have the potential to add tinniness.

On your recordings, you may also want to silence out breaths you take between words. You want to record only your voice and give the impression that you have a continuous supply of oxygen. Wink

A lot of people here recommend getting a professional demo. Few of us can afford that. I also can't reconcile going to an outside studio when the bulk of my work will be recorded and mastered by me and that's often the client's expectation for the type of VO work I do (not broadcast stuff). To that end, I feel my demos shouldn't just feature my voice, but my production abilities. My point is I think it's as important to become a good producer, director and sound engineer (the production team) as it is to become a voice over artist. And, you can do that by really listening to demos. Critique some of the ones here; listen to bad ones; listen to good ones like Julie's. Visit the sites of better known VO talent, male and female. Actually, I listen to professional male VO talent a lot. If a male voice can achieve intimacy (which may tend to be harder for a lower register), you know you're hearing talent. Antonio Banderas is an excellent example of a natural VO talent, intimate and engaging even when he's peddling Nasonex.