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6 Beginner Voice Over Mistakes and How to Fix Them

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Maybe if you are learning a new math formula, or are learning to have your hands on any evolved technology, we often tend to make mistakes in the beginning. Every time we start something new, we make some blunders. However, we sometimes make mistakes without realizing them. It generally occurs when giving voice-overs or dubbing. Beginners make numerous mistakes that hurt the entire team. Voice-over and dubbing jobs are currently the most popular in the industry. Nowadays, tiktok voice over is becoming more and more popular.Almost all of the drives have migrated to multilingual mode. As a result, the demand for voice actors has grown dramatically.

Today, in this guide we are going over some common blunders that novices and even sometimes experienced people make while doing voice-overs and dubbing.

1.Using low-quality equipment

When starting out, it can be tempting to opt for the lowest cost equipment as you consider whether voice over is the right career choice for you. More often than not, this purchase decision will lead to disappointment as you’ll soon find these cheaper, low-quality options aren’t always up to the task of professional voice recording, especially when it comes to your microphone.

While purchasing the cheapest available microphone isn’t a wise decision, buying the most expensive mic on the market likely isn’t the best option either. The best course of action to avoid this costly voice over mistake when outfitting your home studio is to research and test out a few options before you commit. You should be familiar with some voice over recording software.Finding the right equipment boils down to what your needs are, what features are an absolute must, what features are ‘nice-to-have,’ and, ultimately, finding something suitable that fits your budget.

2.  Mouth noises in recordings

Mouth noises are those pesky pops, clicks, and smacks that can sometimes be heard in voice over recordings. They’re also one of the most noticeable beginner voice over mistakes out there.

Mouth noises are caused by the tongue, teeth, and saliva working together to create sticky sounds as we speak. In everyday conversation, we generally don’t hear these common mouth noises when we speak, but voice over recordings will amplify these unwanted sounds, so prevention is key.

Dehydration is the root cause of unwanted mouth noises, so the best defense is to stay properly hydrated. That doesn’t mean guzzling water right before you step in front of your mic — in fact, too much water intake can lead to excess mouth noises as well! Instead, ensure you are drinking enough water throughout the day. Aim to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water over the course of the day, or at least 64 ounces. Your individual needs will depend on your activity level, environment, and other lifestyle factors so be sure to adjust your intake as necessary.

When performing for an extended period of time, the sticky mouth noises are bound to return. Between auditions, remember to take small sips and keep up with your hydration to keep those clicks and pops at bay.

3.  Relying on editing to fix echoes and reverberations

When it comes to editing and processing your audio files, less is more. In fact, using too much noise reduction to repair your sound can sometimes do more damage to your audio quality than leaving the original recording intact. When noise reduction is overused, the audio can become ‘hollow’ and ‘echoey,’ which is a trademark beginner voice over mistake easily recognized by clients.

To fix unwanted background noises like echoes or low humming, treat the issue at the source. The first step is to find an optimal space in your home to record, away from distractions and the sounds of daily life. A closet, office, or bedroom will do the trick. Once you have settled on your recording space, your next step is to treat it. Heavy blankets, duvets, and rugs are affordable options you likely already have in your home and can be used to drape around your recording space to treat reverb.

4.  Having a poor quality demo

Your demo is your voice over resume. It’s your calling card. So when you don’t put your best foot forward in your demos, you’re bound to miss out on opportunities.

A proper voice over demo not only has clean and crisp audio but it also instantly hooks listeners and shows off your vocal skills. Working with a professional voice over coach will help prepare you to record your first demo and ensure you are hitting all the bases. These voice over professionals are a helpful resource for voice actors of all levels to unlock new skills, identify areas for improvement, and to catch other beginner voice over mistakes early on. After working with a voice over coach, you’ll be ready to record winning demos in no time.

In the world of online casting, slating your voice over demo isn’t a necessary practice. Slating originated as a branding exercise to let casting directors know who is behind the voice over they are hearing, but now that information is readily available beside the audio player. Instead of devoting those precious seconds at the start of your demo to redundant information, jump straight away into the hook. Clients can only devote so much time to listen, so make it count!

When it comes to demos, don’t rely on one demo to do it all. Clients are busy people and don’t always have time to listen through an entire demo reel to hear every vocal quality and role you are able to perform. Instead, split your demo by themes or skill sets such as online videos, elearning, announcer, or conversational.

5.  Setting the audio volume too low

When casting for a voice over project, clients typically listen to a series of voice over auditions. So when your volume is set too low compared to the other auditions you’re up against, you’re putting your reads at a disadvantage.

To fix this common voice over mistake, normalize your audio to -1dB or -3dB to ensure your auditions are loud enough for the client to hear.

6.  Awkward or inauthentic reads

Voice acting takes more than natural talent. You can have the most pleasant sounding voice in the world, but if your delivery isn’t spot on, you’re not likely to book the job.The good news is raw talent can be honed with the help of a voice over coach and plenty of practice.

If a voice over coach is outside of your budget, or you are looking to supplement your voice over training, there are a handful of exercises you can do to enhance your vocal abilities and boost your comfort level in front of the mic.

The conversational read is the most often requested and most difficult voice over style to master. To get more comfortable with your voice, try reading books, passages, or even recipes aloud. Pretend you’re reading to others, and if you’re daring, actually read to other people! With practice, you’ll settle into a natural rhythm and have a better understanding of what it takes to deliver a conversational read.

When it comes to character work or mastering new roles or vocal styles, one way to improve your skill set is through exposure and repetition. As you listen to the radio in your car, try to repeat the inflection and pacing of the voice over you hear during commercials or try practicing the animated voices you hear on Saturday morning cartoons. Once you are comfortable, try putting your own personal spin on similar scripts and work to carve out your own sound and approach to voice over using this inspiration.

Impersonations are perfectly fine as you practice and work toward gaining new skills, but when it comes to demos and auditions, authenticity is what will set you apart.

 

Thank you for your reading.Good Luck!