Free The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over by James Alburger

healthy. You’ll also find some resources for further research if you feel that necessary. If you’ve never thought much about your voice, you’ll probably find most of the exercises and tips helpful, some merely interesting, and a few perhaps totally weird.
    Where Do You Sit in the Voiceover Orchestra?
    All voice actors are not created equal! Sorry, but that’s just the way it is. The world of voiceover is one of diverse talent, abilities, and sounds. Some people seem to master voiceover quickly and easily while others struggle for years to “break in.” You must begin with some basic talent. You simply have to have it—talent cannot be taught. If you didn’t have at least some level of talent, chances are you wouldn’t be reading this book, so I’ll assume that isn’t an issue. Once you’ve discovered your basic talent, the next step is to build upon it and nurture it as you develop performing and business skills.
    Learning the craft and business of voiceover is much like learning how to play a musical instrument. Some people are more adept at learning piano, while others choose to study flute, some will play string instruments, and still others have the ability to play a variety of instruments. Some dedicated musicians become virtuosos while others never advance their level of skill beyond the beginner stage. The simple truth is that some people simply have more talent for learning what it takes to play their chosen instrument. Ifyou’ve ever taken lessons to learn how to play guitar, piano, violin, oboe, or some other musical instrument, you have a good idea of what to expect as you begin your study of voiceover. If you have the basic talent, and you’re willing to dedicate yourself to mastering the necessary skills, there’s a very good chance that you’ll find your place in the voiceover orchestra.
    In the context of an orchestra, each voice actor has a seat—and not everyone can be section leader. Each section of an orchestra consists of several musicians seated according to their skill level and expertise. A musical composition is broken down into several parts for each section. For example the first violin part may be played by several musicians and will usually carry the melody and be technically demanding. The second violin part, also played by several musicians, will be less demanding, but still critical to the overall composition. The third and successive parts are progressively less demanding, but all are essential parts of the whole. The violinist seated to the conductor’s left is also known as the Concertmaster and is second in command after the orchestra conductor. This individual has earned their position through constant study and a demonstration of a high level of expertise with their instrument.
    Do you know where you sit in the voiceover orchestra? Do you know which part you play? Do you know your level of expertise at playing your instrument? Do you even know what instrument you play?
    If you’re reading this book to learn what voiceover is all about and how to get started, your answers to the above questions are most likely all “no.” And that’s OK. By the time you finish this book you should be in a much better position to answer these questions with a resounding “yes.”
    At this point you should be aware that your instrument is your voice. But there’s more to it! Just as every musician in an orchestra plays an instrument, every voice actor uses their voice. In an orchestra some instruments have a deep, resonant, low tone (string bass, cello, bassoon, and tuba), while other instruments have a high, clear tone (piccolo, flute, trumpet, and percussion bells). Other instruments have a raspy, edgy tone (violin, clarinet, and saxophone), or a percussive, harsh attack (piano, harpsichord, percussion). Even within sections of the orchestra there are a variety of instruments that are of the same basic design, yet exhibit a uniquely different tone:
Brass: trombone, trumpet, French