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Traditionally, recording voice overs have been a time-consuming process. Initially, local recording studios and suitable voice talent needed to be found. Then, studio availability needed to be aligned to fit the talent’s and the client’s schedule. All involved could spend a full day on logistics.

Besides being a time-consuming process, the costs and pressure were high, and quality suffered. Not to mention the challenge of finding native voice talents in multiple languages to record at a physical studio, in a chosen city.

The pros of recording in a studio?

• Clients can give creative feedback directly and help with pronunciation of tricky words or hitting the desired tone of voice.
• Same day mix and delivery of the final audio.

The cons?

• Expensive studio rents that are typically charged by hour.
• Travel times are both time-consuming and expensive.
• Challenges finding native language talents necessary for completing a global project.

Technology has advanced

… and the voice over industry has too.

A new wave of possibilities has emerged.

With voice talents using a remote recording setup (home studio) we can:

1. Centralize audio recording with equipment and quality requirements.
2. Centralize editing with a sound engineering team.
3. Ensure each project is voiced by native voice talents.
4. Use online Live Sessions to provide creative feedback – or free reading samples for style approval in advance!
5. Provide a fast turnaround, meeting deadlines, at a fair price.

In this way, an incredible voice over can be recorded locally, securing native, local voices and a global project reach. At less time and costs.

But, how do we do it?

At Voice To Me, our talents go through an application process where we are certain of their ability to comply with our equipment and quality requirements. Voice talents set up their studio and process to the specifications we give them. They deliver into our workflow and work as an extension of our team.

Thanks to tech, providing real-time feedback to the voice talents is no longer an issue as project managers, clients, and voice talents can meet online for a Live Session.

The short answer? YES!

Better read the long answer…

The long answer

Today’s technology has made voice talents around the world more accessible. Those professional voice talents are typically found through a web tool where you can search through a roster of talents on a website yourself.

Most voice over websites typically allow filtering of talents by the language the talent speaks and the voice gender of demos. But there’s still a range of voice narration skills left to consider that typically aren’t shown on the websites. And this is while the client has no idea of how to find the RIGHT one for them.

Voice talents and their set of skills

So, let’s think about voices as products. In most instances, it’s difficult to buy a product without considering how you’ll use it. That’s exactly the same with voice overs. The voice talent’s product is their voice.

Voice talents each have a set of skills and attributes that describe their product. And some of those skills are better suited for certain lines of business.

I mean, imagine an eLearning module voiced by a talent without the skill of stamina.  Or a tv commercial voiced by a talent that isn’t aligned with the brand. Or a cartoon movie voiced by a talent not skilled with staying in character.

Actually, many professional voice talents have become specialized in a line of business and prefer to voice for it. Of course, there are talents with a whole range of skills. But we believe it’s a staple of quality when a voice talent is able to shine at what they enjoy and do best.

Tricks of the trade , -The secret solution:

Overall, one of the best things you can do for your voice selection process is to consider the line of business. It will help ensure a more seamless recording process and give your project the expertise needed to be successful!

The secret solution is to get in touch with us. We at Voice To Me know all our voicetalent by heart. We know who is better suited for a particular product. We know for example that ROBERT is really good when it comes to longer scripts such as e-learning, audio books etc. He´s got the stamina and is able to keep the same tone, style and tempo throughout the whole recording.

We also know that KIRA is a master when it comes to taking directions. She is the perfect choice when you want a commercial to sound In a very special way. She instantly understands what you are looking for and will easily follow your directions during a livesession.

And lastly if you are unsure which voice to go with, – Let them battle it out in a free custom demo competition..

No, its no joke.. Just send over your script and directions to us here at Voice To Me and we will hand pick a couple of talents who will record a free demos for you.

This way you will be sure to get it right, the first time..

Oh, we almost forgot to mention…: When working with us you will always get our 100% happy customer guarantee.
If you do not like what you hear, you do not pay..

(our guarantee states that we will keep re-recording until you are happy with the material. However, if you change the script or make big changes in the directions, you will need to pay a small additional fee for the re-recording.)

In this blog post we will go in-depth with the world of voiceovers and cover:

• What is a voiceover?
• What is difference between voiceover, speak, and narrator?
• What types of voiceovers are there?
• What effect do voiceovers have?
• The voice also has a meaning for your voiceover
• A voiceover is no better than its script

They’re there when you’re driving your car, when you’re at the movies, when you’re watching your favorite TV show, or when you need to call your insurance company. It can be anything from radio commercials and eLearning videos to film trailers and product videos, where a nice voice is conveying a message that you’ll remember, feel and can relate to. Maybe you don’t know it, but you’ve been listening to what we call a voiceover.

Confused about what a voiceover is? Or whether it is a speak that you need to use in your project? Or if it even makes sense to use speak? Then you have come to the right place. In this post, we will cover everything you need to know about voiceovers and their effect on a target audience so that your projects can stand stronger and become more effective and successful.

What is a voiceover?

A voiceover, also known as ‘voice over’ or ‘voice-over’, is a professional narration for film, television, theater, games, videos, or presentations recorded in a professional sound studio or home setup. The person who speaks can both be in the video or off-screen, and if the person who does the voice is professional, they are called voice artists or a voice actor.

There are generally two types of voiceovers:

The narrative voiceover: The voice describes the action on the video and tells a story based on what is happening.

The non-narrative voiceover: The voice is informative, instructive, and educational about what was shown on the screen.

It is important to understand that the work a voice artist does is not far from what an actor does when they have to say a line in a movie. A voiceover must essentially be delivered as a line, but unlike in film, you cannot use your body or face to sell the line. You only have your voice, which can make it significantly more challenging for the voice artist to convince their listeners.

What is the difference between voiceover, speak, and narrator?

Voiceover, speak, narrators – we have many names for the ones we love. Or do we really?

In Sweden and Norway, ‘voiceovers’ and ‘speak’ are often used interchangeably, as they cover the same thing. Narrator or narration, on the other hand, is not so widespread in the Danish language, as it is the English translation of the word used for a genuine narrator in films and books.

Voiceover and speak are closely related, yet have a notable difference, as speak is a broader term than voiceover. A speak is a professional speech in which no sound comes over anything else.

An example could be your answering machine (voice response system), which consists of pure speech, unless there is music underneath. For example, in the case of a voiceover for a documentary film or e-learning video, it is sound over images, and therefore it is a voiceover, as the voiceover is in relation to what is shown on the screen.

In Voice To Me, we are not so fussy about whether we call one thing the other, but we primarily use voiceover, and we call our professional narrators voice artists.

What types of voiceovers are there?

On the face of it, a voiceover in itself is very fixed and consistent in its production and processes. However, the contexts in which they are used makes a difference. A voiceover can, for example, be used for:

• eLearning videos
• Advertising on the radio, TV, cinemas, and online
• Films, cartoons, and documentaries
• Videos such as product videos, image videos, how-to videos, and presentations
• Social media such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, Vimeo, Facebook, and other social media platforms
• Voicemail message
• Gaming and computer games.

There are therefore many situations in which a voiceover can be used. And It is important for us to emphasize that these are just some of the many contexts where it can make sense to get a professional voiceover agency to help. There are many other projects where it would make sense, so feel free to call us if you are wondering or considering it.

What effect do voiceovers have?

Now you are probably thinking why you should invest in a voiceover and what effect it has on your projects and business. And the answer is probably more than you think. In addition to the fact that you are exposed to voiceover on a daily basis, they can both indirectly and directly have an influence on your perception of the sender, but also the message.

A well-chosen voiceover can:

• Establish trust and authenticity around a sender, a message, or a product
• Arouse different emotions in the target group that make them act
• Move a story forward and create a better understanding
• Help with the dissemination of information and knowledge
• Make the recipient remember better than if the message is just shown on a screen

The voice also has a meaning for your voiceover

You can’t just pick any voice for your voiceovers. This is because the sound of the voice will also have an influence on the message, as the feelings behind it will be reflected in the delivery.

For example, an energetic voice may be a good choice for promoting products, while a calmer voice is better suited for an explainer video or tutorial. A deep voice with a serious tone will be an obvious choice for an action film, as it will create excitement about the film and attract the right target audience to come to see the movie, but if you take the same voice and put it over a children’s program, it will turn the content into something comical and attract a completely different target group.

We will of course advise you on all this when you collaborate with us on your project.

A voiceover is no better than its script

No matter how perfectly suited the voice is for a project, it can’t get a message across if the script isn’t well thought out. Unfortunately, there are many who have the notion that it is best to have a loose script if you want to make dialogue or monologue flow more naturally.

But it rarely works well to make things up in real-time, as you would in a real conversation. Additionally, a voice artist will rarely sit in front of anything or anyone else other than the microphone they have to speak into.

That’s why it’s always a good idea to have it all written down word-for-word, rehearse it a few times, and then record it. The better and more thoroughly a script is worked through, the easier it will also be for the voice artist to say it and record it in a way where you can be satisfied with the result.

Do you need help finding the voice in your project?

No matter how much experience you have with the use of voiceovers, we are at your disposal during the process. At Voice To Me, we have many years of experience in voiceovers, editing, and post-production, and a large database of artists who can master a plethora of different voices in more than 150+ languages, that you can handpick from. We also have a team of experts who can help you cast the perfect voice so that your project can be successful, and your message is delivered to perfection.

Feel free to read more about our services

A correct voice-over script, style– and pronunciation guide are paramount to an effective and successful voice-over project. You need to clearly state what you want to be recorded; when the voice artist needs to say what and most importantly – how you want it to be said. You should think of it as your full instruction to a voice artist – not just the text.

From our almost 20 years in the business, we have learned all the dos and the don’ts. We know exactly which info we need, to deliver the voice-over as you imagined it and ensure first-time delivery success.

To give you a head start on your project, we have therefore put together this 5-step guide that will take you through the basics.

Here are eight different tips on how to become a voice actor (or become a better voice actor).
It might sound easy to read a script, it just reading a text out load. But to make it sound natural, find the right feeling, reading the text in multiple ways is a lot bigger challenge than it seems.

1. Practice reading things out loud.
A good practice is read things out load. It could be books, magazines, or news articles. Usual things to get more practice in your everyday life. This is a good start to get more comfortable and confident in reading. As a voice actor it is important to sound natural but most client will want different emotions, tones, and styles on their recording. Try changing the sound of your voice as you read to get better.

It should never sound like you are reading but should sound like a performance. It is your job to bring these words to life.

2. Record your voice.

Take step one a bit further and record yourself while reading a book or magazine.
You can also try reciting monologues or reading from a script and recording it. Play it back to yourself to hear what you sound like and make notes for improvement. The sound of your own voice might surprise you! The way you sound in a recording isn’t necessarily the same way you sound to yourself each day.

3. Use your diaphragm.

When listening to your voice, consider whether you are using a nasal, mouth, chest, or diaphragm voice. A nasal voice sounds unpleasant and whiny, a mouth voice sounds very quiet, a chest voice sounds pleasant, but a diaphragm voice is the most powerful and has the best sound. To develop the diaphragm voice, practice breathing deeply and watching your stomach rise and fall. Make sounds that come from the diaphragm, such as laughing or yawning. Once you get the hang of it, it is merely a matter of maintaining the voice. A voice teacher can help you project from the diaphragm.

4. Practice vocal exercises.

As a voice actor it is important to be able to control your voice and not tear it out. Your voice is your most important tool, so you want to take care of it.
Certain exercises can help you to control and improve your voice. Many of them are based on breathing. You could try humming a scale by blowing through a straw for breath control. You could lie on the floor and deeply inhale and exhale, making a “shh” sound while exhaling. Even simply sitting up straight with your shoulders back can make a big difference in the sound of your voice. You could also practice articulating with different tongue twisters.