VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #580 – What Shouldn’t I Do
Voice Coaches Radio. Everything voiceover. Hey, welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Coaches Radio. My name is Marissa and as we are getting started, I was actually just checking out some voice actor news. We've talked about AI before and like, I'm not thrilled about it. I think it's, you know, it's not the, the best thing in the world.
It's taking away a personal connection, I feel like in a lot of ways. Uh, but. This story is kind of interesting. So there's a voice actor who is deceased. He's passed away. His name is Kenji Utsumi. I may be pronouncing that wrong and I apologize. Uh, but, uh, it turns out that, you know, he was very prominent for a certain series and now they are replicating his voice with AI for a Sony audiobook app.
So this way it's like they can continue to utilize His familiarity with their products, even, even after he has passed away, which cool, weird, uh, but also like. You know, for people who like to keep things the same and don't like change. I mean, I guess it does work out in a pretty interesting kind of way.
Uh, but you can get more about that story online now. Again, uh, his, his name is, um, Kenji Utsumi. Um, and you can see what they're doing with that online right now. But, um, I did have something that, uh, somebody slipped into my DMs on Instagram and I, I can't remember who it was, uh, but the question is about.
Your vocals and and regarding like what things I guess like could be Damaging or harmful for your voice But maybe it's something that you wouldn't even think is harmful and you know what we make that mistake all the time It's so incredibly easy because listen, this is a tool that if you're just starting it's like yeah You've been talking your entire life most likely but Like, you're doing it in a much different way now.
You're utilizing it for a different purpose. It's not just to communicate, it's to potentially, you know, uh, be creative. It's potentially to, um, you know, be artistic. It's to make money. To start a career. Um, whether it's just part time or full time down the line. Um, so, you know, how do you keep it... In check, how do you preserve it?
I wish that I knew a lot more when I started that and then I do now because, uh, it's. I, I know that I've damaged my voice over the years. Now I've been sick and I've had asthma for a very long time and, you know, medications can definitely take their toll, uh, for sure, um, but, you know, it's like there are things to help and prevent, um, any kind of damage that, that you might be encountering.
Um, so, let's, let's get into a couple of these things. I mean, one of the most common things that people do without even realizing it, I do it because it's like, it's just a normal tick, I think, you know, it's the first thing that comes to your brain of what you want to do when you feel like you've got something in your throat.
What do you do? You, you know, you clear your throat. Uh, that is not great. That is not the best option. If anything, what you should do instead is grab some room temperature water. Take a sip. Um, but how many people do that? I mean, we're doing it all the time, especially, like, if we're sick. You know, maybe you're dealing with allergies, you've got that tickle in the back of your throat.
The first instinct is to clear your throat. Uh, but, yeah, I mean, that is something that can be very damaging if done consistently. And, and just, um, you know, over time, it, it will just, you know, put that, that pressure there. Uh, something I learned, and I've discussed on the pod before. I was drinking a lot of seltzer at one point, knowing that water was a good thing, right?
Water is a good thing. Water itself, but not the carbonation that comes along with seltzer. Uh, I ended up drinking far too much of it. It was my go to. I felt like I was like a seltzer addict there for a moment. And not only does it, it do damage potentially to your teeth, the carbonation, uh, and like the acidity that comes along with that, but, but also, yeah, it does a number on your throat, I realized.
Like I was, I was straining, I felt like I was straining after a while and I'm like why, why does it feel that way? And then I stopped drinking the carbonation for just a couple days and I'm like man, it feels better. I think I figured it out. You know, without going to medical school I have, I don't know, acquired.
Uh, you know, my, my own personal medical degree over the last couple of years, especially, um, but, you know, the carbonation, it's, it's like burning your throat as it's going down, it's, it's like scratching it almost, um, so it is just something to keep in mind to, to limit the carbonation intake, um. You know, too much spicy I know can also be a problem, especially if you're about to record, you know, you're inflaming everything when you're doing that, like everything that you are, you know, ingesting, whether it's just in your mouth, or, you know, you're swallowing, whatever you're swallowing, in your tummy, maybe some acid reflux is now happening, like Too much spicy can be a problem.
Everybody likes their chicken wings, that's why there was a shortage there for a long time. I think it might still be happening, uh, based on the price of wings that I'm seeing every place, every menu. Um, but, um, you know, that's the thing, it's like you gotta be cautious. You know that it can affect your tummy, well guess what, that tummy is like pushing stuff back up and, you know, the, the acidity of that in your acid reflux can definitely, uh, cause a problem.
Now, this sounds ridiculous, but Captain Crunch, like, yo, I mean, that, that damages the roof of your mouth. Imagine as you're swallowing it. Uh, you know, it's, it's, it's a joke, but it's not a joke at that, at the same time because you want to be cautious of what you are ingesting. I mean, whether it is too spicy or maybe it's a little bit too, too rigid, uh, too sharp.
Um, you know, uh, so just, just be, be very, very careful, um, with what you are, uh, ingesting and, and just making sure that you are. Chewing thoroughly. Uh, you know, it sounds ridiculous, but it makes a difference. And just to, you know, common sense wise... You know, imagine you're at a concert, you know, and you're, you're talking loud all night.
You're screaming about the band, you're singing along to every song, it's like the next morning you know what's gonna happen. I mean, you're gonna be scratchy, you're gonna be squeaky, I mean, it happens to me all the time. Uh, when I was in Detroit a couple weeks ago, it happened when I was there, I mean, I was already having a little bit of scratchiness as it was, but as the night went on, like, I remember the first time I went on stage that night to just make an announcement.
And my voice cracked, like, immediately. And it was just because I had already been talking loud to the listeners at the show. So you've just, you've gotta be cautious also of being excessively loud. Um, you know, uh, also, you know, the best thing that you can always do for yourself is the proper warm ups.
And, you know, making sure that you are preparing yourself for long stretches of recording. The, the not having of that, that, that non prep. Um, it, it can really, I mean, just, you know, if you're going for a long period of time and you haven't done anything to prep for that, it can just cause, um, you know, just tiring of the, the vocal folds, it can cause swelling, it, it's just, it's gonna cause a problem down the line, so your best bet is to make sure that you are taking the proper precautions going into a long recording session.
So these are a number of things that I think, you know, the majority of people, they don't even take a second thought of, uh, but it's very important because these are just basic things that you can be aware of and change some, some bad habits, maybe, you know, as you are, uh, venturing into the voiceover world, you want to make sure that you're, you're taking the right kind of precautions along the way.
Um, so keep those questions coming in info at voice coaches. com and we'll have a brand new episode coming your way coming up next week. Thanks guys. Stay safe.
Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
It's taking away a personal connection, I feel like in a lot of ways. Uh, but. This story is kind of interesting. So there's a voice actor who is deceased. He's passed away. His name is Kenji Utsumi. I may be pronouncing that wrong and I apologize. Uh, but, uh, it turns out that, you know, he was very prominent for a certain series and now they are replicating his voice with AI for a Sony audiobook app.
So this way it's like they can continue to utilize His familiarity with their products, even, even after he has passed away, which cool, weird, uh, but also like. You know, for people who like to keep things the same and don't like change. I mean, I guess it does work out in a pretty interesting kind of way.
Uh, but you can get more about that story online now. Again, uh, his, his name is, um, Kenji Utsumi. Um, and you can see what they're doing with that online right now. But, um, I did have something that, uh, somebody slipped into my DMs on Instagram and I, I can't remember who it was, uh, but the question is about.
Your vocals and and regarding like what things I guess like could be Damaging or harmful for your voice But maybe it's something that you wouldn't even think is harmful and you know what we make that mistake all the time It's so incredibly easy because listen, this is a tool that if you're just starting it's like yeah You've been talking your entire life most likely but Like, you're doing it in a much different way now.
You're utilizing it for a different purpose. It's not just to communicate, it's to potentially, you know, uh, be creative. It's potentially to, um, you know, be artistic. It's to make money. To start a career. Um, whether it's just part time or full time down the line. Um, so, you know, how do you keep it... In check, how do you preserve it?
I wish that I knew a lot more when I started that and then I do now because, uh, it's. I, I know that I've damaged my voice over the years. Now I've been sick and I've had asthma for a very long time and, you know, medications can definitely take their toll, uh, for sure, um, but, you know, it's like there are things to help and prevent, um, any kind of damage that, that you might be encountering.
Um, so, let's, let's get into a couple of these things. I mean, one of the most common things that people do without even realizing it, I do it because it's like, it's just a normal tick, I think, you know, it's the first thing that comes to your brain of what you want to do when you feel like you've got something in your throat.
What do you do? You, you know, you clear your throat. Uh, that is not great. That is not the best option. If anything, what you should do instead is grab some room temperature water. Take a sip. Um, but how many people do that? I mean, we're doing it all the time, especially, like, if we're sick. You know, maybe you're dealing with allergies, you've got that tickle in the back of your throat.
The first instinct is to clear your throat. Uh, but, yeah, I mean, that is something that can be very damaging if done consistently. And, and just, um, you know, over time, it, it will just, you know, put that, that pressure there. Uh, something I learned, and I've discussed on the pod before. I was drinking a lot of seltzer at one point, knowing that water was a good thing, right?
Water is a good thing. Water itself, but not the carbonation that comes along with seltzer. Uh, I ended up drinking far too much of it. It was my go to. I felt like I was like a seltzer addict there for a moment. And not only does it, it do damage potentially to your teeth, the carbonation, uh, and like the acidity that comes along with that, but, but also, yeah, it does a number on your throat, I realized.
Like I was, I was straining, I felt like I was straining after a while and I'm like why, why does it feel that way? And then I stopped drinking the carbonation for just a couple days and I'm like man, it feels better. I think I figured it out. You know, without going to medical school I have, I don't know, acquired.
Uh, you know, my, my own personal medical degree over the last couple of years, especially, um, but, you know, the carbonation, it's, it's like burning your throat as it's going down, it's, it's like scratching it almost, um, so it is just something to keep in mind to, to limit the carbonation intake, um. You know, too much spicy I know can also be a problem, especially if you're about to record, you know, you're inflaming everything when you're doing that, like everything that you are, you know, ingesting, whether it's just in your mouth, or, you know, you're swallowing, whatever you're swallowing, in your tummy, maybe some acid reflux is now happening, like Too much spicy can be a problem.
Everybody likes their chicken wings, that's why there was a shortage there for a long time. I think it might still be happening, uh, based on the price of wings that I'm seeing every place, every menu. Um, but, um, you know, that's the thing, it's like you gotta be cautious. You know that it can affect your tummy, well guess what, that tummy is like pushing stuff back up and, you know, the, the acidity of that in your acid reflux can definitely, uh, cause a problem.
Now, this sounds ridiculous, but Captain Crunch, like, yo, I mean, that, that damages the roof of your mouth. Imagine as you're swallowing it. Uh, you know, it's, it's, it's a joke, but it's not a joke at that, at the same time because you want to be cautious of what you are ingesting. I mean, whether it is too spicy or maybe it's a little bit too, too rigid, uh, too sharp.
Um, you know, uh, so just, just be, be very, very careful, um, with what you are, uh, ingesting and, and just making sure that you are. Chewing thoroughly. Uh, you know, it sounds ridiculous, but it makes a difference. And just to, you know, common sense wise... You know, imagine you're at a concert, you know, and you're, you're talking loud all night.
You're screaming about the band, you're singing along to every song, it's like the next morning you know what's gonna happen. I mean, you're gonna be scratchy, you're gonna be squeaky, I mean, it happens to me all the time. Uh, when I was in Detroit a couple weeks ago, it happened when I was there, I mean, I was already having a little bit of scratchiness as it was, but as the night went on, like, I remember the first time I went on stage that night to just make an announcement.
And my voice cracked, like, immediately. And it was just because I had already been talking loud to the listeners at the show. So you've just, you've gotta be cautious also of being excessively loud. Um, you know, uh, also, you know, the best thing that you can always do for yourself is the proper warm ups.
And, you know, making sure that you are preparing yourself for long stretches of recording. The, the not having of that, that, that non prep. Um, it, it can really, I mean, just, you know, if you're going for a long period of time and you haven't done anything to prep for that, it can just cause, um, you know, just tiring of the, the vocal folds, it can cause swelling, it, it's just, it's gonna cause a problem down the line, so your best bet is to make sure that you are taking the proper precautions going into a long recording session.
So these are a number of things that I think, you know, the majority of people, they don't even take a second thought of, uh, but it's very important because these are just basic things that you can be aware of and change some, some bad habits, maybe, you know, as you are, uh, venturing into the voiceover world, you want to make sure that you're, you're taking the right kind of precautions along the way.
Um, so keep those questions coming in info at voice coaches. com and we'll have a brand new episode coming your way coming up next week. Thanks guys. Stay safe.
Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa dives into a question that, even as a long time voice talent might be helpful. What are some common things people should avoid that are bad for your vocals that you may not realize it?
