VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio – #656 – Correcting How You Speak
Voice coaches, radio, everything voiceover. Another Friday is upon us. What is going on friends? My name is Marissa and, um, yeah, here we go. We are well into October, you know, football season. I mean, there are just guys every Sunday smacking helmets together and, uh. You know, we've got Christmas stuff in stores and I'm over here just like, you know, slathering myself with fake tans so I can just imagine that summer is still here.
Uh, and, and that, that is life in a nutshell. Um, hey, you know. In your, in your voiceover, uh, searches here, I've had some students, trying to get readjusted in my chair, I've had some students reach out because, you know, every once in a while, as you're going through and you're signing up for this, and you're Google searching this, and you're putting your email in for this, all of a sudden you start getting some, some stuff popping up in your inbox, and you just don't know what's real and what's not.
Um, I have had something popped up that's called Elite talent solutions, and I've done a Google search on them. I have tried to do other searches, and, and like, I, personally, I've never heard of this place. Uh, you know, when I did the Google search, really nothing came up. And that's frightening, you know, because I had a student that was like ready to click a link, and she's like, but I wasn't sure, so I wanted to ask you first.
And I was like, well, did you sign up for something? And she's like, no, I don't think so. And, and, I think, you know, what happens is there's like algorithms and, you know, searches that are, uh, saved and sold and, like, whatever, like, it's like nothing that we do is safe anymore. It's just so stupid. Um, but, that being said, I don't know what the heck this is.
And maybe you do. If you, if you know what this is, and this is like, uh, reliable, situation, then, then please let me know so I can let others know. But as far as my searches have gone, elite talent solutions ain't nothing. And if this pops up in your email, uh, or anything that, that makes you kind of go, I just don't know if that's real.
Like, can you please not click on any kind of links? This is kind of like, you know, when my mom's age group is on social media and I don't know, it's like Jennifer Lopez is all of a sudden in their inbox saying I don't have enough money to get from. Los Angeles to San Antonio. Can you send me 500? And then like, you know, my mom's friend does it.
She didn't, uh, by the way, this is just a made up situation, but there are people who have done this, you know, and it's like, I'm sorry, but JLo ain't going to be in your inbox. Uh, so please don't fall for these scams. Um, you know, cause they're, I mean, they happen all the time in various ways, whether it's email, social media, you know, text messages, phone calls, um, You know, I, I trust nothing, um, and I don't want you to trust anything either when it comes to stuff like this.
Uh, do your own research, you know, make sure that if it sounds too good to be true, there's a really good chance that it is, you know. Uh, or they're gonna try to get money out of you some way, so I just want you to stay safe, uh, because You know, you're trying to build something here, and I don't want anybody to take it away from you before you've even really gotten to, to do anything, uh, with this voiceover world.
Alright? Uh, safety first, friends. Uh, so, there we go. I got that out of the way. Uh, let's go ahead and get into an emailed question, shall we? Cause Jared had hit me up and he's somebody who has just started his process of, uh, you know, education and practice and just, you know, kind of growing into whoever he is going to grow into in voiceover.
And what he has said is, I've been cold reading every day and recording myself to gauge my delivery. I've noticed that I naturally have a very slight whistle when I pronounce my S's. Is that something a microphone pop filter will help with or should I practice pronouncing my S's a different way? The whistle is at least noticeable enough that I figured I'd ask.
And again, uh, this guy's name is Jared. Um, and it's a question that, you know, yeah, it's worth it. It's worthy of asking, uh, right? Because I will tell you, like, I, I don't feel like I have this kind of issue, like, maybe occasionally, but when you have to say S's all the time, that's when you kind of start noticing some stuff about yourself.
Like, I, one of the radio stations that I had been on, thank God the name changed recently, like in the last couple months, because I was just like over here going, oh God, I'm going to question myself every time I open my mouth, because I felt like this was happening to me. And it was, um, God, what is it even?
Saratoga Star Radio. And every time I would go to say Saratoga Star Radio, I felt like for the longest time, I was like, Saratoga Star Radio? Like, and, like, when you start focusing on it Guess what? It gets worse. Like, you know, and it might not sound worse to anybody else, but, oh man, is it heightened for you?
And it's like the worst feeling possible. And, um, you know, everything that I tend to do is a little bit recorded in advance, even if it's not, like, wildly in advance. And I would just find myself re recording something because it bothered me. Would be something that probably nobody else would have noticed, right?
But for me, I was like, Mm mm, no. I heard it in my headphones and I don't like it. So, you know, what I'll tell you is this. It can be helped. Pop filters, like, different compression, like, whatever. Like, sometimes, sometimes, like, what you hear in general, like, if you're just doing it, especially, like, without headphones, like, It might not be what the recording is.
However, if this is something that like, as you're listening back, you're noticing it, then you might be like, Hmm, all right, what can I do for this? And what I have always suggested, just kind of like, you know, we were talking about last week where it's like getting on social media. This is where you want to like get on something like YouTube.
And I know there are constantly different, like. different, uh, like warmup techniques that you can do, whether it's for singers, uh, or, or, you know, voice actors that kind of go hand in hand. Um, But different like not even like I guess it would be like vocal technique, right? So like some people some people do all sorts of stuff with their S's, you know And some people are just sloppy in the way they talk but they don't realize it until we get to a point where it's like you can't be sloppy when you're talking and I'm not gonna say that this is a sloppy moment because this might just be How somebody speaks, um, you know, and maybe it is just crisp and clear and it's concise, but there's just that, there's that little, I can't really even do myself right now, I'm trying, um, but, you know, different, like, speech pathologists and stuff are on YouTube that, that give you, like, tricks in, in how to, to help in moments like that, and it might be a matter of slowing things down a little bit as you're doing them, um, it might just be the way that you're kind of, um, You know, formulating the word in your mouth, um, so, like, they can kind of give you those, those tricks and those exercises to do.
And I know I've used this guy as an example before on the podcast, and I wish I could remember his name, but he was one of my students from a while ago now, and, and, like, day one when I had him, you know, we get to this one exercise, and I'm like, hey, I don't know if you've noticed this, but You know, we, we got to this like S's kind of exercise and, and I, he did it fine, but it was like throughout the class.
I was just noticing something. I'm like, it's a little bit kind of a lisp, but it wasn't. And I just said to him, I'm like, Hey, you know, it's one of these things where it's like, you might want to reach out to potentially like a speech pathologist or, or maybe even, you know, get on YouTube and see like kind of exercises that you can do.
I personally think maybe it's just like, you're not. Like, you're, you're putting the effort in, but like, you're almost sloppily going through it without realizing it. Um, and that is a guy that, like, the next time we met, it was a little less. And then we got to demo day, and like, I heard him do it. Like, I heard him do it in the, the take that he did.
But then I heard him stop, I heard him go back, I heard him correct it. And like, that takes time. That takes skill, that takes, that takes not just practice, that takes listening back and, like, understanding what you sound like and being able to hear it in the moment. That ain't something that just happens, okay?
That takes skill and time. It takes you actually focused on it to fix it. And that is a guy who took the time. So, in this instance, Jared, if you're listening, uh, You know, it really can come down to finding some exercises that you're comfortable with and, and allowing yourself to make time for them probably daily or every other day, at the very least, just so you can go ahead.
And get your mouth around those words and feeling comfortable with it, whatever the exercises are that are going to allow you to then get more comfortable in the way that you need to perform. Um, and, and it just comes over time, you know, it's just this, all of this is a skill that is developed and these nuances, it's just, you know, it's a part of it, you know, every little thing that you do is another thing that's learned.
Um, so, you know, go ahead and, and utilize. The tools that you have and that's the thing is like so many of us, we have so many tools right there in our pocket that we, we realize, but we also don't realize at the same time when it comes to our smartphones and the internet access that we have and all these different apps and, and videos that are out there, uh, because if we haven't cared about whatever subject it was before, like, why am I caring about it now until all of a sudden it's what you want to do, you know?
So it's like, Go ahead and use these resources because this is a situation where this is something that's going to help you grow and help you get better. Um, you know, so it really comes down to, you know, listen, listen to how it sounds initially as you record it back. And like, if you're not noticing these S's as drastically on a recording as you are maybe in life, then maybe it isn't as big of an issue.
If you are heavily noticing it. That could potentially be a deterrent from getting hired for something just because that is going to be hard on the ear, you know, for somebody else. So, it, it, yeah, that's where the exercises come in, that's where the work begins. Um, you know, to go ahead and kind of correct.
That that quote issue. Um, so go ahead, Jared, let's see what you got, buddy. All right. But, uh, if you've got anything that you want discussed right here on the pod, Marissa at voicecoaches. com again, Marissa at voicecoaches. com. We've got workshops coming up that you can be a part of through voice coaches.
So just, uh, hit us up for more information. There should be a link right. In the blog post for this podcast episode, but, uh, you can always head over to voicecoaches. com, uh, find out the dates for the upcoming workshops. There should also be promo codes, so you can go ahead, save some money, maybe something like called spooky or something for Halloween.
Uh, but, uh, you can always, you know, reach out to the main number as well. Talk to Laura or Eliza. They would love to fill you in. Um, so. Yeah, just looking forward to, uh, keeping up and seeing what y'all are doing. You can, again, anything that you want to hit me up with, marissa at voicecoaches. com, and we will have a brand new episode coming your way next week.
Stay safe, everybody. Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
Uh, and, and that, that is life in a nutshell. Um, hey, you know. In your, in your voiceover, uh, searches here, I've had some students, trying to get readjusted in my chair, I've had some students reach out because, you know, every once in a while, as you're going through and you're signing up for this, and you're Google searching this, and you're putting your email in for this, all of a sudden you start getting some, some stuff popping up in your inbox, and you just don't know what's real and what's not.
Um, I have had something popped up that's called Elite talent solutions, and I've done a Google search on them. I have tried to do other searches, and, and like, I, personally, I've never heard of this place. Uh, you know, when I did the Google search, really nothing came up. And that's frightening, you know, because I had a student that was like ready to click a link, and she's like, but I wasn't sure, so I wanted to ask you first.
And I was like, well, did you sign up for something? And she's like, no, I don't think so. And, and, I think, you know, what happens is there's like algorithms and, you know, searches that are, uh, saved and sold and, like, whatever, like, it's like nothing that we do is safe anymore. It's just so stupid. Um, but, that being said, I don't know what the heck this is.
And maybe you do. If you, if you know what this is, and this is like, uh, reliable, situation, then, then please let me know so I can let others know. But as far as my searches have gone, elite talent solutions ain't nothing. And if this pops up in your email, uh, or anything that, that makes you kind of go, I just don't know if that's real.
Like, can you please not click on any kind of links? This is kind of like, you know, when my mom's age group is on social media and I don't know, it's like Jennifer Lopez is all of a sudden in their inbox saying I don't have enough money to get from. Los Angeles to San Antonio. Can you send me 500? And then like, you know, my mom's friend does it.
She didn't, uh, by the way, this is just a made up situation, but there are people who have done this, you know, and it's like, I'm sorry, but JLo ain't going to be in your inbox. Uh, so please don't fall for these scams. Um, you know, cause they're, I mean, they happen all the time in various ways, whether it's email, social media, you know, text messages, phone calls, um, You know, I, I trust nothing, um, and I don't want you to trust anything either when it comes to stuff like this.
Uh, do your own research, you know, make sure that if it sounds too good to be true, there's a really good chance that it is, you know. Uh, or they're gonna try to get money out of you some way, so I just want you to stay safe, uh, because You know, you're trying to build something here, and I don't want anybody to take it away from you before you've even really gotten to, to do anything, uh, with this voiceover world.
Alright? Uh, safety first, friends. Uh, so, there we go. I got that out of the way. Uh, let's go ahead and get into an emailed question, shall we? Cause Jared had hit me up and he's somebody who has just started his process of, uh, you know, education and practice and just, you know, kind of growing into whoever he is going to grow into in voiceover.
And what he has said is, I've been cold reading every day and recording myself to gauge my delivery. I've noticed that I naturally have a very slight whistle when I pronounce my S's. Is that something a microphone pop filter will help with or should I practice pronouncing my S's a different way? The whistle is at least noticeable enough that I figured I'd ask.
And again, uh, this guy's name is Jared. Um, and it's a question that, you know, yeah, it's worth it. It's worthy of asking, uh, right? Because I will tell you, like, I, I don't feel like I have this kind of issue, like, maybe occasionally, but when you have to say S's all the time, that's when you kind of start noticing some stuff about yourself.
Like, I, one of the radio stations that I had been on, thank God the name changed recently, like in the last couple months, because I was just like over here going, oh God, I'm going to question myself every time I open my mouth, because I felt like this was happening to me. And it was, um, God, what is it even?
Saratoga Star Radio. And every time I would go to say Saratoga Star Radio, I felt like for the longest time, I was like, Saratoga Star Radio? Like, and, like, when you start focusing on it Guess what? It gets worse. Like, you know, and it might not sound worse to anybody else, but, oh man, is it heightened for you?
And it's like the worst feeling possible. And, um, you know, everything that I tend to do is a little bit recorded in advance, even if it's not, like, wildly in advance. And I would just find myself re recording something because it bothered me. Would be something that probably nobody else would have noticed, right?
But for me, I was like, Mm mm, no. I heard it in my headphones and I don't like it. So, you know, what I'll tell you is this. It can be helped. Pop filters, like, different compression, like, whatever. Like, sometimes, sometimes, like, what you hear in general, like, if you're just doing it, especially, like, without headphones, like, It might not be what the recording is.
However, if this is something that like, as you're listening back, you're noticing it, then you might be like, Hmm, all right, what can I do for this? And what I have always suggested, just kind of like, you know, we were talking about last week where it's like getting on social media. This is where you want to like get on something like YouTube.
And I know there are constantly different, like. different, uh, like warmup techniques that you can do, whether it's for singers, uh, or, or, you know, voice actors that kind of go hand in hand. Um, But different like not even like I guess it would be like vocal technique, right? So like some people some people do all sorts of stuff with their S's, you know And some people are just sloppy in the way they talk but they don't realize it until we get to a point where it's like you can't be sloppy when you're talking and I'm not gonna say that this is a sloppy moment because this might just be How somebody speaks, um, you know, and maybe it is just crisp and clear and it's concise, but there's just that, there's that little, I can't really even do myself right now, I'm trying, um, but, you know, different, like, speech pathologists and stuff are on YouTube that, that give you, like, tricks in, in how to, to help in moments like that, and it might be a matter of slowing things down a little bit as you're doing them, um, it might just be the way that you're kind of, um, You know, formulating the word in your mouth, um, so, like, they can kind of give you those, those tricks and those exercises to do.
And I know I've used this guy as an example before on the podcast, and I wish I could remember his name, but he was one of my students from a while ago now, and, and, like, day one when I had him, you know, we get to this one exercise, and I'm like, hey, I don't know if you've noticed this, but You know, we, we got to this like S's kind of exercise and, and I, he did it fine, but it was like throughout the class.
I was just noticing something. I'm like, it's a little bit kind of a lisp, but it wasn't. And I just said to him, I'm like, Hey, you know, it's one of these things where it's like, you might want to reach out to potentially like a speech pathologist or, or maybe even, you know, get on YouTube and see like kind of exercises that you can do.
I personally think maybe it's just like, you're not. Like, you're, you're putting the effort in, but like, you're almost sloppily going through it without realizing it. Um, and that is a guy that, like, the next time we met, it was a little less. And then we got to demo day, and like, I heard him do it. Like, I heard him do it in the, the take that he did.
But then I heard him stop, I heard him go back, I heard him correct it. And like, that takes time. That takes skill, that takes, that takes not just practice, that takes listening back and, like, understanding what you sound like and being able to hear it in the moment. That ain't something that just happens, okay?
That takes skill and time. It takes you actually focused on it to fix it. And that is a guy who took the time. So, in this instance, Jared, if you're listening, uh, You know, it really can come down to finding some exercises that you're comfortable with and, and allowing yourself to make time for them probably daily or every other day, at the very least, just so you can go ahead.
And get your mouth around those words and feeling comfortable with it, whatever the exercises are that are going to allow you to then get more comfortable in the way that you need to perform. Um, and, and it just comes over time, you know, it's just this, all of this is a skill that is developed and these nuances, it's just, you know, it's a part of it, you know, every little thing that you do is another thing that's learned.
Um, so, you know, go ahead and, and utilize. The tools that you have and that's the thing is like so many of us, we have so many tools right there in our pocket that we, we realize, but we also don't realize at the same time when it comes to our smartphones and the internet access that we have and all these different apps and, and videos that are out there, uh, because if we haven't cared about whatever subject it was before, like, why am I caring about it now until all of a sudden it's what you want to do, you know?
So it's like, Go ahead and use these resources because this is a situation where this is something that's going to help you grow and help you get better. Um, you know, so it really comes down to, you know, listen, listen to how it sounds initially as you record it back. And like, if you're not noticing these S's as drastically on a recording as you are maybe in life, then maybe it isn't as big of an issue.
If you are heavily noticing it. That could potentially be a deterrent from getting hired for something just because that is going to be hard on the ear, you know, for somebody else. So, it, it, yeah, that's where the exercises come in, that's where the work begins. Um, you know, to go ahead and kind of correct.
That that quote issue. Um, so go ahead, Jared, let's see what you got, buddy. All right. But, uh, if you've got anything that you want discussed right here on the pod, Marissa at voicecoaches. com again, Marissa at voicecoaches. com. We've got workshops coming up that you can be a part of through voice coaches.
So just, uh, hit us up for more information. There should be a link right. In the blog post for this podcast episode, but, uh, you can always head over to voicecoaches. com, uh, find out the dates for the upcoming workshops. There should also be promo codes, so you can go ahead, save some money, maybe something like called spooky or something for Halloween.
Uh, but, uh, you can always, you know, reach out to the main number as well. Talk to Laura or Eliza. They would love to fill you in. Um, so. Yeah, just looking forward to, uh, keeping up and seeing what y'all are doing. You can, again, anything that you want to hit me up with, marissa at voicecoaches. com, and we will have a brand new episode coming your way next week.
Stay safe, everybody. Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa had a question come in from Jared. As he was practicing and recording himself, listening back…he noticed something in his voice that he wasn’t sure if it would become something that held him back from job opportunities and if it was how he might be able to correct the issue at hand.
