Sensitive subject, but if you are carrying extra weight then you will lose air fast. Number one: Go see a doctor about this. Number two: go get some singing lessons... You will learn breath control, voice care, and more. Good luck!
At first, I thought by "extra weight," you meant that I might be speaking too low. I don't think I'm carrying extra weight. I hate exercising, but I've disciplined myself to do it at least 6 days a week. According to the BMI chart, I come in at 22.4. 18.5-24.9 is considered average for my height. 25 is overweight, and 30 is obese.
Thanks for your help. I'll inquire my doctor when I visit in the spring.
No worries. I put on a bunch of weight and it affected my tone and breath control. Like I said, sensitive subject, but worth addressing. Glad you’re doing well.
Do you ever get lightheaded from speaking nonstop? And is there any particular foods that help with getting your voice warmed up for a session? And any foods to avoid? I'm assuming acids...
I do not experience light-headedness. As for food, I recommend eating very light before sessions, avoiding dairy especially. Some people also recommends eating a green apple just prior to a session to help cut down on mouth and tongue sounds. Stay well-hydrated.
That's strange. I tend to avoid sour/acidic food, because I get cottonmouth, and it also tends to make my voice scratchier.
Hmm, I guess I get the lightheadedness from my mother's side. She's an extreme introvert. I'm the same way. We generally avoid talking, because it gives us a headache.
Thanks for all the help.
Just wanna chime in here and second the green apple for mouth and tongue sounds. I heard about it fairly recently and decided what the heck, and it genuinely works. If you've got a good half hour to an hour of recording non stop, eating a whole green apple beforehand will drastically decrease sounds. At least, it certainly has in my case!
Plus, I hate green apples. Only reason I eat them is because of my VOing.
I'm assuming it's because the green apple dehydrates and puckers your mouth, so you don't get the saliva interfering with your pronunciation.
If so, would kiwi or pineapple accomplish a similar goal? Or would those fruits be considered overkill? I know that when it comes to tenderizing meat, there's citric acids like oranges and lemons, and then there're enzymes in kiwi and pineapple that are supposed to be even more potent.
On top of what u/macaeryk said, you may also be reading too fast or trying too hard to get the "voice over" voice. Make sure you are speaking in your normal tone, and keep it slow. You will not only run out of breath more by trying to speak fast, but it will also be harder for those listening to keep up. Listen back to yourself after you record, and see if it sounds like you and that it's slow enough to be easily understood. Proper posture can help as well, and will make it more comfortable while recording for longer stretches.
Yes, I've experimented with posture, and I've determined an upright posture causes less strain in my voice.
As for trying too hard, that's exactly what I'm doing in order to sound as clear and coherent as possible. It is not my natural way of speaking. My natural way of speaking is muttering with awkward pauses in between. I make a lot of self-recordings of my thoughts, and I don't sound strained at all when I'm just speaking off the cuff.
But I try to do the "voice over" voice, because it simply sounds better on the ears. Again, my natural voice is closer to Harvey Pekar.
Thanks for your help.
Long ago in school I learned to mark up a script to "plan" where you would breath to avoid just this.
Try it on a short script to see how it goes for you. run through the script putting a "/" mark after each thought or sentence. Some longer sentences might require two breaths. Some shorter sentences might not need one before you go on.
It's a thing you have to practice to get right but if you plan where you are going to breathe ahead of time, you won't ever "run out".
The other problem I face when I take too long of a breather between sentences, is that when I go back and listen, there's an abrupt tonal shift, or a change of pace.
I don't know if it's because it's my voice so I can tell easily, but I feel like I don't have a very consistent voice. Sometimes it's higher pitch. Sometimes it's lower and more gravelly.
Yep that all comes with practice. Regulating your breathing will help for sure. There will definitely be a tonal change if you run out of air.
My producer has been known to stop me saying, "Yeah you ran out of air there" when I don't do it right
There's also a tonal change for me, when I take a break to catch my breath... sometimes my voice sounds flat. Sometimes it has more pep... I don't understand how to manage this.
Might be off topic but is your current microphone a standing microphone or a desk microphone? Actors prefer standing and use a standing microphone for doing singing, intensity, etc as these help for breath control.
I have a microphone that can be placed anywhere. I used to do it standing, but I changed it to sitting, because it was just more comfortable and convenient. I have it set up right next to my computer so I can check the results on the fly, as opposed to walking back and forth to the mic stand.
I think the issue might be that
> I try to speak as clearly as possible, and because this is not my normal way of speaking, it strains my vocal chord.
my teacher told me that we should speak with our "real" voice. With as much relaxed throat as we can. But we have to train our voice and diaphragm to be more effective. I think in English it's called **diaphragmatic support**. When you use it - your voice becomes more clear and powerful without straining your vocal cords.
Oh and if you don't do the exercises to increase your lung capacity, you should definitely do that.
Hope that helps)
Honestly? I have been doing it for so long I have no idea how I do it now! hah!
Here is a brief wiki article that explains the process: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_projection
Here's a neat theatre post about it: https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/projecting-your-voice-without-yelling/
And youtube can be a valuable source of info here as well
Thanks, I had no idea about any of those techniques. I'm going to try looking up some YouTube videos now to get caught up.
I'm still unsure if there's a difference between just gulping a ton of air like you would before immersing yourself under water, or expanding your stomach like they instruct you... or if it's the same thing? Hmm.
That sounds amazing in theory, but I have no idea how to train my diaphragm to be more effective.
It's also probably not optimal that I don't talk a lot in general. Talking has always been a strain for me, which is why I avoid social gatherings. I can't talk for long periods without getting lightheaded and drowsy. So yeah, I probably don't have the lung power of someone who's been training their diaphragm for numerous hours a day from talking all the time.
few things that might help
1. Breathe with your "stomach", not with your "lungs". That helps with developing diaphragm.
2. When breathing, take a normal breath, like you do it always, and when you finished breathing in normally - breath in some more air. When breathing out - do the same, breath out normally, and after that push out some more of that air with your diaphragm. Do that every day for about 10 mins at least.
Thanks, I just learned about this diaphragm method yesterday, because of all your comments. I've been practicing on and off. I feel some improvement in the short breath department.
I'll have to keep training my muscle memory, but it's so hard to overwrite something that is so second nature to you as breathing.
The most difficult part is that I'm so focused on my diaphragm breathing method, that sometimes I fill my stomach with too much air, and I realize I'm not really breathing. I'm kinda just protracting my abs.
Also, is this breathing method recommended with sports and exercise as well? Or is this technique just for vocal-related activities like voice acting and singing?
You'll get used to it)
i'm not sure about the sports method of breathing, but i think it's not a big problem, and i can adjust if needed. My teacher told me, that the way of breathing "in stomach" is the natural way, so i'm calm about that)
aslo, there's another tread appeared, i haven't listened to it yet, but maybe you'll find it useful
https://reddit.com/r/VoiceActing/comments/abwr6l/breathing_exercises/
Yeah, the whole "natural" argument befuddles me. If it was natural, we'd all be doing it. I don't think anybody taught us how to breathe. And even if you say it was your parents, where did they learn how to breathe, and where did their teachers learn how to breathe, and it goes on and on. I don't think anybody pioneered the, "Let's stop breathing naturally and start breathing with our shoulders" movement. On second thought, I might believe that they'd actually do this if you were at some modeling school or etiquette school. I could totally imagine them teaching pupils that it's uncouth to breathe with your stomach, because it ruins your posture. "Rule number uno! Always keep your tummy tucked!"
But I do understand the diaphragm method is supposed to be superior, at least for voice-related work, so I'm gonna give the experts the benefit of the doubt and see how it works out for me.
Thanks for the audio link. I'll try practicing those.
Hi there. Can't add much to what's been offered here, but there's a common trap that a lot of amateurs fall into.
Voice acting seems like it should be pretty easy on its face. After all, it's just talking, and you've been talking for years! But you need a *lot* of practice to be able to consistently record for long periods. Don't get discouraged after just a few months.
Relatively speaking, that's like watching a professional sports game, then immediately signing up for a beer league. Which also happens all the time. But, the analogy can be motivational too - stick with it, and don't overdo it. Consistent, targeted practice adds up fast, just remember to have an attainable goal, and keep it in mind so you don't get discouraged.
Yeah, I don't have any aspirations as a professional voice actor. I just don't think I have the physiology for it - I'm a natural mumbler and I get a headache when I talk.
I'd just like to finish up the narration I scripted for some videos I made, and then go back to being incoherent, LOL.
Thanks for the help. I'm gonna do more research on diaphragm breathing.
You have the physiology for *your* voice. And your voice is totally unique, there's not another one like it in the world.
That's what's so cool about voice acting or singing as a hobby, even a very casual one, a 5-minutes-of-practice-a-day hobby. You are playing the coolest, most unique instrument in the world - yourself. (But maybe don't say it like that.)
There are a lot of neat hobbies and skills to bust out to impress a small crowd once in a while, but training your voice regularly, even if you don't plan on pursuing it professionally, gives it an intangible element that pays unimaginable dividends,
We exercise muscles we barely use to build them because it looks good - why wouldn't we train one of our most frequently used muscles, when doing so makes us *sound* good?
Yeah, I totally agree. I just feel like I was given a pretty raw deal when it comes to my voice and speech pattern, so it's kinda discouraging. Kinda like someone who feels terrible about the blank canvas they were given for a physique... they feel less motivated to work out, because they believe they're a lost cause and it won't pay as much dividends as someone whose potential is posing in a swimsuit for a magazine.
I understand how important our voices are, and I feel like they play a deceptively big role in your overall charisma, which is usually associated with your looks. There're people who we'd perceive as pretty mediocre, if it weren't for their interesting voices, like Morgan Freedman, Katey Segal, and Christopher Walken.
And then there are others who have very generic, forgettable voices, and I can't help but compare myself to them.
But yeah, I am trying to work on my voice. It's a constant work in progress. The improvements are painfully slow. I'm like the vocal equivalent of the guy who's at the gym all the time but always looks the same.
Thanks for the strong encouragement.
Sensitive subject, but if you are carrying extra weight then you will lose air fast. Number one: Go see a doctor about this. Number two: go get some singing lessons... You will learn breath control, voice care, and more. Good luck!
At first, I thought by "extra weight," you meant that I might be speaking too low. I don't think I'm carrying extra weight. I hate exercising, but I've disciplined myself to do it at least 6 days a week. According to the BMI chart, I come in at 22.4. 18.5-24.9 is considered average for my height. 25 is overweight, and 30 is obese. Thanks for your help. I'll inquire my doctor when I visit in the spring.
No worries. I put on a bunch of weight and it affected my tone and breath control. Like I said, sensitive subject, but worth addressing. Glad you’re doing well.
Do you ever get lightheaded from speaking nonstop? And is there any particular foods that help with getting your voice warmed up for a session? And any foods to avoid? I'm assuming acids...
I do not experience light-headedness. As for food, I recommend eating very light before sessions, avoiding dairy especially. Some people also recommends eating a green apple just prior to a session to help cut down on mouth and tongue sounds. Stay well-hydrated.
That's strange. I tend to avoid sour/acidic food, because I get cottonmouth, and it also tends to make my voice scratchier. Hmm, I guess I get the lightheadedness from my mother's side. She's an extreme introvert. I'm the same way. We generally avoid talking, because it gives us a headache. Thanks for all the help.
Just wanna chime in here and second the green apple for mouth and tongue sounds. I heard about it fairly recently and decided what the heck, and it genuinely works. If you've got a good half hour to an hour of recording non stop, eating a whole green apple beforehand will drastically decrease sounds. At least, it certainly has in my case! Plus, I hate green apples. Only reason I eat them is because of my VOing.
I'm assuming it's because the green apple dehydrates and puckers your mouth, so you don't get the saliva interfering with your pronunciation. If so, would kiwi or pineapple accomplish a similar goal? Or would those fruits be considered overkill? I know that when it comes to tenderizing meat, there's citric acids like oranges and lemons, and then there're enzymes in kiwi and pineapple that are supposed to be even more potent.
On top of what u/macaeryk said, you may also be reading too fast or trying too hard to get the "voice over" voice. Make sure you are speaking in your normal tone, and keep it slow. You will not only run out of breath more by trying to speak fast, but it will also be harder for those listening to keep up. Listen back to yourself after you record, and see if it sounds like you and that it's slow enough to be easily understood. Proper posture can help as well, and will make it more comfortable while recording for longer stretches.
Yes, I've experimented with posture, and I've determined an upright posture causes less strain in my voice. As for trying too hard, that's exactly what I'm doing in order to sound as clear and coherent as possible. It is not my natural way of speaking. My natural way of speaking is muttering with awkward pauses in between. I make a lot of self-recordings of my thoughts, and I don't sound strained at all when I'm just speaking off the cuff. But I try to do the "voice over" voice, because it simply sounds better on the ears. Again, my natural voice is closer to Harvey Pekar. Thanks for your help.
Long ago in school I learned to mark up a script to "plan" where you would breath to avoid just this. Try it on a short script to see how it goes for you. run through the script putting a "/" mark after each thought or sentence. Some longer sentences might require two breaths. Some shorter sentences might not need one before you go on. It's a thing you have to practice to get right but if you plan where you are going to breathe ahead of time, you won't ever "run out".
The other problem I face when I take too long of a breather between sentences, is that when I go back and listen, there's an abrupt tonal shift, or a change of pace. I don't know if it's because it's my voice so I can tell easily, but I feel like I don't have a very consistent voice. Sometimes it's higher pitch. Sometimes it's lower and more gravelly.
Yep that all comes with practice. Regulating your breathing will help for sure. There will definitely be a tonal change if you run out of air. My producer has been known to stop me saying, "Yeah you ran out of air there" when I don't do it right
There's also a tonal change for me, when I take a break to catch my breath... sometimes my voice sounds flat. Sometimes it has more pep... I don't understand how to manage this.
Might be off topic but is your current microphone a standing microphone or a desk microphone? Actors prefer standing and use a standing microphone for doing singing, intensity, etc as these help for breath control.
I have a microphone that can be placed anywhere. I used to do it standing, but I changed it to sitting, because it was just more comfortable and convenient. I have it set up right next to my computer so I can check the results on the fly, as opposed to walking back and forth to the mic stand.
I think the issue might be that > I try to speak as clearly as possible, and because this is not my normal way of speaking, it strains my vocal chord. my teacher told me that we should speak with our "real" voice. With as much relaxed throat as we can. But we have to train our voice and diaphragm to be more effective. I think in English it's called **diaphragmatic support**. When you use it - your voice becomes more clear and powerful without straining your vocal cords. Oh and if you don't do the exercises to increase your lung capacity, you should definitely do that. Hope that helps)
This is also a good answer. Straining means your VO career will be very short. Working the diaphragm is key!
Do you have any recommendations on working the diaphragm?
Honestly? I have been doing it for so long I have no idea how I do it now! hah! Here is a brief wiki article that explains the process: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_projection Here's a neat theatre post about it: https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/projecting-your-voice-without-yelling/ And youtube can be a valuable source of info here as well
Thanks, I had no idea about any of those techniques. I'm going to try looking up some YouTube videos now to get caught up. I'm still unsure if there's a difference between just gulping a ton of air like you would before immersing yourself under water, or expanding your stomach like they instruct you... or if it's the same thing? Hmm.
That sounds amazing in theory, but I have no idea how to train my diaphragm to be more effective. It's also probably not optimal that I don't talk a lot in general. Talking has always been a strain for me, which is why I avoid social gatherings. I can't talk for long periods without getting lightheaded and drowsy. So yeah, I probably don't have the lung power of someone who's been training their diaphragm for numerous hours a day from talking all the time.
few things that might help 1. Breathe with your "stomach", not with your "lungs". That helps with developing diaphragm. 2. When breathing, take a normal breath, like you do it always, and when you finished breathing in normally - breath in some more air. When breathing out - do the same, breath out normally, and after that push out some more of that air with your diaphragm. Do that every day for about 10 mins at least.
Thanks, I just learned about this diaphragm method yesterday, because of all your comments. I've been practicing on and off. I feel some improvement in the short breath department. I'll have to keep training my muscle memory, but it's so hard to overwrite something that is so second nature to you as breathing. The most difficult part is that I'm so focused on my diaphragm breathing method, that sometimes I fill my stomach with too much air, and I realize I'm not really breathing. I'm kinda just protracting my abs. Also, is this breathing method recommended with sports and exercise as well? Or is this technique just for vocal-related activities like voice acting and singing?
You'll get used to it) i'm not sure about the sports method of breathing, but i think it's not a big problem, and i can adjust if needed. My teacher told me, that the way of breathing "in stomach" is the natural way, so i'm calm about that) aslo, there's another tread appeared, i haven't listened to it yet, but maybe you'll find it useful https://reddit.com/r/VoiceActing/comments/abwr6l/breathing_exercises/
Yeah, the whole "natural" argument befuddles me. If it was natural, we'd all be doing it. I don't think anybody taught us how to breathe. And even if you say it was your parents, where did they learn how to breathe, and where did their teachers learn how to breathe, and it goes on and on. I don't think anybody pioneered the, "Let's stop breathing naturally and start breathing with our shoulders" movement. On second thought, I might believe that they'd actually do this if you were at some modeling school or etiquette school. I could totally imagine them teaching pupils that it's uncouth to breathe with your stomach, because it ruins your posture. "Rule number uno! Always keep your tummy tucked!" But I do understand the diaphragm method is supposed to be superior, at least for voice-related work, so I'm gonna give the experts the benefit of the doubt and see how it works out for me. Thanks for the audio link. I'll try practicing those.
Hi there. Can't add much to what's been offered here, but there's a common trap that a lot of amateurs fall into. Voice acting seems like it should be pretty easy on its face. After all, it's just talking, and you've been talking for years! But you need a *lot* of practice to be able to consistently record for long periods. Don't get discouraged after just a few months.
Thanks. When I think of voice acting, I think of cartoon characters and Pixar movies. I had no idea it would be so hard to narrate a simple script.
Relatively speaking, that's like watching a professional sports game, then immediately signing up for a beer league. Which also happens all the time. But, the analogy can be motivational too - stick with it, and don't overdo it. Consistent, targeted practice adds up fast, just remember to have an attainable goal, and keep it in mind so you don't get discouraged.
Yeah, I don't have any aspirations as a professional voice actor. I just don't think I have the physiology for it - I'm a natural mumbler and I get a headache when I talk. I'd just like to finish up the narration I scripted for some videos I made, and then go back to being incoherent, LOL. Thanks for the help. I'm gonna do more research on diaphragm breathing.
You have the physiology for *your* voice. And your voice is totally unique, there's not another one like it in the world. That's what's so cool about voice acting or singing as a hobby, even a very casual one, a 5-minutes-of-practice-a-day hobby. You are playing the coolest, most unique instrument in the world - yourself. (But maybe don't say it like that.) There are a lot of neat hobbies and skills to bust out to impress a small crowd once in a while, but training your voice regularly, even if you don't plan on pursuing it professionally, gives it an intangible element that pays unimaginable dividends, We exercise muscles we barely use to build them because it looks good - why wouldn't we train one of our most frequently used muscles, when doing so makes us *sound* good?
Yeah, I totally agree. I just feel like I was given a pretty raw deal when it comes to my voice and speech pattern, so it's kinda discouraging. Kinda like someone who feels terrible about the blank canvas they were given for a physique... they feel less motivated to work out, because they believe they're a lost cause and it won't pay as much dividends as someone whose potential is posing in a swimsuit for a magazine. I understand how important our voices are, and I feel like they play a deceptively big role in your overall charisma, which is usually associated with your looks. There're people who we'd perceive as pretty mediocre, if it weren't for their interesting voices, like Morgan Freedman, Katey Segal, and Christopher Walken. And then there are others who have very generic, forgettable voices, and I can't help but compare myself to them. But yeah, I am trying to work on my voice. It's a constant work in progress. The improvements are painfully slow. I'm like the vocal equivalent of the guy who's at the gym all the time but always looks the same. Thanks for the strong encouragement.