Revelations Come From Allowing Process

Someone in class asked a great question last night. A talented voiceover artist had just finished a great read, and the new person asked a simple but important question. The question was this. What made his read so perfect. There are of course many things that could be said in answer to this question and they would all be correct in their own way. However, I felt at that moment that there was a need to explain in a more global way, a more practical way that would help everyone in class understand that they can achieve their own great reading ability using their own gifts to do just as well. The answer begins with these five words. Patience, Process, Familiarity, Realization, Revelation.

It is perfectly natural to say things like, “why can’t I do that,” “I wonder how to do that”, oh I could never do that.”

Learning to allow time for process is the single most important thing that we can learn in this life. Process is how the earth was made. Process is how math, science and art achieve all their great accomplishments and inspirations. 

Some will simply say, “well you have to have patience to learn any skill and of course that is true. But it goes far beyond that simple true statement. Becoming good at anything, developing a high level of skill always follows a series of events and processes.

When we are starting out on a new path to learn some new skill….we must use our patience to allow time for process. Notice I didn’t say allow process, but allow time for process. People work on a new skill for a bit and then say, I don’t know why I can’t do this. The brutal answer is, you can’t do it as well as you want yet because you haven’t taken the time to become familiar enough so you can see how to do it. We must allow process to continue so that we can build up familiarity with the task. As we become familiar with the task, we see more clearly. We sometimes unconsciously have no regard for the time it takes to learn. We make a generic judgement... I have put in SOME time so why aren’t I better. The question isn’t have you put in SOME time... The question is have you put in ENOUGH time. It’s so obvious it’s funny and yet this is exactly what goes on in peoples minds all the time.

If we don’t allow process because of impatience we are literally making the choice to NOT understand because we have interrupted the process of building up familiarity.

When we practice Patience, we allow Process. That helps us build up Familiarity, and then we start to Realize what’s going on, and then we start having Revelations... about how to do things.

t is far more important to have in depth experiences with how to read a few pieces of copy than it is to have perfunctory experiences reading dozens of pieces of copy. Now of course, perusing vast quantities of copy helps you get a certain overview. But learning how to read a piece of copy requires delving deeply, playing with the cadence, the tone of voice. If a person works on a complicated piece of copy that is, say one page long and they read it 20 times and it sounds really good, then that is a great start.

But all the learning takes place after you get it about right. If you continue to work on it and read it a hundred times after you’ve gotten it down pretty well, you will hear it completely differently than you did when you had first, “gotten it right”. People simply usually stop when something is pretty good AND THEN wonder why it isn’t BETTER!!!!!

Once you realize how to read it, you don’t want to stop there, for heaven's sake. Realization is the last stage before REVELATION. If you stop at realization you have just made the decision to prevent revelation and that is why you can’t do it. It’s not that you couldn’t do it, you just quit the process before you had gotten to the revelation of what would have been brilliant instead of merely good.

Many people have an awful lot of talent and don’t go as far as they might have. And a great many people seem to have less talent and go way beyond what we might have thought possible for them. They, through their persistence and determination build up their familiarity to the point that they have greater and greater revelations from their realizations.

Sometimes people who have a lot of up front talent are too convinced of the superficiality of the task, so they never get beyond their natural talent that makes it easy for them in the beginning.

So when you find yourself saying I wish I could understand... I have one thing to say to you…snap out of it!!!!!!!!! You will understand if you stay with it.

Not understanding is most often a product of interrupting the process that , if allowed to continue, would always result in understanding. It is rarely about can you do it, it’s almost always about…will you stay with it long enough to achieve what you want.

Lets examine some of these elements and specify what is meant. We'll take them in order:

Patience-Patience is NOT working on something while you roll your eyes….patience is NOT tolerating something while you work on it… Patience has nothing to do with begrudgingly working on something….. patience is clearing your mind of these negative traits and dialogues so you can concentrate on the process of learning. This process should not involve self critical dialogue in your mind while you’re working. It’s important to remain observant but neutral while you are working. You just can’t have whiney distracting thoughts going on in your head and expect your mind to learn anything. Patience is: detached participation. You are completely focused on what you’re attempting and observing whether you are succeeding or not, but you are not saying negative things to yourself WHILE you’re making corrections. You are making an effort without the anxiety of fear coloring the attempt.

Familiarity-As these multiple attempts pile up in our minds we find that we are becoming familiar with the results and the reasons why things work. This familiarity is the beginning of control…the development of skill. The ability to steer our efforts and control the result. We only start to get the idea so to speak after we have been immersed in any skill for a while. People often question themselves and wonder why they can’t do something correctly when in fact they simply haven’t invested the time to be able to do it correctly

Realization-Always happens when we are immersed in activities that are producing familiarity. If you keep at something you will always start to understand what is going on. Perception is a by product of familiarity. It’s how our minds analyze things and come to conclusions and develop skills that enable us to progress in our training. As we get familiar with things, and techniques, we stat to realize the relationship between tasks, and that’s when we start to understand the causal relationship between skills and tasks.

Revelations-Only occur if we don’t interrupt this process. As you keep reflecting on your realizations..that very process will produce revelations that are far beyond your current realizations. The main characteristics and differences between realization and revelations are simply the depth of understanding. A realization may reveal how to do something but a revelation will tell you why, and how and take your skill level to a much higher level because you have connected your intuition to your physical skills in a much more profound way.

You can be excited about your voiceover future, because there has never been a time when there are so many opportunities to do voiceover work, and so many new ways to find them.

If Your Friends Don't Think You Can Do This, Get New Friends:)

In all the years I've been in this business as a voiceover artist and a VO coach, the number one concern/complaint I hear from people is "My friends say there is no way I can do this".  It's a question about human nature I suppose, that it can be difficult to get support from another person for ones new endeavors. However, there are always a small number of people who are naturally supportive and those are the ones we should hang with.

I don't know of anyone who has tried something that didn't work out who wasn't at least glad they tried, but I know legions of people who are miserable because of the un lived life.
We have lots of cliches that remind us of this, Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Follow your dreams, etc etc.

The most important thing about choosing any career, or not, is to not make decisions based on what you're afraid of. Every profession is very competitive, Every career takes time and training and hard work. The question is always simple. What do you love to do. What do you want to do? There is a running joke that I tell everyone in voiceover class, "People dumber than you are making a fortune"
If you are willing to do the work, you can succeed. It's never too late to become who you might have been:)

Buy The Best Equipment You Can

There is a wide range of audio recording equipment available. Some of it is very cheap and sounds like it. You don't have to spend the rent money to set up a quality home studio though. There is no need to buy the most expensive components when you're starting out, but it is important to keep upgrading everything.

Areas that can be addressed from the start : The quality of XLR cables. Do not grab those $5 cables from the bin, spend the extra money on Mogami or other quality cables. Next get a good preamp like MPA II or other units. The next piece is a power conditioner such as Furman.
These are simple pieces that will make a big difference in the quality of audio you're recording. You have a very wide range of microphones that you can choose from depending on individual taste and budget. Remember to play withy the equipment constantly so you learn the intimate details of how your set up responds. it's never just about editing out flubs, become a master of your set up:)

One Secret To "Making It" Ok, More Than One:)

All these years I've looked at the successes and failures of people I've known and that includes myself. Sheesh, there are so many issues that contribute to any outcome. Having said that, there is one main thing that seems to be the most important.

The factor that I see determining outcome more than anything is follow through. Following up on opportunities seems to have more to do with success than almost anything, including talent. I'm not talking about obnoxious pestering of people. I am talking about following up on opportunities in a responsible timely manner. I have met legions of people who drop the ball on things that present themselves that are there for the taking if they would engage in a timely manner. But time after time I see people not following through. This is the reason for the most disappointing failures in my own life as well. The successes I've had have rarely, if ever,  been because I was the most talented person in the world.  The successes I've experienced have been because I was alert to opportunities or potentialities and followed through to monetize that moment, that intersection of possibility.

The companion to following through is appropriate manner of interaction. We must be unforced and natural in our communications with people. Our efforts to follow through must not be a display of our own insecurities or distorted egos. We have to be the kind of people we want to work for. We have to be the kind of person who seeks opportunity and then thanks the universe by making use of it when it appears.

- Developing Your Voiceover Abilities

I had some one email me and the person said that they had taken two voiceover coaching's  and understood what was going and wanted to make a voiceover demo. I declined and mentioned they're are lots of recording studios that a person can hire where they can go in and record what they want.
Sometimes there are natural geniuses that can do that and succeed.
More often than not it doesn't work that way. It's important to develop and A-list set of reading skills in order to be able to compete with that large group of very talented voiceover professionals that are out there.
In any profession, successful people are always working on improving their skill level and it should be the same for us. Client loyalty depends on providing the highest level of skill and service possible.

Getting Voiceover Work

There is always a lot of discussion about networking to get voiceover work and that is of course very important. It is even more important that ones reading ability in the booth be A- List. There are many stories about people who get hired with great VO demos and then get fired because they just can't do clean reads in the booth. Remember time is money and the people running the jobs count on us to do great clean reads in an efficient manner. Practice relentlessly :)

- The Fuzzy Logic of Getting Voiceover Work

So, how the heck do some people get so much work? It's all extremely competitive of course. How do people find their way in a trade that has so much stuff going on? One must remember that the only thing that you have control over is your skill level and how you behave.

Big opportunities will not present themselves every day. When they do, you must be able to perform at the highest level in order to take advantage.

You do not start training after you've been invited to the Olympics, you train so you will make it to the Olympics. Being able to read awkward or difficult copy in a natural way can win friends in a session. Even if the copy is great, being able to personalize the copy in an authentic ways can separate you from others who would read very well. It is not so much about how competitive the industry is, it's really about your own skill level. Train like you're going to the Super Bowl, because thats what you're trying to do. Be casual, be friendly, be good company and prepare like your livelihood depends on it, because it does:)

- Be Nice and Don't Talk too Much:)

I hear from engineers and booth directors periodically that voiceover actors sometimes simply talk too much during a session or seem annoyed when given multiple directions. It's important to remember that clients are spending a lot of money to create their advertising media. We really must be good, socially adept voiceover artists to help them maximize their efforts. Don't start "babbling" on their time. Give them your best effort with positive energy to help the get what they want:)

- Correcting Speech & Breathing Problems

Through the years may people have come to me for help with certain speech and articulation problems that were slightly defective as well as accent correction and of course shortness of breath (non medical).

In speaking, the principles of articulation, clarity and naturalness are the primary skills required for effective communication. These qualities can be refined and dramatically improved by using voiceover articulation techniques.

Learning cadence exercises and other voiceover techniques provides the reframe of coordination to help resolve a wide range of these problems. Fixing these kinds of issues can contribute in a major way to success in any professionals career.

Whether you're a teacher, sales professional, lawyer, CEO, public speaker, voiceover artist, broadcaster or presenter, contact me for a free consultation and lets see what can be done to resolve anything in your speech that you feel is a distraction in your communications with people.

- Your Voice Is A Wind Instrument - Cardio Will Improve it Dramatically

People ask me quite often what one of the single most important things is that they can do for their voice. The answer is "Get some regular exercise, cardio" (Always check with your Doctor before starting any exercise program).

There are about 126 muscles in the cricoid thyroid structure ( voice box) that are directly involved in phonation. That doesn't include all the muscles in the chest that are involved in breathing. When you are getting some kind of regular cardio exercise you are not only strengthening the whole support structure you are perfecting the coordination between the bellows of the lungs and how you speak. When you combine exercise with your voice and breathing exercises you will be amazed at how your voice will bloom into it's full beauty giving you more presence more authenticity and greater confidence.

If Not Now, When?

We all have to deal with the timing of events in our lives. Sometimes the timing is great and sometimes it is not. We know the saying that we use when we're stuck; "There's never a perfect time to start, just start".

The main issue however, is feeling motivated to start. We don't start something because we don't feel motivated. But, the way it usually works is, if we start we will feel the motivation kick in as a reward for our commitment. We feel better when we take action. We feel better when we are proactive. Finding ways to be responsible for pursuing our dreams is obviously an elusive business sometimes, and yet it can be great fun solving the mysteries of how to engage in activities that will help us realize our goals.
We often think very deeply about thinking deeply and it becomes a substitute activity for actual engagement. Keeping a sense of humor and looking at the adventure side of accomplishing goals can make us bolder and more successful participants  in our lives and in our dreams:)

- Author's - Learn How To Turn Your Book Into An Audio Book Starring Your Voice

If you are an author and have always wanted to turn your work into an audio book and don't want someone else to narrate it, come to my masteringvoiceover.com studio. I'll teach you the vocal skills you need and then help you record your audio book. Then you can keep your percentage of sales not just as the author but also the narration percentage fees. On audible.com, this means that you will keep 40% of total sales instead of just 20% of sales. Come to one of the Saturday free Workshop/Seminars or one free voiceover class on Wednesday nights to find out how you can develop your voiceover skills and turn your book into an audio book starring you.

- Don't Give Up - Don't Stop Improving

There are many questions that come in asking how to "make it" when the voiceover field is so competitive. There are lots of stories of people trying and not succeeding.

What is the key? What is the secret? The secret is to never, ever give up and to always keep trying different approaches. It is a mistake to try the same approach or market when it is not producing results. The voiceover industry is not just about talking. Certain voices have traits that work much better in certain voiceovers. None of us can do everything. It takes endless experimentation to find the copy  and the areas where we can do our best work and where people will respond by hiring us.

One has to be a crazy insane scientist to discover one's personal path to success and greater skills. Sometimes people want to just focus on the approach they have always used, perhaps because of moderate success. The reality is the voiceover business is always changing pretty dramatically and we have to change and reinvent with it or be left out. It can be done, you can succeed. It takes imagination, tremendous persistence, and skill. Turn on the media and notice that the good, the bad and the ugly are all working...so why not you:)

Rehearse Before Recording To Reduce # of Takes and Editing Time

People ask me all the time how I can produce so much finished audio in one day. It varies of course depending on how the copy is written. The real secret is to rehearse a lot before you step into the booth. I had done over 50 plays by the time I was in my mid thirties so I had a habit of rehearsal. I treat my recording sessions as if they are readers theater where everything is "live." Everyone is different of course. There is no right way or wrong way. It just depends on how you prefer to work
I like having my approach all worked out so the number of retakes are reduced and consequently the editing time is a lot less.

- Audio Repair & Recording Tutorial Resources

This is an unpaid recommendation
Groove3.com  Mike Thornton iZotope RX 5 advanced tutorials for #audio repair are great.
They also have a full range of tutorials including ProTools.
Lynda.com also has really great video tutorials

- Voiceover Coaching Styles and Topics

I get many questions asking what should voiceover coaching be like. What topics should great voiceover coaching cover? How do I pick someone who is good at voiceover coaching?

These are natural good questions for some one who is starting out. There isn’t one simple answer, of course, but I’m going to list some guidelines that in my opinion are very important qualities that good voiceover coaching should have.

Lets start by saying that there are many different approaches to voiceover coaching, different strokes for different folks is the rule in all education. Different people require different approaches because of how they learn. One size never fits all.

Some people need a very structured approach, while others need to be free to achieve in an open ended setting.

Regardless of the structure of the lessons, it’s important that the voiceover coaching explains:

The various voiceover styles, cold reading techniques, the radically ever changing nature of the voiceover business, voice and breath development, marketing, getting jobs, how to behave in a recording session, working the microphone, editing and mastering your recordings, and how to set up a home studio.

That’s a good list of topics to start and they are interdependent on each other. They require each other to have a clear view of the voiceover business and talent required to succeed. Those are the subjects that in my opinion are very important.

The next and equally important topic is the nature and manner that the voiceover coaching is presented with. Some instructors are, in my view, artificially rigid and or condescending. They are gruff to prepare a person for how tuff the industry can be. They explain how you have to be tuff to succeed.

I am not sympathetic to this approach. I’ve always associated it with a lack of knowledge or skill on the instructor’s part.

It is my opinion that the most successful way to train any student in any skill is always to provide accurate feed back in an atmosphere of safety, respect and fun. Discovery and learning is a fun activity and can produce miracles if students are lead by kindness and also never patronized.

I don’t believe in having beginners, intermediate and advanced series of classes. That of course works for some people and there is nothing wrong with it. I personally find it remedial when dealing with most adults. I put new students in my class with people who are great so they are surrounded by A List talent. I just limit the length of the reads the new people do so they don’t get over whelmed. That way the ear training that they are receiving in the group class has professional examples that helps them jump to the pro standard more quickly.

The important thing is that a student starting out should always follow their own intuition regarding how they want to be trained and pick the teacher or classes that they are the most comfortable with.

There are really a lot of terrific teachers in the world who are very skilled and fun that provide great voiceover coaching. Go out there and find the one that works for you.

Becoming a successful voiceover artist requires developing ones own intuition and awareness. The first place to exercise that awareness and intuition is in the choosing of the voiceover coach who will introduce you to the wonderful world of voiceovers.

- The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do For Your Career

People ask this question of me all the time. It's a natural and good one. The most important thing you can do for your career is practice. When you practice on a regular basis you naturally will experiment and explore your voice and how to control it. It's way too easy to keep approaching things the same way year after year. Success and progress requires a life long effort to refine and improve expression and reading skills. Nothing can be more limiting than having "some success". This can trigger an endless repetition of the formula. Greater success requires building on what works not just relying on what has worked. Practice, experiment, evolve, have fun:)