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My first decent demos
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Karthak



Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 12:12 pm    Post subject: My first decent demos Reply with quote

I've been recording stuff for practise with my phone for some time now: https://soundcloud.com/max-woldhek/tracks

But now I've got a proper microphone to work with, These are the demos I've recorded with my mike:
https://soundcloud.com/max-woldhek/cease-thy-counsel-much-ado-about-nothing
That one is from a work by Shakespeare.
https://soundcloud.com/max-woldhek/herinnering-aan-holland
This one is a Dutch poem.
https://soundcloud.com/max-woldhek/the-telling-of-haakon-yellow-eye-codex-space-wolves
https://soundcloud.com/max-woldhek/the-disappearance-of-russ-codex-space-wolves
And these two are from a Warhammer 40:000 book.

Do they sound at all decent?
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Bruce
Boardmeister


Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7921
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I may be overly broad in saying this, but I think there is no market for that kind of work here in the U.S. or almost anywhere else. Fantasy drama spoken with a thick accent and over-played characterization?

Technically the audio is OK, but some audio processing might have been nice.

Sorry.


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Jeffrey Kafer
Assistant Zookeeper


Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 4931
Location: Location, Location!

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not sure what these demos are for. Are you trying to get audiobook work with them?
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richvoice
Been Here Awhile


Joined: 12 Aug 2008
Posts: 217
Location: Tucson, AZ

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Max,

I think that's the big question: what are these clips for?

If your question is simply about sound quality of recordings on your phone vs. recordings with a "proper mic," then I would say yes, the recordings made with the proper mic sound "decent" in comparison to the one recording that is clearly labeled as having been made on a phone. They don't sound all that good -- the space seems a bit "live" (i.e., not enough sound absorption material), and there are at least a couple with some background noise. But they sound better than anything you'll get on a phone.

If you're planning on using any of these to market yourself, either separately or put together into a demo, I'd recommend against it. They are clearly not professionally produced, there's no interest in terms of commercial or corporate narration work, and all of the clips that I listened to are very, very slow.

Or are we missing the point?
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Scott Pollak
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 01 Jun 2010
Posts: 1903
Location: Looking out at the San Juan mountains

PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This has nothing to do with the demos, but I'm really curious as to what you sound like.

Just you, being you. Not doing this over-the-top caricature'ish stuff that I'm hearing here.

Record 1:00 of yourself, NO SCRIPT, just talking to us, telling us about yourself. I want to hear what the REAL Max sounds like.
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Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

People who hire voices are clueless so voice demos need to shout loudly "you can use me for this!"

Your audio is fine but it doesn't sell anything. Have a look around the internet and listen to a few dozen good voice demos then you'll know what to do next.

My first bits of audio combined to make a neatly packaged bunch of useless. You'll get there in the end, no rush.
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roger
King's Row


Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 1064
Location: Central Kentucky

PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Visit voicebank.net to hear the VO demos you're competing against.
Also, listen to the demos of the talented folks on this board.
Welcome to this family where you can get the best, caring and
honest answers to your questions and where you'll learn a lot and have a fun time doing it.
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Karthak



Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 2:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeffrey Kafer wrote:
I'm not sure what these demos are for. Are you trying to get audiobook work with them?

With the Warhammer 40k ones at least, yes, I was considering audiobook work. I can assure Bruce that my overplayed characterization is possibly sedate compared to some other examples in 40k audiobooks. Smile
Scott Pollak wrote:
This has nothing to do with the demos, but I'm really curious as to what you sound like.

Just you, being you. Not doing this over-the-top caricature'ish stuff that I'm hearing here.

Record 1:00 of yourself, NO SCRIPT, just talking to us, telling us about yourself. I want to hear what the REAL Max sounds like.

It's not a whole minute, but here's my normal voice:
https://soundcloud.com/max-woldhek/normal-voice

EDIT: My cousin works at Guerilla Games in Amsterdam, and he and several others I've spoken with think that video games or animated series would suit me best.
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Bob Bergen
CM


Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 937

PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 4:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey buddy! I must preface this with I have no idea what the vo market is like in your neck of the woods.

That said, what you are posting has nothing to do with vo. They are just random recordings. When asked if you had anything with your own voice/you being you, you weren't being asked to record an introduction. You were being asked for a professional vo demo of you, and preferably a commercial demo.

Bottom line, and this is not your fault, you just don't know what goes into a vo demo or what the vo industry is all about...at least in the US. Again, things might be very different where you are.

Check out these links for more info:
http://iwanttobeavoiceactor.com
http://bobbergen.com/faq.htm
(mine is a tad outdated but the general info is there)

BB
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Karthak



Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bob Bergen wrote:

Bottom line, and this is not your fault, you just don't know what goes into a vo demo or what the vo industry is all about...at least in the US. Again, things might be very different where you are.

Yeah, I'm trying to get into the vo industry here in the Netherlands, but I keep running into these walls. My cousin at Guerilla works with sound design; he has nothing to do with picking the actors or anything like that. I know some people in theatre, but they know nobody in voice acting. I'm unemployed, so the formal courses that are being offered in voice acting are way too expensive for me, and whenever I audition for some small job in Dutch I get to hear that my accent is too thick.

Then I come here and get the info that apparently I'm doing everything wrong...so I dunno anymore. Smile
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Bob Bergen
CM


Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 937

PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 8:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You need to study! Forget demos and work. Study acting and improv. As well as VO courses if they are offered. Even brilliant actors who are well trained with great demos have guarantees. And you need to do what we all did. Get day and night jobs to pay for your training. All of us had to! And you don't even think about a demo until you are ready.
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FinMac
Lucky 700


Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Posts: 705
Location: In a really cool place...Finland!

PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 10:25 am    Post subject: Hello Max Reply with quote

Hei Max!

That's Finnish for, "Hello Max"!

Bob Bergen wrote...

Quote:
Even brilliant actors who are well trained with great demos have guarantees


I think he meant to write that even brillant actors with great demos are NOT guaranteed work.

Listen to guys like Bob. He is one of the top professionals in the business. He had to work extra jobs to allow him to get the training he needed to become a full-time professional.

Very, very, very few have so much natural talent that they do not need training.

These guys, who know what they are talking about, had to work very hard to get into Voice Over, or as some would call it, Voice Acting, as a profession.

If this is something you have a passion to do, then stick around this forum, ask questions, read posts from the archives, and don't give up when things are not easy.

If you want to become a professional you will get lots of help here.

What do you want ?

If you want this as a profession it will cost you, time, money and effort.
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vkuehn
DC


Joined: 24 Apr 2013
Posts: 688
Location: Vernon now calls Wisconsin home

PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="Karthak"]
Bob Bergen wrote:

I'm unemployed, so the formal courses that are being offered in voice acting are way too expensive for me, and whenever I audition for some small job in Dutch I get to hear that my accent is too thick.


Those of us living in the U.S. listen to your recordings and WE hear a thick accent as you call it. But many of us have not traveled in your part of the world so we do not know if it is too thick, or if that is normal in YOUR world, or if it would be called thick by other who speak in Dutch.

You don't want to be trying to improve your voice style and delivery while living in crisis. Maybe you should find some kind of employment... non voice-related, so you have the luxury of time and a little bit of spending money for training and equipment as you execute a well planned journey that ends when you finally kick the door open and find yourself at home in the land of voice work.

Try to find Internet discussion groups of people in your own country who are discussing these same topics. Compare what they say to what you read as you continue to follow this and other U.S. based v-o discussions.

Join a local theatre group so you are learning the craft of acting.

Sermon over! Now... let me get back to my own self-improvement and to-do list.
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paulstefano
Backstage Pass


Joined: 22 Sep 2015
Posts: 411
Location: Baltimore, MD

PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 7:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe reach out to Paul Strikwerda? He markets himself as "The Nethervoice". He's a very successful voice actor in the US now but at one point was emigrating from the Netherlands and I assume had to adjust his accent.
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Deirdre
Czarina Emeritus


Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 13016
Location: East Jesus, Maine

PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's how accents work in Video games that are recorded in English:

If it's any kind of Native English accent-- American, i.e.: Boston. Deep South, Brooklyn; or English, i.e.: Liverpool, London, Essex; or Scots or Irish, directors tend to prefer to hire a native-born speaker. If there's any kind of budget, that's the preference.

For European or Asian or African accents, they prefer an English or American actor who can do that accent.

If you have a "Dutch accent" (and really who has an "accent" in their native tongue? Smile ) , you might like to try acquiring an American or English accent to add to your available voices. Not to erase your own native "accent" / mode of speech, but to have more vocal assets.

It will make you a more valuable actor.
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