Bluemax ARA Assoc

• Acoustic Panels
• Bass Traps
• Acoustic Foam Panels
• DIY Acoustic Panels
• Church Acoustics
• Studio Acoustics
• Home Theater Acoustics
• Restaurant Acoustics
• Acoustic Insulation
• Room Acoustic Treatments

These days it’s possible to make one’s living from one’s own home doing work over the internet. One of the ways to do this is by providing professional quality voice-over work. Doing voice-over work is essentially reading a script into a microphone. These scripts may be marketing copy or voices for any of the many thousands of web video and animations that can be found on the internet today. They may even be used for radio or television commercials. Once established a good voice-over artist should be able to secure work for all of these venues.

It does take some up-front investment though. All recordings will have to be true professional quality. That means using high quality recording equipment, and even controlling the room acoustics to eliminate even the faintest of audible echoes as the recording is being made. Between professional quality microphones, audio editing software, room acoustic treatments, and the other tools of the trade, those new to the business will be spending thousands of dollars to outfit their recording studio. That’s if they have a suitable small room available and a computer with the processing power to handle the editing work.

In addition to the equipment, those wanting to provide vocal recordings for private clients need a certain amount of talent as well. They need to be able to make it through a script without a single slip of the tongue. While they can take as many tries as needed to get it right, it isn’t as easy as one might think. They also need to have a pleasant voice that fits the vocal profile that the customer wants. Finally, they need to speak extremely clearly with superior diction. Formal theater training or experience helps with this aspect of the work. In the theater, actors learn to speak clearly and to pronounce every sound distinctly so that it can be heard and understood throughout a large crowded theater.

If you’ve got the skills and the equipment, there’s still one thing lacking: customers. As a small independent business owner, you’re also responsible for the sales and marketing part of the business. That means that you need to find potential customers and convince them that you are the best choice for their voice-over needs. A professional looking website will be needed with some audio samples of your work so that potential customers can hear what you sound like in advance. Then you need to figure out who your potential customers are and how to contact them. Be prepared to hear the word “No” on a regular basis.

One route to acquiring customers is to hire an agent, but even agents may be unwilling to take on a client without a history in the industry. If the agent does accept you, they won’t be working for free; they’ll want a percentage of every dollar you make from clients that they deliver to you, often a very sizable percentage.

It isn’t easy to establish yourself as an independent vocal artist, but it is being done by determined individuals who have the determination and talent that it takes to succeed. In fact, if you’re considering pursuing this line of work, you would do well to find a working vocal artist and pick their brain to see how they got started.