What are the best techniques for recording a voice-over for a commercial?

Get your "actor" on. It's one of the great joys of getting to do voice work. Yes, you can have your standard voice that you know is your strength. But stretch, and let your writer (if it is not you) that you're happy and willing to do so. In my radio career, I did "big announcer" guy, silky-smooth delivery guy, many a character voice, and much more. Not all scripts lend to that clear of a choice, but even within the group of fairly straight commercials you can decide if you're going to let the compressor and microphone mix do a lot of the work or if you're going to support your voice heavily on its own. The sound is entirely different. Have fun! There's so much room for creativity when at first maybe you think there is not!

Before you start your search, have a clear understanding of your brand's identity and the demographics of your target audience. This will help you narrow down the type of voice that will resonate best with your viewers.

Pretending to sound like something other than "yourself" is fun and exciting. Experimentation with the gloves off works best. Find that side of you willing to play outside the box and take a risk at sounding ridiculous. Your uniqueness is a gift, expand on that theme.

Your voiceover scripts have to be as clear as possible even if you wrote it for yourself. For ease of reading, write all numbers in letters and break down complex words. Also try to find the correct pronunciation of certain words if you’re not sure. Ask the client even, if that helps. For the message, try to be as concise as possible. Long scripts can take the punch out of the voiceover and can be stressful to listen to.

Ive never been part of a production that the talent aka voice over artist have written its own script, thats for the experts aka copywriter that define the tone together with team and client. It can indeed be a collaborative process in production, for minor tweaks, but not the whole thing.

Because voiceovers should sound more conversational, phrases and more casual language win versus formal full sentences. Added benefit - more ideas fit in a certain length. Consistent font size and formatting help you learn how long something will take to read. As a final check, read out loud with the full annunciation you'll need (no mush mouthing) when voicing. In my experience, ad agencies without experience in producing / voicing often don't realize that their scripts are too long. Know your client as far as level of approval needed, but with small creative edits it is often possible to lose no substance and save ten to twenty percent in time. For time-crunched scripts, record sentences separately and slightly overlap them.

To be truly heard, use short vigorous sentences and clear impactful words. Paraphrased from Hemingway, this mindset enables the concise to be riveting. Get feedback for perspective. Practice using words that ring in the ears as they caress the mind.

Quality will show in the soul of your work. High quality recording and capture equipment can definitely highlight your natural gifts. But remember; It's not the gloves that win the fight.

There is nothing like using sound (no pun intended) principles for the initial record. Quiet, isolated, plenty of sound-absorbing surfaces. In one of my stops, we had a studio that was good but not perfect - the air might start, and you could hear it. So we always knew to have it on usually, but cut it off when it was time to record. Not that you want to rely on it, but most editing programs allow you to capture a noise profile if there is enough isolated noise audio. You can use the noise filter to remove things like air duct sounds or the like. But results will vary (thus, having clean sound environments to begin with is best).

Ideally, it should be done in a studio with an audio engineer and a producer. Additionally, having the client and agency on-site to review the production and provide feedback to agree on the final outcome is advisable. This approach helps avoid any production issues and ensures a smooth review process.

Privacy can unleash your inner actor. The ability to let go of feeling self-conscious is a gateway to creativity. Even a small closet can provide that getaway feeling. Surround yourself with sound absorbing blankets and fresh air. Sit upright with good posture in a firm chair.

The classic diaphragmatic support from your high school chorus days is a thing here. Have fun with your routine of getting ready to record. I use silly phrases that get me in the mood to have a fun time with the script. Pay attention to whether your delivery is where you really want it. Have you pulled in your voice with presence yet, or you still talking in your "cube" and/or "inside voice." Understand which delivery you're planning on and warm up accordingly ("Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY" or "Smooth Jazz DJ", or where in the continuum). Hydrate.

It's an art, but still start by studying the script to understand the intent of the delivery. Annunciate. Mush mouthing is for teenagers. Listeners should easily know what you said. Experiment with what words to emphasize. Similarly, some places deserve a longer delivery or a pause. Obliterate monotone - you're better than that. Don't like a phrase halfway through? Just start the phrase again - editing is easy. Your first cut is probably not your best and probably should not be your final. "Vocal cut" on music beds, plus "vocal boost" and/or extra compression on your voice, is a great combo. Listen to your mix at multiple volumes. Don't be the part-timer who mixes the weather bed so loud that listeners can't hear the forecast.