Finding An Outside Perspective – Voiceover Studio Mindset

We can’t revise what we don’t recognize. 

That’s why an outside perspective is useful in almost everything we do. Certainly, everyone benefits from a bit of direction during a session. It can be difficult to act in the moment while also trying to analyze your performance. The way we handle that challenge in our studios directly impacts the quality of what we produce. 

It can be simpler to focus on the technical. Either you have reflections in your recording space or you don’t. There’s either a low frequency hum in your recordings or there isn’t. What’s interesting is how many times people will send me audio that sounds fine, yet they are hearing clear flaws. It’s almost as if the good sound is going in, but the brain is playing the old version back. 

Part of the issue is that we’re wired to find flaws and focus upon them. Sometimes our mind doesn’t want to let us off the hook. Granted, that has served us fairly well in our evolution – we’re inherently constructed to notice and correct mistakes. Where it gets in our way is when it won’t let us get work out the door. That’s where an extra set of ears can be helpful: a quick reassurance that things sound fine, or a confirmation that there’s still something there to worry about. Either way, that allows us to regain momentum and get on with things. 

The same things play out with performance choice. We’ve worked to build our voiceover skills, but knowing when to reach for specific techniques is the trick. Salient feedback comes from any number of places. Directors, coaches, and VO peers can bring that outside perspective to bear. We just have to be able to absorb that advice when it is given. 

This information recently went out directly to my email community. Each week I send out a new article about using recording technology in your home voiceover studio, and how to balance those technical challenges with the need to be creative behind the microphone.
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