For example: “I thought you had already left.” First record this statement treating every word like it’s the most important one ever spoken. Next, record it again as if you just noticed someone standing in the doorway. The second performance is likely the more credible. It may also be more subdued and less polished. There is a difference. The intention. The voice serves the circumstances rather than expressing emotion.
Beginning voice actors sometimes assume making a voiceover read sound more professional will help it sound more professional. It’s common for someone who is new to voice acting to think the solution lies in speaking more quietly, speaking with more projection, or speaking with heavier emphasis. The result is a voiceover read that seems strong for the first few seconds and disconnected from the script. Not every sentence needs to be powerful. Narration can sometimes require more gentle direction. Sometimes, dialogue needs to be more halting. Sometimes a character line reads better if the character has a smaller, less drastic reaction.
Prior to recording, identify the speaker’s intention: to advise the listener, to conceal information, to request validation, or to provide information. The intended message adds momentum to the line. The key is not what the sound of the voice sounds like in the phrase, “You can leave the package by the door.” The speaker may be providing a neutral instruction, the speaker may be trying not to wake the sleeping person, or the speaker may be annoyed. The intention affects the pace of delivery, the volume, and the stress and emphasis.
Record three short takes of the same sentence. Keep the distance of the mic and the audio recording level the same, but change the scenario behind the words. The first take, the sentence might be delivered as a private statement, the second, a directive that needs urgency, or the third, a concession. Don’t attempt to create three unique characters. Allow the circumstances you have devised for each line to drive the location of breaths, the placement of pauses, and the location of the stress on a specific word. When you listen back to the reads, observe how each take delivers a different message without sounding contrived.
One clue that tells you the read is contrived or forced lies in the patterns: the ups and downs of the pitch happen in the same place, multiple words get similar emphasis, or each pause is obvious. Another clue: the volume is too loud. Increasing volume can be a signal you are not sure of the subtext, but it can also obscure the message. If this happens, return the voice to a level you find comfortable. Speak the line to one audience instead of an enormous invisible group of people.
Being natural does not mean being mumbling or disregarding enunciation. The ends of words are still audible. The breaths do not cut off the phrases, and the tempo fits the scene or narration. Natural means controlled communication that is still responsive to context. Listen on the next playback for one phrase that sounds performed. Rerecord the line once with a stronger intention. Compare the read and see how much effort it takes in comparison.