0864 – Don’t Forget Your Ears

Get A Better Broadcast, Podcast and Voice-Over Voice

2023.05.14 – 0864 – Don’t Forget Your Ears

Ears

You need to know what you sound like so you can adjust your voice or your mic, and make some sometimes subtle changes in pitch or timbre. You may be asked to imitate a certain style of voice or personality, so attuned ears will help you hear, interpret and reproduce the subtleties. And of course, you need to clearly hear instructions from a director or producer, either through a talkback speaker or an earpiece. It is possible to act without full hearing[1], but, as with your eyes, things will be much easier for you if you look after and possibly enhance what you have already got:

· Avoid loud music in bars, sports events and concerts … and headphones

· Avoid pushing things like cotton buds into your ear canal

· Invest in some good headphones and speakers. The ability to hear yourself clearly and accurately will help reduce vocal strain. Ensure that the volume is not too high.

· Adjusting your acoustic environment will avoid sound reflection and enhance your recording experience, help you hear more accurately and maintain your vocal health.

We have looked before at how, how you hear yourself is different from how others hear you, and the reasons behind this (episode 595). Here’s a fun exercise: plug your ears when speaking. This will help you experience your own voice intensified through increased internal resonance as you won’t be able to hear your own voice with your ears at all. What do you do instinctively? Perhaps you lower the intensity of your voice, which will also have the effect of reducing the strain on your vocal folds.

[1] The brilliant BBC actress and dancer Rose Ayling-Ellis is testament to that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Ayling-Ellis#:~:text=Rose%20Lucinda%20Ayling%2DEllis%20(born,EastEnders%20(2020%E2%80%932022).

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