Joining Alexa this week is Nic Redman, who has been working with the spoken voice for almost 20 years and who is the author of the best-selling book ‘On the Mic’. Nic has featured across the BBC, Times Radio, The Guardian, Irish Times, and The Metro. She offers one-to-one coaching for voice-over artists, narrators, podcasters, and speakers to master their speaking voice, working with the likes of Peloton and comedian Sarah Millican.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In Nic’s experience, musical theatre often places a significant emphasis on appearance alongside vocal ability. This can create pressure for performers to conform to certain physical standards. However, in the realm of voiceover work, the focus solely revolves around vocal performance.
Nic Redman’s five techniques for improving vocal performance and recording quality, as discussed, are as follows:
- Focusing on using your natural voice and avoiding an artificial “announcer” style.
- Being mindful of posture and alignment to allow the voice to resonate fully.
- Engaging in vocal warm-ups and exercises to enhance flexibility and range.
- Paying attention to microphone technique, including maintaining consistent distance and angle.
- Listening critically to recordings to identify areas for improvement.
Nic’s recommended vocal warm-ups for voice over work are:
- Lip trills and tongue trills: These exercises help relax the vocal mechanism and can be effective in warming up the voice.
- Pitch glides: Practising pitch glides up and down the vocal range helps in warming up the voice and increasing flexibility.
- Tongue twisters for articulation: Working on tongue twisters helps improve articulation and clarity in speech.
- Breath control exercises: Techniques such as hissing and sighing can improve breath support, which is crucial for sustained vocal performance.
- Humming exercises: Humming exercises help in exploring vocal resonance and can contribute to a fuller, more resonant sound.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I had this like, ping of this feels nice. This feels where I’m supposed to be on the microphone’
‘The huge contrast to the musical theatre world was that nobody was going, your voice is great, but you don’t look quite right’
‘I was really intrigued by the idea of spoken voice and the potential that it really has as a performer’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Guest Website:
Social Media:
- Instagram: @nicredvoice
Relevant Links & Mentions:
- Central School of Speech and Drama: cssd.ac.uk
- The Voice Coach Podcast by Nic Redman
- The Voice Deck by Nic Redman
- Dane Chalfin: danechalfin.com
- Gravy for the Brain: gravyforthebrain.com
- The Voice Over Network: thevoiceovernetwork.org
- Voice Over KickStart: voiceoverkickstart.com
- The Voice Over Social: thevosocial.com
- Vocal Booth to Go: vocalboothtogo.co.uk
- Microphone: Rode NT1-A
- Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 770
Get Nic’s Free Warm-up HERE: nicolaredman.com/freebies
ABOUT THE GUEST
Nic Redman, with nearly 20 years of experience in recording and coaching, specializes in helping individuals feel vocally confident on the microphone. Featured on BBC, Times Radio, The Guardian, Irish Times, and the Metro, Nic offers personalized coaching for voice artists, podcasters, and speakers, counting Sarah Millican and Channel 4 among her clients. She conducts retreats, online courses, and masterclasses, providing on-mic direction for brands like Peloton and Mercedes Petronus. Nic is a sought-after speaker, panelist, and co-creator of the award-winning Voiceover Social Podcast. Her bestselling book, “On The Mic,” offers invaluable insights into voice training and recording.
