I spend a lot of time talking to myself and listening to my own voice, so it’s safe to say I’ve got used to how it sounds, but many people HATE hearing their own voice. There’s a reason for that:
However, voiceover artists have to like how they sound. Or at the very least be comfortable enough listening to and critiquing their own voice. When people find out what I do, they usually ask for an example – so I switch on “the voice” and announce “cashier number 4 please” or “unexpected item in the bagging area” and they fall about laughing. If only they did that at the supermarket. It would make shopping a lot more fun. And what about that new announcement at a supermarket that shall remain anonymous? “Surprising item in the bagging area.” I daren’t ask.
For the record, I’ve never voiced any checkout self-service machine announcements – yet. But you may well hear my voice on-hold. Unfortunately, I can’t say where!
I don’t really do the Big Sell. My voiceover style is more subtle, understated or knowing. Cool, indifferent car commercials. Sultry high-end jewellery promos or real estate videos.
Different voices suit different tasks. As I say, you’ll hear me a lot on-hold. I’ll often narrate corporate videos or short explainers. I’m friendly, informative, professional… so a lot of elearning comes my way. I’m an excellent “every voice”; inoffensive, easy on the ear, and so appropriate to any number of projects needing narration that’s easy to follow and pleasant to listen to.
That’s why the voices of Home Assistants like Alexa, Google and Siri serve their purposes so well – and despite the rumblings about the subconscious bias towards female voices being subservient, there are plenty of male “every voices” too. Most spaceships have female voices. HAL is an exception. But we know what happened to him…
However, my USP is all of the above; with a twist. Mary Poppins reads Fifty Shades of Grey. Cheeky but classy. Professional – but with a wink. Occasionally dry or even a little bit saucy.
It’s Quigley, but quirky.