Voice actors benefit from professional voice coaching lessons to improve their skills and stay competitive in their field. Voice over lessons cover subjects like voice techniques to control your pitch and tone, recording studio tips, voice over tools and software, and how to monetize your talent.
The popularity of online classes exploded in recent years as more and more people take advantage of their convenience and other benefits. Even brick and mortar schools are offering courses online. However, online learning isn’t the best choice for every industry. Fields that require heavy hands-on training still benefit from in-person training. Keeping that in mind, would remote classes be optimal for voice over lessons?
In this article
We’ll explore the online learning advantages and disadvantages of voice over to help you figure out if remote learning is the right choice for you.
Advantages of Online Learning
An internet connection, a computer or phone, a good-quality microphone, and basic voice recording software are all you need to get started with online voice over coaching and its many benefits.
- Learn Anytime, Anywhere
One of the biggest advantages of learning is its schedule flexibility. Learn in any location and at the time that works best for you. By utilizing online learning, you can fit your sessions around your life instead of the reverse.
Pre-recorded voice over lessons allow aspiring voice over artists to learn at a time that’s convenient to them. Learn and practice after work, on weekends, or whenever you have free time.
If you have a quiet area to learn and the equipment you need, you can tap into the recorded coaching session during travels, vacation, or even the car.
While online classes in real-time and live webinars are scheduled at a set time, they do give students the flexibility to participate from any location. Participants can attend classes from their homes, on the go, and while on vacation.
- Learn from your Choice of Instructors
Online coaching gives you access to experts you may not have been able to study under otherwise (either due to distance or schedule availability). With remote learning, you can learn techniques and skills from professionals who may otherwise be out of your reach.
Plus, with many coaches turning to online course delivery, you have the opportunity to find someone who meshes well with your personality. Here’s what you should look for in a coach.
- Learn at Your Own Pace
Observe, practice, and review as many times as you need to perfect your voice over techniques. While in-person classes have a time limit, you won’t feel pressured or rushed when learning online from pre-recorded material. Pause the lessons when you need a break and watch recorded classes over and over if you need to review.
If your remote classes are live sessions and not pre-recorded, you can record and save them for your review and future reference (just make sure your coach is okay with it). Although some instructors may allow their voice over students to record in-person sessions, it is easier and more convenient to record online classes – and they will be saved to your device.
- Economical
Online classes are typically more affordable than live in-person sessions. Specifically for voice over coaching, these online sessions get cheaper in group-setting style classes compared to one-on-one sessions, making them an ideal choice if you’re on a budget.
Another option? Free online materials like our podcast Mission Audition where voice coaches join us to triage real auditions and help you hear what they hear!
Disadvantages of Online Learning
Although there are many benefits to online learning, consider the following drawbacks before signing up for online voice over lessons.
- Difficulty Finding the Right Online Instructor
Since voice over operates within many niche markets, some voice artists may struggle to find the right instructor in their area of focus to help them grow and develop their talent. Not every coach offers voice over lessons in every niche and skill (be it, narration, character work, video game work, online videos and advertising, and so many others) because the list of online coaches is so extensive, voice actors need to invest some time sifting through and finding the right one for them.
- Technical Issues
Technology glitches happen, from internet connectivity issues to poor image or sound quality, and they can interfere with online classes.
For live remote classes, test your connection and sound before each class to ensure that it is working and that you don’t lose out on class time or valuable information. If you run into technical issues with a pre-recorded class, at least you have the option to listen to the course at another time.
- Distractions
While online learning offers the flexibility to learn from anywhere, for practical reasons, you’ll need a quiet, dedicated space for practicing voice over. If you live in a shared or noisy space with frequent distractions, it may not be optimal to take voice over classes from there. Barking dogs, rumbling trains, and a blaring TV will all interfere with your lessons, break your focus, and make the coaches job harder as they need to hear your audio clearly.
To Sum it Up
Online learning is convenient, economical, and practical. It enables you to hone your voice over skills with field experts from your own home while allowing you to set the pace of your learning. However, to get the maximum benefit from online voice over lessons, ensure that you have a reliable internet connection and a quiet place to learn.
Of course, the key to success, whether learning online or in person, is to practice, practice, and practice.
Looking for a voice over coach? Check out our directory today!
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