Do You Need To Have A Good Voice..

[otronics 0]

I have noticed some members on here have mentioned that they do not have the 'best' voice.

 

It helps...but is it essential?

[Dream Catchers 0]

It's a funny thing a voice.

We are all critical of our own voices, I for instance think that I have an accent on mine which I believe makes me sound retarded (I don't need to be politically correct if I'm calling myself) I expect that all other DJs think there is something wrong with their voices, however I do know that we all sound different therefore I expect that in reality we all sound OK.

I honestly cannot say I have ever heard anybody with a voice worse than mine (Dan will vouch for this as we had a chat on the phone the other day LOL)

 

Jim

[Dukesy 0]

Yep! Me retarded too !

[Gary 0]

As long as you can get the message across clearly, is probably the key thing.

 

 

 

This is where perhaps, not only voice, but also mic selection and EQ comes into its own.

 

 

 

I'm reminded of a story (and I've no idea how true this is, or not) of a DJ with a reasonable voice, but a real cheap hollow plastic mic, being accused of saying a really bad swear word, when actually he was introducing a piece of classic jazz -funk- oooops.

 

 

[eazy 0]

i think your voice is something that everyone is paranoid about ! its even worse if you record it and listen back you always thing OMG i dont sound like that do i ???

 

but i also think others dont pay as much attention to us as we like to think and as long as they can make out what your saying its fine ( as mentioned already )

 

by far the worse senario is putting on a fake dj voice aaahh cringe

[UKHero 0]

Well I do have a DJ voice, and I would think if your honest most of you do also... Espesialy if you have a thick accent such as black country Etc (I mean thick as in broad not as in dumb BTW)

 

I dont have a pop pickers style voice though but I do project my voice over the mic and tend to loose the accent slightly. This is something that has developed over many years...

 

Most of us have a telephone voice when talking to clients compared to talking to friends etc....

 

Nik

[Kingy 0]

Next to clarity, the most important thing is inflection, which I notice a lot of "DJs" i have seen simply do not have!

[UKHero 0]

Next to clarity, the most important thing is inflection, which I notice a lot of "DJs" i have seen simply do not have!

 

I have a bad inflection, but the doctor has given me some cream for it :dan+ju:

 

 

I agree with you

 

Nik

[Kingy 0]

You are well beyond help............ tongue out icon

[UKHero 0]

You are well beyond help............ tongue out icon

 

 

I know :hurt:

 

Nik

[supersound dj 0]

I put on a poshish type voice and lose the wooly back accent(heartbeat country,where the men r men and sheep r worried)

some people comment on my mike voice and one person said i sounded gay. :djurant:

 

tongue out icon Well im not.....mind u Nik seams like a nice boy

[Reverandfunk 0]

I use my own voice (as opposed to someone else's) because personally I think there is nothing worse than a put on voice.

 

Yes i have an accent but so does everyone else in the room

[analyst 0]

Do You Need To Have A Good Voice.., ..To DJ?

Who can define what is a good voice anyway?

 

I would say NO, but you need to have a clear voice to DJ.

 

There is nothing worse than a DJ who mumbles something sporadically into the mic, almost as if he was apologising for using his voice, and everyone is thinking "what did he say there?".

If people can't make out every word you are saying, what's the point of saying it?

 

So, with "clarity" I would add "projection". You must be able to project your voice to the furthest person in the room, and NO I don't mean shout.

 

But all of this can be achieved by simple application and practice.

[robbiedj 0]

 

So, with "clarity" I would add "projection". You must be able to project your voice to the furthest person in the room, and NO I don't mean shout.

 

But all of this can be achieved by simple application and practice.

 

 

That is the key. I went to stage school and this was the main thing they taught me. Everything else is nothing if you cannot be heard and understood. I can talk at meetings without a mic, simply because I was taught to.

[Reverandfunk 0]

Were you ever in Grange Hill/The Bill?

[Dream Catchers 0]

No he was in Grease looking at his avatar :bouncy:

 

Jim

[Ian Stewart 0]

We are all critical of our own voices,

 

 

i think your voice is something that everyone is paranoid about ! its even worse if you record it and listen back you always thing OMG i dont sound like that do i ???

 

 

i must be the exception as i think i have a great voice

 

 

:Thumbup:

Edited July 22, 2008 by Ian Stewart

[Andy Westcott 0]

I sound like a Devon farmer, which is no real surprise I suppose, being brought up on a farm in Devon...

 

However, as mentioned earlier, I do try to speak clearly over the mic, and this automatically means thinning down the swede-muncher accent a bit.

 

As for what amounts to a good voice - I don't think you need to sound like Alan freeman or... Tony Blackburn... and I think people would get a bit fed-up if you spoke like that all the time.

 

However, a nice clear baritone voice would be something to kill for...

[TonyB 0]

:shrug: Dunno if I have a DJ voice or not. I was doing a function with a tribute act that my brother was at and he asked me later who it was talking on the mic. When I told him it was me, he said it didn't sound like me.

[Dynamicdiscos 0]

I once got told by a customer that my mic voice was lovely. She must have been deaf! :-)

 

I don't think it's important that you have a "good" voice. But it is important that you are clearly audible over the mic or else there is not much point in speaking. I hear so many mumbling DJ's and I can't understand a word they are saying it's almost frustrating.

 

I'm no expert but from years of experience here are my tips on getting the right mic voice...

 

Using a good quality microphone makes a huge difference and being able to adjust the tone (high / low) on your mixer is also a key factor in being heard clearly.

 

Don't just talk as you would normally into the mic. Most people will sound as though they are mumbling if they do this. Even though you are amplifying your voice you still need to PROJECT your voice as if you were on a stage. When you project your voice you automatically add emphasis and enthusiasm into a voice.

 

When you get a chance before a gig starts, use a radio mic play music at a level you might normally talk over and stand out where the audience would be. Practice adjusting your voice until you think it sounds clearest. My own mic voice is nothing like my normal talking voice!

 

Remember usually the first the first couple of words you use on the mic are usually not heard by the audience as it take a while for there brains to register something was said if they were not listening out for an announcement. Make sure those first couple of words are not essential in getting the message across. i.e "The bar will be closing in 5 minutes" would not be half as effective "Ladies and Gentlemen the bar will be....." or "Get your drinks in, the bar will be..."

 

Hope this helps

Jane