Another thing I like to use is idiolect: the specific words a person is more likely to use. Like that one bit character in an Agatha Christie novel whose main recognizable character trait is her frequent use of the word 'subtle', every person has their own ways of putting words together and has certain words that they like to use. This can be shoehorning a particular word into your speech as often as possible like the aforementioned character, or using a lesser-used word instead of the more-used one like 'delectable' instead of 'delicious', or ending sentences in a particular way, like "y'know?" or a trailing "so..." (e.g. "I baked you a birthday cake, so..." when they really don't have anything more to say). Some of us swear more than others, and we don't all use the same swear words.
For my first time DM'ing, I basically wrote a story of the stuff that was happening behind the scenes where the PCs didn't know, developing the voices of Strahd and the other characters living in Castle Ravenloft.
Thanks for all the tips on getting ready to voice act for TTRPG. I really enjoy voice acting the NPCs at my tables and know my players enjoy it as well as it helps them get them in the mind of their character.
Thank you so much for this!! One thing I would love to mention is to please stay critical while watching Split. While being fantastic at showing voice acting tips, it's a really horrible movie that has caused a lot of discrimination and pain for the DID community. I would alternatively highly recommend the Jumanji series. On both an audio and visual level, not to give spoilers, but outside of the whole "playing a movie character who's inside a video game character" there are scenes in the sequel in which movie characters A & B are in video game characters A & B and then they swap, and the only way to tell who is inside which video game character is based on their mannerisms and quirks of speech, involving both gender and personality differences. it's really fascinating!!!!
“Your entire family speaks in a different pitch” Yea Mother Nature must’ve been uncreative the day of my birth and just copy pasted my sister to make me💀
What helps for me is writing them down. Either on flash cards or in an electronic document, just write down the main points to remember about each character: Their ideals, bonds and flaws, and their main motivations. Most document editors (Word, LibreOffice) have a navigation pane on the side so if you make every character name a heading at the same level, you'll be able to easily search for characters in that navigation pane, or even group them by location, affiliation or what have you.
For goblin voices, I try and replicate that bit from the Korn song where he’s basically skatting like in jazz, but with a metal ‘push’ to it from the arytenoids
My girlfriend and I were at the park one day and saw someone acting a little weird. We assumed they were practicing for a play. Turns out, she was on drugs
The 'talking to yourself' thing is really not something to do in public 😅 I will have conversations with characters sometimes (me pretending to be one character talking to another character). One time I was doing that on a bus - nothing better to do with that time - and the guy next to me legitimately asked me if I was alright. I told him I was practicing something and he left me alone, but I shut up for the rest of that ride and now I don't dare do that anymore. So I write down those conversations instead, on my phone. Doesn't allow me to practice a voice but at least it allows me to pin down the person's idiolect (their personal way of using words) and the things they would focus on (typical example: hit a person on a bike with your car, do you focus on the damage to the person or the car).
I hate the notion that talking to yourself is crazy. Especially since talking to yourself actually is healthy and largely beneficial. Edit: Not talking to yourself in a multi-personality disorder kind of way but more like an, “ahh i better run before the store closes.” Type of way.
Matthew Colville said "the best way to practice new voices is on your daily drive. So if you live close to work, move."
Literally how I practiced the voice for my party’s BBEG.
No one knows you aren't on a Bluetooth call while you're practicing your voices and lines.
Omg yes
Another thing I like to use is idiolect: the specific words a person is more likely to use. Like that one bit character in an Agatha Christie novel whose main recognizable character trait is her frequent use of the word 'subtle', every person has their own ways of putting words together and has certain words that they like to use. This can be shoehorning a particular word into your speech as often as possible like the aforementioned character, or using a lesser-used word instead of the more-used one like 'delectable' instead of 'delicious', or ending sentences in a particular way, like "y'know?" or a trailing "so..." (e.g. "I baked you a birthday cake, so..." when they really don't have anything more to say). Some of us swear more than others, and we don't all use the same swear words.
I'll kind of write a little bit of dialog for the character to represent what word selection they will use when speaking.
For my first time DM'ing, I basically wrote a story of the stuff that was happening behind the scenes where the PCs didn't know, developing the voices of Strahd and the other characters living in Castle Ravenloft.
Thanks for all the tips on getting ready to voice act for TTRPG. I really enjoy voice acting the NPCs at my tables and know my players enjoy it as well as it helps them get them in the mind of their character.
My friend suggested modeling character personalities and voices after movie characters you like.
That's what I'm doing in my campaigns.
I get to practice my voices at work. Thankfully, I'm a mail carrier, and most people already think I'm nuts.
Lol. I can just imagine how fun this encounter would be to some random customer
You sound so similar to Matt Mercer it's wild. Good advice!
Still the best TTRPG how to do voices guide 👍
Thank you so much for this!! One thing I would love to mention is to please stay critical while watching Split. While being fantastic at showing voice acting tips, it's a really horrible movie that has caused a lot of discrimination and pain for the DID community.
I would alternatively highly recommend the Jumanji series. On both an audio and visual level, not to give spoilers, but outside of the whole "playing a movie character who's inside a video game character" there are scenes in the sequel in which movie characters A & B are in video game characters A & B and then they swap, and the only way to tell who is inside which video game character is based on their mannerisms and quirks of speech, involving both gender and personality differences. it's really fascinating!!!!
i was looking for a comment about this, thank you
“Your entire family speaks in a different pitch”
Yea Mother Nature must’ve been uncreative the day of my birth and just copy pasted my sister to make me💀
I sometimes practice accents in voice chats online.
Keeping track of NPCs and their goals and stuff is my bane.
I can do so for maybe two or three. But then - man it just goes downhill from there.
What helps for me is writing them down. Either on flash cards or in an electronic document, just write down the main points to remember about each character: Their ideals, bonds and flaws, and their main motivations. Most document editors (Word, LibreOffice) have a navigation pane on the side so if you make every character name a heading at the same level, you'll be able to easily search for characters in that navigation pane, or even group them by location, affiliation or what have you.
For goblin voices, I try and replicate that bit from the Korn song where he’s basically skatting like in jazz, but with a metal ‘push’ to it from the arytenoids
I do like that with so many using earbuds for calls these days talking to yourself has been normalized!
My girlfriend and I were at the park one day and saw someone acting a little weird. We assumed they were practicing for a play.
Turns out, she was on drugs
I like the way you think though.
@@LunchBreakHeroes because we assumed play? We were both drama kids in highschool, so it comes to mind for us
The 'talking to yourself' thing is really not something to do in public 😅 I will have conversations with characters sometimes (me pretending to be one character talking to another character). One time I was doing that on a bus - nothing better to do with that time - and the guy next to me legitimately asked me if I was alright. I told him I was practicing something and he left me alone, but I shut up for the rest of that ride and now I don't dare do that anymore. So I write down those conversations instead, on my phone. Doesn't allow me to practice a voice but at least it allows me to pin down the person's idiolect (their personal way of using words) and the things they would focus on (typical example: hit a person on a bike with your car, do you focus on the damage to the person or the car).
I love your vids man, so much great content
I appreciate that!
I hate the notion that talking to yourself is crazy. Especially since talking to yourself actually is healthy and largely beneficial.
Edit: Not talking to yourself in a multi-personality disorder kind of way but more like an, “ahh i better run before the store closes.” Type of way.
My voice has no range 😆
But in all seriousness this has really helped me change the way I voice my NPCs to better immerse my players
Your work is top notch!
Thanks for the help!
No problem!
i just wanna learn how to sound like gabriel from ultrakill 😭
Thanks for the great tips!
But there's no link to your Kickstarter in the description (and I'm not allowed to post it as a comment).
Thank you! Can't believe I forgot that.
@@LunchBreakHeroes You're welcome. Let's attribute it to excitement for the project. ;)
thanks!
Helpful video. Chapters would have been great though.
I almost mastered catfolk manner of speaking... So now I am usually a party cat :D
Good techniques, but I can't get behind any video that somehow perpetuates the notion that acting of any kind is required for roleplaying.
Wow he's on a lot of drugs
Who isn't these days?