The Things We Do for Voice Acting

[Kero]

I'm really crossing my fingers here, hoping that I'm not the only one who has to do some little thing in particular to voice act my UTAU effectively, lol.

To voice Yura the most easily and effectively, I have to drink something warm, in a general sense. However, for some reason, coffee works better than tea does, and I honestly prefer tea. ._. I even use hot water from time to time just to warm my throat, but nothing gets the bass and the tonality quite right like coffee does. I think it's weird, but maybe there's some science to it? 8I;;

 

[★M3ROKA★]

Miss Saiya is the easiest for me to voice (probably since I'm used to it now) I don't really do anything when recording her. Except, y'know, recording.

But when voicing strong mature VBs or stuff I have to drink a lot of water, stand up to record and take my time, it's harder to voice, but really fun and so worth it! The harder something is the better the reward. Haha.

I don't really drink anything other than water when recording so I can't say about the effects of coffee or tea. Hard science. \o/

 

[SakisCookie]

...okay, this is gonna sound weird, but to record Sakura's soft append, I had to tilt my head with every sample. I'm not sure why. Maybe I was letting myself be consumed by moe desu.

Also, when I was recording my unreleased UTAU Gomakashi, I had to smirk viciously the whole time. Probably because she's psychotic, and I have to get into character for her. Then I sort of act insane for th rest of the day... =v=;;

 

[Illisandria Carthain]

When I was recording for Rael, I had to smile. A LOT. And then I had to do that lisp with all my "s" samples and I wound up with a lisp for the rest of the day.

As for Redd (unreleased as of yet), I had to drink warm tea and record RIGHT before I went to bed. Otherwise his sounds came out terribly for some odd reason.

 

[MillyAqualine]

Well, Sabine doesn't need a special thing as she uses my regular voice
Same goes for Rose who gets my singing one

Though, despite easily record them, I need to use few tiny tips when I'm recording


Generally, for highest pitched voices, while using my high range, I need to have drunk cold water or milk, getting cold draughts or eventually having eaten something iced
Then, for a medium one, just simply use my medium range
In the case I need to record a low voicebank, I need to get warm draughts, having eaten spicy food or drunk coffee and being close to my talking voice

Eventually the hour may influence my voice (as in the morning my voice isn't enough warmed up compared with the afternoon or the evening)
Sometimes I don't need having one of those tips to record the voice correctly and I recall once for somebody, I was having the pain of the world despite using those tips to recreate the voice each session x_x"'

But the most important (and the one I tend to perpetually use), I need to act like if I was the UTAU

So for example, to record Sakanne and Cerise, I use a loud voice like when she's singing for the first, and a hyperactive chibi-like one for the latter whereas I try a ghosty and static-like voice for Victoire.... Well, then for boys, or I try to mimic a boy (and it epically fails orz) or for a more mature or manlier voice, I need to pitch x.x"'

 

[Kero]

@Illisandria: This has happened to me so many times, lol. I'm glad I'm not the only one. xD; also yes the part where you end up with the voice/speech tic you recorded with ahhhh that part drives me crazy xDD

@Milly: Ooooh, the hour affects your voice? That's never been a problem for me, unless I had gotten particularly little sleep the week before, lol.

...okay, this is gonna sound weird, but to record Sakura's soft append, I had to tilt my head with every sample. I'm not sure why. Maybe I was letting myself be consumed by moe desu.

I did this when I was attempting to record a soft-voiced character, too ; Maybe it opens the throat in a certain way to get the vibrations right? mysteriessss

But when voicing strong mature VBs or stuff I have to drink a lot of water, stand up to record and take my time, it's harder to voice, but really fun and so worth it! The harder something is the better the reward. Haha.

I've done this before for singing song covers and such, and holy crepes my voice gets way deep lol ;; I'm pretty sure that standing up and tucking the chin and such are like, actual ways to go about voice control, too. :U

 

[EspeonLady]

Fukai is technically my "normal voice"- but in order to revoice her now, I have do a lot of strong singing and drink coffee. It's getting pretty hard to keep the light, whispy and sweet tone now- The joys of aging. (I voiced her at 15, I turn 17 in les than a month) I had a tonsilectomy a little over a month ago and I've noticed how that affected recording as well, but hey, less tonsil infections means more recording time. c:

Fukasa is really hard to replicate, especially since forcing the whole bellowing-male voice. I can't do it, so he's got a bunch of appends in the works. However, if you are voicing a male, drink some coffee or hot, caffeine filled drinks- It really opens up your throat, and chase it with a tablespoon of honey to coat your throat- Nice and smooth, and it helps with the sore throat. (Which you will get if you're trying to voice a male being female.)

For some reason, time of day has a big play in recording; 1am-5am is my grace-period.

 

[zipperworks]

For some reason, I've always had the most trouble recording Ringo and Mikan. Ringo's CV always used to turn out sounding like a frog... her VCV is a lot better and a lot easier to record for, probably since I started using my natural singing voice.

Mikan, on the other hand, is just a problem overall. Her voice is a) pretty high out of my natural range and b) strong, while my voice is naturally pretty airy. So to get her voice type, I essentially have to scream. Cutely.

The first time I tried to do that I broke my voice for a good portion of the day. Drinking a lot of liquid seems to help (I stick by Snapple. I tried juice once and it just didn't work), and I'm pretty sure during my last recording session for her I had my head tilted to the left for most of it. I'm not sure why, since other people seem to have been doing that for soft voices, but... o.o;;

 

[TheSnowSongstress]

With Aurora (Cutesy voice) I pinch my cheeks while recording
With Hekine, natural voice
With Rikane, i never close my mouth until AFTER i finish a recording session. at all.

i always hurt after recording ._______________.

 

[MillyAqualine]

@Milly: Ooooh, the hour affects your voice? That's never been a problem for me, unless I had gotten particularly little sleep the week before, lol.

Not always, but it can happen

Probably because I am having a so huge cold sometimes and I wake up so often with stuffed nose and distorted throat that I need to wait getting better for that orz

And I've sleep issues... x_x"'

 

[Kero]

I'm loving all the signature drinks that we use for recording. XD [sub]Electrorobo, your UTAU should totally endorse Snapple, and they should make them their cute little mascots \o/[/sub]

Oh yeah, having a cold definitely makes a difference in that case. Sorry you're not feeling on top of your game, Milly. ;v; <3

ohhhgosh lolol sorry Snow /patpat ;;7;; Sometimes recording is a pain. For real.

So to get her voice type, I essentially have to scream. Cutely.

This struck me as terribly funny. XD I completely understand the whole bit, though. Frog CV is an issue. High voices are hard. [sub]Nanahira how do you do it DB[/sub]
Hmm, maybe the tilt cuts something out and helps get the really effeminate voices? I have no idea. Someone is going to have to do a study. xD

Fukai is technically my \"normal voice\"- but in order to revoice her now, I have do a lot of strong singing and drink coffee.

[...] However, if you are voicing a male, drink some coffee or hot, caffeine filled drinks- It really opens up your throat, and chase it with a tablespoon of honey to coat your throat- Nice and smooth, and it helps with the sore throat. (Which you will get if you're trying to voice a male being female.)

I KNEW IT WASN'T JUST ME. I KNEW IT. \o/ for me it's not even the caffeine, it's just...the coffee. :U /drinks decaf
I think that hot chocolate might have the same effect, so maybe it's something about the texture, in my case. I've never done the honey thing, though. My throat doesn't get sore after recording. lD;; /fortunate
pfffthaha yes. the joys of aging. That's where the skill comes in. d(=v= [sub]also lol what is that grace period xDD;;[/sub]

 

[ninjamitsuki]

Oh. Yeah.

When I recorded Daisuke I sang Len's part of Rin Rin Signal before recording. That particular song gets my shonen voice in shape for some reason.

And Ringone Kaori got her name from this, I was singing Bad Apple and I liked the voice I was using and decided to record her.

For Mitsuki I sing "Falling the Starlight" or Miku's part of magnet. For Miki I try and imitate the Futami twins from iDOLM@STER.