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 ISBN 978-1-138-39161-1

www.routledge.com
Routledge titles are available as eBook editions in a range of digital formats 9 781138 391611
 The Art of
Voice Acting
sixth edition

The Art of Voice Acting covers all aspects of the craft and business of
performing voiceover. Chapters include how to get started in voiceover,
performing techniques, setting up a personal recording space, voiceover
demos, the basics of running a voiceover business, unions, and much
more. Throughout the book are numerous contributions from some of the
voiceover world’s top professionals and website URL’s for additional
resources and reference. Additional content can be found on the Voice
Acting Academy website at AOVA.VoiceActing.com.

James R. Alburger is an award-winning producer, director, performance

coach and voice actor. After a 25-year career in recording studios and
television (receiving 11 Emmy® Awards), he opened VoiceActing, LLC and
The Voice Acting Academy. He teaches workshops on performing
voiceover, voices a variety of audio projects and is an expert in personal,
professional studio design and audio production for radio, location sound
recording and audio post-production for film and video. He also provides
coaching for companies of all sizes, using his voice acting techniques to
teach business professionals how to be more effective communicators.
 Chapter Title Here v

The Art of

Voice
A cting sixth edition

The Craft and Business of Performing Voiceover

James R. Alburger
vi The Art of Voice Acting
Sixth edition published 2019
by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa

business

© 2019 James R. Alburger

The right of James Alburger to be identified as author of this work has

been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced

or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or

registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.

Front and back cover images © Digital Juice

Conductor image © James R. Alburger, VoiceActing, LLC

First edition published by Focal Press 1999

Second edition published by Focal Press 2002
Third edition published by Focal Press 2007
Fourth edition published by Focal Press 2011
Fifth edition published by Routledge 2014

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A catalog record has been requested for this book

ISBN: 978-1-138-39160-4 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-138-39161-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-42263-8 (ebk)

Typeset in Arial and Footlight

by James R. Alburger

Publisher’s Note
This book has been prepared from camera-ready copy provided by the
author.

Visit www.AOVA.VoiceActing.com for additional resources, audio

recordings, and content from previous editions.
 Chapter Title Here v

This edition is dedicated…

To those who use their voice to tell stories.

Whether you are behind a microphone, on camera,
on stage, or in the boardroom…
your ability to communicate effectively
makes a difference in the lives of people everywhere.

Voice acting is the performing craft

of creating believable characters,
in interesting relationships, telling compelling stories,
using only the spoken word.
Mastering and applying the skills of voice acting
will take your personal and professional
communication to an entirely new
level of effectiveness.
James R. Alburger
vi The Art of Voice Acting

Many people stand at the microphone.

But relatively few
take to the mic as if it were a canvas
and are true artists.

For more about James Alburger and The Art of Voice Acting,
visit our websites:

VoiceActing.com
VoiceActingStudios.com
JamesAlburger.com
 Contents

Contents

Preface by James R. Alburger ........................................... xiii

Introduction ........................................................................ xv

1. The Business of Voice Acting

“Voiceover” vs. “Voice Acting” ..................................... 1
Types of Voiceover Work ............................................. 3
The Essentials ............................................................. 4
The Realities of Voice Acting ....................................... 4
Full-Time or Part-Time ................................................. 6
Are You an Actor or a Salesperson? ............................ 7
Getting the Skills You Need ......................................... 9
Breaking into the Business of Voiceover ...................... 14
Ten Things You Must Know about Voiceover Work ..... 16
2. Using Your Instrument
All about Breathing ...................................................... 19
Joni Wilson (20 Facts You Must Know About Your Voice) 24
Correcting Speech Problems and Habits ..................... 26
Voice and Body Exercises ........................................... 31
Physical Attitudes to Help Delivery ............................... 40
27 Tips for Maintaining Your Voice and Improving Your
Performance .............................................................. 45
Be Easy on Yourself .................................................... 56
3. Microphone Technique
The #1 Tool of Your Trade ........................................... 59
Microphone Technique ................................................ 63
Using Headphones ...................................................... 65
Your Clothes Make a Difference .................................. 66
4. The Monologue
How Will You Tell the Story? ....................................... 69
Tips for Performing Monologues .................................. 70
Monologue Scripts ....................................................... 71
5. Voice Acting 101
Give Yourself Permission to Play ................................. 81
Commit to Your Choices - And Adjust .......................... 83
Getting Away from the Read ........................................ 87
No Judgments Allowed ................................................ 103
The Magic of Your Mind: If You Believe it, They Will .... 104
vii
The Art of Voice Acting
6. Developing Your Unique Style
What’s in Your Tool Kit? .............................................. 107
Style ............................................................................ 108
Your Signature Voice ................................................... 109
The Road to Proficiency .............................................. 110
Three Steps to Creating an Effective Performance ...... 111
The Elements of a Voice Acting Performance .............. 114
7. Techniques for Developing Style
Critical Voice Acting Concepts ..................................... 133
Shortcuts that Trick Your Brain .................................... 136
Basic Techniques ........................................................ 138
Advanced Techniques ................................................. 141
8. The Seven Core Elements
Acting is Acting is Acting… Sort of ............................... 149
It Starts with Pretending .............................................. 150
A = AUDIENCE: Core Element #1 ............................... 150
B = BACK STORY: Core Element #2 ........................... 151
C = CHARACTER: Core Element #3 ............................ 153
D = DESIRES: Core Element #4 .................................. 155
E = ENERGY: Core Element #5 ................................... 156
F = FORGET WHO YOU ARE AND FOCUS:
Core Element #6 ....................................................... 159
G= Gamble: Core Element #7 ..................................... 160
9. Wood Shedding and Script Analysis
Creating a Performance Road Map: Analyzing and
Marking a Script ........................................................ 163
Wood Shed Your Copy ................................................ 165
Wood Shed to Be More Believable .............................. 167
Tips for Wood Shedding .............................................. 173
Script Analysis Worksheet ........................................... 174
10. The Character in the Copy
How Will You Play the Role? ....................................... 177
Your Best Tool Is Your Own Personality ...................... 180
Theater of the Mind ..................................................... 182
An Exercise for Creating Real Characters ................... 183
Visualization Script for “Creating a Character” ............. 184
Making Your Characters Believable ............................. 185
Tips for Performing All Types of Copy ......................... 188
11. Single Voice
Working Solo ............................................................... 191
Tell Me, Don’t Sell Me ................................................. 192
Tips for Performing Single-Voice Copy ........................ 194
Single-Voice Scripts .................................................... 194
12. Multiples and Dialogue
Types of Dialogue Copy .............................................. 203
Tips for Performing Comedic Dialogue Copy ............... 204
Dialogue and Multiple-Voice Scripts ............................ 204

viii
 Contents
13. Long Form Narration: Corporate, Medical & eLearning
Telling a Different Kind of Story ................................... 213
Tips for Performing Long-Form Narration .................... 214
The Challenges of Medical Narration (Julie Williams) .. 215
Corporate and Narrative Scripts ................................... 217
14. Audio Book Narration
Telling the Long Story .................................................. 221
Tips for Performing Audio Books ................................. 224
Audio Book Scripts ...................................................... 224
15. Mastering Character Voices
Vocalizing Characters .................................................. 229
Pat Fraley’s Six Critical Elements of Character Voice .. 231
Finding Your Voice ...................................................... 233
The Character Voice Worksheet .................................. 233
Tips for Character and Animation Copy ....................... 235
Character Sides for Games and Animation .................. 236
Character and Animation full Script .............................. 240
16. Imaging - Promo - Trailer
Radio Imaging ............................................................. 245
Television Promo ......................................................... 246
Trailer .......................................................................... 247
Tips for Performing Imaging, Promo and Trailer .......... 248
Imaging Scripts ............................................................. 248
Promo Scripts .............................................................. 249
Trailer Scripts .............................................................. 250
17. Other VO Genres
What Is Your Niche? .................................................... 253
ADR and Looping ........................................................ 254
Pocholo Gonzales (The Art of Foreign Language ADR) 255
Anime .......................................................................... 265
Telephony .................................................................... 265
New Media ................................................................... 266
18. The Business of Voiceover: Getting Paid to Play
The Same but Changing .............................................. 271
It’s Show-biz, Folks! ..................................................... 272
The Many Hats of a Voiceover Professional ................ 273
Non-Union Voiceover Work ......................................... 273
Union work ................................................................... 275
Talent Agencies, Casting Agencies,
and Personal Managers ............................................. 282
Online Audition Services and Advertising Agencies ..... 284
Ad Agencies and Production Companies ..................... 287
19. Your Voiceover Demo
Your Professional Calling Card .................................... 291
Demo Rule #1: Don’t Produce Your Demo Until
You Are Ready .......................................................... 291
Demo Rule #2: Your Demo Must Accurately
Represent Your Abilities ............................................ 294
ix
The Art of Voice Acting
Versatility Is Your Selling Tool ..................................... 295
Demo Basics ............................................................... 296
Preparing for Your Voiceover Demos .......................... 297
Types of Voiceover Demos .......................................... 297
Producing Your Demo ................................................. 301
Your Demo Recording Session .................................... 309
20. Your Home Studio
A Million-Dollar Studio in Your Home ........................... 311
The Challenge of Recording at Home .......................... 312
Designing Your Home Studio ...................................... 313
Understanding Room Acoustics ................................... 318
Managing Your Computer ............................................ 325
Working with Clients Remotely .................................... 327
21. Home Studio Technology
Wearing the Hat of Audio Engineer ............................. 329
Digital Recording 101 .................................................. 330
Advanced Home Studio Technology ............................ 333
The Mysterious Decibel ............................................... 335
An Audio Recording and Editing Primer ....................... 338
22. How to Work in the Voiceover Business
Promoting and Marketing Yourself ............................... 345
Managing Your Time ................................................... 346
Business Basics .......................................................... 349
Dave Courvoisier (Using Social Media Networking to
Build Your Voiceover Business) ................................ 356
Working Internationally ................................................ 362
Andy Boyns (Working as a Global Voice Actor) ........... 362
Male vs. Female .......................................................... 364
Trends ......................................................................... 366
A Business Plan for Voice Actor You, Inc. ................... 367
A Business Plan for Voice Actor You, Inc. (Worksheet) 369
23. Managing Your Voiceover Business
Setting Your Talent Fee ............................................... 373
Negotiating Your Fee ................................................... 382
Getting Paid for Your Work .......................................... 384
How to Guarantee You’ll be Paid ................................. 386
Documenting Your Session ......................................... 390
Keeping Records ......................................................... 393
Banking and Your Business ......................................... 396
Voiceover and the Law ................................................ 397
24. Your Voiceover Identity
Present Yourself as a Professional .............................. 399
Words of Wisdom from Paul Frees .............................. 400
Defining Your Business ............................................... 401
Setting Up Shop .......................................................... 405
Print Materials ............................................................. 407
Your Website ............................................................... 409

x
 Contents
25. The Talent Agent
Finding and Working with an Agent ............................. 413
The Changing Role of the Talent Agent ....................... 421
26. Auditions
The Audition Process ................................................... 423
Auditioning from Your Home Studio ............................. 424
The Live Audition ......................................................... 428
After the Audition .......................................................... 434
Union vs. Non-Union Auditions .................................... 435
27. You’re Hired! The Session
A Journey through the Creative Process ...................... 437
Types of Sessions, Setups, and Script Formats ........... 440
The Session: Step-by-Step .......................................... 442
Common Direction Terms ............................................ 444
Wrap it Up .................................................................... 449
28. Stop It!
What are You Doing to Sabotage Yourself? ................. 451
29. The Changing World of Voiceover
An Industry in Flux ....................................................... 459
J. Michael Collins (The Future of the Industry) ............. 459
Hugh P. Klitzke (So, What About the Future? A Casting
Director’s Perspective) .............................................. 462
Tom Dheere (Ignore the Noise) ................................... 464
Peter Bishop (The World-Voices Organization)............. 465
30. Wisdom from the Pros
Peter Dickson and Hugh Edwards (Advice on Considering
a Career in Voiceover) .............................................. 467
Shelley Cohen (Is This Business Right for You?) ......... 471
Dana Detrick (22 Jobs Every Creative Solopreneur
Must Be Able to Do) .................................................. 474
Marc Cashman (Twenty Crucial V-O Tips) ................... 477
Melissa Moats (A Day in the Life of a Voice Actor) ....... 479
Kelly Buttrick (Career Compass) .................................. 482
Kate McClanaghan (What You Should Know
When Meeting with a Talent Agent) .......................... 483
Lisa Orkin (Directing Radio Spots: It’s All About
the Playables) ........................................................... 486
Bob Bergen (Voiceover Demos) .................................. 488
Fred Frees (Advice from Paul Frees) ........................... 489
Index .................................................................................... 491

xi
The Art of Voice Acting

xii
 Preface

Preface
James R. Alburger

The origins of this book go back to the mid 1970’s. At that time,
my life revolved around my work as a part-time professional
magician, my work as audio producer and director at the NBC-TV
affiliate in San Diego, and my side jobs of editing music for other
performers and working part-time at a local recording studio. I really
didn’t have much of a social life back then!
Although I was working with voiceover talent on a daily basis,
and I had an innate understanding of creating visual imagery and
telling stories through the medium of sound alone, I had no idea that
I would one day write a book that has become one of the standard
reference works on the craft and business of voiceover.
Each edition of this book has built upon the prior editions by
adding more techniques, completely updated information, and more
content from many of the top professionals in this industry. In
addition to this book, you’ll find a ton of supporting audio content,
and much more, under the Resources menu tab on my website at
VoiceActing.com. This area of my website can be reached directly
at AOVA.VoiceActing.com.
The business of voiceover is one that is in a constant state of
flux—and a lot has happened since the previous edition of this book
was published. Although the fundamental performing techniques
may be consistent, there are trends and performing styles that are
constantly changing. As voice actors, we must keep up with these
business trends, maintain our performing skills and adapt to a variety
of changes in order to keep the work coming in. But the reality is,
there’s actually a lot more to it than that.
What you hold in your hands is a manual for working in the
business of voiceover that will take you from the fundamentals of
performing to the essentials of marketing… and everything in-
between. Most books on voiceover talk about interpretation—how to
deliver phrases and analyze a script, or the book is more about the
author than the craft.
This book is different!
This book was written with the intention of giving you a solid
foundation in both the craft and business of voiceover. Within these
pages you’ll find dozens of tools and techniques that are essential
for success in this area of show business—some of which you won’t
find anywhere else. With this book, you will learn exactly how to use
xiii
The Art of Voice Acting
these tools, not just in voiceover, but in everything you do. Unlike
some other books on voiceover, I don’t focus on how I did it, or go
into boring stories of my voiceover career. No… I’ll show you how
you can do it! Every story and every technique you’ll read in this
book is here for a reason—to teach you exactly how some aspect of
this craft and business works, and how you can make it work for you.
The tools and techniques are just that—tools and techniques.
Without understanding how to use them, they are little more than
words on the page. But once you learn how to use these tools, you’ll
discover that they can be used to improve relationships, get more
customers, resolve problems, close more sales, make you a better
actor, improve your public speaking skills, and so on. You won’t use
every performance tool all the time, and some may not work for you
at all. That’s fine. Find the tools and techniques that do work for you,
take them, and make them your own. Create your own unique style.
If you can achieve that, you’ll be ahead of the game.
This is a book about how you can communicate more effectively
than you can imagine. Everything you experience in life holds an
emotion that can be used to make you more effective as a voice
actor. And even if you never intend to stand in front of a microphone
in a recording studio, you can still use what you learn here to
become a more effective communicator.
Performing voiceover is much like performing music: There is a
limited number of musical notes, yet there is an almost unlimited
variety of possibilities for performing those notes. The same is true
with a voiceover script. Words and phrases can be delivered with
infinite variety, subtlety, and nuance. A voiceover performance is,
indeed, very similar to the way a conductor blends and balances the
instruments of the orchestra. Your voice is your instrument, and this
book will give you the tools to help you create a musical
performance. You might think of voiceover as a “Symphony of
Words,” or “Orchestrating Your Message,” both catch phrases I’ve
used to describe the results of what we do as voice actors.

Acknowledgments
We are fortunate to be part of a community that is supportive and
generally operates under “the bigger pie” theory: “Instead of going
for a small ’piece of the pie,’ let’s just make a bigger pie.” This edition
of my book would not have been possible without the generous
support and help from so many people and companies who work in
the world of voiceover every day. As you read through these pages,
you will see names, web site links, and other references to the many
individuals who have supported my efforts with their contributions.
Please visit their websites and join me in thanking them for their
willingness to share their knowledge and experience.
xiv
 Introduction

Introduction
“You’ve got a great voice!”

“You should be doing commercials!”

“You should be doing cartoons!”

I’m going to take a chance here! At some point in the past,

someone said something to you similar to the above statements.
And you’ve become inspired! Or perhaps voiceover has been a life-
long dream and you finally have time to start learning about what
“VO” is all about. Or it might be that you read about a course in voice
acting, and it sounded like fun! Regardless of how you got here, the
idea of working in voiceover may have been percolating for a few
years, or you may have already dabbled a bit. You picked up this
book because you realize that there’s a lot you don’t know, and
you’ve finally decided to get serious and “take the leap.”
Congratulations!
It doesn’t matter if you are studying voiceover as part of a higher
education curriculum or if you’re doing it on your own. Either way,
you are about to embark on a journey that will be filled with new
concepts, loaded with new knowledge, and certain to be lots of fun.
But along your journey, you will face challenging obstacles,
frustrating clients, and scripts that seem almost impossible to
decipher.
As with most things in life, there are no guarantees. But If you
are persistent, you will more than likely find success. One thing I can
guarantee, though, is that you will learn more about personal
communication than you ever imagined.
Maybe working as a professional voice actor is not your primary
objective here. Perhaps you simply enjoy making up funny character
voices or sounds, or enjoy telling stories and jokes. This book will
show you how to do it better and more effectively. Perhaps you need
to make presentations as part of your job. If so, this book will
definitely give you a new insight into reaching your audience with a
stronger message. If you are involved in any line of work for which
you need to communicate any sort of message verbally to one or
xv
The Art of Voice Acting
more individuals, this book will help you make your presentation
more powerful and more memorable.
This book is about acting and performing, but I won’t be talking
about performing on stage or working on-camera. In fact, with this
kind of acting you rarely, if ever, see your audience or receive any
applause. With this kind of acting you create illusions and believable
images in the mind of the audience—a listening audience who might
never see you, but who, if you do your job well, will remember your
performance for many years.
Although the focus here is on developing skills for working in
voiceover, the techniques you will learn within these pages can be
applied to any situation in which you want to reach and motivate an
audience on an emotional level. Radio personalities, professional
speakers, video producers, editors, audio engineers, on-camera
talent, and even theatrical actors and directors will discover new
ways to approach their work simply by gaining an understanding of
how voice acting techniques can be applied when telling a story.
And, after all, we are all story tellers in one way or another.
Voiceover is one of those rare endeavors that is both a business
and an art! As a business, voiceover work has the potential for being
a lucrative—and fun—career. As an art, it is a highly specialized craft
with skills that must be developed.
The voiceover performer is an actor who must communicate
effectively using nothing more than his or her voice. The business of
voiceover should, more accurately, be referred to as the business of
voice acting. It is most definitely a part of show business.
I’ll be perfectly honest with you right from the beginning. Working
as a voice actor is not for everyone. It requires an investment of
time, energy, persistence, and money to get started. And, perhaps,
just a bit of luck. As they say: “Luck is being in the right place, at the
right time, with the right knowledge and skills.” This book will help
with the knowledge and skills … the rest is up to you.
However … if you love to play, have the desire to learn some
acting skills, can speak clearly, read well, don’t mind the occasional
odd working hours, don’t take things too seriously, have a good
attitude, can motivate yourself to be in the right place at the right
time, have a working understanding of basic business, and you are
willing to do what is necessary to develop your skills and build your
business, this type of work may be just right for you. Even if you
have absolutely no acting experience, you may discover a hidden
aptitude in communicating through one of the many genres of
voiceover—or you may simply find that you are more clearly
understood by those you speak to. These skills are not limited to
radio and TV commercials.
This book shows you the steps to take to learn the performing
skills necessary to be successful as a voice talent. It also has the
information you need to build your voiceover business and ultimately

xvi
 Introduction
get your demo produced and into the hands of those who will hire
you. Study these pages and you will gain a solid foundation in both
performing and business skills that you can develop to achieve
lasting success in the world of voiceover.
You don’t have to be in Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago to
find voiceover work. Work is available everywhere. You do need to
have the right attitude, the right skills, and a high-quality,
professionally produced presentation of your talents, or the casting
people won’t even give you a second look (or listen). If you master
the techniques explained in this book, you will be able to present
yourself like a pro—even if you have never done anything like this
before.
As comprehensive as this book is, I am only able to scratch the
surface of many topics relating to voiceover. So, I’ve created a web
page that includes a lot of information that literally could not fit within
the pages of this book. You’ll find more information, resources and
some unpublished bonus material at VoiceActing.com. There, under
the Resources menu tab, you will find audio and video playbacks,
PDF support files, image files and even links to other websites with
even more support material. Please note that you will need a PDF
Reader for your device in order to open some of these links.
I’ve also created a direct link to the Resources area at
VoiceActing.com: Simply go to AOVA.VoiceActing.com.
As you read the pages that follow, I promise to be straightforward
and honest with you. Within these pages are techniques and tricks of
the trade that you will not find anywhere else. For those of you
considering a move into the business of voiceover, you will learn
what it takes to be successful. If you simply want to learn new ways
to use your voice to communicate effectively, you will find a wealth of
information.
I wish you much success. Please let me know when you land
your first national commercial or big animation contract as a result of
using the techniques and information in this book. I can always be
reached through VoiceActing.com.

xvii
The Art of Voice Acting

In This Chapter

“Voiceover” vs. “Voice Acting” ...................................... 1

Types of Voiceover Work ............................................. 3
The Essentials ............................................................. 4
The Realities of Voice Acting ....................................... 4
Full-Time or Part-Time ................................................. 6
Are You an Actor or a Salesperson? ............................ 7
Your Role as a Voice Actor .................................... 7
The Voice Actor as a Salesperson ......................... 8
Getting the Skills You Need ......................................... 9
A Twist of a Word ................................................... 9
Voiceover “Reads” ................................................. 10
Classes .................................................................. 10
A Word of Caution .................................................. 12
Resources .............................................................. 13
Breaking into the Business of Voiceover ...................... 14
Not Your Typical Small Business ........................... 14
Ten Things You Must Know about Voiceover Work ..... 16

You’ll find more information about voice acting at

AOVA.VoiceActing.com.

xviii
 The Business of Voice Acting

The Business of
Voice Acting

“Voiceover” vs. “Voice Acting”

Everyone has a story to tell, whether it’s a post about what you’re
having for lunch, a radio commercial or a highly produced motion
picture. The stream of communication we are faced with each day is
endless. Much of our time is spent assimilating and choosing to
act—or not act—on the information we receive.
Regardless of the information or delivery format, there are only
two ways to communicate a message: intellectually and emotionally.
Of these, the most effective is to connect on an emotional, often
unconscious level. This involves drawing the intended recipient (or
audience) into a story or creating a dramatic or emotional scene that
the listener can relate to; in short, effective communication is really
excellent storytelling. And the best storytellers create vivid imagery
through a combination of interpretation, intonation, attitude, and the
incorporation of a variety of acting skills. This is exactly what we do
as voice actors! The voiceover (VO) performer, in fact, is more
accurately referred to as a voice actor.
Voice actors play a very important role in entertainment,
marketing, sales, and delivery of information. As with any other form
of acting, it is the voice actor’s job to play a role that has been written
into the script. To effectively play the role, the performer must,
among other things, be able to quickly determine how to best
communicate the message using only the spoken word.
The term “voice acting” is often misunderstood as referring only
to performing for Japanese films, known as Anime. But the truth
about voice acting goes far beyond a single performing genre. To
confuse things further, the common term used to describe all types
of work in which the entire performance is delivered only through the
sound of the voice is “voiceover.”
1
The Art of Voice Acting
So, I hear you ask... “What’s the difference between ‘voiceover’
and ‘voice acting’?” In a word… “substantial.”
Let’s begin with a simplified definition of voiceover: Voiceover
can be defined as “any recording or performance of one or more
individuals that you hear, but do not see, for the purpose of
communicating a message.” Just about anyone who can talk can
“do” voiceover.
If you’ve ever recorded an outgoing message for your voicemail,
you’ve done a form of simple “voiceover.” But just because you talk
into a microphone does not mean you can act. I’ve received many
demos from self-proclaimed “voiceover artists” who have just
completed a class and produced a demo in an attempt to break into
the business. A few of these individuals have some raw talent, but
unfortunately, most have not mastered basic performing skills to a
point where they can effectively compete as a professional. It’s all
too common for people to want to take shortcuts or think they can
learn this craft without proper training.
Many people just getting started in voiceover will often deliver a
performance that sounds more like “reading” than talking to
someone. The delivery is often strained and can sometimes be very
difficult to listen to. Of all the demos I receive, there are only a few
that show a level of competency demonstrating the individual has
made the transition from merely reading a script to performing as a
“voice actor.” Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts for learning this
craft.
Using this definition, there is certainly a place for voiceover, and
if done properly it can be quite effective. But professional voiceover
is done within the context of a larger performance or is designed for
a very specific purpose, and presented from a very specific
perspective. The best “voiceover” work is performed from a
foundation of “voice acting.”
“Voice acting” takes the communication of a message to an
entirely new level. Mastering the art of speaking from a script in a
way that sounds conversational or tells the story in an effective and
appropriate manner, is what truly makes for professional voiceover.
The key is in the acting.
Voice acting is about creating real and believable characters in
real and believable situations that listeners can relate to and be
motivated by. To do this, a performer must be able to reach the
audience on an emotional level. In other words, voice acting is about
creating compelling characters in interesting relationships.
There are several factors that separate simple voiceover from
professional voice acting. Among them are: competent training,
acting ability, interpretive abilities, improvisational skills, dedication,
business acumen, computer skills, and certain technical skills.
For the balance of this book, the terms “voiceover” and “voice
acting” will be used interchangeably.”

2
 The Business of Voice Acting
Types of Voiceover Work
You hear voiceover messages many times every day, and you
may not even be aware of it. Most people think of voiceover as
announcing for radio and TV commercials or funny voices for
cartoons. These are only a small part of the business of voiceover.
Here are just some of the many types of voiceover work that
require talented performers, like you:
• Accents and dialects (ethnic) • Live event/promo announcer
• ADR—automated dialogue • Looping—film backgrounds
replacement (film) • Multi-voice—ensemble
• Anime—character • Narration—corporate marketing
• Audio book narration • Narration—documentary
• Celebrity spokesperson • Narration—medical/technical
• Character—animation, toys • Narration—multi-media
• Character—announcer, tags • New Media—web video
• Character—celebrity sound- • Podcasts
alike • Political
• Character—real people • Specialty
• Character—sound effects • Spokesperson
• Character—video game • Talking toys & games
• Commercial—radio • Telephony—IVR (Interactive
• Commercial—television Voice Response)
• Commercial—web • Telephony—cold call marketing
• Dialogue—conversational • Telephony—message-on-hold
• DJ—radio personality • Telephony—phone prompts
• E-Learning (online training) • Television—news
• Foreign language • Television—programming
• Imaging (radio) • Television—promo
• Industrial—training • Theatrical—various
• Industrial—video kiosk • Trailer (film)
• Industrial—web learning • Video game
• In-store messaging • Voice matching (film)
• Jingles (singing) • Youth (real or child sound-alike)

3
The Art of Voice Acting

The Essentials
Regardless of the type of voiceover work you choose, there are
several basic requirements:

A decent speaking voice: The days of the “Golden Pipes” are

history! Voice acting is not about your voice—it’s about what
you can do with your voice. And that means acting ability and
how you tell the story.
Excellent reading skills: All voiceover work requires excellent
reading skills. There is no memorization in voiceover work.
Directable talent: You must be able to act and change your
delivery or interpretation at the whim of the director.
Passion: You must be willing to spend the time, energy, and
money necessary to develop your acting and business skills,
set up a home studio, and market and promote your talent.

All four of these minimum requirements are necessary to achieve

even the slightest degree of success as a voiceover performer. If one
or more of these is missing, the journey to becoming a professional
voice actor will be long and arduous.

The Realities of Voice Acting

I’ve got some good news… and some not-so-good news.
The good news is that you are unique! Fortunately, every person
has uniquely different talents, abilities, and levels of skill. It is this
variety that makes the voiceover business a potentially profitable
career for anyone willing to invest the time and effort.
The not-so-good news is that voiceover is not an easy business
to break into. It is estimated that there are roughly five times as many
people who claim to be voiceover talent as there are actors trying to
break into TV and movies. Add to that the major film stars who have
found that voiceover work is more fun than spending many hours in
makeup, and all the “wannabes” who want to “do” voiceover, but
never actually learn their craft or study the business. The simple truth
is that competition is tough and obtaining voiceover work is often a
numbers game. But an additional truth is that you are unique and
when you understand the business and have mastered your
performing skills, it is entirely possible to create a demand for
yourself as a voice actor.
Voiceover work is part of “show business.” As such it has all the
potential excitement, celebrity status, and opportunities as other
areas of show business, as well as the endless auditions and
challenges dealing with agents, producers, and clients. Because
4
 The Business of Voice Acting
voiceover is part of “show business,” it can take many years of study
and constantly being in the right place, to achieve a level of success.
One voiceover coach I know suggests that it takes 15 years to
become successful in voiceover. I disagree!
We all define “success” differently. If you define success as being
in high demand and making the “big bucks,” it could easily take 15
years or longer to get there. But if you are doing voiceover because
you love it, and you wonder why you’re not paying them to let you
get in front of the mic, then success can be as soon as next week.
Like most performing arts, voice acting is a hurry-up-and-wait
kind of business. By that I mean you will spend a lot of time waiting:
waiting for auditions; for a callback; in the lobby of a recording
studio; for the email with your script; and, sometimes waiting to get
paid. Once a voiceover recording session begins, things tend to
happen very fast. But you may still find yourself waiting as the
producer works on copy changes, or while the studio engineer deals
with a technical problem. It’s just a reality of the business.
If you are recording in your home studio, which has become a
standard practice for voiceover work at all levels, you will be
expected to deliver studio-quality recordings. You’ll also be expected
to have some basic production and editing skills—even though you
are not a recording engineer. That means you need to be computer-
literate and you may need to invest in the training, equipment,
software, and acoustic improvements necessary to build a functional
recording facility in your home.
From a performance standpoint, producers assume that you
know what you are doing and expect you to deliver your lines
professionally. They expect a masterful interpretation of a script—
usually within the first two or three takes. Direction or coaching often
comes very fast, so you must listen closely and pay attention.
Sometimes, the concept of a script might completely change, or
there may be major copy changes—and you need to be able to
adapt quickly. More often than not, if you’re recording in your home
studio, the session may be director-less and producer-less, meaning
you are on your own! You need to develop excellent interpretive
skills and be a versatile performer with the ability to self-direct and
provide what your client is asking for, even when you’re not certain
exactly what that is.
Your job as a voice actor is to perform to the best of your
abilities. When you are hired, either from your demo or after an
audition, it is your performance that has been chosen over many
others as the one most desirable for the job. In most cases the
recording session is a one-time thing. Whether you are booked into a
recording studio or recording from your personal studio, you will
usually not get a second chance to do your best work.

5
The Art of Voice Acting

Full-Time or Part-Time
If you think voiceover work is for you, you have some decisions to
make. Not right this minute, but soon. Do you want to do voiceover
work as a full-time career, or as a part-time avocation? What niche
area of voiceover do you want to focus on? Should you move to a
different city in search of work in your niche area? The choices may
be many and may not be easy!
Doing voiceover work on a full-time basis is unlike just about any
other job you can imagine. You must be available on a moment’s
notice when you are called for an audition or session. In addition, you
must constantly market yourself, even if you have an agent.
Full-time voiceover work may also mean joining a union, and
possibly even moving to a larger city—if that’s where your destiny
leads you. Many major cities are strong union towns for voiceover
work, and you must be in the union to get well-paying jobs in these
cities. However, today’s voiceover world is largely non-localized, and
non-union work abounds, even in most major markets. If you are just
getting started in voiceover, union membership will best be reserved
for some time in the future.
It is very important to know exactly what you are doing before
“taking the leap” into full-time voiceover work. In other words… don’t
quit your day job! But that can create a challenge of how you will
study your craft, promote your business, and submit auditions, all
while earning an income with an unrelated job. So, the question now
is, “Can I break into voiceover on a part-time basis?”
Although working as a part-time voice actor is possible, you won’t
be doing the same kind of work as you would if you devoted more
time to it—and it will likely take you considerably longer to reach your
goals. You will likely do some corporate narration work, telephone
messages, and smaller projects for clients who have a minimal or
nonexistent budget. Some of your work may be voluntary, barter, or
you will do it just because you want the experience. The pay for
nonunion freelance work is often not terrific—but freelance work is a
very good way of getting voiceover experience. You can gradually
build up a client list and get copies of your work that you can use to
market yourself later on when, or if, you decide to go full-time.
The biggest challenge with doing voiceover work part-time is that
you may find it difficult to deal with last-minute auditions or session
calls. If you have a regular full-time job, you will usually need to
arrange your voiceover work around it. Part-time voiceover work can,
however, be an ideal opportunity for the homemaker or self-employed
individual with a flexible schedule.
With the advent of online audition services and advanced
computer technology, it has become very convenient to record
auditions and paid projects in a home studio and submit them as
MP3 files via the Internet.
6
 The Business of Voice Acting
Voiceover work can be very satisfying, even if you only do an
occasional session. Yet, the day may come when your skills are at a
level where you decide to go for the big money or move to a major
market. Until then, don’t be in a hurry. Make the best of every
opportunity that comes your way and, more importantly, create your
own opportunities whenever possible. Networking is extremely
important, whether it be meet-up groups, local meetings of
professional organizations or as part of your Social Media activities.
You never know when you might be in just the right place to make a
connection that lands that national spot that changes your entire life!

Are You an Actor or a Salesperson?

When you stand in front of a microphone as voice talent, your job
is to effectively communicate the message contained within the
words written on the paper in front of you. You are a storyteller.
Although the ultimate objective of your performance might be for the
listener to make a purchase, rarely will your job be to actually “sell”
something. There’s a difference between telling a story in a way that
motivates a purchase and speaking in a way that sounds like you are
selling something. People love to buy, but people do not like being
“sold.” Part of your job is to figure out how to speak the words in
such a way that your listener understands the message and is
motivated to act on what they hear.

YOUR ROLE AS A VOICE ACTOR

You are an actor! The words, by themselves, are nothing but ink
on a page. As a voice actor, you must interpret the words in such a
way as to effectively tell the story, bring the character to life, and
meet the perceived needs of the producer or director in terms of
communicating the message. I say “perceived needs” because many
producers and writers only have an idea in their heads. The producer
may think he knows what he wants, when, in reality, he hasn’t got a
clue as to the best way to deliver the message. This is where your
acting skills and performance choices come in. You may find
yourself in the enviable position of solving many of your producer’s
problems simply by performing the copy in a way that you feel
effectively communicates the message.
Your acting abilities are the vital link between the writer and the
audience. You are the actor playing the role of the character written
in the script. On the surface, that may sound like a fairly simple task.
However, mastering the skills to create interesting and compelling
characters on a consistent basis can be very challenging.
Unlike stage performers, who may have several days, weeks, or
even months to define, internalize, and develop their characters, you
7
The Art of Voice Acting
may have only a few minutes. You must use your best acting skills
to deliver your best interpretation of the copy—and you must do it
quickly. Your job is to breathe life into the script, making the
thoughts of the writer become real through the character you create.
You need to be able to quickly grasp the important elements of the
script, figure out who you are talking to, understand your character in
great detail, find the key elements of the copy, and choose what you
believe to be the most effective delivery for your lines.
Every script is written for a purpose and you must be able to find
and give meaning to that purpose. In most cases, the purpose of the
message will be found in the story, or in the way the script is written.
The purpose might be to introduce a new product, or simply to give
some basic instructions. Whatever it may be, you need to figure out
what it is and make some choices in how you will tell that story.

THE VOICE ACTOR AS A SALESPERSON

It can be argued that virtually all voiceover is “selling” something.

Commercials sell products or services, or try to get an emotional
response to motivate action; instructional products sell procedures;
audio books sell entertainment; and so on. The argument goes that
acting is the means by which any of these messages can be
effectively communicated, the story told, and the listener motivated
to take action. So, technically, you are not only a performer, but, in a
sense, you are also a salesperson.
For the time you are in the booth or recording studio, you are an
employee of your client’s business. In fact, you, as an actor, are the
advertiser’s top salesperson and must present yourself as a qualified
expert. And you, as the actor playing the role of the expert, must be
perceived as real and honest.
Your acting job may only last a few minutes in the studio, but that
performance may be repeated thousands of times on radio or TV.
Your voice may be heard by more people in a single minute than
might walk through the front door of a business in an entire year. But
even though you may be playing the role of a salesperson, you must
never sound like you are selling. The credibility of the product or
advertiser—and the success of an advertising campaign—may be
directly related to the authenticity, effectiveness, and believability of
your performance. Tell the story… Never sell it!
Are you beginning to see there’s more to this thing called
voiceover than merely reading words on a page? And we’re just
getting started!

8
 The Business of Voice Acting

Getting the Skills You Need

The bottom line here is to get experience—as much as you can,
wherever you can, any way you can! Take classes in acting,
voiceover, improvisation, business, and marketing. Get as much
experience as you can reading stories out loud. Read to your
children. Read to your spouse. Volunteer. Practice telling stories with
lots of variety in your voice.
Analyze the characters in the stories you read. Take more
classes. Read the same copy in different ways, at different speeds,
and with different feelings or emotional attitudes—loud, soft, slow,
fast, happy, sad, compassionate, angry. If possible, record yourself
and listen to what you did to see where you might improve. Take
some more classes. Become a master of performing in front of a
microphone. You can’t take too many classes!
One of the best ways to acquire voice acting skills is to listen to
other voice actors. Mimicking other performers can be a good start to
learning some basic performing techniques, but your ultimate goal
should be to develop your own, unique interpretive skills and your
own, unique delivery style. To really get an understanding of
communicating on an emotional level, listen to how other professional
voice actors deliver their lines and tell their stories:

• How do they interpret the message?

• How do they reach you emotionally?
• How do they use inflection, intonation, pacing, musicality, and
express feelings?
• Is their delivery conversational and natural or not?
• How do you respond to their interpretation?

In short, do they sound as if they are reading or do they sound

natural and believable? Use what you learn from studying others and
adapt that information to your own voice and style. Learn how to
“make the copy your own.” This simply means that you bring to the
performance something of yourself to give the character and copy
truth and believability. That’s good acting!

A TWIST OF A WORD

The best voice actors do not sound like someone “doing”

voiceover. And they certainly don’t sound like they are reading from a
script. They sound like your best friend talking to you—comfortable,
casual, friendly, and most of all, not “announcery.” A good performer
can make even bad copy sound reasonably good—and what they
can do with good copy is truly amazing.
Create an emotional, visual image in the mind of the audience
with a twist of a word. A slight change in the delivery of a word—a
9
The Art of Voice Acting
shift of the nuance—can change the entire meaning of a sentence.
Speaking a word softly or with more intensity, or perhaps sustaining
a vowel, making the delivery crisp, or taking the inflection up or down
can all affect the meaning of a sentence and its emotional impact in
the mind of the listener. These are skills that are acquired over time
and require an in-depth understanding of basic acting techniques
that help to create an emotional connection with the audience.
To be an effective voiceover performer you need to discover the
qualities and characteristics of your voice that will make you different
from all those other voices out there. Keep developing new
techniques. Keep practicing and studying the work of others in the
business. Find your unique qualities and perfect them. Learn how to
make any piece of copy your own, and you will be in demand.
Remember, it’s not about your voice, but what you can do with it.

VOICEOVER “READS”

Although the term “read” is commonly used in this industry, it is

really a misnomer, because literally all delivery styles require at least
some acting ability and a mastery of performing techniques. The
term “read” implies that it’s the words that are important, but the
reality is that voiceover is all about acting, which is what brings the
words to life.
There are more than three dozen genres in voiceover, ranging
from commercials to movie trailers to talking toys, and many of them
have their own unique delivery style, or “read.” Some of the more
common styles are: conversational, story teller, announcer, objective
narrator, authoritative narrator, intense drama, attitude personality,
real person, whimsical, contemplative, and extreme character,
among others.
For example, an “announcer read” might sound like a circus ring
master or a used car salesman while a “conversational read” will
sound like someone just talking to their best friend. And an “intense
drama” read for a movie trailer might sound like someone telling a
very scary story.
Specific techniques for delivering copy for many of these genres
will be covered elsewhere. For now, it is only important to know that
it’s the acting that brings the words to life—and that the delivery style
(or “read”) is how the words will be spoken.

CLASSES

One observation that has appeared in discussions of this book

over the past several editions is my repeated recommendation for
continued training. The simple truth is that the only way you will learn
the diverse range of performing and business skills needed to be a
successful voice actor is to take classes. The necessity to keep up

10
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 Fig. 105. Fig. 106.

The feather edge which is formed on the inside is removed by a

few strokes of a stone called a slip. Hold the slip firmly against the
face so as not to form a bevel. Fig. 106. Slips are of various sizes;
one that fits the curvature of the gouge should be selected.
56. Sharpening Plane-Irons.—Plane-irons are sharpened straight
across like the chisel, with the
exception of the jack plane, as previously noted. Their corners,
however, are very slightly rounded off to prevent their leaving marks
on the wood. Where one plane is made to serve the purpose of
smooth, jack and fore-plane, it should be ground straight across. In
whetting, increase the pressure on the edges alternately so as to
turn up a heavier feather edge there than in the middle, thus
rounding the whole end very slightly. This feather edge may be
removed in the usual manner.
57. To Tell Whether a Tool is Sharp or Not.—Examine the
cutting edge, holding
the tool toward the light. If the tool is dull, the cutting edge will
appear as a white line, the broader the line the blunter the edge. Fig.
107 A. If the tool is sharp, no white line can be seen. Fig. 107 B.
 Fig. 107. Fig. 108.

A better way—the method a mechanic would use—is to test the

edge by drawing the thumb along it lightly. Fig. 108. If the tool is
sharp one can feel the edge “taking hold.” If dull, the thumb will slide
along the edge as it would along the back of a knife blade.
Good judgment is necessary in this test or a cut on the thumb may
be the result. No pressure is required, just a touch along the edge at
various points.
What actually takes place is this: The cutting edge, if sharp, cuts
the outer layer, the callous part of the ball of the thumb, just a little.
The sense of feeling is so keen that the resulting friction, slight as it
is, is transferred to the brain of the worker long before any injury
need be done the thumb. If the tool is dull, no cut, hence no friction
can result. Do not use the finger, as it is not calloused as is the
thumb.
 CHAPTER VI.
Form Work, Modeling.

58. Making a Cylinder.—The cylinder is evolved from the square

prism by increasing the number of sides
until a prism is formed with so many sides that its surface can be
easily transformed into a cylinder by means of sandpaper.

Fig. 109.
 (1) Begin by making a square prism which shall have the same
dimensions for its width and thickness as is desired for the diameter
of the cylinder. (2) Change this square prism to a regular octagonal
or eight-sided prism by planing off the four arrises. The gage lines
which indicate the amount to be taken off of each arris are made by
holding the gage block against each of the surfaces and gaging from
each arris each way, two lines on each surface. These lines must be
made lightly. The distance at which to set the spur of the gage from
the head is equal to one-half the diagonal of the square end of the
prism. Fig. 109. Since the ends are less likely to be accurate than
any other part, it is advisable to get this distance as follows: Lay off
two lines on the working face a distance apart equal to the width of
the prism. These lines with the two arrises form a square the
diagonal of which can be measured and one-half of it computed.
 Fig. 110.

Carpenters in working on large timbers lay the steel-square

diagonally across so that there are twenty-four divisions from arris to
arris. They then mark off the timber at seven and seventeen inches.
Fig. 110. These numbers, while not mathematically correct, are near
enough for practical purposes. In planing the arrises off, the piece
may be held in the vise or placed against the bench-stop. Fig. 111.
Care must be taken not to plane over the lines, for not only is the
one side enlarged, but the adjacent side is lessened, thus
exaggerating the error. (3) Judging with the eye the amount to take
off, plane the eight arrises until there are sixteen equal sides.

Fig. 111.

Again plane the arrises, making the piece thirty-two sided. On a

small piece this will be sufficient; if the piece is large, the process
may be continued until the piece is practically a cylinder. (4) To finish
a small cylinder wrap a piece of sandpaper around it, rub lengthwise
until the surface of the wood is smooth and the piece feels like a
cylinder when revolved in the hand.
59. The Spokeshave.—Fig. 112. The spokeshave is used
principally to smooth curved surfaces. It
may be drawn toward or pushed away from the worker, whichever is
more convenient. By means of screws, the blade may be adjusted to
take light or heavy shavings. The spokeshave is practically a short
plane with handles at the sides, and in using it the aim should be, as
with the plane, to secure silky shavings of as great length as the
nature of the work will allow.

Fig. 112.

60. Making Curved Edges.—To make curved edges on a board,

finger-gage on each side lines which
shall indicate the amount of curvature. Fig. 113.

Fig. 113.

If the curve is to be a gradual one reaching from one of these lines

over the middle of the edge to the other two lines should also be
finger-gaged on the edge. Finger-gage from each side using a
distance equal to one-fourth the whole thickness of the piece.

Fig. 114. Fig. 115.

With the spokeshave, Fig. 114, carefully cut off the two arrises to
the pencil lines so as to form two bevels. This gives three surfaces to
the edge of the board. Estimating the amount with the eye, cut off
the two arrises formed by these three surfaces until five equal
surfaces are formed in their place. This process may be repeated
until the surface of the edge is practically a curved surface. With a
piece of sandpaper held as shown in Fig. 115, rub until the surface is
smooth and evenly curved.
61. Modeling.—This term is used to apply to the method of
making objects of such irregular form that the
judgment of the worker must be depended upon to give the correct
result without the aid of gage and knife marks. The forming of a
canoe paddle or a hammer handle are good illustrations.
 Fig. 116.

Generally a little forethought will show a way in which the piece of

work may be partly laid out with knife, square and rule. To illustrate,
take the hammer handle, Fig. 116. The steps would be as follows:
First, plane a face side and a face edge, and square the two ends so
that the piece shall have the length desired for the finished handle.
Second, draw a center line on the face side, parallel to the face edge
and lay off on either side of this the two straight lines which shall
indicate the amount of taper; also sketch in the lines of curvature.
Plane the two edges to the tapering lines and square with the face
side. Then cut to the curved lines, keeping this surface also square
with the face side. In a similar manner, lay off on the face edge a
center line parallel to the face side, mark the taper and lines of
curvature, and work these surfaces as in the second step. Third, the
piece may be laid off still further by drawing on the larger end the
form of the ellipse which that end is to assume. With spokeshave,
judging the curves of the middle with the eye, work out the desired
form. The steel scraper is to be used for finishing after the piece has
been made as smooth as is possible with the spokeshave.
 CHAPTER VII.
1. Laying Out Duplicate Parts. 2. Scraping and

Sandpapering. 3. Fastening Parts.

62. Laying out Duplicate Parts.—Frequently a piece of work will

require the making of two or more
like parts. To lay out these parts, that is, to mark out the location of
intended gains, mortises, shoulders of tenons, etc., so that all shall
be alike, the following method is used: (1) On the face edge of one of
the pieces measure off with the rule and mark with knife the points at
which the lines for the joints are to be squared across. If knife marks
would show on the finished surface as scratches, use a sharp pencil
instead. (2) Lay the pieces on the bench top with the face edges up;
even the ends with the try-square. Fig. 117. Square lines across the
edges of all of them at the points previously marked on one of them.
The pieces may then be separated and lines corresponding to the
lines just made on the face edges, be carried across the face sides
of each piece separately, the try-square beam being held against the
face edge in so doing, of course.
 Fig. 117.

In all duplicate work the aim of the worker should be to make as

much use as possible of the tool he has in hand before laying it
down and taking another. To illustrate, if there should be a number of
like parts each requiring two different settings of the gage, he should
mark all of the parts at the first setting, then all at the second setting
rather than to change the gage for each piece so that each piece
might be completely marked before another is begun.
63. Scraping.—In smoothing hard wood surfaces, a scraper will
be found helpful. If the grain should happen to be
crossed or curled, a scraper will become a necessity. The plane-iron
may be made ever so sharp and the cap-iron set ever so close to the
cutting edge, still the surface of some woods will tear. Sandpaper
must not be depended upon to smooth a torn surface.

Fig. 118.

Cabinet scrapers for plane and convex surface work are

rectangular pieces of saw steel. Fig. 118 shows a swan-neck scraper
suitable for smoothing concave surfaces.
Beginners frequently mistake surfaces which have been planed at
a mill for smooth surfaces. They are not; and, unless the “hills and
hollows” which extend across the surface of every mill-planed piece
of lumber are removed before the finish of stain or filler is applied,
the result will be very unsatisfactory.
These “hills and hollows” are present even in the smoothest of
mill-plane surfaces. The reason is easily understood. When a board
is mill-planed, it is run through a machine which has a flat bed over
which the board is moved and above which revolve two knives. Fig.
119. Unless the grain of wood is very badly crossed or curled, it will
be found very much easier, and time will be saved if the mill marks
are removed with a smooth-plane before the scraper is applied.
 A—Delivery Roller. D—Roller. G—Work Table.
B—Cutter Head. E—Roller. H—Knives.
C—Feed Roller. F—Board.

Fig. 119.

Scrapers may be pushed or pulled. Fig. 120. When properly

sharpened thin silky shavings will be cut off. The cutting edge of a
scraper is a bur which is formed at an arris and turned at very nearly
a right angle to the surface of the scraper.
 Fig. 120. Fig. 121.

When a scraper becomes dull (1) each edge is drawfiled, Fig. 121,
so as to make it square and straight, with the corners slightly
rounded. Sometimes the edges are rounded slightly from end to end
to prevent digging. Frequently the scraper has its edges and
surfaces ground square on an oilstone after the drawfiling that the
arrises may be formed into smoother burs. (2) After filing, the
scraper is laid flat on the bench and the arrises forced over as in Fig.
122. The tool used is called a burnisher; any smooth piece of steel
would do. (3) Next, turn these arrises back over the side of the
scraper. Fig. 123. Great pressure is not necessary to form the burs
properly.

Fig. 122. Fig. 123.

 64. Sandpapering.—To know when to use and when not to use
sandpaper is as much the sign of a good
workman as to know how to use the tools.
Sandpaper should never be used until all tool work has been done
as well, and carried as far as is possible. Sandpaper is, as its name
implies, sand paper. In sanding a surface, this fine sand becomes
imbedded in the wood and should an edged tool be used thereon it
will be dulled. Slovenly work should never be done in expectation of
using sandpaper to fix it up. This practice is dishonest. Sandpaper
should not be expected to do the work of edged tools or
disappointment will follow. The sandpaper sheet, for use, is usually
divided into four parts, one of these parts being of good size for large
work.

Fig. 124.

For flat surfaces these pieces are placed on a sandpaper block.

This block is but a piece of wood squared up to a length equal to that
of the piece of paper and to such a width that the edges of the paper
will extend far enough up the edges of the block to allow the fingers
to grasp them firmly. Fig. 124. Do not waste the paper by wrapping it
around in such a way as to throw part of it on top of the block. The
block should be held flat upon the surface when sanding near an
arris, otherwise the arris will be rounded. The arrises should be kept
sharp unless on a table leg, arm of a chair or something similar, in
which the sharp arrises would be likely to injure the hand or become
splintered through usage. In such cases the sandpaper may be run
along the arrises once or twice, just enough to remove the
sharpness. Sometimes the plane is set shallow and drawn over the
arris after the surfaces have been squared, to remove the
sharpness.
On curved surfaces, the sandpaper is held free in the hand, no
block being used. Fig. 115 illustrates the manner of sanding the
convex curve of the coat hanger. The sandpaper should be rubbed
along the grain and the rubbing should proceed only long enough to
smooth the piece and to bring out the grain clearly.
On the back of a piece of sandpaper will be found a number. This
number indicates the relative coarseness of the sand sprinkled upon
the glue covered paper. 00, 0, 1, 1¹⁄₂ and 2 are the numbers
commonly used; 00 being finest and 2 relatively coarse. On table
tops and surfaces which are not very smooth to begin with, the
coarse sandpaper is first used, this is followed by the next in
coarseness and so on until the finest is used.
Never attempt to sandpaper surfaces or parts which are to be put
together later on to form joints, the edge tools alone must be
depended upon to secure proper smoothing.
65. Hammers.—Fig. 125 shows the two kinds of hammers most
commonly used by workers in wood. The plain
faced hammer has a flat face and is somewhat easier to learn to use
than the bell-faced hammer, which has a slightly rounded face. The
advantage of the bell-faced hammer lies in one’s ability to better set
a nail slightly below the surface without the assistance of the nailset.
This is a very great advantage on outside or on rough carpenter
work. This setting of the nail with the hammer leaves a slight
depression, however, in the wood, and is therefore not suited for
inside finishing.
 Fig. 125.

The handle of the hammer is purposely made quite long and

should be grasped quite near the end.
66. Nails.—Nails originally were forged by hand and were
therefore very expensive. Later strips were cut from
sheets of metal and heads were hammered upon these by means of
the blacksmith’s hammer, the vise being used to hold the strips
meanwhile. These were called cut nails. Early in the nineteenth
century a machine was invented which cut the nails from the sheet
metal and headed them.
Steel wire nails have about supplanted the cut nails for most
purposes. They are made by a machine which cuts the wire from a
large reel, points and heads the pieces thus cut off.
Wire nails, like cut nails, are roughly classed by woodworkers as
common, finishing and casing nails. Thin nails with small heads are
called brads. Wire nails are bought and sold by weight, the size of
wire according to the standard wire gage and the length in inches
being taken into consideration in specifying the size and fixing the
price per pound.
In former practice, the size of nails was specified according to the
number of pounds that one thousand of any variety would weigh.
Thus the term sixpenny and eightpenny referred to varieties which
would weigh six and eight pounds per thousand, respectively, penny
being a corruption of pound. In present practice, certain sizes are still
roughly specified as three, four, six, eight, ten, twenty and thirty
penny.

Fig. 126.

Common wire nails are thick and have large flat heads. They are
used in rough work where strength is desired. Fig. 126 A. Finishing
nails, Fig. 126 B, are used for fine work such as inside woodwork,
cabinet work, etc. Casing nails, Fig. 126 C, are somewhat thicker
and stronger than finishing nails; they have small heads.
67. Nailing.—Especial care is necessary in starting cut nails. Fig.
127 shows two views of a cut nail. From these it will be
seen that the sides of the nail form a wedge in one of the views while
in the other they are parallel. The nail should be so started that the
wedging action shall take place along, not across the grain.
 Fig. 127. Fig. 128.

In nailing through one piece into the edge of another, assume a

position so that you can look along the piece into the edge of which
you are nailing. Fig. 128. If the nail is to be driven plumb, it must be
sighted from two directions several times in the beginning of the
nailing. Having driven the points of the nails slightly below the
surface of the first piece, adjust the two pieces properly, force the