This has to be the single most important advice I have received in narrating. What's also really worth noting is that as soon as I started being more natural in my breathing I found I was getting less tired in the booth. A critical lesson, thank you.
I've been freaking out thinking I need to edit every single breath out of my narration. Instead, I will now practice "breathing like a human." This tip has taken a weight off my shoulders.
I watched this video then recorded a chapter right after, and *my god,* what a difference! This is quite possibly the greatest tip for narrating I’ve ever received. I can’t thank you enough!
That's useful real world advice vs the nonsense given. As a writer, I have told people ignore almost all the hard "rules" they are told. You're doing the same wit this advice, and your voice over here far more natural than the others on YT giving similar advice. I'm looking to do my own audio book from my written stuff and now watching some vids on that topic, and this the best of them so far.
Wow, Pat, great point. I've been stage actor all my life and was stressing on this very thing. On stage breathing just happens and becomes a part of the meta language in your performance. In front of the mike I was thinking too much about it and hearing that artficiality of sucking air. Thanks for this simple technique. I will be putting you at the top of my online resources.
I just came across this video, and it is absolutely killer! I'm beginning my journey as a hobby writer of short stories, and thought it would be fun to create audio versions of them. I've come across some wonderful advice out there, but this might be the most actionable of them all. Awesome stuff!
I'm just taking up doing audio narration, hoping to one day do audio books, and breathing is something I've been stressing about very badly over the last week. I feel like I shouldn't be heard breathing on the mic at all, and it has made me incredibly self conscious. This was fantastic advice.
Indeed. Good advice. Breathing for narration is no different than breathing for singing. Same thing. You don't want to run out of air in the middle of a phrase in either genre. Like singing, learn how to inhale silently. Don't wheeze or gasp. It's best to inhale through your nose and not your mouth. By inhaling through an open mouth, you get the "wind tunnel effect" in your throat. Not to mention the sound of air moving over your teeth and tongue. When you breathe in through your nose, flare your nostrils. Breathe in from your diaphragm. Again; just like singing. Don't sniff. Sniffing is bad. At the beginning of a sentence, do a silent inhale, then let the air flow out naturally with the words. Pause at the period, of course, and inhale the required amount of air to make it through the next sentence. The average length of a sentence in the average novel - depending on the genre - is 17 to 20 words. In action sequences, sentences tend to run together quickly. Practice. Practice. Practice.
DON'T take out the breathes. They are important, unless you are taking too many. Either lower them in volume, or learn to breath LOWER in your body, and quieter. Patfraleyteaches@Aol.com
My goodness, I overjoyed that I found your channel, offerings like these are SO VALUABLE! Literally money-making! And it’s great to consider how different breathing is in my commercial / video game work and audio book work. Thank you again! It would be wonderful to work together. Warmly, Rashida
This is a great lesson. Thank you for the video Pat. I have been contemplating exactly this subject for the narration I have been doing. From listening to narration of established narrators I was under the impression to do that dramatic short pause then big quick breath picking up the dialog. Good to here a better way from a real pro! Thanks Pat!
Thanks Patrick - I really appreciate the breathing tip. So simple yet so effective - I also love listening to your voice so wen't searching and noticed you have some kids titles on Audible also - sounds like the McCann family entertainment for the holidays is set. Thanks again Patrick.
Hi sir...commenting from Trinidad and Tobago , in the Caribbean islands. You really helped me here, to understand the breathing technique for narrating, thank you thank you . I'm just starting out , in voice over for commercials, audio books and corporate narration.. Finally sir ... At the beginning of this video, in the still shots , there was a microphone with a large front, being used . What make of microphone is it and was it a large wind guard on the head of the Mic ?
Here's a question I'm struggling with: Does the passage from the back cover of my printed book belong anywhere in the audiobook such as the opening credits? I can't seem to find an answer despite all of the Googling I've done. Any advice is appreciated!
I just realized...with AI or computer narratio, no mater how good the individual words are pronounced, I have never heard any computer take....a....breath.
