VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Drew · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 1:09 pm Post subject: CD Diction/Speech Courses

I've got a young news person on my staff who has much potential on the anchor desk. Poblem is, she's got one helluva Texas twang. Any of you fellow VO's know of some reasonably priced CD type courses I could point her to? All my stuff is, dare I say, on LP's and reel-to-reel packed in boxes deep in an attic in one of the fifteen places I've onced called home.

Thanks
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Deirdre · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 1:30 pm Post subject:

David Alan Stern is a fellow who does a tape series called Acting with an Accent.

They might be on CD.

All dialects, and accent reduction.
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Bruce · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:56 pm Post subject:

I did a quick Google search on "how to lose southern accent" and found this article that runs along my ideas of how to lose an accent. It's about two-thirds of the way down the page:

http://www.ling.ed.ac.uk/linguist/ask-ling/accent.html

It basically involves listening to a good example of how you'd like to speak and parroting it back. I'd say a good non-fiction audio book with a great reader would be a good start.

Have a good weekend, y'all.

Bruce

Guest · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:36 pm Post subject:

I just listened to a coupla Stern's tapes...the voice lab where I'm taking my articulation class has a major series of them. Very detailed; not just phoneme substitution, but covers every aspect of accent/ dialect/speech variation, from speed & mood to palate tension and tongue position. Might seem a bit dry and clinical at first, but it's very thorough.

Deirdre · Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:44 am Post subject:

It's the bio-mechanical approach that makes sense to me-- but it doesn't work for everyone.

I have helped a lot of people get a grip on accents using his techniques.
Same would go with accent reduction-- if you know HOW the sound is made in your mouth, you can retrain your speech mechanics to change it.
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anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

There's nothing like working with someone face-to-face, but if you're looking to have her acquire the enviable (and most profitable) "Standard American English" on-the-cheap then there is a great set of CD's for about $30 that I bought last year in an attempt to control my regional/urban dialect.

Find it here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764173693/americanaccenttr/103-1193502-6703852

If you're the kind of person who's not technical and doesn't want to bother with boring explanations of mechanics, then this set is a straight shot at techniques that can have even foreign talents speaking closer to "Standard American" (or what some call "Broadcast English")

Let her know not too worry about losing her identity - anyone who can aquire "Standard American English" can still turn it on or off with practice (much like some British actors do).

-Anthony

btw - i don't know where you are, but for personal accent reduction in New York look for Sam Chwat.

Drew · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:54 am Post subject:

Thanks for the sources. I'll pass some of these along.
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Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.