For character voices, do you rely more on vocal training or digital effects?

For character voices, I mostly rely on my voice acting skills. There’s a unique challenge and thrill in being able to switch between different characters and genders, which I’ve done in some audiobooks, sometimes voicing up to 10 distinct characters.

Digital effects have their place, but I tend to use them sparingly. For example, if I need to voice a robot or a particularly menacing demon in a video game, I might resort to some digital enhancement. However, for the most part, I find that good old-fashioned voice acting skills often beat digital effects, bringing a more authentic and engaging performance to the character.

I don't have a lot of vocal training but I agree with Kash that you shouldn't rely too much on digital effects. One reason for that is that they can be difficult to replicate. The more you can do with your own voice, the easier it will be to alter that for different emotions/situations in your character.

I also think that if you're someone who is thinking about character voices, you're also probably someone who enjoys acting and changing up your voice. I bet you've already got some different character voices that you can do. If you give time to developing those and other voices as well, you'll do a great job with just your voice. Then edit later ;-).

For character voices, I definitely rely more on vocal training. My experience with narrating audiobooks, like Operation Odessa required me to embody multiple characters and give each a unique voice. That’s where the art of training and understanding vocal dynamics comes in—playing with pitch, tone, and cadence to bring personalities to life.

While digital effects can add an extra layer when needed, especially for robotic or otherworldly voices, the foundation has to come from the actor’s skill. Authenticity and emotional depth are what connect with the audience, and those come from years of practice and a deep connection to the material.

It’s all about authenticity and connecting with the character in a way that feels real to the audience