5 of the best voice acting coaches to help you build a career

The importance of a good mentor has been emphasized throughout many professions and industries, and voice acting is no exception. Regardless of how long you've been in the game, an experienced coach can help you reach new milestones in your voice acting career and build on your existing talent and skill set.

In this article, we take a look at some of the best voice acting coaches in the industry and the spheres of voiceover coaching in which they specialize in. But before we begin, let's get acquainted with what a voice acting coach does and what benefits they offer to voiceover artists.

What is a voice acting coach?

A voice acting coach is someone who specializes in training voice actors to find their niche in the industry (e.g., audiobook narration, animation voiceovers, commercial voiceovers, etc.), develop their voice over skills, learn proper technique, and gain confidence. These goals are achieved through vocal training sessions, exercises, and feedback.

Similar to a vocal coaching program for budding music artists, experienced voiceover coaches can help industry newbies find their footing in a competitive environment and hone their skills.

From proper diction to breathing to correct pronunciation, voice acting coaching sessions can help even the most naturally gifted voice actors improve their skills and reach new heights regarding their careers and voice talent.

Who needs a voice coach?

Although voice actors with varying degrees of experience can benefit from professional voice coaching sessions, voice coaches are usually recommended to newbies or beginner voice actors.

Sure, there are a couple of alternatives to private sessions, like tutorials or video guides, but nothing beats personalized coaching - both in terms of results and learning speed.

Additionally, most voice coaches usually have extensive experience in the field themselves, allowing them to share valuable industry knowledge with their students. This experience also allows coaches to help students discover their own niches and clearly understand what type of voice acting work to focus on.

From commercial voice acting to character voices, one-on-one voice coaching and group sessions can be excellent additions to any promising voice actor's schedule.

The benefits of working with a professional voice acting coach

Whether you want to brush up on your diction or clarity, improve your technique, or learn to embody different characters, an experienced voice over coach can help guide you through the steps required to achieve your personal milestones.

Let's explore some of the key benefits of working with a professional voice acting coach in more detail.

Develop your technical skills

Voice acting may be considered a creative niche, but it can also get quite technical. From general vocal technique to pronunciation to breathing control, an experienced voiceover coach will help you improve your performance skills.

Get into character

Whether you're looking to get into anime dubbing, video game voiceovers, or audiobook narration, it's essential to be able to embody different characters and convey their personalities with just your voice. A voice acting coach can help you develop unique voices for specific characters and ace every creative gig.

Interpret your scripts

Script interpretation is paramount for a successful voice acting career, but this skill takes time and practice to perfect. An experienced voice acting coach can speed up your progress by assisting you with understanding your scripts, character motivations, and how to convey meaning through your voice.

Receive professional feedback

Although receiving criticism (albeit constructive) may not be everyone's favorite part of the learning process, it's one of the most critical aspects. Choosing an experienced and dedicated coach will give you regular feedback on your performance and areas for improvement.

Build your confidence

Working with a professional voice acting coach isn't just about enhancing your skills - it's also about building your confidence! While working with a coach can boost your confidence in your overall performance abilities, a good coach will also be your number-one cheerleader and support you throughout your journey.

Gain valuable industry insights

You may have heard the saying, "Coaches don't play," but this quote doesn't apply to voice coaches. 

Most professional coaches possess extensive experience as voice actors, voiceover artists, and narrators. They can share valuable industry knowledge with you and even give tips on how to market yourself and book gigs.

Discover your niche

While some voice actors may be animation voiceover gurus, others discover that their talents lie in audiobook narration or commercial voiceovers. A professional voice coach will help you discover your best niche and focus on areas where your talents shine. 

Personalized coaching vs group sessions

Although one-on-one instruction can seem like the most desirable option to develop your voice acting skills, personalized sessions can be pretty pricey, depending on your budget. This is where group sessions come in.

Make no mistake; group sessions can be just as effective as personalized coaching. They allow you to network with other budding voice actors in your area, learn from others in the group, and work with an experienced coach without breaking the bank.

The best voice coaches for voice actors in 2024

Now that we've established how a voice acting coach can help you hone your skills as a voice actor and book more significant projects with better pay, it's time to look at some of the best professionals in the industry.

We've compiled a short list of the top coaches in the game who are guaranteed to take your skills to the next level, provide excellent advice, and work with you to suit your individual requirements and learning style.

Without further ado, let's dive in!

Nancy Wolfson

Known as a legend in voice acting and the private coaching business, Nancy Wolfson has over two decades of extensive experience in voiceovers, personalized voice coaching, and demo production. Nancy has helped voice actors worldwide hone their skills, boost their confidence, and make a substantial income off voice acting alone.

Many agents and voiceover artists refer to Nancy as the "go-to" coach and demo producer. She offers several coaching options for varying requirements and budgets, including private in-person coaching, study-via-phone programs, audition-specific training sessions, and casting services.

Nancy and her team also specialize in demo production, which is a massive plus for any voice actor looking to establish a name for themselves in the industry.

Terry Daniel

Another highly rated voice acting coach, Terry Daniel has established himself as a reliable, experienced, and knowledgeable teacher.

Terry's courses offer everything a voice actor needs, including an introduction to commercial and narration scripts, instructions on developing your technique, guides on using recording software, and even the marketing side of voice acting and self-promotion.

Likewise, Terry works with prospective voice actors to develop commercial and narration demos recorded in a professional studio, helping new talent book reliable, well-paid gigs. He also hosts online group classes, where voice actors can learn in a fun and interactive setting.

Rachel Alena

After working as a voice actor for over two decades, Rachel Alena was inspired to create her own voice acting classes after hosting a successful workshop for the agency representing her at the time.

What started as a one-off experience resulted in Rachel discovering her passion for teaching in addition to voice acting, leading her to establish her coaching business.

Rachel provides highly personalized training programs that address her students' individual goals and requirements, starting with a free consultation. Her coaching programs include understanding your voice, choosing your niche, vocal training, tips on setting up a home studio, demo production, and networking.

Jordan Hunter Jones

With extensive experience in voice acting, narration, regular acting, and even stand-up comedy, Jordan Hunter Jones is undeniably one of the top coaches in the game.

Jordan combines decades of experience with a fun approach to inspire even the most shy students to come out of their shells, find their voices, and establish themselves in the industry.

If you're looking for a coach who will guide you every step of the way while still being as enthusiastic about voice acting as he was when he first started in the business, Jordan is undeniably your guy!

Kevin Kemp

As a Stanislavski and Meisner-technique-trained actor, director, voiceover artist, and acting coach, Kevin Kemp's impressive industry background is ideal for voice actors looking to learn the business while perfecting their technique.

Offering both in-person and private online sessions, Kevin helps voice actors find their place in the industry and develop their unique skills and talents.

He'll guide you through the basics, such as vocal health and stamina, while also teaching you about character voices and different accents, dialects, and phonetics.

And if you're still not 100% sure whether you need voice acting coaching, Kevin offers free consultations to help you decide.

Key takeaways

The verdict on voice acting coaches is in!

A good voice acting coach can help you boost your skills in more ways than one while also providing valuable industry insights, marketing advice, confidence-building techniques, and demo production.

Whether you're just getting started in the industry or feel like you need an extra boost to begin booking better, higher-paying gigs, investing in a good voice acting coach will get you there quicker than relying solely on your efforts.

With a wide variety of voice acting classes and coaches available online, it can be tricky to pick one. However, it's essential to research beforehand, read testimonials, and check experience, prices, and coaching arrangements to choose the best coach for your individual needs, budget, and location.

We hope this article has introduced you to some of the biggest names in the game. Remember, if you're looking to start your career in voice acting, ElevenLabs is a fantastic place to begin. With passive income options and a suite of tools that help voice over artists up their output, explore our AI tools today.

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