Understanding the Relationship Between People and Business
The South African workforce has grown over the years, and business people around the globe have grown to understand the importance of people in the growth of their businesses. I believe that to catch a person’s attention, you need to understand and accommodate the 5 senses.
Sight, can your product captivate and grab the attention of the intended final user?
Smell, does your cologne smell as enticing as you deem it to be?
Taste, does your ice cream taste as delicious as it looks on your banner?
Touch, can I feel the quality of the material in those beautiful pants
Sound is the sound of music pleasant to listen to?
Voice Over in the Learning Space
The eLearning industry has grown vastly over the years. By integrating multimedia, learning has become fun for learners and with the use of very powerful software, learning has changed the tradition of just reading to a more engaging and interactive way of learning. Voice Over plays an integral part in consolidating a wholesome eLearning module.
We understand that each learner has their own way of understanding or learning, so why not accommodate as many as you can, by simply adding voice over’s to guide the learner from start to finish?
Voice Over is more than just having a nice voice, it’s understanding that the maze becomes an easy task if you have a guiding voice with you every step of the way.
The Benefits of Being a Voice Artist and How “Being You” Makes You Better
One of the great pleasures of being a voice artist is variety. Every task should be complex allowing you to become more than one character, for example, when voicing an eLearning course, it is very important that you are audible, calm, and easy paced – this ensures that the learner can follow and understand the course objectives.
Think about your favourite cartoon, now try and imagine yourself being the voice of that character. Pretty cool right? To absolutely nail your character, you need to express all emotions from being sad to becoming happy, each emotion requires a different voice in order to connect to the viewer. With this, we now understand that it takes more than just the animated character to create a great tv show, the voice behind the character is just as important.
eLearning Voiceover Overview
Although eLearning modules lack a human instructor, they can still harness the power of audio through voiceovers. Audio is an essential communication medium that should not be overlooked in eLearning modules.
Incorporating Audio in eLearning Modules
This is achieved by having a narrator record the audio text. The narrator records the script in a studio, and the audio is then integrated into the module. The narrator serves as a guide, explaining the content to the audience. If the module employs a storytelling approach with multiple characters – several audio artists may record their voiceovers when doing so. AI-based text-to-speech converters are also utilised for generating voiceovers.
As technology advances, machine-generated voices are becoming more human-like and offer greater flexibility in recording audio without a soundproof studio.
Audio is a crucial instructional component, and various factors should be considered when using voiceovers in an eLearning module.
Technical Aspects of Audio Usage
1. Audio Quality
The recorded audio’s quality is vital. Use professional audio artists for recording and ensure the audio output is clear and audible. Record in a soundproof environment to eliminate external noise and avoid the sound of breathing during recording.
2. Learner Control of Audio Playback
Learners should have control over the audio playback. Include buttons for adjusting volume and muting or unmuting audio in the module. Different learners have varying audio preferences, so providing control is essential.
3. Accent
The accent is crucial in audio. A neutral accent is recommended for modules with a global audience, alternatively provide multiple audio accent options for learners to choose from – creating a personalised learning experience that caters to diverse cultural backgrounds. Unfamiliar accents can be challenging to follow and may negatively impact the learning experience.
Instructional Aspects of Voiceovers in eLearning
1. Minimal Text
Audio in a module should not merely be a replication of the on-screen text. Modules with audio should have minimal text, highlighting key concepts. Listening to and reading long texts simultaneously can be difficult for some learners.
2. Background Music
Background music can enhance the listening experience, particularly in modules with a multi-character storytelling approach. Ensure the background music does not overpower the voiceover or distract from the content.
3. Pairing
Pair audio with appropriate graphics and text.
4. Synchronisation
Voiceover synchronisation with screen elements such as text, graphics, or animation is essential. Poorly synced audio can make it difficult for learners to follow. Animated videos require precise sync due to rapid transitions.
Aesthetic Aspects of Voice Overs in eLearning
1. Tone
The audio’s tone is crucial. Ensure the artist uses the proper tone to enhance audio quality, communication effectiveness, and learner engagement. Proper intonation significantly improves voiceover effectiveness.
2. Speed
Narration speed is critical when recording voiceovers. Although normal conversation is typically fast, an explanation should be slower. Most industry experts recommend a speed of 130 to 150 words per minute. Slower speeds may be boring, while faster speeds can be challenging for learners to follow.
In essence, be it whatever industry you are in, there is always benefit in working on yourself and finding a way to enhance your current skills, it is very important that you understand that you need to be in a good state of physical and mental health for you to strive not only at work but in your everyday lives, and yes you can be a lawyer and a voice artist it’s just up to you if you want to explore your full potential, and well I say you should.
