Help with Developing Puppet Voices

[Horsetuna]

I've always loved the Muppet Show, as well as being in the SCa, I want to entertain. I love making people laugh!

Thus, I want to begin YOPS (Ye Olde Puppet show). I've begun research into medieval hand puppets (I'm hoping to do rod puppets muppet style), and will be designing the characters around heraldry creatures as well as human creatures too (My thoughts are the local Heraldric creatures such as Fluffy and Ferdinand would be the hosts, with varous historical figures like Torquemada as the guest stars).

However, my greatest concern is my voice - I speak very clearly and enunciate, howver I no doubt will be playing two characters at once - and I cannot find any real good tips online for how to best change my voice to differentiate between the characters. I have been practicing the accents I can manage (I cannot roll my Rs worth beans, otherwise I'd love to do a scottish accent) but I want to make them contrast MORE.

Any tips and ideas for any of these crazy ideas of mine? I was thinking of also recording 'podcast' shows for the internet too with my Yops.

 

[CoOKiE]

Well, i suggest not doing multiple characters per scene if you're having trouble making them sound different. If they're a little different, then thats fine too.

I find that playing around with a character is the BEST way to come up with a character. The voice usually comes with playing around with my comfort zone as that character.

But, i tend to do characters with extremely different voices, and that takes time to warm up your voice and get comfortable with it, so you dont slip into the wrong character... or making them sound similar.

Worry about building your characters first. If you still have problems, try sitting in front of cartoon shows or Muppet movies, and mimic the pitch of each character's voice. Also, try speaking their lines, or improv and use the voice.

Practice makes Perfect

 

[Jinx]

I used to teach puppet voice workshops several years ago... I'll have to do some digging to see if I can find a copy of my lecture notes.

A couple of things that I can recall off the top of my head (late at night and after a rehearsal where I've been playing the part of an actor playing another British role... sheesh!) are:

#1 Never do anything with your voice that hurts. If it hurts at all stop immediately. You can do serious damage to your voice.

#2 Your voice is a great and fun toy. Take some time to just play with it and see what it's capable of. You may surprise yourself at the sounds you can make! Play with pitch, speaking as high and as low as you comfortably can. Best of all, it's free!

#3 Speaking is musical. Think of the things that make the same 12 musical notes sound different. Things like:
Varying the speed of speech.
Varying the pitch of speech.
Varying staccato (short and clipped) and legato (smooth and flowing)

For me personally, I never start with the voice, I start with the puppet. After studying the puppet I am able to glean a few things about itts character. Things such as education, social status, attitude etc will all beg a voice that reflects these characteristics.

Also, don't get too hung up on the voices being too distinctive from one another. If you think about it, Rowlf the Dog and Dr. Teeth really had the same voice. It was the way they spoke that differentiated them. Character always come out on top.

If I'm able to find my other notes I'll let you know. I hope this helps at least a little bit.

 

[Horsetuna]

Thanks, I will try that!

I was imagining myself mostly doing two puppets at once, then realized if I did that, I'd have no hands left for the rods to the limbs! (I still could do it I suppose)

I will have to also collect data for my other puppetteers, as I will definitely need more than just me unless I want to dub.

 

[practicecactus]

If I were you, I'd research into voice actors somehow, and how they go about getting their voices for characters. For example, I remember reading the guy who did Wakko in Animaniacs said he'd just imagine Ringo Starr on LCD or something and that's how he'd get in the zone to do Wakko's voice. Voice actors are great at doing subtle changes for different characters. Like the guy who does Fred from Scooby Doo also does Nibbler in Futurama [both his serious voice and animal noises] or the fact that Optimus Prime is Eeyore!
Someone like Maurice LaMarche or Frank Welker [possibly the most prolific voice actor in animation] have done a tonne of voices for all kinds of cartoon things. They'd be a good place to start.

You could try experimenting by mixing two people together, like celebrity A impersonating celebrity B. Or, doing something like what Elvis would sound like as a kid for example. It's a way of visualizing your voice to begin with, but then it'll become second nature as it sticks with your character. How you act the voice will determine how the voice sounds with the character.
Of course, I've never tried any of this, so let me know how it works out. =P

 

[shtick]

I think this might help. Take note of the books and free resources on the bottom. Very informative!

http://puppetrylab.com/acting-and-characters/voices/

Couple other notes. Look into Singing Technique and check out people who do impressions. Watch some Frank Calliendo videos.

 

[Horsetuna]

Will do. I'll also look into 'projectoin' as well, since when I'm doing this live, I will rarely have access to any artificial amplification of my voice, and I will have a wall in front of me to hide me. (Maybe I can do a thin curtain of dark material so it travels through.

 

[CoOKiE]

Will do. I'll also look into 'projectoin' as well, since when I'm doing this live, I will rarely have access to any artificial amplification of my voice, and I will have a wall in front of me to hide me. (Maybe I can do a thin curtain of dark material so it travels through.

If you're doing this live, with microphones, i suggest possibly putting foam or thick fabrics like felt, on the wall facing you. Walls tend to bounce off sound, and if the mic is picking up both, you'll have an audience saying, "what did he say?". I'd also vote against a wall if you're not using mics, for the same reason that the sound will bounce off, and go in the other direction.

IF you choose to go with a curtain of any fabric, make sure that there is no light behind you. The light behind you will make you visible and lose the magic of puppetry. It is better to be seen, then to be seen hiding. And what i mean is, when they know you're there... its more relaxing to look at the puppet who is moving (thats nother thing... if you're not hiding, make sure that the character is over acting and really just upstaging you being there... that grabs attention) then to wonder what the person behind the curtain is doing, or how is he sitting... and that ruins the attention on the character.

 

[Horsetuna]

I'm likely going to be doing this live, unplugged. so no microphones, natural light and the like. Hence the thin dark sheet to hide me but allow my voice to carry to the audience.

 

[CoOKiE]

Remember to speak clearly and articulate. Speak from the diafram.

As i mentioned, make sure there is no light coming from behind you. Make a wall behind you to block light and direct and lingering sound to the audience.

Good Luck