The first time you get an audition, it can feel overwhelming. Do you just read the script? How many takes should you do? Do you edit it? Should it take a long time? These are all questions I had when I first started, and the truth is—there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
Auditioning looks different for everyone, and it can even change depending on the voiceover genre. For example, in commercial copy, you’ll usually see “the specs.” These are descriptors like “happy, conversational,” or “confident but approachable.” Specs are your roadmap; they give you an idea of what the client is looking for. But here’s the secret: sometimes even the client doesn’t know exactly what they want until they hear it. That’s why a unique interpretation can help you stand out.
When it comes to takes, there are generally two ways to approach them: ABCABC or AABBCC.
ABCABC: You read the entire script, then record it again as a second take. I use this approach most often—especially with commercials or character-driven scripts where I want the performance to feel consistent across the whole read.
AABBCC: You do multiple takes of each line before moving on. This works really well for projects like video games or dubbing, where scripts are broken down into smaller chunks.
Is a second take always necessary? Not really. If I feel confident I nailed the intention of the script, I don’t waste time with a second version. But if I do a second take, I make sure it’s meaningfully different; not just a tiny inflection change. Speed up the pacing, shift the perspective, adjust the pitch, or change the emotional motivation.
The biggest trap new voice actors fall into is not making any real choices. The script doesn’t always tell you who you are, who you’re talking to, or why the conversation is happening. That’s your job to imagine.
Ask yourself:
Who am I in this script?
Who am I talking to?
Why am I saying these words?
Maybe the line is to a best friend, maybe to an enemy, maybe to a stranger. Each choice creates a different read. There are no wrong choices; except for making no choice at all. What makes you stand out is your unique perspective.
Once I’m happy with my recording, I clean it up. For me, that means:
Cutting mistakes and long pauses.
Running a macro with a high-pass filter to cut out low frequencies.
Running a de-clicker for mouth noise.
Normalizing to around -3 dB.
When it comes to breaths, I usually leave them in. Breaths make the read sound human. If a breath is overly loud, I’ll reduce it by about 10 dB, but I rarely remove them completely.
This really depends. When you’re new, auditions can take longer because you’re still finding your workflow. The length of the script matters too. Scripts with complex words like medical narration are a very different beast than a short commercial tagline.
For me:
Shorter pay-to-play auditions usually take 5–20 minutes.
Agent auditions get more of my time and attention since they’re higher stakes.
One piece of advice I got from a coach that really stuck with me: record the audition, then take a break. Step away, play a game, grab lunch, do something else. When you come back with fresh ears, you can catch things you didn’t notice in the moment and give yourself stronger direction.
At the end of the day, auditions are about showing clients not just your voice, but your perspective, choices, and professionalism. You won’t book every audition, and that’s normal. The goal is to keep improving, learning from each experience, and staying consistent. Over time, you’ll develop a process that feels natural to you.
Auditioning is a skill in itself, and like anything in voiceover, it gets easier with practice. Every audition is another chance to grow, and you never know which one will be the one that lands you the gig.