What to Look for in a Voice Over Demo: A Guide for Voice Seekers

Tom Dheere
4 days ago
3 min read

You’ve posted a casting call and the auditions are rolling in. Now comes the most critical part of the hiring process: evaluating voice over demos. With dozens, sometimes hundreds, of audio files to get through, how do you separate the professionals from the hobbyists?

Knowing what to listen for in a voice demo is the key to finding the perfect voice that will connect with your audience and elevate your brand. This guide will explain how to listen effectively and what clues to listen for, making your job of choosing the right voice actor much easier.

The First Clue: Professional Structure and Length

Before you even press play, the length of the demo can tell you a lot. A professional voice actor understands that your time is valuable. Their demo will be tightly edited to showcase their best work quickly and adhere to industry standards for each genre.

Commercial & Narration Demos (Corporate, eLearning, etc.): Typically 60-90 seconds. If a demo is much longer, it may indicate the actor isn't familiar with current best practices.
Audiobook Demos: These are longer to showcase character work and pacing, usually running 3-5 minutes.
If a demo's length seems unusual for the genre, it might be a sign it wasn't professionally produced.

Non-Negotiable: Pristine Audio Quality

The audio quality on the demo is the audio quality you can expect for your project. When you listen to voice auditions, listen for a clean, crisp, and professional sound.

Red Flags to Listen For:

Background Noise: Any buzz, hums, or echoes mean the recording space is untreated.
Distracting Mouth Sounds: Excessive mouth clicks or smacks should have been edited out.
“Metallic” or Over-processed Sound: A thin, tinny, or "metallic" sound often means the actor is using heavy processing to hide a bad recording environment.

The audio should sound like it's ready to be dropped right into your project. If it doesn't, that actor doesn't have a professional-grade studio.

An Old Habit That Signals an Outdated Approach: Slating

"Slating" is when an actor says their name at the beginning or end of a demo. While once common, this is now an antiquated practice. The voice actor's name is often in the file name. A slate just wastes a client's time. If you hear a slate in a voice over demo, it could suggest the actor or their demo producer is not current with industry trends.

How to Listen: Headphones First, Speakers Second

To truly assess a performance, listen in two different ways.

First, use headphones. This will help you catch the subtle technical details—the audio quality, any hidden background noise, and the nuances of the actor’s vocal performance.
Then, listen on speakers. This simulates how most of your audience will hear the final project. Pay attention to how the performance makes you feel. Does it grab your attention? Is it compelling?

The Most Important Skill: Performance Trumps a "Nice Voice"

It's easy to be impressed by a deep, booming voice or a perfect celebrity imitation. But a great voice and a great voice actor are two different things. Your ultimate goal when you choose a voice actor is to find a skilled storyteller who can bring your script to life and connect with your audience.

Listen for these signs of a strong performer:

Strong Acting Choices: Does their delivery feel authentic and intentional?
Intelligent Inflection: Do they emphasize the right words to convey the core message?
Pacing and Parsing: Can they handle complex sentences and bullet points smoothly, without sounding robotic?
Clarity: Is there any distracting sibilance (sharp "s" sounds) or regionalisms that don't fit your brand?

Don't just hear the voice; listen to the story they're telling with it. That's the key to finding a voice actor who will deliver a final product that truly resonates with audience.

Thanks For Reading!

To learn more about me, hear some samples, or download my demos, just go to www.tomdheere.com.

Tom Dheere is a voice actor with over 25 years of experience narrating just about every type of voiceover you can think of. He also helps other voice talents navigate the voiceover industry as the VO Strategist. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.