Imaging In 2019 – Steve Stone

Imaging In 2019 – Steve Stone

Welcome to the “Imaging In 2019 Series” – a blog series that interviews inspiring producers and great creators of Station Sound.

Steve Stone

We love checking in with talented Voiceovers on the blog and this is our first in the “Imaging In 2019” series and no better person to kick it off.

Steve Stone is a highly respected talent and is world renowned in the Imaging game. I haven’t had the chance to meet him just yet, but looking forward to finally catching up at The Worldwide Radio Summit.

1. What is your opinion on Vocal Coaches - have you used one in the past and are they worth it?

Vocal coaches are super important. Especially as you do work in different areas of VO. I’ve studied and continue to study with coaches. You have to do your research. There are many out there, so you want to find coaches who are reputable and trusted. I have personally studied and gained tremendous help from Marice Tobias, Bob Bergen, Dave Walsh, Craig Spear, Jodi Gottlieb, Richard Redfield, and Jeff Bergman.

2. What makes a killer demo for a voiceover? (Different styles/something creative that makes it different)

You don’t want them to be long. Under a minute. Show off your different sounds in as many formats as you can with this one caveat. Sometimes NOT having a demo is the best thing. What I mean is there are certain formats I don’t have demos for because I’m not right for them (I would love to do Urban and Hip-Hop formats) but I long ago self evaluated and realized my sound and personality don’t fit those formats. Any demo I would make, would sound like I was trying too hard and wouldn’t work. I try and focus demos only on my strengths. CHR, ALT, ROCK, SPORTS, NEWS. I used to produce my own demos for years, but I started using Eric Romanowski (Ear Blowing Audio) and it’s really helped me step back and let someone else orchestrate the sound. I would take such a long time and struggle over what I thought was good, its been great to have a trusted outside producers perspective.

3. You voice lots of radio stations, and I’m sure the copy can get repetitive. How do you keep it fresh, especially when you’re saying the same phrases or reading copy for the same collective contests all the time?

I just try and be loose. We all have those moments with certain collective contest copy or countdowns where we can be reading similar copy. What I try and do is just be free to blurt out what comes to mind and at any moment I can veer off and go into an ad-lib voice and goof a bit then get back to it. Sometimes its something a producer can use, other times it just breaks the monotony of the copy for me. Whatever it is I try and have fun. At the very least the producer has options.

4. What are your current goals as a voice artist?

I would love to be the voice of a national awards show, a big prime time event. That would be tops! But day in and day out my ultimate goal has always been to have a long and successful career. I’m extremely fortunate to do this. I have many wonderful clients who support me and rely on my work, and being being part of that day in and day out is the best reward.