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The Voice-Over Roadmap

VO Pro Tip: Using Pacing in your Reads

Published 7 days ago • 1 min read

Pacing

Hey Reader,

When we talk about voice-over performance, a lot of the focus is often on tone, energy, and inflection. All of those are crucial, but there's one element that can instantly elevate an average read to an amazing one: pacing.

Pacing, or tempo, is simply the speed at which you deliver the script. Most of us default to a "conversational" pace, which is a great starting point, but it's not the finish line.

The real magic happens when you use tempo as a performance tool to control the listener's emotions and attention. Here are some tips on how to do so.

How to Use Pacing to Your Advantage

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  1. Speed Up for Urgency & Excitement: Have a list of features, a limited-time offer, or a moment of high energy in the script? A slight increase in speed creates a feeling of urgency and excitement. It tells the listener, "Pay attention—this part is important!" Just be careful not to rush to the point where you lose clarity!
  2. Slow Down for Gravitas & Clarity: When you hit the brand's tagline, a powerful statistic, or a key call-to-action, try slowing down just a bit. This subtle deceleration adds weight and authority to your words. It forces the listener to absorb and process that specific information, making it stick.
  3. The Beat of the Pause: Pacing isn't just about how fast you talk; it's also about when you don't talk. A well-placed pause right before or after a critical phrase builds anticipation and gives the key information space to land. Pauses are free, powerful performance punctuation.

The takeaway: Don't let the script dictate your pace. You are the driver. Next time you record, consciously try an opposite-of-instinct approach—read a fast line slowly, or a slow line quickly—to feel the difference. Try letting each sentence or phrase really breathe on it's own to deliver impact. Experiment, and see how the pace with which you read can improve your overall performance.

-Michael

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The Voice-Over Roadmap

The Voice-Over Roadmap is an educational platform for Voice-Over Talent of all experience levels to start, grow, and sustain a profitable business as a professional VO Talent. It is the creation of Michael Langsner, Professional VO talent with over 12 years of experience voicing projects for brands like Adidas, Google, Dell, Levi's and many others.

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