6 Best Voice Acting Courses Online in 2023

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Fact-checked by Andrea Mercado
Editor
Updated on: July 5, 2023

Are you interested in animation and giving life to characters? Do you have a unique voice? Do you want to be part of this film industry but with your voice?

Well, voice acting is much more than simply reading lines; it requires unique skills, so keep reading. In this article, we'll tell you everything about the 6 best voice acting courses in 2023, what they offer, the differences in the field, and the best training you can find online.

What is Voice Acting?

Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters, commercials, video games, movies, and television shows. This highly skilled and versatile profession requires excellent talent, training, and dedication.

First, we're going to take a look at the history in filmography about Voice Acting. In 1900, the first voiceover was created by the Canadian inventor Reginald Fessenden, creating an entire program of music, Bible text, and Christmas messages. However, it wouldn’t be until 20 years later when Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie officially started voice acting in cinematography. 

As you might guess, voice acting will be used more and more as other means of communication develop. But what exactly are the types of voices used in voice acting? 

Main types of voices in voice acting:

  • Character Voices: Character voices are one of the most popular types of character acting. That involves imitating or creating distinct voices for various characters, whether for an animated series, video game, audiobook, or movie.
  • Narration: Narration is another type of character acting that involves telling a story or conveying information as a specific character. The role of a narrator can significantly affect the tone and mood of a story, making it an essential component in any production.
  • Commercial: Commercial voice acting involves creating a distinct personality for a brand or product to sell effectively.
  • Translation: The translation voice acting is another type of character acting where an actor translates the script from one language to another while also providing appropriate vocal inflections and emotions of the character.
  • Automated dialogue replacement: Automated dialogue replacement, commonly known as ADR, is a technique used to replace dialogue in production after filming or recording. 

    As a trained voice actor, being knowledgeable in each type of character acting is the key to success when booking jobs and building a credible reputation in the industry.
  • Automated announcements: Automated announcements are another type of voice acting that involves giving voice to pre-recorded messages, such as those heard in airports, train stations, or on public transportation in general.
  • AI-generated and AI-modified voices: This software can modify and generate human voices.
Voice_Acting_Courses

Techniques of Voice Recording:

So we're sure you have been exposed to all the different types of voice acting all your life, even as a kid, when watching cartoons or movies. But what if we told you there are different techniques of voice recording in the creative industry? Check it out:

  • Voice Over 

    A voiceover is a method used to add a voice that is not part of the narrative to a recording; this is usually recorded after the video or the film is done, and typically a script is used for it.
  • Voice Acting 

    This is an impersonation, a skill to change accent, pitch, and more to disguise their natural voice and bring different characters to life.

    A well-crafted voice performance can add depth, texture, and dimension to a character, elevating the quality of the storytelling.
  • Dubbing

    And, of course, we have to mention Dubbing. The Dubbing being a voice acting type, is the process of recording the voice for a film, animated movie, or TV series in their native language. 

Benefits of an Online Voice Acting Course

From improving your acting skills to gaining access to professional training, an online voice acting course can help you advance your career. There are countless benefits to taking an online voice acting course, such as:

  • Learning from the comfort of your own home, making it a flexible and convenient option for aspiring actors.
  • Receive personalized feedback and guidance from experienced instructors, allowing you to identify your strengths and weaknesses in voice acting.
  • Access to different acting techniques and methods essential for any successful actor.
  • Manage your voice professionally without hurting your vocal cords. Suppose you're interested in creating any content. In that case, an online voice acting course can be the first step to this big jump to a professional job.

You can learn how to record in the comfort of your home, how to start a routine of rehearsals and know what kind of range you can go up to. However, a proper setup is crucial to your recording being super professional and worth the money.

Voice Acting 2 1
Credits: George Milton 

Who Should Take a Voice Acting Course?

Voice acting courses are for people who are looking to make their dreams come true, to have better skills in storytelling, people who have always wanted to start doing it but always doubt, people who love commercials, video games, or animation, and what's to be part of it. 

If you're still doubting about it, here we have a list of tasks you can do with a Voice Acting certification:

  • Animation
  • Commercials
  • Narrations
  • Audio Books
  • Video Games/Interactive
  • E-Learning
  • Corporate
  • Trailers and Promos
  • Announcer

Best Voice Acting Courses Online

LinkedIn, Domestika, Skillshare, and Udemy are some of the many platforms offering online courses for voice acting. There are even high-value free options, such as the Voice Training Course for Beginners offered by Skillademia. 

However, we will dive into some of the best of them and explore their pros and cons so you can make the best decision for your career.

PlatformCoursePriceCertificateRating
LinkedInVoice-Over for Video and Animation$26.29Yes4.7/5
DomestikaLearn Voiceover for Animations$10.00Yes8.5
MasterclassNancy Cartwright Teaches Voice Acting$11.90 monthlyNo7.0
SkillshareVoice over Masterclass - The official DIY Guide to Voice Acting$32 monthlyNo9.8
UdemyThe Complete Voice Acting & Voice Over Course$16,41Yes7.7
Skillshare Accent & Voice Impressions - From Beginner to Pro$32 monthlyNo8.9

1. LinkedIn - Voiceover for Video and Animation

This course teaches you how to record and improve your voiceover skills. With the Director and storyboard artist Mark Simon as your instructor, you will learn how to improve line readings, create a demo reel, and make it at home.

This course helps you make your products sound professional and teaches you how to remove background noises and deliver files.

Pros:

It gives a certification.

Professional instructors, like the director Mark Simon.

It's perfect for a beginner.

Cons:

It can be a little pricey compared to the lesson you got.

The lessons are not so complete.

It only covers beginner information.

It hasn't been updated. 

Voice ActinG 3

2. Domestika - Learn Voice Over for Animation

In this course, you'll learn how to express your character's emotions and animations in a new and fantastique way. With Isabel Martiñón, a Voice Actor with years of experience, this course will take you from beginner to pro.

This course is offered in Spanish and is composed of 4 units, in which you will start with fundamentals concepts like rhythm, synchrony, and interpretation; in the following unit, you will learn to capture the feelings and emotions of the character working with psychology, later you will learn how to modulate the one of your voice and give your characters uniqueness. 

This course includes a final project in which you will dub an animated character.

Pros:

Includes a certification.

It's the less expensive on our list.

High-quality lessons.

Includes a final project to put in your CV.

Cons:

The course is in Spanish, with subtitling.

It doesn't cover the tech part.

It's more for the intermediate learner.

Voice Acting 4

3. Masterclass - Nancy Cartwright Teaches Voice Acting

In this course, you will learn the art of voice acting with the legendary Emmy winner Nancy Cartwright.

This course has a length of 14 video lessons in which you will be with Nancy learning about his experience in the field. In addition, she will teach you her vocal techniques, how to create a vocal identity, character voices, and more. Besides, she will give you tips for recording and taking your career to the next level.

Pros:

The teacher is an Emmy winner: Nancy Cartwright, which means the instructor has real industry experience.

The quality of the class and videos are excellent.

This course can take you from a beginner to a specialized level in the field.

Cons:

It does not include a certificate.

There's no final project.

It fits better for advanced learners.

It is more focused on the experience of Nancy Cartwright, so it depends on preferences.

Voice Acting 5

4. Skillshare - Voice Over Masterclass: The Official DIY Guide to Voice Acting

This course has a length of 20 lessons. With the instructor, the full-time professional voice actor Donald Dittsgill Jr, you will learn how to read a script, record, and market, but also, you will learn how to generate income through voice acting and communicate better.

This course is perfect for beginners and intermediates who need to learn how to set up a recording studio or for people searching for a client base.

Pros:

It's one of the most complete courses we tried.

Donal Fittsgill Jr is a great instructor.

You will learn from the basics to the advanced steps.

It can be for beginners, intermediates, and advanced learners.

You will end the course with projects and exercises to put in your portfolio.

Cons:

It doesn't offer a certificate.

It doesn't include extra materials.

It's one of the most expensive on the list.

5. Udemy - Professional Voice Acting & Voiceover Courses

In four sections and 21 lectures, this course teaches how to take a hobby to a professional and successful career, providing an approach to character development, the building of characters, authentic performances, and client satisfaction in the voice acting career.

The instructor of this course is Stanley Fisher, a master in the topic with two decades of experience in voice acting, audio design, producing, and voiceover. He will teach you how to take your skills to the next level.

Pros:

It offers certification.

The instructor, Stanley Fisher, is a professional in voice acting.

It's a great deal comparing the length of the lessons and the price.

Cons:

It doesn't have a final project.

It's mostly for beginners.

It doesn't include extra materials.

Voice Acting 6

6. Skillshare - Accents & Voice Impressions: From Beginner to Pro

In 40 lessons, this course teaches you the fundamentals of making an impression, techniques, and recreations with the voice, how to manage your practice, add layers of polish, and give your voice a "wow" effect.

Charlie Hopkinson, an impressionist, voice actor, stand-up comedian, YouTuber, and teacher, is your instructor in this course. He will guide you and teach you everything you should know to make your dreams as a voice actor real. 

Pros:

It is a super detailed course.

The instructor, Charlie Hopkinson, has experience in the field.

The course has a final project for you to put in your portfolio.

It covers from basics to professional techniques.

It includes exercises of voice, face, and body.

Cons:

It doesn't offer a certificate.

It doesn't cover the technological part, so if you do not know how to create a studio at home, this is not for you.

It's one of the most expensive courses on our list.

How Did We Select the Best Voice Acting Courses Online?

Since the world of voice acting can be small and a niche that can be complex to enter, we want to help you choose the best course and not waste your money based on these criteria:

  • The instructor was a decisive factor; we want to ensure that you will learn from professionals and people with years of experience in the field.
  • The duration of the courses was essential, too; we want to recommend the courses that could fit you most depending on your need; that's why we also pick courses for all levels; beginners, intermediates, and advanced.
  • Final projects. They will always be essential in all creativity courses because you will finish learning something new and have a complete portfolio to display your knowledge and skills.
Voice Acting 7

Final Thoughts 

Regarding completeness, the Skillshare Voiceover Masterclass is the winner for many reasons:

  • This course is perfect for all levels.
  • You will end up with 19 projects.
  • The instructor is Donald Fittsgill Jr, a full-time professional voice actor with years of experience in voice acting.

Skillshare’s course will introduce you to voice acting with simple practices like announcer tests, trying a conversational read, or sales. Then, you will pass to do voicemails and long narrations. And after that, you will start setting up the room to learn about all the necessary hardware essentials and the software to begin recording.

The final part is the most unique because it will take your projects to the next level and put you on the map; you will learn how to market yourself, the natural market, and finally, the online marketplace to find your style. 

At the end of this course, you will be able to do a variety of voiceover recording techniques, market yourself for voice jobs, record voiceovers at home, differentiate equipment, and set your room for recording. And lastly, you will end up with 19 projects, like demos, to put in your portfolio.

However, all the courses on the list are worth it and can suit anybody. For example, if you want to learn about voiceover in animation and save some money, the Domestika course would fit you. On the other hand, if you want something more documentary-style, with advanced tips from experts, the Masterclass course is what you're looking for.

FAQ

Are there any free alternatives?

We know you only sometimes have the budget to pay for subscriptions. That is why if you're looking for a good starter option, we recommend Skillademia's Free Voice Training Course for Beginners. 

In one hour of lessons, you'll understand that the fundamentals of voice acting are similar to those of singing. That’s why, by the end of this course, you will have enough tools to prepare your body before training your voice, not for singing but for interpreting a character and an intention.

With this Skillademia course, you'll learn warming-up exercises to activate your brain and stretching practices to prepare your body to feel more relaxed while speaking and performing professionally.

Are Voice Acting Certificates Worth it?

We think they are.

As mentioned before, a voice acting career can be complex and challenging to make your source of money, so having a certificate can prove you own the knowledge to develop characters. You can do voice-overs professionally, which will make your life easier.

An academic certificate in voice acting shows you know how to read from scripts, change your voice quickly, and get your creativity to the next level. It proves that you can set up a room, put equipment, and manage all the software needed to do a voiceover professionally.

Certificates will open many doors in the field; looking for jobs will be more manageable and fun, whether you are a freelancer or want to find a job in a team, in radio, tv, or even more big production.

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Carolina Builes is a technology writer with more than 3 years' experience covering artificial intelligence, digital media, and tech innovations. She distills complex topics into accessible, engaging content to educate broad audiences. Carolina believes that quality STEM education resources should be available to all, and her informative writing helps demystify topics like coding, cybersecurity, and emerging tech.
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