Ready, Setch, Go!!

Meet Erin Setch. She’s not a DJ – recording VO in the on-air room during breaks… She’s not just doing voiceover part time… She’s a pro. Writing and voicing copy, all day, everyday. So what have you done today?

What are you up to presently (freelance/on-staff at a station)? I’m 100% freelance. I jumped on board with my husbands production company (Team Setch Studios) in 2009 and started focusing entirely on VO in 2011. I haven’t looked back since. I do mostly commercial and narration work on a daily basis however I am also the imaging or promo voice of about 10 radio and TV stations

What do you love about working as a freelance VO talent? When I was fresh out of high school, I wanted a job where I’d learn something new everyday. And with VO I found it. 🙂 I talk to people all over the world, work on the most fascinating projects and learn about things I never even knew existed. I love it!

How did you get started as a VO actor? My husband, Stu, pretty much just hounded me to get behind the mic. He is a producer and works with a lot of voice talents. He has always been extremely supportive, and was an amazing coach in the early days. It was invaluable having a second set of ears in the studio all day everyday calling me out on bad habits.

What was your first gig? I don’t remember my first gig, per se, but my most memorable gig from when I was just getting started was getting hired to do a very last minute spot for SiriusXM for Trojan Condoms and their new massager. We had been to a Christmas party the night before and it was a very late night… Anyway, the phone rang at 5:30AM PST (8:30AM EST)… I answered it, and chatted with the producer who said they had to cut the spot ASAP. No problem, right!? So, I headed downstairs to the studio in my PJ’s and fuzzy pink bathrobe, looking like a hot mess… did a quick warm up and 10 minutes later was talking about how this massager “really blows your hair back.” It was pretty classy. 😉

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Have you ever had a voice coach? Would you recommend it? I have, and I can’t recommend it enough. I jump at as many opportunities to “workout” as possible. I get the most out of weekend workshops… Hunkering down in a studio somewhere with a bunch of other people. It’s energizing and very motivating. You meet a lot of really nice people, hear some very cool stories and I’ve found that you learn a lot by watching and listening to how other people take direction and interpret copy.

Can you offer 3 helpful tips for newbies trying to make it in the voice-over industry? Outside of natural ability, the 3 things I value most (that are in your control) are clear communication, professional recording quality (for those working from a home studio) and being easy to work with.

How do you market your services to potential clients? When I was first getting started, we invested in a good URL to try to capitalize on the SEO potential and it paid dividends. It’s much easier to get the opportunity to audition if folks who are looking can find you! I’ve always had success with converting leads from cold calls, or cold “emails.” And I’ve been on the Pay-to-Play sites since the get go and have formed many long term relationships with producers and agencies that I’ve connected with online.

Which production system do you use? We use Adobe Audition 3 at home and Twisted Wave on the road.

What gear do you use (microphone, pre-amp, booth, etc)? We have a Sennheiser 416 as the primary mic and also a TLM 103. The 416 is amazing for all recording situations and works pretty well with my voice. We use a Trident 4T pre-amp (it’s amazing though not super popular) and an external Focusrite A/D converter/soundcard. My husband built a custom isolation booth into our basement that clients seem to really enjoy the sound of!

What is the best voice processing trick or voice-over technique everyone should know? Clean is king in my opinion. I try to send out as natural and non-processed a file as possible to give the folks on the other end the best quality file to work with.

What did it feel like the first time you heard your voice on the radio/television? The first time I heard my voice on TV, I was getting on a flight to go and visit my family in Saskatchewan. I settled into my seat. Plugged my earbuds into the on-board TV and a commercial was playing. And I was so confused, because it sounded so familiar… It took a second… and then I realized what was happening!