Become A Ventriloquist: Learn The ABC’S
Practicing and training to become a ventriloquist can take hard work, time, and lots and lots of practice. But it’ worth it!
When practicing to imitate a voice from afar, the student of ventriloquism should first call out ‘Hello’ in the natural voice, and try to imagine, when he repeats it ventriloquially, that the latter instead of requiring a separate attempt is merely the echo of an effect already finished. This effect can be used with your ventriloquism dolls.
First, you must form a correct estimate of how such a voice would sound, and if you are not entirely clear in your own mind regarding this point, persuade a friend to actually carry on a conversation with you while shut up in another room.
There is only one distant voice but this is modified in various ways for the purpose of giving added effect to whatever imitations are attempted. A voice from behind a door near at hand is louder and more distinct and has a peculiar hollow, muffled tone which distinguishes it somewhat from one coming from a place more remote.
These characteristics can be produced by pressing the tongue against the teeth while the latter are set well together and the lips are slightly apart. Before speaking in the ventriloquial voice fill the lungs and keep the breath under good control. Of course in forming some of the words it will be found impossible to keep the tongue entirely still, but so long as it retains a position well forward in the mouth, the effect can be obtained.
When the student has assured himself that he is successful in his imitation of the voice, let him approach a door and apparently try to open it. Struggle a minute with the knob as if some one were holding it on the other side and then call out, “Will you kindly release your hold and allow me to pass through.” As quickly as possible reply in the ventriloquial voice, “No, you can’t come out this way.”
At this point your ventriloquism dolls can act as if strongly exasperated and apparently push and struggle against an opposing force with all their might. Finally by seemingly a greater effort you cause the door to fly back suddenly and at the same time give utterance to a loud “ha, ha, ha,” in the ventriloquial voice, as if some one were laughing at you in the room or hallway beyond.
Always bear in mind that the eye helps to deceive the ear, and make the action of pushing the door, etc., as natural as possible. The more realistic the ventriloquist makes his part the more effect his performance will have upon the public.
As far as voice alone goes, there are ventriloquists who can manipulate ventriloquism perfectly, but who, on account of lack of necessary actions, do not succeed in impressing their hearers very strongly. As a rule, between a good actor who is a poor ventriloquist and a good ventriloquist who is a poor actor, the former will be more successful.
One month’s daily practice should be sufficient to enable the ventriloquist, by proper emphasis on a tone or syllable, to illustrate and bring out the salient points of any dialogues he may use, and to surprise and astonish those among his friends not familiar with the capabilities of the art, with the strange voices within him. There should be no straining after effect, but the student will find that what he has practiced much he can do well, and by perseverance alone can perfection be obtained.
It is as necessary to judge nicely the effects of distance and direction on audible impressions, or sounds, as it is to acquire the power of speaking ventriloquially.
The student to become a ventriloquist will do well to study this area carefully. He will then be able to produce many astonishing effects from his ventriloquism dolls which will impress his audience.
