It really wasn't that biguvadeal, JFan.
Only 2 voices persist throughout the entire piece: The Narrator and The Inspector. They are different enough that I can keep them separate and distinct. The other voices (individual instruments) come and go in short order- and are never heard from again.
'The Narrator' is my normal speaking voice, dropped down a bit in pitch. I open my throat, send more air through the larynx, and allow the sound to resonate in my chest before it hits the mic. For the Inspector, I close down my throat to get a reedier, more Don Adams (Max Smart/Tennessee Tuxedo) kind of sound, and raise the pitch center about the same amount as I lowered it for the Narrator.
For the other voices, I tried to turn each instrument's sound/cliched stereotype in to a vocal equivalent. I used a lot of different glottal pinches/expansions to mimic their sounds.
Violins were effete Poindexters.
Violas were nasally 'Droopy The Dog' types.
Oboes were pinched, nasally high-pitched whiners
Trumpets are great: you simply place the sound at the front of your face, and yell as loud as you can.....
You get the picture.
btw: The 'cellos and basses' were my natural, unaffected voice. It's the voice you heard when we hooked up at the Clay Xmas concert a few years ago. It's the voice you'd hear if we hung out at a tailgate. Just my little way of Representing it Real for My Posse, know what I'm sayin?
And keep in mind: I lived with this project
for 6 months. Every day, I was working on the voices, timing, facial expressions, etc. By the time we dropped the concerts, I was almost guilty of being over-prepared
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I just got word thru the grapevine that the DET Symph Orch is planning this piece, and is considering me for the joint. I guess it's time to find an agent/rep house. I never needed one before, as I only worked in-house as a side hustle.
Who knows? Maybe I'll use this as a second career after my box scratchin' days are behind me.
Dare to dream, eh?
Get paid to act an ass onstage and read books for Audible.com as an old man? What's no to love, bro?
