Yes, it is entirely possible to change part of a voice-over without recording the entire script again. Has a date changed, a product been renamed, or a step in your training course been updated? The affected passage can be recorded again and edited into the existing recording.

For the result to sound natural, though, the tone, pace and sound need to match the first version. And sometimes the best solution is to record a complete sentence again rather than a single word.

As a voice-over actor with my own home studio, I am the person you work with directly to perform your script, record it and edit the audio. When a passage needs changing, working with me makes it very easy.

What can be changed in an existing recording?

A partial re-recording can make sense when you need to correct a pronunciation, update information or replace a short section of the script. The rest of the recording may still be perfectly suitable.

Imagine an internal training course that says, “Send your request to the human resources department.” Your procedure changes. It now needs to say, “Send your request to your manager.”

If the other explanations stay the same, there may be no reason to record the whole narration again. We can record the new sentence, check that it fits the surrounding passage and replace the original.

The benefit for your team is practical: keep the parts that have already been approved and focus the update on what has changed. Your video editor still needs to check how the replacement fits with the images, music and other elements of the video.

Why record a whole sentence when only one word has changed?

Because we do not say words in isolation. They flow together. The way a word sounds depends on what comes before it, what follows it and the meaning we want to convey.

A word recorded on its own can sound as though it was added later, even when it is pronounced correctly. Recording the sentence again allows for a more natural flow, with the right connections between words and the right breath.

The revised wording may also be longer than the original. If your video has already been edited, we need to check the time available. Adding words to the same interval may mean speeding up the delivery or adjusting the video edit. It is better to know that before recording.

How do I match the original voice and tone?

Before recording a replacement, I listen to the original to find its energy, pace and intention again. I may even speak along with the track to get back into the performance.

I also make sure the sound fits the rest of the recording: microphone distance, level, room sound and voice processing. After recording, I listen to the transition between the original passage and the new one.

I make sure your listener can follow the message without being distracted by a change in sound or performance. This can take a few attempts. A short correction is not necessarily a simple copy-and-paste job. But in the end, your listener will never know there was a change.

What should you send me for a correction?

A simple request can include:

  • The project name and the version of the recording that needs changing.
  • The original passage and the new wording, with the changes clearly marked.
  • A way to locate the passage: a time in the file, a slide number or a segment name.
  • Any timing requirement and the date you would like to receive the correction.

For example: “In Welcome_training_V3, at 1 min 12 s, replace ‘to the human resources department’ with ‘to your manager.’”

If you are preparing a new project, there is also a checklist in What should you send a voice-over actor before recording?

I look forward to working with you!

Yves Amyot
StudioYvesAmyot.com — Your voice at your service.