VoicetraxSF has been nothing short of incredible! Not long ago, my journey into the world of voiceover and voice acting began with extensive online researching... diving into industry websites and influencer socials. It didn't take long before I was being convinced that all it took to start booking gigs was to buy a mic, watch a few TV commercials and build a pillow fort. But something about that felt too good to be true. I wanted a local-ish voice acting resource--one that offered robust training and real mentorship. And that's what I've discovered at VoicetraxSF. The moment I first walked through the door, I was warmly welcomed and my anxiety started to fade. With no background in performing arts--not even an elementary school play under my belt--I was both overwhelmed and terrified to enter this new-to-me world. But the staff scooped me up and I felt reassured that I'd made a good decision. I've taken a handful of mixed, online and in-person classes and they've all been methodically and passionately presented. The courses are relevant to today's voice acting world and the script reading exercises in every class give students the understanding of how to insightfully breakdown a script and deliver an authentic performance. The instructors--working voice actors themselves­--deeply care about student growth and success. Their feedback is honest and constructive, always delivered with support and encouragement. The instructors aim to foster an inclusive environment that is professional and fun. Student engagement is always top of mind at VTSF. For example, each month, a three-hour, free "open mic" Zoom session encourages participants to practice scripts and learn the vital skill of giving clear and concise feedback, all in a truly collaborative and safe space. BTW, what business does that, right? Two of the most valuable lessons I'm learning are: "Dammit, it's acting," as well as the importance of uncovering subtext in scripts. While I'm still absorbing and honing these skills, I know that with the guidance and encouragement of Vicky, Chuck, and Roni--as well as the deep roster of highly talented guest instructors--I'll continue to push past my comfort zone and grow into a credible voice actor. For anyone serious about voice acting, I can't recommend this studio enough! read more

THE JIG IS UP. AIs ARE DOING VOICEOVERS NOW! V/O has always been highly competitive, but now AIs are doing them. FREE! Which means your chances of booking anything are approximately zero. What would you do if you needed a voiceover, hire a person and pay them hundreds or thousands of bucks, or get an AI to do it for nothing? These classes are sort of fun, so if you have a lot of money and just want a pleasant diversion, cool, but if you're looking to make this your job, forget it. I did OK as a voiceover guy in the 90s and 2000s, but the jig is now officially up. Save your money! read more

Long story short, they're a business, not a school. I dumped time and $5,000 into this place only to be told that I needed to complete such-and-such a class over and over before I was "ready" to send on an audition. I got the same line over and over until my money ran out and after that, they didn't want to talk to me anymore. Rich people suck. read more

I learned about Voicetrax-SF 3 years ago through a YouTube video of the owner Samantha Paris. I called that day to see about taking an introductory class. Since then I have had many classes and it has been an amazing adventure. I live in Michigan, so all my classes have been over Zoom. The Zoom experience has been great. They have weekend and time zone friendly classes. In my opinion, I get as much out of the online classes as if in person. Prior to Voicetrax I had zero acting training. Even though I had no idea what I was doing, I have never sensed from any of the teachers an unwillingness to work with me. And the teachers are all top in their field. Sam, Vicki, Chuck and Roni run the place, teach classes, and are all professional voiceover talents. In addition to those four, the other teachers are a Who's Who in the VO world. It is amazing the talent that teaches the classes. While the teachers are encouraging, they are also appropriately tough. I like that. I am paying to learn, not to be coddled. I highly recommend Voicetrax-SF. I am excited to see where my VO journey takes me, and my success will definitely be because of the great training I received at VT-SF. Well done!!! read more

Studying voice acting at VoiceTrax has been an uplifting and life-changing experience. The instructors are absolutely unbelievable... Just check their online catalog! And Sam, the owner, is an absolute treasure, with an amazing lifetime of experience that she shares generously. With their help I was able to really learn to ACT behind the mic, create a fantastic demo, find the local agent of my dreams AND I have now even lived out one of my fantasies of voicing an animated character for an animated series currently in production. And BONUS, along the way, I found my listening and communication skills improved which has greatly benefited family and business relationships. I highly recommend this voice acting Academy above all others! Thank you VoiceTrax! read more

Began taking online Zoom classes with VoiceTrax about 18 months ago, and has been without question one of the best things I have ever done for myself. Had taken voice over classes decades ago in the Los Angeles area, usually a weekend or multi-week courses, that never resulted in anything other than a decreased bank account. But a friend recommended VoiceTrax to me, I gave it a shot, and realized the difference immediately. Samantha Paris has, for 35 years now, established a legitimate, professional voice over academy (actually a legitimate acting academy, as all lessons learned there apply to all areas of the acting profession). Good luck finding any other voice over or other acting academy which has been so successfully in business for so long. Didn't happen because she doesn't know what she is doing. Sam, as well as the numerous instructors, are all seasoned, professional actors, who provide a positive supporting environment where students can learn all of the techniques and skills necessary to establish anything from better vocal communication skills with others up to becoming a professional voice over actor. You also learn the ins and outs of the profession - how to use your unique voice in the greatest ranges possible, how to present yourself as a professional, how to audition, how to get an agent (if that's one of your goals), etc. The sky's the limit, and, as with many things in life, you get out of it what you put into it. No one comes in with the same goals, but everyone is supported to achieve whatever their individual goals may be. And I am 99% certain any former students who posted negative reviews here were unwilling or unable to apply themselves and chose to blame VoiceTrax for their own failings. Every single fellow student I have encountered has been as positive and supportive as the staff, even when we complain amongst ourselves about the price. Yes, it is not inexpensive. Most students have to pace themselves and take only one or a few classes each term. Occasionally a student will "break out" and achieve the equivalent of overnight success. For most students, though, it is more of a long-term commitment. Some of the long-term students have achieved success as voice over actors and returned as VoiceTrax instructors along with their voice over careers (and are still taking VoiceTrax classes to continue improving their profession!). In my relatively short time there I have achieved some of my goals and a small measure of professional success. I'm not saying that VoiceTrax is for everyone. But for those who truly do want to learn the craft of voice over acting for whatever purpose or goal, in a supportive, 100% professional environment (and you can afford it), there is no other place that comes remotely close to enabling you to reach those goals. read more

Voicetrax San Francisco - Performing Arts Near Me - Sausalito, California

So, you want to be a voice actor? Well, you certainly made the right stop as I did! For the past 3 years I have been training at Voicetrax, via zoom, with influential leading authorities in our Industry made up of working actors, booth directors, agents, producers, and casting directors. At the helm is the dynamic, yet nurturing, Samantha Paris, who has trained over 15,000 students after birthing Voicetrax 35 years ago. Together with her TEAM, of Chuck, Vicki, and Roni and all the guest directors, students learn how to analyze a script, make thoughtful choices, and then authentically ACT the script. It does take dedication, but I consider the time and dollars invested to be so very worth it! Come join the fun at VT! read more

The owner is abusive to students. This a money making machine with little or no concern for the students growth. Confusing communications and a very dated approach to voice acting and overall management structure. Avoid this place like the plague. read more

I have so much gratitude to Voicetrax, and especially to this remarkable Academy's founder, Samantha Paris. A couple of weeks ago I booked my first voice-over job, but I wanted to wait to make sure it wasn't a one-time fluke before telling too many people. Well, I just booked another job, so I guess the first one wasn't an anomaly! The first was narration for a video about medical research in the Cincinnati/northern Kentucky region, and the second was voicing the role of a female World War II aviator for a Veterans Day video. I had always hoped - but never let myself really believe -- that there could be a creative "third act" to my life and that I would find a way to return to my theatrical roots. But it's one thing to hope for something and quite another to turn that hope into reality. It requires a LOT of hard work, dedication, perseverance, and the wisdom and encouragement of mentors and colleagues who believe in you, even when you don't believe in yourself. I've learned that it's never too late to pursue your dreams. This is what Voicetrax has given me, and I couldn't be more grateful. read more

I decided to train for a new career in voice acting about 2 years ago. I went slowly; reading books at first, buying some cheap equipment and experimenting. Then I set about finding a place to study. Here in SF, there are a few places you can train in this field, but really only two that focus on voice acting exclusively. With this in mind, I attended the introductory class at each school. When I attended the class at the first school, VoiceOne, I was energized. I was given a lot of the information I had already gleaned from some books I had read, including the book by the woman who runs the school. But she also put a lot of things in a real world perspective - what is the job market like, how do you train, what to realistically expect. During her class, there was a torrent of noise from one of the other tenants in the industrial building that the school is housed in. The instructor acknowledged the noise, joked about it and told us its source, and that she had personally spoken with the company doing the work. She did her best to be honest and to take into consideration the needs and even distractions of her audience. Next I went to Voicetrax. The first problem I encountered was parking. Not that parking in downtown SF is easy, but with some patience you can usually find a cheap or free place to put your car. No so in Sausalito where, despite the fact that the city thrives on tourism, parking is hideous. Once I got to the class, I was not charmed by the lady working there (who I later found out to be the owner's mother). She was not helpful and seemed only to be there as a clerk, and not very organized at that. It took her a while to find my registration, which I sent in by mail weeks before. Went I finally was allowed entrance to the room, I had to sit in the back on the previously mentioned hard chairs and really had to crane my neck to see or hear during the class. As soon as Samantha showed up, some loud, rhythmic, mechanical banging started. Samantha never acknowledged it and it did not cease during the class. By the time she gave everyone a break (to feed their parking meters) I had a headache. I was astonished that a school that depends on studio conditions would not address this issue. Samantha also gave a lot of the same information that I had read before, but in her case she did not give real world context. She said plainly that she would never discourage anyone from training at the school, even if they were bad. Her words were, "Some people get this in 12 months, some people get it in 5 years. I am not here to tell you to quit." Not that I think the folks at VoiceOne want to discourage students either, but to have the instructor basically tell you that she was really only interested in students and not in creating voice actors was very telling. By the time I was done with the class I felt as if I had been in the room for hours. She did walk us through some exercises, which I thought were not very helpful because I wasn't there to be stroked or titillated but to gather information. However, many of the other students seemed to be there just for that reason. Many of them were fellow Marin-ites who seemed to be there on a lark, or as a diversion - like a pottery class. It made me uncomfortable to think I would have to deal with both unprofessional students and an instructor who did not inspire confidence. Overall, I was not impressed by my experience and I subsequently enrolled at VoiceOne. That being said, she does have an impressive lineup of instructors and a wide variety of classes. She is well respected (to my knowledge) in the VO community and I have met students who train at both schools and have had great things to say about VoiceTrax. If it weren't for the ridiculous parking problems, I would probably give one of the other instructors a chance. But I am not foolish enough to think that I could find parking easily or cheaply on a Friday night in Sausalito. That's crazy talk. read more

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VOICEOVER, I LEARNED AT VOICETRAX!!! (I really should make a bumper sticker or a button or something!) I took my first class at Voicetrax in 1998 and I've been going back ever since. Let me try to summarize what I think of Voicetrax based on the past ten years: - Voicetrax offers the best variety and caliber of classes anywhere. I've taken classes in NY and LA too...but nowhere else so consistently offers the breadth & depth of classes that Voicetrax does. The teachers at Voicetrax are top-notch (most of the best teachers here in LA, I first met or heard of through Voicetrax), the content is up-to-date, and all your fellow students are there to learn & grow & play (whether they are there to become professional voiceover artists or just for fun). - Samantha does not coddle you. She will be honest with you when you're bombing and push you to do better. Most of the other instructors are the same. They're really cool people but they are not there to stroke your ego...they are there to improve your skills! - Voicetrax is like family. Whenever I go for classes, it's like a homecoming...I get a big hug & kiss from both Samantha & Shirley. I get to say hi to people I've taken classes with before and meet new people I've never seen. I've definitely made friends I'm in touch with outside of class...both students and teachers. Whenever I call, Shirley & Chuck always know who I am. (Before Chuck it was Johnnie and way back when it was Irene...and maybe there was someone in between Irene and Johnnie that I'm forgetting...but the point is, I always felt like they took good care of me and answered all my questions.) - It's true that classes fill up FAST but the only times I haven't gotten classes I wanted is when I'm too lazy and slow to sign up for them in a timely fashion. Even then, they always do their best to at least get me on the waitlist for the ones I want the most...and amazingly enough, I often end up getting the class because other people drop out! Samantha's "dots" (suggestions for classes) and notes on the registration form are always hand-written, personal & specific to me. And I know from first-hand experience that Sam is always open to feedback from students about classes & teachers and she makes adjustments accordingly. Sam has also called me or emailed me directly when I had questions for her in particular. - Yes, the classroom can get hot & stuffy with a full class of people. And maybe the chairs aren't upholstered. And they don't have water there anymore. But you know what? For one thing, 12 or 13 people in a class is actually a really good student-teacher ratio. (If you really want more space, you can always sign up for private sessions or smaller group lessons with only 4-6 people.) The other thing is - we're all adults, right? You can bring a water bottle and a back pillow for yourself if you need it. You can even bring food to heat up in the microwave or coffee & snacks to share with your classmates. And nobody says you have to stay rooted to your chair the entire time...get up, get a view of the booth, go outside and get some air & stretch...take care of yourself! As long as you aren't being disruptive, I'm pretty sure nobody will mind. - Maybe I'm just lucky but I don't remember ever having a class start late. More often, I'll get there a little early and Sam's already started bringing people into the booth to work on copy. And many times teachers will stay late or order lunch in so that people can hear more playback or so they can answer more questions or just because we're having such a great time! - For me, Voicetrax classes are DEFINITELY worth the time & money I've spent over the years. Otherwise I wouldn't keep going. It was worth it when I started to make the drive from San Jose to Sausalito (sometimes 2-3 times a week) and it was worth it when I moved to Seattle to fly down for classes and it's STILL worth it to me now to drive or fly from LA when I want to take a class at Voicetrax. BOTTOM LINE: I have been living and working in LA as a voiceover actor for the past three years now and Voicetrax is where I learned everything I needed to know to get a rock-solid start in the business. And it's still where I go to learn more from the best of the best. ***I do not work for Voicetrax now nor have I ever, I'm simply a VERY SATISFIED student.*** read more

Voicetrax is a multi-faceted community of very talented voice professionals, who offer years of experience and insight, as well as truly inspiring enthusiasm. I have had class with Sarenetta, Chuck and Samantha, and enjoyed each of their very different teaching styles. They provide a safe environment to explore all the possibilities of your vocal styles and range, and do what all superior instructors should, by encouraging every student to push past their comfort zone in an effort to discover talents they may not have even known about. Samantha is particularly energetic. Her constructive criticism comes from a place of care and understanding, making the feedback part of the process as painless as possible. She has explosive creativity in expression that is contagious, and fun. *Just learned an important lesson: deposits are NON-REFUNDABLE, even in case of emergency... read more

I've been a student for 3 years. It's pricey, no doubt, so I've been going at it at a slow pace taking about 3 classes a semester... but I've gotten the incredible opportunity to learn from the best. Sam Paris, owner of the academy was in a lot of the cartoons I've watched in my childhood.. particularly Jem and the Holograms (she played Roxy from the Misfits). I've also had the opportunity to learn from other greats in this industry.. from Bob Bergen (porky pig), Thom Pinto (CBS promo guy)... and network with some of the best, including the largest Voiceover casting agency in LA and Stars the Agency in San Francisco. I've also gotten a chance to meet Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson) and Dionne Quan (Kimmy Fong from Rugrats) so it's quite an experience! It's really given me a chance to actually believe that my dreams can soon become a reality. Many from this school have gone on to great careers in the VO world, and though everyone in the classroom is potential competition, the friendships and close-knit togetherness is really there and everyone is a great support system. If voiceover is something you're interested in, whether as hobby (an expensive one, be warned) or as a potential career, this is definitely the training you should turn to to. read more

Have one of those voices where people say, "You should do voice overs?" Well, if you want to explore that part of yourself, check out Voicetrax San Francisco. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head over to the ethereal land called Sausalito. Samantha Paris is a seasoned professional who will coach you with tough love and dedication,and get to the nitty gritty. She recruits teachers from L.A. and beyond, all consummate professionals. I have been taking classes at Voicetrax since 1996 and am now a working actor. The tools I continue to learn in this supportive environment have been priceless... "Selection Not Rejection" is advice that has helped me endlessly! read more

Voicetrax San Francisco - Samantha Paris - a brilliant teacher - Performing Arts Near Me - Sausalito, California

On a frustrated whim, I Googled Voicetrax Sausalito and found these Yelp reviews. I concur on all counts. My first comment will begin with the common Yelp line: DO NOT EAT HERE. In fact, do not come here for serious voice study unless you don't care about money or the value of your time. I have taken 4 classes at Voicetrax. Of those four classes, two of them started LATE. When I say late I don't mean 5-10 or even 15 minutes late. I mean 30-40 minutes late. It happened TWICE. I couldn't believe it. We sat outside waiting and waiting and waiting. The worst part was that in each case, the instructor did not have a phone number to Voicetrax Management to call. In other words, VOICETRAX IS HIGHLY DISORGANIZED. Don't you think if an instructor is flying up from LA or whatever should have a way to get into the school or have someone there to meet them? We got a few apologies when the engineer (who had the keys) showed up. So again, the instructors do not have access into the studios and they could not even properly schedule their staff to make sure someone was there to let us in. Because the classes are always full, every minute counts. In a 3 hour class, 30-40 minutes is a significant chunk of time. We never made that time up. The thing is, at a "professional school" the word "professional" tells the public: WE ARE READY, WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND WE ARE HERE TO TEACH YOU." Making students wait 30 minutes in confusion ("I wonder if anyone is going to show up?" "Do they know we are here?" "Who should we call?") and then not even having the decency to offer to make the time up is in a word: disgraceful. It will take an additional 10 minutes of small talk while the students file in, find their seats etc. and the instructor finally sets up which suddenly extends a late start to 40-45 min. The reason I am describing these examples in detail is because it says a lot about how the school is run, the fact that they cannot anticipate such simple considerations or plan accordingly. I would not be writing this review if the other ones did not resonate with me. I was furious the SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED. By the way, the engineer (a teenager about 17 years old actually) had an excuse: "I forgot". Another point I want to make is that I researched into other voice schools and limited my searches to schools in "San Francisco". Voicetrax is the first school to come up in this search. The school has a website with lots of name-dropping and self-promotion by owner, Samantha Paris, which at first blush is impressive. What is misleading is that VOICETRAX IS IN SAUSALITO, NOT SAN FRANCISCO AS ADVERTISED. This is a very hokey way to pull in business. It may be a small thing, after all, how nice is Sausalito but the fact remains that they are NOT in San Francisco, they are across the bridge in Marin. More gas and another $5 to your commute. I have spent approx. $1,500 for 4 courses of which I lost 1 hour of instruction because they began late. The rate works to about $37 per hour of class. Based on my searches, this is expensive. Most classes (voice, acting, performance) will give you on average 30 hours for less. In other words, at Voicetrax classes are $370 each (and going up). Weekend classes work like this: Friday evening 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. then Saturday from 9-4 (with 1 hour lunch) or about 9 hours. Weekday classes meet over the course of 4 weeks for 3 hours per class (+ breaks). My reasoning and most people's reasoning would be: Samantha Paris is an expert so $37 per hour (remember you share this time with at least 11 other students) so it will be worth it. You get what you pay for. But based on my experience with Voicetrax San Francisco (located in Sausalito) it is not worth the money. I would rather take less expensive voice classes in San Francisco where they presumably do not start late and respect your time. I was very disappointed with Voicetrax and the way the owner runs her business. They really behave in an unaccountable way. It also bears repeating that the school is 2 rooms and the front office. The classrooms are cramped and uncomfortable. I was shocked when I first went there but I talked myself out of that too (who cares if you are learning from the best, right? - Wrong) the space feels confined, does not allow creativity to flow. For the money you spend you would be better off finding another school. There are other professionally trained voiceover teachers who also work in the industry and do not charge as much or treat students with the same disdain. If you read Samantha's marketing materials you easily become convinced that she is the only person between L.A. and New York who is as qualified and well connected as she is to teach but it simply is not true. I wouldn't be here if it were. I cannot in good conscience recommend Voicetrax. read more

I took 2 classes at Voicetrax. Sorry to be a bubble burster but the space was CLAUSTROPHOBIC and that does matter to me. Being creative is not being intellectual where you only need a desk and chalk board. You need to be able to breathe, to move, to ground yourself before you act. I have a performing arts background and my friends kept telling me you have a great voice. I've taken performing arts classes in NYC, Chicago (my hometown), and even Canada and this was by far the smallest room I ever sat in. I agree with the Yelper below, it constricts your sense of creativity. The booth is one thing because you are in there a short time but I just remember being in this small room packed with people. We stood around doing exercises singing out loud while running into one another. I kept thinking why did they put so many people into this room? I think the person who described Voicetrax as an "academy" needs to get outside of Marin. An academy is 'an institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership.' When I think of an academy I think of Yale Drama or Julliard. Not a small room and a sound booth. I'm new to Yelp but I have read a lot about businesses and restaurants for recs I get the feeling that when reviews are consistently bad, people who work for these places will post positive reviews and I kinda feel like that's what's going on here. If you work for a business that you are reviewing then you should say so. I was going to give 2 stars but when I read the positive reviews telling me how world-renowned and exceptional it was I changed it to 1 star. Hyperbole will get us nowhere people. Good luck Yelpers! read more

I've been attending Voicetrax for about 2 years now and overall have had an extremely positive experience. Have all of the teachers/classes been of the same quality? No. But I doubt there is a school that exists with multiple teachers and a varied curriculum that doesn't have some teachers better than others. Part of this is learning styles, whereby some teachers are better for some students and others are not. All of the core teachers are extremely knowledgeable and competent, though teaching styles do differ. The guest teachers are also well established within the industry and offer at the minimum an insider's view of what goes on. I have found that the school has prepared me thoroughly for all aspects of the voiceover industry. As for some of the more trivial complaints, such as hard seats or bad parking, I find these much less relevant than the quality of instruction. But since they were brought up... The classes are small - no more than 15 and usually more like 10-12 - so there is room to get up and move around. Yes, the chairs are plastic, but they are certainly more comfortable than the ones I used in college. And I have always been able to find a parking spot. If you have a weekend class, ask where the free parking is - though you may have to walk five blocks it does exist. If you don't want to walk you either need to pay the meter of rotate your car to a different spot ever couple of hours, but it's certainly not difficult. Weeknight after 6pm is free and usually plentiful. And, yes, the classes are non-refundable, but it clearly states this upon registration. read more

Howdy fellow Yelpers, First I would like to state I am not an employee of Voicetrax, I have not been paid or given any quid pro quo for any comments. Also any comments I make may not be the opinions of the staff, company or other students. Simply enough I LOVE VOICETRAX. -I have been training here since 2004, yes- I have spent a small fortunate in class and I feel I have had the comprehensive learning experience vs. a small luxury automobile. -I have not taken classes at VoiceOne. Therefore, I can't speak to that experience. -Classes are challenging, teachers are not here to hold your hand-they have your best interests at heart. You get real-world experience in auditioning, directing yourself and script analysis just to name a few classes. The guest directors and instructors have been incredible. -Numerous students have gone on to become huge successes in the industry and for me I have found my passion. At nearly 40 I have finally found what I want to be when I grow up. -Fellow students and staff are warm, welcoming and encouraging. Shirley does not suffer fools gladly. -I didn't sign up for classes based on parking, coffee or any other superfluous reasons. I signed up because VOICETRAX was the only VO company to actually call me back and show interest in making me their student. Voice One and Voice Factory never have returned my calls from 2004. I have stayed at VOICETRAX because I have loved my learning experience there. -Parking sucks everywhere this is the bay area. I don't expect that they will be any better in SF or LA when I go for gigs. -Am not signed yet, but I do have a demo and I have had several auditions and gigs from my basic home studio. -As far as feed back goes, I know of several occasions that myself and other students have email Sam at the main Voicetrax email and she has personally responded. She is very conscientious of her students and their learning experience. At no time have I ever felt she wasn't open to feedback. Everyone of the staff gets our feedback. The Good, Bad and Ugly. Thanks for reading. Angie Noble read more

The first thing that caught my eye was that it was an academy. An academy. This is an academy that has opened their doors to plenty of the bay area's voiceover talents. Had Samantha not been so open to accepting students of all kinds....and I mean ALL KINDS, I may not be the working talent that I am today. I have taken classes elsewhere in the bay area and even in LA, but Voicetrax is where I laid down the foundation to my second career. The instructors are world class, the staff is dedicated to the students, and the students support each other. It may not be for everyone. How could it? Classes are not cheap. I graduated from Cal and that was not cheap. I found the investment was worth it. It is like that song..."you never count your money when you're sittin at the table." Well don't start counting until you actually make some.... and that might take awhile, even if you do think you are the $hi!. What I like above everything else is that most of the students are there to learn, try, fail, improve, and have fun. Most egos are left outside the door.... most. read more

I wholeheartedly echo the opinions expressed by those extolling the virtues of Samantha, Shirley, Chuck, and all of the wonderful instructors at Voicetrax. I've been a student there since June 2006, attending on a definite "fast track" curriculum averaging 2-5 classes per month. During the 35+ classes I've taken, my experiences have been nothing short of amazing. The instructors are all extremely professional, work us hard, and manage to ensure we all have fun in the process. While I know this will lead to paid work as a voice actor, the value I've received goes well beyond playing characters or reading bad local retail copy with enthusiasm and passion - I've learned a lot about myself and who I am as a person. And that, like the ad says...is priceless. read more

When I first entered the voice over world, I chose VoiceTraxSF for its stellar reputation and roster of directors. I found VoiceTraxSF to be exceptionally welcoming, supportive, and encouraging of beginning actors, and constructively critical while providing world class training in the art and techniques of performing as a voice over actor. Class offerings range from beginning courses up through advanced courses for working actors seeking continuing education and updating of our ever-evolving skill sets. At VoiceTraxSF, one learns the technical aspects of running one's own studio--engineering, mic technique, script analysis, studio etiquette, acing the audition, etc--as well as the intangible, artistic aspects of performing a wide range of voice over genres--commercial, characters/animation, narration, industrial, etc. VoiceTraxSF directors all have decades of experience in the industry and are uniformly generous with their knowledge and their engagement with the students. When the Covid pandemic hit and locked us all down in our individual homes by mid-March 2020, VoiceTraxSF leadership swiftly shifted in the middle of a semester to an all-online teaching model without interruption of a single class. These are skilled working voice over professionals and experienced teachers/directors who make the school an indispensable contribution to the craft of voice work, and who train successful new generations of top tier voice artists. VoiceTraxSF is a small, personalized shop with an outsized impact on the art form that is voice acting. read more

Since this was my first class, an intense seminar for $360 over two days, here is the deal. For the money you will get to do one tag line, a 15, 30 and 60 second spot as narration or announcer, no characters. You will experience what it is like to be in the studio and take direction as to how the spot should sound, get advice etc. You'll get a few handouts and insights into the business, how to conduct yourself in the studio. My class has 11 people, most had had drama classes or other VO classes. The voices all seem very slick. A couple did not sound that far off from audition material. It is amazing how difficult it can be to deliver what the director wants, to parse etc. So, having never done this it was as an eye opener. It is a drama class behind a mic. Some drove 2 hrs to the class. This seminar has all that the longer 6 week course has but no character voices, that class runs $460. I think it would be of more value if students had more than one chance in the studio. It takes getting use to. For the money, I left feeling somewhat empty. I think more could have taken place in the 10-11 hours over two days. read more

Just finished up the Beginning Seminar with Chuck and had a great time! Chuck had us behind the mic within 40 minutes of arriving and set up a totally supportive environment for everyone to start finding their "voices". We partnered to improvise scenes based on Chuck's prompts then recorded tags with various attitudes, further developing our approach with the feedback and support of our classmates and more direction from Chuck. That was just the first evening! The following day Chuck had us rehearsing and recording longer spots in groups of 2, 3 and 4 that we'd then listen to and share supportive critiques. Chuck's acting talent impressive vocal range give his direction and demonstrations a lot of weight and his anecdotes and descriptions reveal that he's a very smart and fun guy to work with. As a former performer with VO experience from 30 years ago this was a great class for me to explore what might be possible and I think most of the very diverse group in the class would say the same. No small feat for Chuck to pull off in about ten hours! read more

I attended the intro class, and basically would love to get to be trained by Ms Paris, her style and capability seem truly wonderful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5ZHaHIhAV4 this link is a lot of what $60 buys you for an intro lecture, but not. I was impressed how intimidated i was to actually be there, i had not expected that. I feel confident, she could work with me and have me learn Voice Over. I have to go to the intro class at VoiceMedia in Lafayette, and i need to check out Voice One in SF but even if i go to one of them for some class or what ever, i feel like i want to be infected with Sam's enthusiasm for VO. I made a mistake not volunteering, to get chance to enjoy her direction, i loved watching her do it with people but i just sat cowering in the corner,,since i drive a motorbike , fly a small airplane and have windsurfed under the GG bridge,i find it funny, the surprise of how intimidated i was. That was really worth going to the intro to feel as well as to watch her work with the people who were smart enough to get up and volunteer. read more

I've been taking classes at Voicetrax for three years and I have learned so much, had a lot of fun and met some really awesome and talented people -- instructors and students. It feels like a community. Samantha and the Voicetrax team pay attention and guide each individual student. read more