I think we'll assume the sound of littlens learning the language melt our hard embittered hearts and move on.
By what voice would you like your poetry read?
A voice you wish you owned?
I think if I could hitch a lift back a couple of decades and borrow an ability sucking thingy I'd pinch Richard Burton's voice. If it was a multiuse ability sucking thing my sentences would probably be more appealing.
I asked my wife this question, I was bothered I was having a problem coming up with female voices and she suggested Isabella Rossellini, and yes yes of course. She suggested Whoopi Goldberg singling out her role as a hyena in the Lion King and the oooooh Mufasa line, ye well I like Whoopi but I'm not convinced. Bellatrix Lestrange = Helena Bonham Carter = The Kings speach... ye I don't know we are often attracted to the same things but I'm not sure why. I'm not supposed to like Angelina as Lara Croft and I didn't mention Nigela.
Like you, I struggle to find a female voice that I would want to read my poems, as if she were me (my poems are almost always first person). But I know who I would want to read poems TO me. Like any American woman over a certain age, I find Sean Connery's voice absolutely toe curling. Yes please.
I'm not keen on poetry. I often find it affected and laboured, so shoot me.
However a few years ago I went to Edinburgh with a young Scottish lady with a broad Glaswegian accent. She read me some of the work of Robbie Burns and it almost literally sprang to life and I enjoyed it immensely.
Ignore the poetry, it's just a voice you like.
Quote from: The Magic Pudding on May 19, 2012, 05:34:46 PM
Ignore the poetry, it's just a voice you like.
You may be right. However her normal speech was rather gutteral, it took on a flow when reading the poetry that it lacked in normal conversation. So the poetry may have refined her delivery and accent.
I thought Jude Law's narration of Lemony Snicket a Series of Unfortunate Events was special.
Quote from: Tank on May 19, 2012, 05:36:42 PM
Quote from: The Magic Pudding on May 19, 2012, 05:34:46 PM
Ignore the poetry, it's just a voice you like.
You may be right. However her normal speech was rather gutteral, it took on a flow when reading the poetry that it lacked in normal conversation. So the poetry may have refined her delivery and accent.
Stop it, I have a fish here and I'm prepared to whack you with it.
Why don't you tell us of your liking of Churchill so we can snigger and.......... dip crackers in mysterious plastic receptacles.
When I'm in the right mood and have a suitable muse I can write some pretty swoon making prose myself.
Quote from: Tank on May 19, 2012, 05:02:26 PM
I'm not keen on poetry. I often find it affected and laboured, so shoot me.
Me, too; however, I would happily listen to Liam Neeson read the phone book.
But if I could write poetry like Dickinson or Frost (the only 2 poets I've ever been able to either stand or understand) I'd like to have Glenn Close's voice to read my work in.
If I ever wrote any poetry, the best voice to declaim it would be the late, great Spike Milligan. Happily for the rest of you, I don't indulge.
Quote from: BooksCatsEtc on May 19, 2012, 06:00:29 PM
Me, too; however, I would happily listen to Liam Neeson read the phone book.
Ye well Liam Neeson is an answer, I like his voice.
He may may well like poetry though, after all he is an entertainment type.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEkJJidVjGU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEkJJidVjGU)
Can be read well with pratically any voice IMO.
As for voices, one thing that lacks is the bass factor (imagine that), but I think that any deep voice is nice to listen to.
Quote from: Tank on May 19, 2012, 05:59:15 PM
When I'm in the right mood and have a suitable muse I can write some pretty swoon making prose myself.
You do have quite a way with the written word. :)
Tank, I do like your voice.
Quote from: Velma on May 20, 2012, 01:02:18 AM
Quote from: Tank on May 19, 2012, 05:59:15 PM
When I'm in the right mood and have a suitable muse I can write some pretty swoon making prose myself.
You do have quite a way with the written word. :)
Tank, I do like your voice.
Awwww 'fank you ;D
Interesting question. When I first saw the thread I thought you were referencing singing voices, which is a much simpler question for me. Chris Cornell, the women who sang in Clannad, and a few others. Actually, I like quite a few singing voices.
For speaking voices, I tend to like them a little deeper than normal. Australian accents add a lot, as do Irish accents. Heck, there are many accents that improve the sound of a voice to my ear. That slight sense of the exotic. I'll have to pay more attention in order to choose a few.
Quote from: Tank on May 20, 2012, 01:35:36 PM
Quote from: Velma on May 20, 2012, 01:02:18 AM
Quote from: Tank on May 19, 2012, 05:59:15 PM
When I'm in the right mood and have a suitable muse I can write some pretty swoon making prose myself.
You do have quite a way with the written word. :)
Tank, I do like your voice.
Awwww 'fank you ;D
You're velcome. ;D
Wait, how do you know what Tank's voice sounds like? Did you all end up having that HAF virtual meet up without me? >:(
Quote from: Ali on May 21, 2012, 04:55:30 PM
Wait, how do you know what Tank's voice sounds like? Did you all end up having that HAF virtual meet up without me? >:(
Velma and I go back way before HAF.
Quote from: Tank on May 21, 2012, 04:56:19 PM
Quote from: Ali on May 21, 2012, 04:55:30 PM
Wait, how do you know what Tank's voice sounds like? Did you all end up having that HAF virtual meet up without me? >:(
Velma and I go back way before HAF.
Plus there was that YouTube vid you posted where you were calling to your dogs. Velma is right, you do have a nice voice.
For my poetry, my own voice does well enough.
A voice I'd like to own..? One that spans a few more octaves, I guess.
I've always liked Barbara Feldon's voice. Her narration for "Hubble: Galaxies Across Space and Time" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e02aB49TFUA) was recorded when she was nearing 70, and she still sounded great, in my opinion.
Zooey Deschanel can read me the dictionary if she likes. I really enjoy hearing her speak and sing.
Quote from: AnimatedDirt on May 21, 2012, 07:48:47 PM
Zooey Deschanel can read me the dictionary if she likes. I really enjoy hearing her speak and sing.
Agreed! I love her voice! It's so light, clear and quirky. She could read the phone book or dictionary and I wouldn't be bored.
Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, and Gerard Butler also have great voices. I wouldn't say no to hearing any of them recite poetry.
Quote from: Amicale on May 21, 2012, 10:23:37 PM
Quote from: AnimatedDirt on May 21, 2012, 07:48:47 PM
Zooey Deschanel can read me the dictionary if she likes. I really enjoy hearing her speak and sing.
Agreed! I love her voice! It's so light, clear and quirky. She could read the phone book or dictionary and I wouldn't be bored.
And easy on my eyes too.
Quote from: AnimatedDirt on May 21, 2012, 10:27:55 PM
Quote from: Amicale on May 21, 2012, 10:23:37 PM
Quote from: AnimatedDirt on May 21, 2012, 07:48:47 PM
Zooey Deschanel can read me the dictionary if she likes. I really enjoy hearing her speak and sing.
Agreed! I love her voice! It's so light, clear and quirky. She could read the phone book or dictionary and I wouldn't be bored.
And easy on my eyes too.
Absolutely. ;D She's gorgeous. And by all accounts from people who have met her, quite funny and smart, too, as well as friendly.
She's probably one of my top 'harmless celebrity crushes'. :D
Alan Rickman (Snape in the Potter movies)
Jeremy Irons - A very good scar in the Lion King
Peter Sellers as Clouseau
John Malkovich
Wiki tells me Alice Krige was the Borg Queen in First Contact, she was pretty cool.
Quote from: AnimatedDirt on May 21, 2012, 07:48:47 PM
Zooey Deschanel can read me the dictionary if she likes. I really enjoy hearing her speak and sing.
My ex looks so much like her its scary. First time I watched Yes Man I was just transfixed at how similar they were from her looks, smile, voice (minus American accent), sense of style (her current style).
Quote from: Crow on May 22, 2012, 11:38:52 PM
Quote from: AnimatedDirt on May 21, 2012, 07:48:47 PM
Zooey Deschanel can read me the dictionary if she likes. I really enjoy hearing her speak and sing.
My ex looks so much like her its scary. First time I watched Yes Man I was just transfixed at how similar they were from her looks, smile, voice (minus American accent), sense of style (her current style).
[friendly poke]btw, Americans east of Los Angeles have accents. Angelinos do not.
Evidence...listen to singers...unless their English has a very thick accent because of their differing native tongue, they sing with no accent.[/poke]
;)
Quote from: AnimatedDirt on May 22, 2012, 11:49:23 PM
[friendly poke]btw, Americans east of Los Angeles have accents. Angelinos do not.
Evidence...listen to singers...unless their English has a very thick accent because of their differing native tongue, they sing with no accent.[/poke]
;)
I note the poke thing but what do you mean by this?
You've mentioned it before I think.
James Earl Jones in........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sXU3RfB7308 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sXU3RfB7308)
although even if I had his voice, I would need some serious training(i'm rather monotonal and undramatic in speech)
This James Earl Jones doing some Shakespeare at the White House Poetry Jam......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sXU3RfB7308 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sXU3RfB7308)
Truly talented.
Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman, for sure.
And Patrick Stewart.
I've also always loved listening to Rex Harrison, though he doesn't really sing. He kind of speaks-sings. But I like how he sounds :)
http://youtu.be/EAYUuspQ6BY (http://youtu.be/EAYUuspQ6BY)
... gee... how'd I miss a voice discussion?
Great choices. Hadn't thought about Alan Rickman or Peter Sellers, but, yeah - they're in the zone.
For women, I prefer a lower, even smokey voice.
And of course James Earle Jones. He used to leave me voice mails when I worked at Verizon (true story ;-)
If anyone would like to hear a short snippet of their poetry by Patrick Stewart or Sean Connery, I'd be happy to oblige (I've voiced them both on past projects).
...
Eddie Deezen?
(poke)