I Netflix-ed a wonderful old film featuring
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy
called “Letter of Introduction” from 1938.
Charlie and Edgar are just amazing!

Now I’m very, very new to learning ventriloquism,
however watching and listening to their scenes
over and over, it’s had to believe
that they were using the standard difficult-consonant substitutions.

True, in Bergen’s technique there is some slight lip-movement while Charlie misdirects with his antics,
but it’s still hard to believe they were using the same techniques I’m learning.

No matter the tongue/teeth techniques I try,
psychologically “thinking” about a -B- when my figure is saying a -D-
...it still is sounding much too much like “Da-nana D-oat" and not “Banana Boat”.

Other than hours and years of practice,
is there something else the top-bananas are doing
to make their labial consonants so totally convincing?

Thanks!
Walt

It really is hours of practice over many months, even years.

It helps to think that you have a disability that you can't use your lips to produce labials. Then you experiment using your tongue and teeth, the roof of your mouth to make the labial sound.

It can be done but it will take practice and experimentation.

I suspect it's one of those things that when you discover how to do it, you are amazed that you didn't see how to do it before. I struggle with it, especially the "M" since my name is Marty, I want my figure to be able to call me. I guess I could use my Japanese middle name "Shigeo", unfortunately that's very forgetable for Western folk.

Walt:

Please see this earlier thread for some helpful advice.

Good luck!

Bob

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......m=182&14

Thank you so much for providing the link to the earlier thread!
It is quite helpful.

I feel like a ten-year-old all over again,
starting from scratch with this challenge!

And I thought mastering Linking Rings and Cups & Balls was hard… ha!
Vent work is harder, and just as time consuming I’m learning.

I have an extensive background in theater and acting,
I even took phonetics in college,
and have worked for decades with voice support, production, and singing,
…without that under my belt this would be even more daunting,
and I’d be lost.

Talk about teaching an old dog new tricks?
Teaching an old tongue new tricks is quite something!

At least I’ve found his voice,
now to produce it lip-less….

Thanks for the help and support here,
and a special thank you to Ax for his encouraging PM’s.

Back to the mirror…

Walt