The Encouragement Of "The Distant Voice"

If you were to ask the everyday Joe what they thought of when they heard the word "ventriloquist" the most common answer would be someone who can throw their voice. What they are referring to is a voice control device used in the art of ventriloquism known as "the distant voice". Its what defines a ventriloquist to the general public.When I was a kid, the promise of learning the effect was the key selling point in the very memorable comic book ad pictured here.

Just like like a magician perform a variety of visual illusions with his hands, a ventriloquist can create a number sound illusions with his voice. He substitutes the sounds of several letter combinations (such as "th" or "pf") for other letters allowing his audience to mentally fill in the blanks for what they "think" they hear. The distant voice is an illusion created using the volume of the voice. It is creates a sound in such low volume that it "sounds" like the voice is coming from somewhere else. Thus fooling the audience into believing that the performers voice is not coming from his own mouth but from a distance object or place.

To create the distant voice the ventriloquist tightens his diaphragm and restricts the flow of air through his voice box. When he speaks the low volume voice sounds muffled and far away. It's a trick the doesn't come naturally but is something that has to be learned and practiced. It is also an aspect of ventriloquist's act that gains him admiration and notoriety. As a "vent", if you've mastered the advanced skill of the distant voice you have an entire new avenue available to you with which to entertain your audience.

Can you believe that God from the minute he created man designed the vocal cords so that this special ability and be learned and used? What an awesome God he is!

As I said the skill of the distant voice is one desired by all ventriloquists. Not all can do it. I have been trying to learn the distant voice since 2006. I have not been able to achieve the effect. I don't have the breath control it requires. I tried plenty of times during my initial months of performing ventriloquism 3 years ago. Not being able to do it was very frustrating. Finally I decided that I wasn't one of the "lucky ones" who had the gift of the distant voice. I gave up trying. But then I lost 100 pounds.

Let's flash forward to a couple of days ago. While driving home from work I was practicing for my upcoming events when I thought about the distant voice. It came to my mind because I've been reading Terry Fator's book. He's the ventriloquist who won America's Got Talent's 2nd season. He wrote about using the distant voice as a young ventriloquist. That got me thinking about it again. Those thoughts made me realize just how long it had been since I gave up trying it. It was time to try again.

I tightened my gut as though I were picking up a box that is entirely too heavy to lift. (That's the how the instructional DVDs of ventriloquists Paul Winchell and Mark Wade describe the circumstances you need to emulate with your body and diaphragm in order to do the distant voice) I tried to speak with the distant voice letting a little amount of air through my vocal cords. Most of it was nothing but a small gasp but I did speak a phrase with the distant voice. Yes, I did the distant voice. I heard it. Not much but I heard it. It was the effect I have longed to do and I did it.

I realized when I tried to do it again that I still have to loose some girth in my midsection in order to be able to position my diaphragm correctly and without excessive strain or losing my breath. I may even have to work on firming up my ab muscles a bit as well. But there's potential there for success.

Now I have something to work toward. I see a hope that one of the unique effects that will add something and memorable to my ventriloquist act is within my reach. That encourages me to keep working at improving my vent skills.

My faith in God's plans to use me as a ventriloquist have been strengthened with a glimpse into the future. It will take some hard work but with the grace, blessing, and help of The Lord, coming of the horizon I hear the distant voice.