Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

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Fionordequester
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Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by Fionordequester » Sat Sep 01, 2018 12:22 am

So for a while, we've been wondering why Eric Vale acquired that rasp that he didn't used to have in the original Z dub, right? Well, at SacAnime, I got to ask him about that. And the answer was quite interesting. To whit (and this isn't an EXACT word-to-word of what was said; it's just what I remember it to be)

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Fionordequester: "So as someone who's a big fan of Dragon Ball Z, I noticed that Trunk's voice has evolved from how it sounded in the Original Z dub vs. how he sounds later in Kai. In the Z dub, you spoke (imitates Z dub Trunks) 'more or less in your normal voice'...but by the Kai dub, (imitates Kai dub Trunks) 'it's gotten more of a rasp to it, kind of like what his father, Vegeta, had'. And I was just wondering about what went into change. Was it a conscious decision on your part, or did it just sort of 'happen'?"

Eric Vale: "Well, it was a 'conscious decision', insomuch as I didn't want to completely destroy my voice. I wanted to keep working; and voice acting is very rough. So I found it easier to sort of 'control the fall' as it were, instead of damaging my voice to where I couldn't perform anymore. So that's the reason there."

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So basically, Dragon Ball Z is very hard on an actor's vocal chords, and Eric Vale needed to adjust his voice to deal with that. Hope you all find this illuminating :D !
Last edited by Fionordequester on Sat Sep 01, 2018 1:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by KBABZ » Sat Sep 01, 2018 12:51 am

Nice tidbit, thanks for that! I'm not familiar with the Z voice but I like how the Kai voice does have that extra link to Vegeta, and is a reflection of the world and time he originates from.

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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by Kataphrut » Sat Sep 01, 2018 1:40 am

Interesting that he adjusted to the pressure of voice acting in DBZ by making his voice gruffer, while Sabat did the opposite. His Vegeta and Piccolo are less hoarse compared to how they used to be and you can definitely tell it's had a positive impact. But when we talk about how these actors improved over time by voicing these characters, it isn't just quality of acting, but also taking better care of your voice.

Also OT, thanks for putting my Boy Who Cried Yamcha metaphor in your sig haha.

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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by DragonBallFoodie » Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:33 am

DB involves a lot of screaming. I can roll with the change since it's for health reasons.
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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by ABED » Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:37 am

His voice became raspier TO save his voice?
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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by 90sDBZ » Sat Sep 01, 2018 9:00 am

ABED wrote:His voice became raspier TO save his voice?
I was about to say the same thing. You'd think it would be the other way around.

I remember reading that it was to do with him smoking, although I don't know if that's true. Honestly I preferred his original voice for Trunks, but the current one is still very good with improved acting.

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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by 8000 Saiyan » Sat Sep 01, 2018 9:07 am

No wonder why he sounds so weird nowadays.

If he had kept his old voice with his years of experience, then I'd likely call him a great Trunks.
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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by The Patrolman » Sat Sep 01, 2018 9:14 am

Vic and Vale are vocal about how this series hurt their voices really badly
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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by NitroEX » Sat Sep 01, 2018 11:01 am

I'm pretty sure that using your normal voice is less taxing than maintaining a gruff voice, but okay.

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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by Shaddy » Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:27 pm

Yeah this doesn't make much sense considering how his Sanji still sounds fine...

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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by MrTennek » Sat Sep 01, 2018 11:46 pm

Sorry, but that's a load of bull. How the hell does making your voice gruffer and raspier PREVENT damaging your vocal cords?? :lolno:

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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by Fionordequester » Sun Sep 02, 2018 12:04 am

Kataphrut wrote:Also OT, thanks for putting my Boy Who Cried Yamcha metaphor in your sig haha.
Haha! And thank YOU for coming up with such an hilarious metaphor :P .

Well, I'm a little curious as to how a gruffer voice protects your vocal chords as well, so I sent a PM to TheBlackPaladin asking about it. But if I had to guess...perhaps he uses "increased gruffness" as a substitute for "increased intensity"? Like, instead of giving a really intense scream where you can tell he's straining himself, like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGXRr4xLXTg&t=28s

He just gives a really "gruff" scream that isn't ACTUALLY that much louder than the normal voice? Like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFkfJ2EtbGM&t=35s

I dunno. Just a guess.
Kataphrut wrote:It's a bit of a Boy Who Cried Wolf situation to me...Basically, the boy shouldn't have cried wolf when the wolves just wanted to Go See Yamcha. If not, they might have gotten some help when the wolves came back to Make the Donuts.
Chuquita wrote:I liken Gokû Black to "guy can't stand his job, so instead of quitting and finding a job he likes, he instead sets fire not only to his workplace so he doesn't have to work there, but tries setting fire to every store in the franchise of that company".

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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by KBABZ » Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:24 am

Fionordequester wrote:Well, I'm a little curious as to how a gruffer voice protects your vocal chords as well, so I sent a PM to TheBlackPaladin asking about it. But if I had to guess...perhaps he uses "increased gruffness" as a substitute for "increased intensity"? Like, instead of giving a really intense scream where you can tell he's straining himself, like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGXRr4xLXTg&t=28s

He just gives a really "gruff" scream that isn't ACTUALLY that much louder than the normal voice? Like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFkfJ2EtbGM&t=35s

I dunno. Just a guess.
That makes a lot of sense actually!

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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by ShadowBardock89 » Sun Sep 02, 2018 11:56 pm

This comes as no surprise. After voice acting in a series with a lot of screaming and yelling for nearly twenty years, the wear and tear will eventually alter how someone sounds.
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Re: Finally Know Why Eric Vale's Voice Changed

Post by linkdude20002001 » Sun Sep 02, 2018 11:59 pm

ABED wrote:His voice became raspier TO save his voice?
Like Fionordequester said, I think the gruffness of the raspy voice means you don't have to put as much into yelling as normal, and it'll still sound like yelling. Also, I think a deeper voice helps as well.

Still, it was a huge downgrade. he could add the rasp only while yelling and that'd've been fine. But the script is still of, so I guess in the end, it would still be a bad portrayal of Trunks. I can only cross my fingers for that Ocean dub of Kai to finally give us Polite!Trunks.
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