Voice Acting Classes: How to Choose and 10 Schools

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Quick answer: voice acting classes run from one-evening intro sessions to multi-week intensives and private coaching. Match the class to your goal. Take fundamentals if you are new, animation or video game classes for characters, and narration classes for audiobooks and commercials. Below are ten US schools we checked on their official sites, each with a link.

Voice work looks easy from the outside. You stand at a microphone and talk. Then you hear your first playback and realize how much acting, breath and listening sit behind a thirty-second read.

That is why training matters, and why the choices feel confusing. Some schools teach in a studio on a Saturday. Others run live on Zoom in small groups. A few mix classes with demo production, which is a different thing and worth keeping apart.

This guide explains the types of classes, how to judge a teacher and what to watch for. Then it lists ten places by city, plus online options. Each one was opened on its official site in November 2026. We left out prices and fees, because they change by term. Open the school page for current dates and costs. If you are still mapping the whole path, start with our guide to how to become a voice actor.

Types of Voice Acting Classes

Most schools sort their classes into a few families. Knowing the family tells you what you will practice and what you will walk away with.

Fundamentals and beginner classes

First, these cover microphone basics, reading copy aloud, taking direction and the way the business works. They usually include a short recorded read that you get feedback on. If you have never recorded a script, begin here. A good intro class also helps you decide whether you like the work before you spend more.

Animation, video game and character classes

Here you build characters with your voice and body. Expect improv, scene work and a lot of vocal range. Some schools also ask you to finish a beginner class first. Video game classes often add effort sounds, which are the grunts, shouts and reactions that games use all the time.

Commercial and narration classes

For example, commercial reads are short, conversational and timed to the second. Narration, however, covers explainers, documentaries and audiobooks. So these classes teach copy analysis, pacing and how to sound natural while following a script.

Audition, home studio and business classes

Working voice actors record auditions at home, so many schools teach microphone setup, editing and slating. Others focus on marketing yourself and understanding union and non-union work. Our note on union vs. non-union acting explains the basics.

Private coaching

Also, one-on-one coaching suits you when you have a specific goal, such as a character reel or a stronger audiobook sample. It costs more time than a group class because the work is built around you. Several schools below offer it next to group classes.

How to Choose Voice Acting Classes

Start with your goal. If you want cartoons and games, an animation class will do more for you than a commercial class. If you already act on camera or on stage, look for a class built for actors, not for people who have never performed.

Then look at the teacher. Check these points on the school page before you book.

Does the teacher work in voice over now? Look for a bio with real credits you can search.
How big is the group? Smaller groups mean more time on the microphone, and some schools say the number outright.
Do you get feedback on your own read, or only lectures?
Is the class live and interactive, or pre-recorded? Both are fine, but you should know which one you are buying.
Does the page list real dates, levels and prerequisites?

Also, be careful with promises. The National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) says to make a demo only when you can reproduce the reads live in session. It also warns against coaching that keeps you paying without moving you toward a demo (see its guide to demo best practices). Because of that, a teacher who guarantees work, or who pushes a demo package before you are ready, is a red flag.

Stay skeptical of any “casting” that asks you to pay first. Our guide to spotting a fake casting call applies to voice work too. For a broader view of picking a program, read how to choose acting classes, and ask yourself whether you need a full program at all with do you need acting school.

Voice Acting Classes in New York

New York has several studios close together in Midtown, plus schools that teach on Zoom. If you are building a full acting plan in the city, see our list of acting classes in NYC.

Edge Studio

Edge Studio is a voice-over school and recording company whose flagship is at 115 West 45th Street in Manhattan. It also works in Los Angeles through a partner studio in Studio City and in the Washington, DC area. Its class schedule says every class is taught live and interactively, either in a studio or online over Zoom, by working voice actors.

Recent class titles include How to Start in Voice Over, Voice Acting Fundamentals with Feedback, Technique 101, Auditions 101, Home Studio 101, Vocal Health and Character Development for Animation. Edge also lists private coaching, kids and teens coaching and demo production. See the Edge Studio class schedule.

Such A Voice

Such A Voice runs introductory voice-over classes in several regions. Its New York page says it has taught there since 2011, and it also has a Chicago page. Its classes are interactive. You read a script on a microphone and cover techniques such as pace and pitch, commercial and narration work, union basics, marketing yourself, a home studio and what a demo needs.

Because the pages do not list dates, you ask by email, and the company also offers online packages for people who cannot attend in person. Start with the Such A Voice New York page.

A Class Act NY

A Class Act NY is a performing arts studio for ages 4 through adult. Its class list includes an On-Camera and Voice-Over category in weekly classes, one-day masterclasses and summer programs, and some masterclasses are online. The site does not give the age range or format for each voice-over class, so call or email the studio before you register. Read more at A Class Act NY.

Voice Acting Classes in Los Angeles

Several Los Angeles schools build classes around animation and games. For general training in the city, see our guide to acting classes in Los Angeles.

Real Voice LA

Real Voice LA is a Los Angeles voiceover studio with in-person and online classes. Its class page groups work by animation, commercial, gaming, promo, home recording and Spanish. Recent listings included an in-person Intro to Voiceover, an online Intro to Voiceover, a Level Two Video Game Intensive, a weekly online VO workout, a character class and an agent night. Browse the Real Voice LA classes.

Kalmenson & Kalmenson

Kalmenson & Kalmenson teaches through its own method, with educators based in Los Angeles and live online classes capped at ten students. Also, the levels fit different starting points. Foundations is for people very new to voice over, and Voice Over for Actors is for working on-camera or theatrical actors who want to analyze copy and define a voice-over “signature.” Working Pros is for people who already have a voice-over agent, and Animation covers character work after a first-level class.

When we checked, the site said it was accepting enrollments. See the Kalmenson & Kalmenson classes.

Voice Acting Mastery

Voice Acting Mastery is led by voice actor Crispin Freeman and also offers coaching with Lauren Mayfield. In Los Angeles it lists Character Archetype and Character Scenes workshops, Improv for Voice Actors and Audition Analysis, and Anime Voice Acting workshops. Online, it lists a Beginner Bootcamp and an Online Voice Acting Workshop, plus private online coaching.

The home page does not list class dates. Check the Voice Acting Mastery site for what is open.

Art of Acting Studio

Art of Acting Studio, a not-for-profit acting school in Los Angeles, lists a Voice Over 101 workshop. The course covers radio commercials, television commercials, audiobook and narration, and animation. Its New York edition has run as a Saturday workshop, and students get MP3 files of their weekly work. The final class covers the business side.

Applicants apply online and schedule an entrance interview. See the Art of Acting Studio voice workshops for the next session.

Voice Acting Classes in Atlanta

Atlanta has a school built around voice work. Our acting classes in Atlanta guide covers the city’s general acting schools.

Atlanta Voiceover Studio

Atlanta Voiceover Studio is based in Atlanta and teaches everyone from beginners to people working on auditions. Its workshops include Intro to Voiceover, Intro to Animation, Intro to VO for Kids, VO Audition Overhaul and Agent Rep Prep. Its classes include a Beginner Voiceover Intensive, Acting for Animation and Video Games, and virtual audiobook narration classes. It also teaches editing software, including Audacity, Adobe Audition and Pro Tools.

Besides classes, it offers a monthly script workout, private coaching, kid demos and a social night for voice actors. Its site lists upcoming training dates. See Atlanta Voiceover Studio.

Voice Acting Classes in Chicago

Improv is a strong base for voice work, and Chicago is full of it. For stage and screen training, our guide to acting classes in Chicago lists schools by focus.

The Second City

The Second City is known for improv, and its Chicago acting page points students to voiceover courses. Its class search lists Voiceover 101 and Advanced Voiceover, both online. The advanced course runs five weeks and is both recorded and interactive. You read scripts, post them to a discussion thread and get written coaching, then redo your reads.

Topics include slating, copy analysis, announcer reads, dialogues, audiobooks and narration. See the Second City Advanced Voiceover page.

Such A Voice in Chicago

Such A Voice also has an introductory Chicago page. It describes the same kind of beginner class, covering voice-over types, union basics, how to find work, home studio needs and a standout demo. The page does not say whether the Chicago sessions are in person, so confirm that with the school at the email on the Such A Voice Chicago page.

Online Voice Acting Classes From Anywhere

If your city has no voice school, then online classes fill the gap. Edge Studio, Kalmenson & Kalmenson, Real Voice LA, The Second City and Voice Acting Mastery all list online options above. One more fits here.

Acting & Voice Studios

Acting & Voice Studios runs online voice-over classes, including commercial, animation and beginner tracks. Many are masterclasses and short intensives taught by agents, casting directors and working actors. Recent schedules have included a two-week voice-over intensive and an animation masterclass. The school also offers voice-over reels as a separate service.

That mix of casting professionals is also useful when you want to hear what the industry looks for. Treat a casting director masterclass as a chance to learn, not a promise of work. Browse Acting & Voice Studios.

What to Do Before and After You Book

First, warm up your voice before every class. Our note on vocal warm-ups gives you a routine, and NAVA has a page on vocal health.

Also, practice reading aloud between sessions, and record yourself on a phone. Listening back is how most voice actors find their habits. If you plan to audition remotely, a clean self-tape setup teaches you much of the same discipline with a camera.

When you finish a beginner class, wait before you pay for a demo. Ask your teacher whether your reads are ready to repeat live. Then look at where the work is, in our guide to voice acting jobs, and read about getting a talent agent.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need acting experience before voice acting classes?

Not for the beginner tier. Edge Studio, Real Voice LA, Atlanta Voiceover Studio and Such A Voice all offer intro classes. Kalmenson & Kalmenson separates its beginner Foundations class from Voice Over for Actors, which is meant for actors already working on camera or on stage.

Can I take voice acting classes online?

Yes. Edge Studio teaches live over Zoom, and Kalmenson & Kalmenson classes are live online. Real Voice LA, Voice Acting Mastery, The Second City and Acting & Voice Studios list online classes too. Confirm the format on the class page.

What do voice acting classes teach?

Most cover microphone technique, reading copy, taking direction, auditions and the business. Specialty classes focus on animation, video games, commercials or audiobooks.

Are there classes for kids and teens?

Yes, some schools have them. Edge Studio lists kids and teens coaching, and Atlanta Voiceover Studio lists an Intro to VO for Kids workshop. Check the age range on each page.

Do I need a demo right after a class?

Wait, because NAVA advises making a demo only when you can repeat the reads live in session. Ask your teacher for an honest read on your readiness first.

How do I know a school is real?

First, look for named teachers with searchable credits, dated classes and an official site. Never pay a stranger who offers a voice job and asks for money in return.

Reviewed in November 2026.

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