Thanks, Dod! It's almost incosigal (impossible) at times to write it out so people can understand. I did my best!

Nark
markwade@kidshowvent.com

Also tough to explain it without doing it while you write!

-Philip

Yes maybe, but Mark has an excuse. He did get the registration forms up a few days early for the ConVENTion (I have already signed up and paid for ours). Being early on something REAL important gives Mark a huge pass for any perceived clarity problem, although even I understood what he was saying. Good job Mark. Now the rest of you get your registrations in for July!!!

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

I was trying to push my tongue forward, not rolling it down; I have fixed that problem and I am now rolling it down past my front teeth, it is much better now that I fully understand.

I am using a mirror for practice but using a larger table top recorder, not a small hand-held tape recorder as you suggested.

I am not sure that all languages use the same "tricks" at the same time. I am French speaking...
When I began to learn ventriloquism, I was lucky to meet a belgian Ventriloquist who lead me to the first difficulties... I had no tape or DVD to help me. But he lended me a book, first written in Spanish (by Ciuro, "Ventrilocuo", translated in French). Really good in his explanations and exercices. And that lead me to a constatation : the are two or three methods to say a vent "b" or "p" etc. None of them is perfect. But each of them has a situation to be used. In the same sentence, I often use once the throat, once the tongue to get a nearly perfect sound.

So when you are taught a technique, remember that it is not universal, but just good for some types of sentences. And more over that you have to adapt it to your mouth and voice.

And anyway, remember Jimmy Nelson's words : whaterver the technique, if you think "d" when saying a "b", you'll hear a "d" and so will the assistance. Il you think "b" you will hear "b" and so will the assistance!

We all discover progressively (and sometimes just by chance!) our best way to trick the words. It took me a few years (yes, years) to find how to get my larynx down and make very different voices...

What I need help with more than anything are comedy routines and writing. Are there any books that have beginner's routines available? I would like to read a lot of vent scripts and acts before I start writing my own.

Matt,

For beginner routines there is probably nobody who will have more to choose from than Clinton Detweiler. http://www.ventdj.blogspot.com
Another possible source would be to check with Tom Ladshaw (google him). I don't know what Tom will have, but what he does not have he will know where to get it.


Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

Steve Taylor's "Humoring Your Dummy" is an excellent video to get you started.

I'm writing a book on writing comedy material...hopefully out by this summer. I did a set of cassette tapes (what's that?) a number of years ago called "Comedy Writing for Kidshows" but it has been off the shelves for years. I didn't redo it. The ideas are sound in the tape set so I can use these in my new book.

In fact I am writing a new, small series of books for ventriloquists. I'll let you know more as the books start toward completion. I just did the outline and roughed out the chapters for the first three yesterday! I wantd you guys (and gals) to know first.

Mark
markwade@kidshowvent.com

Mark,

Let me know as soon as you get them available. We are all the time getting requests for material like these. If you put them up on your site when finished, we can link to your site and give you a little "boost" of folks needing to find these.

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

Thanks, Steve! These books are going to be real affordable..in the $10.00 range at present. Time will tell us more as we progress with all of this.

Mark
markwade@kidshowvent.com

Mark,

Count me in on that! I will definitely purchase one when they become available also.

See Mark, You have one set sold already.

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

Thanks for encouragement, guys!

Mark
markwade@kidshowvent.com

Mark;

Do you distribute the books yourself, or do you have a publisher that prints for you?

Buzz, on my first book, "Kidshow Ventriloquism", SPS Publications (Samuel Patrick Smith) did the publishing. I published the second edition and will self-publish these books that will be in a series.

Mark
markwade@kidshowvent.com

Hi Mark,

A difficulty in translation is that sometimes humor that makes one continent lough leaves the other indifferent or nearly. But I am interested in the series of routines you will propose for beginners (what I am since 2004... )and see if I can translate them into French. If I find it is possible, I will contact you to avaluate a good way of working without it be a ruin for me and I do not fall into piracy...
I am the webmaster of the French Speaking Ventriloquists Association site («A 2 Voix») - http://a2voix.magie-ffap.com/index.php?op=edito
So please do not miss to mail me (an the others!) when issuing the books!

Frego

Mark: please count me in as well when your book on writing comedy is available! I have two other books now but would highly value anything you have to say or suggest. Your DVD that I got with the Maher course is superb and I enjoy watching it over and over!