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Learn How To Be a Ventriloquist

ventriliquist

Over the past 25 years, Ronn Lucas has entertained four U.S. presidents, Queen Elizabeth and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. He has had three TV series and numerous TV specials, performed on Broadway and starred in his own Las Vegas show for nearly a decade.

The constant in all his acts: Boys’ Life magazine.

“My earliest shows were for my fellow Scouts,” Lucas says. “I often used jokes found in Boys’ Life. To this day, I’m pretty sure there is at least one joke floating around my act that was borrowed from Pedro.”

Lucas started with Boys’ Life. Now, you can, too, as this awesome ventriloquist shares the secrets of his art.

WHAT IS VENTRILOQUISM?

Ventriloquism (say ven-TRIL-o-kwism) is the art of talking with the tongue and not moving the mouth or face. When a skilled ventriloquist does this sitting beside a figure (or “dummy”) that has a moving mouth, it looks like the figure is talking. It works because humans use their eyes to find sound sources. When the ventriloquist is not moving his mouth but the puppet’s mouth is moving, people think they “see” the figure talking.

LEARN THE EASY ALPHABET

Sit in front of a mirror and make a slight smile with your lips parted. Make your teeth lightly touch. Your tongue should have room to move. If you see your tongue moving in the mirror, then change your smile until the tongue is hidden. Your goal is to breathe easily and read aloud these 19 letters without moving your lips:

A, C, D, E, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, Q, R, S, T, U, X, Z.

Practice the following sentences until they sound clear but your lips don’t move: “Hey, this rocks, dude! It is sooooo easy. Anything you can say, I can say, too!” If you sound muffled, try making your voice come from some higher place in your head as well as your mouth.

MOVE ON THE THE TRICKY LETTERS

There are seven trickier letters: B, F, M, P, V, W and Y.

These letters normally require you to move your lips. To say them without moving his face, the ventriloquist borrows from the easy alphabet, some other letters or combined sounds to “fake” the tricky letters. Use these substitutions:

B = D
F = “eth”
M = N
P = T
V = “thee”
W and Y = O+I

B = D

Instead of saying “The Bad Boy Buys a Basket” the ventriloquist says, “The Dad Doy Duys a Dasket.” Try this in the mirror. At first, this substitution won’t sound right; but with practice, D can be made to sound like B. [Hint: When your tongue rises to the top inside of your mouth to make D, let it stick to the roof of your mouth a little longer before releasing. Also, say D but think B.]

F = ETH

Instead of saying “Phil is a Frisky, Funny Fellow,” try saying, “Thil is a Thrisky, Thunny Thellow.” Say the “eth” sound but think F as you do it.

M = N

“Mary Mashes Many Mangos” becomes “Nary Nashes Nany Nangos.” Make the N vibrate against the roof of your mouth. Keep thinking M.

P = T

“Peter is a Practice Pilot” becomes “Teter is a Tractice Tilot.” Try holding the T a little longer, then release with a little puff of air behind it.

V = THEE

“Vinnie Very much Values Victory” becomes “Thinny Thery nuch Thalues Thictory.”

W AND Y = O+I

W and Y are treated alike. By quickly sliding the letters O and I together you can say “O-Aye” and it sounds like Why. Try putting a fast O to the front of the following: “Why Would Wally Walk?” You’ll be saying “O-Aye O-ould O-olly O-alk?” Now drop the O (or say it silently in your head), and you’ll be saying a clean W sound without using your lips.

In a short time, these substitutions become automatic. Practice for 15 to 20 minutes a day and in about a week you’ll see some serious results! Practice your ventriloquism with a relaxed puppet-like voice that is higher or lower than your own.

68 Comments on Learn How To Be a Ventriloquist

  1. I really want to try doing ventriloquism, but I don’t know where to go to study or try it out…

  2. Anonymous // May 10, 2018 at 3:16 pm // Reply

    Thank you so much!

  3. Anonymous // May 3, 2018 at 11:59 pm // Reply

    VERY HELPFUL LEARNINB TO BE A VENTRILIQUIST IN FOUR WEEKS FOR A SENIOR SHOW. I AM ALSO A SENIOR

  4. This was very helpful I llllllllooooooovvvvvvveeeeeee Ventriloquism

  5. Carol would love to learn

  6. iji nintendogs ds // February 17, 2018 at 1:26 pm // Reply

    looks pretty hard but, actually pretty easy. cooool

  7. Thery helpful adthice

  8. i want to do this

  9. This is TOO hard.

  10. I can’t do it. I can’t do dummy speak.

  11. I find this super! Very helpful!

  12. Don’t know why I never tried it before, especially since I love making characters in different voices, but not bringing them to life with a puppet or have them talk.

  13. i cannot do it!!!

  14. Ventriloquist A master // October 7, 2017 at 8:35 am // Reply

    I find it easy doing the alphabet. Ventriloquist A Master😃😃

  15. I find this very hard.

  16. It is really hard

  17. alamagabaga // October 6, 2017 at 9:53 am // Reply

    Fun but where do you get pupets and how much do they cost?

  18. I love this website

  19. I'll never tell LOL // September 23, 2017 at 9:13 am // Reply

    Sry typo I meant thing

  20. I'll never tell LOL // September 23, 2017 at 9:13 am // Reply

    After seeing Darci Lynn win America’s Got Talent I’m very inspired to start learning ventriloquism! Let’s DO THIS THANG!!!

  21. Kundi-Malaysia // September 10, 2017 at 2:02 am // Reply

    Sir in your introduction you said ‘ let your teeth touch the tongue gently’ is this upper or lower teeth?
    Thanking you in anticipation

  22. Hophopbunny20 // September 1, 2017 at 3:58 pm // Reply

    Wow this is great. Tysm

  23. EarlyBird777 // June 24, 2017 at 12:58 am // Reply

    Omg thanks so much for teaching me ventriloquism! Because of this i’m now the entertainer in our school with my friend puppet, Peanuts! It was very fun to learn and do thanks so much! Looking forward to more of these awesome things!

  24. I’ve always loved ventriloquism and knowing that i can learn such a brilliant thing is amazing! I think I’m already getting the hang of it!

  25. you are welcome

  26. Supernatural // April 3, 2017 at 1:06 pm // Reply

    I love this article. More please.

  27. it really works

  28. The Entertainer // February 28, 2017 at 2:51 pm // Reply

    Well nothing new… Good for the beginners 😇

  29. How do you throw your voice?

  30. puppetmaster // June 17, 2016 at 8:16 am // Reply

    You can bring life into things just by using your talent. No need to look further to learn the superb art of ventriloquism, as you can acquire this amazing talent from the most experienced ventriloquist at affordable prices.

  31. Will a sock puppet work when your first starting

  32. I will be a great ventriloquist

  33. Ventriloquist Master // December 26, 2015 at 2:51 pm // Reply

    I have my own ventriloquist dummy. It wasn’t a high price. But don’t think I’m real good at ventriloquism because I only got mine yesterday. I have the Danny o’ day dummy. Only his mouth moves though.

  34. the doctor1234 // June 2, 2015 at 11:55 am // Reply

    this is so fun but hard some times its easy

  35. A sock puppet would work….

  36. very useful

  37. I found a bit challenging

  38. Kyfus James Henry // July 30, 2013 at 8:40 pm // Reply

    This was very handy if you put the fair time needed into it. I have already done a few shows. It’s quite a fun yet unusual talent to catch.

  39. Ronn Lucas is a terriffic entertainer! He was the only thing of value that I saw when I was in Las Vegas years ago. His show was truly family fare. It’s great to know that he was a Scout – it all makes sense now!

  40. i realy want to try this!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  41. how much do the dolls cost

    • The costs of the dolls increase with complexity and depend on materials. Old style puppets start out around 50 dollars. They are cheaply made and are not as nice as they could be. The better dolls are 200 dollars or more. Usually more. Jeff Dunham has produced a little Jeff doll for 125-150 per doll depending on where you buy it.

    • The dolls can run as cheap as 50 bucks to thousands of dollars. A good vent figure on average is around 350.00.

  42. how long does this take?

  43. this is soo hard

  44. wow! i soooo want to be A ventriloquist. Lets do dis!

  45. Sacajawea // May 14, 2012 at 6:03 pm // Reply

    This is very fun. I really like it.

  46. I like learning about ventriloquists and i’m just starting this information

  47. says: says: // April 5, 2012 at 2:52 pm // Reply

    This seems like fun, now i want a puppet

  48. Very cool thank you

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