A DISCUSSION WITH BOB LADD

Some folks have a wider vocal range than others. I have a high to a very low range while others have a VERY LIMITED range. It is your vocal box that determines that. Just check that out with your friends and see what I mean. Most women cannot reach the bass voice a man can, likewise a man cannot reach a high voice as women can. There are exceptions.Wilma Swatrz has an unusual female range. You have to hear her in person to hear it. That is why in singing groups there are various singing ranges within the group. Right?

I started out at a very young age. You do know that a young person has a different vocal range than an older person. It changes in a boy around the teenage period. So my childhood vent was mostly with a boy dummy. When I was in mid life I got Elvira and developed a middle aged woman's voice a well as a young boy's voice. Milton Fried, try as he could, could not develop another voice other than his own. His boy scout did not REALLY have a boy scout voice. I tried to help him at the convention but to no avail.

I do hope to be able to come to the 2009 convention. We'll see.

Bob Ladd, Elvira Nosegay and Bobby Splinters
The Jordontown Hillbilly




I am agreeing with you... I am saying basically that anyone who wants to practice and work at being a vent can achive that goal, weather they achive it is intirely up to them, yes the voice must fit the character and if its something of being un vent worthy then that person is and was in your friends case un prepared, I don't like to criticise those who can't defend themselves....I have the Maher Course, as well as Winchells dvd and Book, Steve Taylors course, various tapes and many many books on vent but still coincider myself unprepeared, I am still a novice, I study vent like a course go to my BLOG and and enjoy all that I have included. I am over 61 with vent as a hobby for now, when I retire from working full time I will be able to dedicate more time and energy.. I will be attending Vent Haven conVENTion in 09 maybe we can discuss this more in detail then, always open to new and better ways to build a better mouse trap...
N J---
Milton Fried had a boy scout figure and the voice of the figure was Milton's not a boy. I don't call that a good ventriloquist my dear friend. A boy's voice is not that of a 40 year old man! Sorry! If you call that ventriloquism then you better get the Clinton Detweiler's course and practice up.

Suppose Edgar Bergen gave Charlie McCarthy or Mortimer Snerd a voice similar to his, would you consider that good? No sir! And he gave a female voice to Effie Klinker.

My Elvira Nosegay has a female voice, and Bobby Splinters a young boy's voice even though I am 80 years old. Not many can do that! (I don't like to brag so I do not...only privately to YOU)

No,not EVERYONE can be a ventriloquist! Likewise, not everyone can be a comedian. Some folks can sing and others are so flat that Nelson Eddy turns over in his grave!

Bob Ladd, Elvira Nosegay and Bobby Splinters
The Jordantown Hillbilly


Just go to a Vent Haven ConVENTion and you will see why I made that statement. One dear friend of mine, now dead, spoke in his voice and could not do another voice try as he might...period. His name, Milton Fried. Nice guy but no ventriloquist. There have been others who attempted but failed MISERABLY! I have been to about 28 conventions there so I have seen all kinds of attempts. Some very brutal and embarrassing. I saw Jeff Dunham when he was just in high school and I knew immediately that he would become a STAR!Bob Ladd, Elvira Nosegay and Bobby SplintersThe Jordantown HillbillyI will be there comming this July I am not the calaber of a Jeff or Terry, and 'maybe he didn't want to do another voice', mimicry is mimicry Vent is Vent. But at my age I don't strive to be more then i should be, I have done well in my life and have no complaints, but if I should put a smile on some kids faces once in a while that would be reward enough for me, I enjoy the world of Ventriloquism and I have a nice BLOG that people from all over the world has gone to visit, so I did what I set out to do with that as well, If in the short time that I can dabble in Vent, well then bravo for me. If you speak of the higher calaber of vent that is difficult for some one over the age of 60 to achive, well then I agree, but if you are saying not everyone with the desire can strive to achive well I beg to differ, again I say if you work at it anyone can become a vent. Practice Practice PracticeN J