NEUTRAL SPANISH ACCENT COACHING
What dialect should I learn? Mexican Spanish, Riplatense, Caribbean, Peninsular... ?
Just like there are various "versions" of English (American, British, Australian), there are regional variations in Spanish. I've lived and worked in Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico, Argentina, and several other Spanish-language countries, and teach Neutral Spanish with a focus on Latin American usage, which offers the greatest benefits for optimal intelligibility across the Spanish world.
Doesn't everyone have an accent based on where they're from?
Yes, in every language everyone has "an accent." Yet in broadcast and many other professions, folks develop a "neutral" form of speech designed to avoid strong regional and national speech patters, with intelligibility as a key focus: speech that's readily understood by the greatest number of people. Read more on Neutral Spanish and my work experience with it (and see my talent demo).
What's your hourly fee?
I charge 100.000 Gs per hour.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions (Preguntas frecuentes)
How long do we need for each session?
It depends on your attention span, I recommend 2-hour sessions. I meet with most of my clients once or twice a month, inviting them to bring materials they're using for studying Spanish, if any. I provide most of the content, however, and this includes the "Real Life Scripts" that we write together (in both English and Spanish).
I'm not even close to being conversational in Spanish yet... Just beginning here, so I don't need this service yet, right?
Actually, you want to start getting pronunciation right from the get go, to avoid developing and reinforcing bad habits... So, you're right on not needing as much in terms of conversation, but it's a good idea to focus on diction/intelligibility as you start developing vocabulary.
What does "accent free" Spanish mean?
Beats me. There's always an accent, even if it's "neutral" or undefined. Here's the deal: When you speak Neutral Spanish, folks don't have a clue where you're from, or where you learned Spanish. You're able to communicate effectively in pretty much any Spanish-speaking community, which is not the case with some of the strong regional accents out there -- yep, even "native speakers" who have those accents have trouble making themselves understood at times.
