Whether you’re new to audiobook performance or a seasoned narrator hoping to become a more proficient producer, ACX is here to help you. But beware, this is not an easy task. Watch these videos, and then study up on our ACX Rules for Audiobook Production because ACX requires you to create finished retail-ready audio, not just rough unedited narration.
The room you set up to make the recordings has a massive influence on your finished work. A great set up will allow you to quickly and efficiently produce audiobooks that sound great, while a bad set up will make this work miserable and can ruin otherwise great performances.
Of course, the equipment you use is important too, but if you’re on a budget, spend more on getting the room right than on top-end gear.
We’ve put together two packages of gear that will get you up and running:
If you’re interested in purchasing gear, you can contact Paul Lea at Sweetwater. He's offered ACX users a discount if you mention Audible.
Paul Lea, Senior Sales Engineer
1-800-222-4700, ext. 1246
paul_lea@sweetwater.com
Make the very best recording you can the first time around. Be well prepared: Make sure you're rested, well-fed, comfortable and familiar with the material.
If you don’t get a good initial recording, you’ll have a very tough time producing a great product profitably.
ACX can help you become more proficient at the recording process. We’ll also teach you how to polish your recordings through effective editing – which is as much an art form as a technical endeavor.
It takes practice to become truly skilled at recording and editing, but doing a great job at both will make a significant difference in your finished product.
Mastering is, to many, the most mystifying and scary part of audiobook production. Getting a good result requires a bit of trial and error, but luckily what you do in mastering can be undone, and you can try again. Plus, if you're consistently recording in the same space using the same recording settings, you’ll be able to save your mastering settings and use them over and over again for every audiobook you produce.
If, after watching this video, you’re still not comfortable doing this on your own, contact us. We’ll put you in touch with a seasoned pro who can help you out.
You'll find a lot of good books dedicated to the craft of audiobook performance. There are also many great schools and workshops you could attend to help you become an even better narrator. We encourage you to read and study a lot.
In the meantime, this video gives you a solid start...it's designed to help professional actors learn about audiobook performance.