So you want to be an Audiobook Narrator.
I have always been in awe of radio DJs. Growing up in small town Manitoba, the on-air personalities come to mind. Bruce Leperre was my 1st celebrity encounter. Not only was he on 730 CKDM, but he had a record shop at the Dauphin Marketplace. I spent hours in there looking at album covers wishing I had the money to buy them ALL!
A Different Flex
The voice arts all have different aptitudes. On-air DJs require a lot of energy, while voice-overs & audiobook narration are different flexes. Voice-overs are generally short bursts of energy like a 100m dash unless you’re voicing a movie. They both require acting skills. Another area, I have infinite room to grow. Getting comfortable with character voices is going to take a lot of work, but I’m up for the challenge.
I feel I have good instincts for narration. In elementary school, I used to compete in spoken word festivals and won with my recitations. Plus, coming from a vocalist background, I understand breath control and phrasing. My diaphragm is finally getting a workout again.
Back in the day, I took a voice-over workshop. I felt pretty good about it, so I hired the coach to teach me privately, but I was told I had no talent. Disheartened, I gave up on that dream until now…
Opportunity Knocks
As of late, my life has been sepsis research & advocacy. So when I was asked to narrate a sepsis PSA for the UBC Action on Sepsis Research Cluster, I jumped at the chance. This gave me the confidence to get off the bench and get into the game.
Vocal Chord Prep
Mouth noise and excess breathing sounds are enemies to a good narration. To help eliminate them naturally, it is essential to keep your instrument moisturized. When I was on tour, I used to travel with a humidifier before weight limits on airline luggage were a thing. Humidity is your vocal cords’ best friend. The more hydrated you are, the more stamina and clarity you’ll have.
The thought process behind this Amazon List are the nebulizer will keep your vocal cords moist, the vocal straws are the warm-up necessary for the vocal workout you’re about to do, and the Vaseline reduces lip smacks, which can be difficult to edit.
The hardest adjustment for me is switching from my ice cold water to tea. Tea is a narrator’s best friend because the heat promotes blood flow, relaxes throat muscles, and thins mucus. Stay away from dehydrating caffeine, which is a vocalist’s nightmare, so choose herbal, like the gold standard, Throat Coat.
- [Efficient Atomization] Advanced compressed air technology ensures stable and consistent mist, with fine mist particles …
- [Adjustable Atomization Rate] By rotating the atomization cover, you can adjust the spray volume of the sprayer accordin…
- [Ideal for home use] Our nebulizer comes with an adult mask, a child mask, and a mouthpiece, providing suitable treatmen…
- A Set of 3 Straws for Every Vocal Need This comprehensive set features three distinct straws tailored to different phase…
- Crafted from Premium 304 Stainless Steel Built to endure daily use, these vocal straws are made from robust, high-grade …
- SOVT Voice Training Tool These straws employ the science-backed Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract (SOVT) method. They gently cre…
- Pure petroleum jelly, temporary protection and relief
Get Your Gear On
It’s never been easier to follow your dreams. For instance, you no longer need a record deal to be a singer. I was told at 26 that my career was over, yet I was nominated for a JUNO Award in 2018 at the ripe old age of 46. Now I’m 53, embarking on a career as an Audiobook Narrator.
That’s why I’m so happy to be working on the ACX platform, a subsidiary of Audibles AKA Amazon. They make it so easy to go get it!
By easy, I mean you need to be a self-starter. I have been terrified of gear & how to use it my whole life. I didn’t understand it, didn’t want to learn, & in my youth was extremely grateful it was someone else’s job.
Now, I’m more patient & willing to learn. I’ve purchased these items to get me started.
- Pro performance with the finest pre-amps – Achieve a brighter and a more open recording thanks to the best performing mi…
- Get the perfect guitar take – There’s no need to sacrifice your tone with the high headroom instrument input when record…
- Studio quality recordings for your music and podcasts – You can achieve professional sounding recordings with Scarlett’s…
- Advanced build quality and engineering. The headphones are designed for studio tracking and mixing
- 40 mm drivers with rare earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils. Type: Closed-back dynamic
- Tune for enhanced low-frequency performance. Matte Plastic Construction with Durable pro grade materials
- Multi-accessory combination -Universal Compatibility: BILIONE mic arm is equipped with standard 3/8” to 5/8” screw ada…
- Versatile Mic Stand: We designed the table clamp with an additional hole to allow for horizontal and vertical fixing of …
- Wide application: You can switch accessories to accommodate different types of microphones, The microphone stand can sup…
- LEGENDARY VOCAL CLARITY: With a tailored frequency response and enhanced midrange, the SM58-CN delivers vocals that cut …
- TRUSTED MUSIC EQUIPMENT: An industry icon for decades, the SM58 is the go-to choice for performers everywhere. From smal…
- CONSISTENT SOUND, EVERY TIME: The SM58’s uniform cardioid pickup pattern focuses on your voice with pinpoint accuracy, c…
Of course, being a vocalist, I have a Shure 58. I’m making it work, but because it’s meant for live performances, it is sensitive to ambient noise, which may be too high to meet ACX’s requirements. In my studio, I must be cognizant of household sounds from the AC, fridge, and especially your computer fan noise.
Once I have an ROI, this is my wishlist:
- Switchable low frequency roll-off
- The studio microphone classic
- Pressure-gradient transducer with double membrane capsule
- Increased directivity due to interference tube principle
- Increased directivity due to interference tube principle
- Rugged, suitable for adverse climatic conditions
- Extremely Low-noise Large-diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone with XLR/USB Output
- SM6 Combination Shockmount Pop Screen – Black
- The new successor: Due to the great success of the Audient iD14, the audio experts had the project to bring the successo…
- Harmonious overall package: Thanks to new transducer technology and two Class-A microphone preamps from Audient’s high-e…
- New connector: The new Audient iD14 MKII now has a high-speed USB-C connector, so handling is easier and power supply is…
- Radically improved isolation
- 360 degree filtering (vertical, Not just horizontal plane)
- Much bigger surface area (approx. 40 percent bigger than main competitor)
- Professional vocal reflection filter shields the recording microphone from unwanted acoustic artefacts – create cleaner,…
- Accurate sound attenuation courtesy of five absorptive walls featuring sculpted sound-absorptive surfaces, backed by hig…
- Two foldable absorptive walls for custom-shaping around the microphone creates a focused, precise recording in any envir…
- ♪【Eliminate Interference】♪: The inner side of the microphone isolation shield is made of absorbing cotton insulation tha…
- ♪【Flexiblity & Convenience】♪: The folding panel design features enables angle adjustments, giving you optimal insolation…
- ♪【Durability】♪: Constructed out of premium steel with high-quality screws to ensure sturdiness, and long lasting perform…
Completing My Home Studio
I’m using Audacity to record at the moment. It’s a free DAW, Digital Audio Workstation. I’ve even learned how to program a Macro to master my audio samples to meet ACX’s parameters. YouTube has a plethora of Narrators & Producers who teach newbies like me.
I love my 2nd bedroom now, which I used to refer to as the dungeon. It has no windows, so we use it as a walk-in closet. Turns out, clothing has a great dampening effect, which reduces room noise.
ACX has absolute parameters for your sample to be accepted to fit their admission requirements. They even have a tool where you can upload your work to see if it meets the standards, called ACX Audio Lab. I can’t tell you the joy of knowing your sample is accepted as a newbie producer.
Picking A Genre
The ACX platform has 1000’s of titles on a daily basis that need voices like YOU to narrate. Just set the filters to what you want to narrate & read the scripts to see what resonates with you. If you’re interested in erotic material, and there are A LOT of titles, it is recommended that you use a pseudonym. I don’t have an issue with sexual content. I think it would be so fun. However, established Publishing Houses look down on it? Apparently they’ve never heard of 50 Shades of Grey.
Audiobooks are an exponentially growing industry that is looking for new talent. The issue is it takes dedication. Sampling is the easy part. When you accept a contract, there are timelines & production deadlines that need to be met. Every 9300 words = 1 hour of recording. Every 1 hour of recording = 3-4 hours of mastering. So your 10-hour book becomes a 30-40 hour job. Can you deliver in a week, or do you need longer? You have to be realistic about vocal stamina and your producing skills.
It is advised to new narrators to record short titles, 1-3 hours. This is up my alley because I would love to narrate children’s stories. However, a lot of Authors and Publishing Houses prefer you have longer titles on your CV. Most books are longer reads, so they need to know you are capable and have the endurance and technical skills to deliver.
I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can
Will I be successful? Who knows? But I do know, I’m that ambitious type who taught myself how to build a studio. Not having a studio or the funds to rent one has been my Achilles’ heel for most of my life. Hurdle removed!!!
So please, if you know anyone needing a Narrator, I would appreciate the referral. I have uploaded my samples to ACX and SoundCloud for your perusal. I also welcome any helpful feedback.
“Every master was once a beginner. Every pro was once an amateur.” Robin Sharma
