Hi All,
Here is a raw sample recording. I’d like to know what others hear in it - background noise/siblance/mouth noise/loudness… It’s a new mic I am using - Rode NT1 - and i am working on mic placement right now.
I applied the Audiobook-Mastering-Macro and it passes the ACX-Check technical conformance straight out of the gate. Congratulations.
However, passing the electronic standards is only the first step. Now you have to be an actor. You sound like you’re not quite sure of the dialog and you’re not exactly happy to be here. That’s the kiss of death for a voice performer.
That dialog was written as a commercial for a fine product. Read it like that, or choose 12 seconds of your own work. We assume it’s a story in a book you published. Publishing in Amazon Book Sales is the first step in audiobook acceptance. They won’t even let you apply for ACX Audiobook without that.
Koz
Yeah, the sound is great, but you sounded a little tense. If you want me to buy that milk, I want to believe that you believe that those are happy cows. (Even though in truth they most likely aren’t)
That’s why we used “Contented” rather than “Happy.” Wouldn’t want to hear from any cow’s lawyers. I have seen happy cows—or more accurately calves romping in the green fields on a spring day. But they’re not up to giving milk for a while yet. So, contented it is.
Koz
I’ll take that as there was no siblance or mouth noise.
What are you referring to about publishing in Amazon? Narrating in ACX looks interesting. I read your reply as you have to publish a book to audition in ACX. Doing only voice over is also an option.
Some sibilance is a necessary, otherwise necessary => nethethary.
Only if sibilance is excessive is de-essing required.
IMO you need a little bit of de-essing …
Can get a copy of the desibilator plugin here.
Have the very same problem with my own takes, the OP is much better than that, perhaps 90% there whereas it’s only 50% here. Words just want to flow, and not stop/start as it were.
Not easy!
I didn’t hear anything that could be flagged as “damage.” I’m listening on a killer sound system which occasionally can be a problem. Someone listening on fashionable headphones or much smaller sound systems can have emphasis on some vocal tones over others. Listening to your work is a really big deal. Doing it while you’re performing can solve a lot of problems. Highly recommended.
It is or was part of the application process. Name, Address, Book you published. I think I have a copy of my application here somewhere. That instantly weeds out billions of people who intend to read for audiobooks, make a fortune, and retire to the California coast, all without the drudge work of actually sitting down in front of a metaphorical typewriter and batting out a novel.
And in answer to the obvious question, when I did it, they still allowed me to submit a short test. Which I failed because of my excellent, award-winning mouth noises. My actual sound file was practically perfect in every way. Didn’t help.
Yes, doing pure voice work is an option, finding someone to pay for it may be more problematic. That’s why ACX is so popular. It’s not a fuzzy goal. They publish the process. If you do this we will do that.
There are other audiobook publishers, too.
You don’t have to be a Hollywood Actor, either. My all-time favorite audiobooks are from Sarah Vowell. She has an odd speaking style that I like.
That’s from “Assassination Vacation.” It’s 7 hours.
Koz
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