It’s in the Audiobook Digital System, but it’s full-on radio theater. The free sample is the hero and her mum talking to each other in Pseudo Stereo. Mum is on the right. The stereo effect was actually the point of the link. I didn’t try that with headphones. Jury’s out.
There is a cast of 5 performers, a Writer, and a Director. It’s “Pepper Young’s Family” updated from 1959.
As near as I could tell, the word “AudioBook” was only mentioned once, in the list of products I might want to buy.
I recall reading a page on ACX that said that audiobook submissions must be “all mono” or “all stereo”. What they do NOT want is some chapters in mono and some in stereo.
As I think I mentioned previously, a friend of mine published an audiobook through ACX that included sound effects and music (essentially “radio theatre”).
Audio books are a lot of fun.
They are about the closest one gets to radio theater these days.
Been involved with 2 already.
The first was mono and dialog only.
The second was real stereo, and included music (original compositions) and SFX.
The most fun was creating some of the effects, as many already available online are often too expensive, not quite right
or not very high quality in terms of fidelity and noise.
Other than the usual “watch the level of the music versus the dialog” thing, the trick is to make sure that the overall mix,
is within the ACX spec.
Composing music that isn’t too dynamic really helps.
…assuming you have decades of production experience and can cut and correct an audobook voice track before lunch.
That pretty much peels off the New User who just got their Yeti in the mail and wants to produce a simple product.
I wouldn’t mind avoiding the assumption that “everybody knows” you need to have special effects, intro themes, background mood music, and stingers. Dum Dum Dummmmmm. Not to mention cast of characters and director.
In the hands of a New User, that just provides opportunities to get lost, make mistakes, and get rejected. Remembering also the original metaphor was someone telling you a fascinating story over cups of tea.
I mostly agree with your points, but… practice makes perfect.
Nobody just gets their Yeti in the post and immediately makes an acceptable ACX compatible audio book.
It takes practice, you can start small and use your family and friends as your target audience and ask for
and accept feedback, both good and bad.
The bad is actually more valuable, it’s how one improves.
As to the books I was involved with, we had a team of…3!!.
The voice over artist, the music composer and book author, and finally me, the engineer, editor, studio hand, coffee maker,…
One thing we did have which was admittedly a huge advantage, access to a professional studio (and gear) every Sunday.
That is not to say that a professional studio and kit is a prerequisite, of course it helps but, with careful selection of home gear,
recording location and audio production techniques, it’s perfectly feasible to produce something that will be accepted onto Audible.
Thousands have done it.
I think that’s the wrong goal. Record an audiobook with the new microphone, publish, make enough money to pay the gas bill and then enough over to retire to that little cottage in the Antilles.
Nothing in there about becoming a competent Producer, Audio Engineer, and Performer, even though as a practical matter that’s what’s required.
I wonder how many Yetis are going in the garage and not because it’s the studio.
I think that’s the wrong goal. Record an audiobook with the new microphone, publish, make enough money to pay the gas bill and then enough over to retire to that little cottage in the Antilles.
Nothing in there about becoming a competent Producer, Audio Engineer, and Performer, even though as a practical matter that’s what’s required.
Now you’re sounding like Ron Swanson from Parks & Recreation.
I wonder how many Yetis are going in the garage and not because it’s the studio.
Yep, one can do much. much better than a Yeti, hence my comment:
“…but, with careful selection of home gear,…”
