AUDIOBOOK RECORDING

THE GUIDELINES WE FOLLOW and OTHER NOTES

Audiobooks uploaded to ACX will adhere to the following requirements to help ensure customers get a great listen:

The submitted audiobook will:

  • Be consistent in overall sound and formatting

  • Be comprised of all mono or all stereo files

  • Include opening and closing credits

  • Include a retail sample that is between one and five minutes long

  • Be recorded by a human

 Each uploaded audio file will:

  • Be a 192 kbps or higher MP3, constant bit rate (CBR) at 44.1 kHz

  • Contain only one chapter/section that is shorter than 120 minutes

  • Section header must be read aloud

  • Have room tone at the head and at the tail

  • Be free of extraneous sounds

  • Measure between -23dB and -18dB RMS

  • Have-3dB peak values

  • Have a maximum -60dB noise floor

NOTES ON ACX PRODUCTION

We strive to ensure a positive and clear line of communication throughout the production process

If, at anytime, you have questions please reach out

15 Minute Sample

Typically, unless requested upfront, we will record the first part of the book for the 15 Minute Sample (Introduction or First Chapter) which may or may not lead up to a total of 15 minute samples. This is due to our recording process and recording each section as separate files. We have also found that most authors/publishers only need to hear the first few minutes for approval.

Understandably, you may wish to have the full 15 minute sample to ensure everything sounds just right. Again, please be sure to note this upfront prior to recording to ensure a smooth and quick recording and mastering of the book

RECORDING

Please make sure that the manuscript that is uploaded is the final copy that is free of errors and misspellings

Typically, we will reach out after the 15 Minute Sample if we have any questions on flow or structure of the book

We will not fix spelling or grammar errors. Due to our wide variety of books that we narrate it is nearly impossible to know if it is a mistake or if it is an intended spelling

LENGTH OF RECORDING

ACX provides an estimated length of book which, again, is an estimate and not a guarantee of length

We typically are around the estimated length but have come up short or over the estimated time

We will NOT record sections of a book over to extend the length of the book

It is required of the publisher or author to provide all materials to be produced

RETAIL SAMPLE

Per current ACX guidelines, the retail sample must be 5 minutes or less

Unless noted, we will use the first section of the book - Introduction, First Chapter, or the first 5 minutes of the book

REVISIONS

We are human, and we make mistakes

We will not fix grammar or misspelling errors in the manuscript

We will fix mispronunciations or any glaring mistakes that were caused by us during the recording process

If you find that there is a mistake please let us know and we will work to correct them as quickly as possible

To help speed up the revision process, if you find that there are a lot of errors in a section or chapter, please make a few helpful notes of the words/phrases that are incorrect. We will most likely record the entire section over so there is no need to comb through the whole section if the same word or phrase is mispronounced

ACX AUDIO REVIEW

If, during the ACX audio review, there are any errors found and reported, we will work to resolve the audio problems and upload the corrected files as quickly as possible

Timeframe varies depending on error and length of book but typically within a few business days

PAYMENT

We accept PayPal

Will provide an invoice upon request