For Beginners: Narrating on Audible: ACX 101, complete audiobook production guide

If you're just starting out on your Audible (ACX) narration journey - it can be a little intimidating.
Perhaps you're wanting to get into narration, but you're not sure what do it...
This video is for you.
Or if you've been a home recording enthusiast for some time, but looking for a way to make some extra money - ACX narration is a great way to do that, since you've likely got the gear already.

This is a little outside of my usual videos that I put out..but since many of my followers are also interested in home recording, I thought this could be useful!

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:12 - Video Overview
2:43 - Equipment needs
3:03 - Why don't we use onboard mics?
5:30 - Types of mics and recommendations
7:07 - Microphone field patterns
7:54 - headphones
8:20 - DAW (what is it, which one do I need?)
9:58 - Sound Treatment
12:04 - Best down and dirty hack for shoestring budgets
14:01 - ACX overview
14:36 - setting up workflow/settings from ACX
17:00 - Getting setup in your DAW and project settings with plugins
33:10 - Performance Technique and "producing" yourself
47:33 - BG SFX and Mastering
49:07 - editing and exporting
1:02:50 - Uploading to ACX
1:08:05 - Raw vs. Edited audio (example)
1:11:08 - Wrap-up and Review

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#beginner #narration #audible

[SamuraiFingers]

Thanks for watching! Please feel free to leave me questions/comments/etc. here.

[stevehorton]

Thanks for your super hero effort here. I really appreciate it as it helped me feel more comfortable with the entire process. Wishing you great success and a wonderful Fall.

[Nikodymus]

This was tremendous. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this and share your insight!

[businessthinkdigital]

This is a great video. I have written a couple of books that I want to put onto audible but had no idea where to start. I’ve filmed many YouTube videos and recorded music using GarageBand and Adobe Audition, but this video has shown me that recording for Audible is a different. Nick takes you through each step from settings for the DAW software (different from music and video recording), Audible requirements and so on. What I found really useful, which surprised me, was the tips on performance itself, which Nick suggest may sound obvious. They may be obvious to someone in production, but those simple tips are really going to make a difference on the quality of the recording from a content delivery perspective. So it’s a great blend of technical necessity and advice. Thanks for making the video Nick. Yes it’s 90 minutes long, but I found every minute useful.

[nathanshatzer]

Perfect video for starters to know what we are getting into, thanks for going through all the fine details.

[SAY..]

Fantastic! Thank you so much. I'm just getting started in the world of digital audio. Your references were exactly what I needed.

[IAmGarimon]

Hey, just wanted to say this was really really great. All the little tips were really the sort of thing I needed, especially the bit about not doing it over and over and never getting anything done. The software techniques are going to be hugely helpful, thanks again!

[Drifters_Productions]

Thank you so much!! My channel is a project to get me into the voice over and narration field. Ive been feeling recently that im lacking a tremendous amount of polishing and this is amazing. Thank you!!

[semi_di_luce_meditazione]

Thank you for your video! It has definitely been helpful! I will come back to it in the coming days 🙏🌀🙏

[thebagelboyjr]

This is amazing! You have such a knack for explaining and getting across your ideas and thoughts! This guide really helped me on my way to becoming a beginner voice-over artist. I followed your tips and got a snowball ICE usb microphone with a pop filter as well as downloading Audacity. I'm 17 and saving up money for when I go to college in a year; voice-over artistry will really help with this. Thanks again!

[fennixshark]

This was amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this detailed process!

[cthomascox]

Thank you so much for this! After watching several other videos, this is the best! I know it's long but I love that you went through ALL steps in one video. I watched the entire video and took notes. This makes me more confident in getting started. I feel like I have a better understanding of things including lingo that I had no clue what they were. It also feels less intimidating now. I do plan on using Audacity so hopefully I can take the information you've given and place it in Audacity without too much trouble. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

[BrianPenn-gwlb]

Good evening to you. I just watched this video and I've learned a ton. I started recording an audiobook and this tutorial was very helpful. I've got work to do but not all is lost. Thanks again!

[wrighttrackz]

Excellent video and breakdown from start to finish! I use Logic Pro as well, just getting started on my first audiobook!

[alexamin]

Is there anyone else out there who doesn't own a Mac? Or am I the last of my kind...? 😭🤣

...When I start making money through audiobook narration and voiceover work, I'll invest in one and revisit the Logic Pro section; until then, sayonara and godspeed my friends.

And thank you Nick Morrison for all the helpful information in this video!

[dustinporter]

I’m interested in your recording space. I keep hearing from people the space you’re in and how it’s treated for sound is probably as much or more important than your gear. Do you record in your large room with the foam tiles sparsely placed and still get good dead sound? Many other people are cocooned in a foam cave to get that effect.

[aileyaddams]

For the sound dampening, I wonder if semi-surrounding the mic itself with a foam shield or some type of desktop foam cubicle panels might work out?

[Bubblehead]

Thank you. This is great info for a newbie like me. Also enjoying the distraction of your guitars. Can you say what you have hanging behind you?

[TanyaThomas-sp]

I love this tutorial! Is there a microphone package that is attached to your headphones that you might recommend?

[J_International]

Thank you for making this video. Very helpful. You mentioned for scenes where shouting may be required, that the narrator may wish to take a step back from the microphone. I was wondering given ACX limits on audio range, if a loud scream is required in the book one is narrating, is it better to scream at full volume and reduce the decibels in post production to fit into the range or is it better to retrain yourself and avoid from screaming at volumes way louder than the majority of the audio?