Breaking down ACX's Audio File Requirements

[@jimwilliams6827]

A very well broken out explanation of the specs they state. I appreciate it!

[@dee5407]

Your guidance is detailed, clear and to the point. Thanks so much for creating this channel, Angela!

[@brianwright7412]

I am just starting out in V O & narration. I have been watching several of your videos and am getting soooo many tips that help me out. Invaluable information! Thank you!!

[@BadAtGaming100]

This was amazingly helpful and such a great pace, thank you!! I’m editing my first audiobook and browsing around videos now best to do it and this really gave such better real time explanations and detail.

[@jicwitharbonne]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! I just received my first offer to produce a book on ACX and this helps me understand the submission requirements so much better.

[@rebeccawesterman5883]

Pardon me while I binge your entire channel.... =) Found exactly what I was looking for in this one. I'm a brand now VO artist just finishing up a few audiobooks. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

[@VoiceOverAngela]

❤

[@tonofquestions]

Ditto!

[@jtenrec1]

This is gold!

[@jenny-rebeccalewis5750]

This was the best - I've listened to so many videos and this is the first time these specs made sense to me. Thank you! Thank you!

[@VoiceOverAngela]

😘

[@djfingersflores]

Great breakdown ! I love it, keep rockin' steady

[@ira_iz_kaira]

thank you so much! you're an amazing teacher!

[@ChristopherMcintyre11]

Thank you so much. I think I got my first one through by dumb luck and a lot of time. Hopefully #2 goes better 🙏🙏

[@rustichillbilly1107]

Wow, great information! Thank you!

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Thank you!

[@verybestlittlehairhouse7331]

I love your voice and thank you for your videos on ACX. ❤️🌺💕

[@kerenrivera6196]

Thank you! You did amazing. I really appreciate this video

[@maricelp116]

Really want to understand that!!!

[@onedaytonwomandotcom]

Great help this was! I would love to see you do the same on Audacity for those of us who use the free software? I see you said you used it at one time but moved to Adobe. Since I am a new narrator myself, I'd like to be able to do the same... but I gotta get to a place where paying for the Adobe software makes sense. Since I'm not making money yet, it doesn't make sense to purchase the software as I am sure I won't be able to finish an entire audiobook in 7 days. Would you be willing to do the same video in Audacity?

[@michellezukowski6179]

I’m in the same starting position, where I do not have extra money yet to invest in different equipment. I would love if Angela gave advice and help getting started using Audacity.

[@AndreaDingbatt]

I missed the Livestream, yet again, I shall be fighting the settings, yet again. Thank you so much for the Amazing Information. XxX.

[@VoiceOverAngela]

You're so very welcome! Sorry we missed you!

[@justnotg00d]

Did you catch that Gnat? This is very good to include an example of a book, so I can determine what to read for my book in the opening and closing credits. Thank you.

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Yes, I think I actually caught him that time haha! Thank you so much for watching, I'm so glad to be of help!

[@WolftracksVoiceNarration]

Great info. Question. This may seem a rudimentary question, but for Educational materials, such as a Self study guide for an exam, would you treat the title and narrator as opening credits? Or would the title be included as part of the first chapter submission? Is it something the author determines or is it an ACX standard specifically in this instance?

[@kitbullstory]

This was such great, clear, easy to understand information and I have subscribed! I got my first book to narrate on ACX, it's a children's book which is short and I have a few questions. 1. How much should I record for the 15 min checkpoint and should it be completely edited with the ACX requirements? 2. I've written to the rights holder asking for any type of specifics and she said there are no notes, but to read it to inspire children. 3. I was confused with the whole bit in the requirements about encoding. For now I am using Audacity, is there anything you can you tell me about making sure the encoding requirements are met? I honestly thought that would be an automatic adjustment! Thank you for your expertise and look forward to learning more!

[@VoiceOverAngela]

@kitbullstory thank you for watching and subscribing! The 15 minute checkpoint is just the first section (body) of the book. The point is to hear your narration this far and to see if any adjustments are needed before you finish, it doesn't need to be exactly 15 minutes. And yes, it should be acx compliant. By encoding, do you mean formatting? Formatting tasks practice and learning and is not a one solution fits all, there are too many variables from studio to studio. I would look for audiobook formatting videos on KZbin specifically for audacity and adjust to your situation.

[@Sapphire_007]

@@VoiceOverAngela Hi Angela, I turned in a section of the book, not the first part and the rights holder and ACX both approved it, so I guess I'm on the right track. I wasn't sure what to turn in, it's a children's book, it's short and I guess ok since it was approved! I've been watching the ACX videos and there was something about it encoding, I'll revisit that again to see if I can find out more about it! Thank you for getting back to me and for your informative videos!

[@joannecheng5910]

thank you Angela. do I need to add ending narration at the end of each chapter or the very end

[@meowwoof4911]

THANK YOU

[@valcatstallworth6307]

Angela, the for this video. I love your channel! Quick question for ya tho...at the end of a chapter, do I say 'End of Chapter' if it's not written, or, do I just stop at the last word on the page? Might sound pretty dumb, but inquiring minds want to know! The! V

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Thank you!!! ♥️ The last word on the last page is the end of that chapter, no need to add anything else. :)

[@lytnin88]

Very informative, Angela, as usual. Question: In the opening and closing credits, can I as the narrator use a pseudonym if I don't want to use my real name? And if I do, do I need to notify ACX of this?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Great question! You can use a pseudonym, just be sure you Type in the Name you use when you upload the completed files and confirm the name you want use as narrator. You should also let the author know in case he is having a new cover created to include the narrators name.

[@ScullyPop]

I think it's the third time I've watched this one.

[@soniakallen878]

Hey Angela! Just finished my first audiobook, still waiting the final word. I really enjoyed it. First a question, I was told not to record the "References" section by ACX, but I saw the references in the Rights Holder did put the section ""references" in the download your finished book section, but I have yet to do it. Yes or no on doing references? My issue: My files (7 chapters) were pretty consistent, I did my rack, normalized and ran the amplitude statistics. Per your response to me, I made sure they were all normalized to -3 db, however, sometimes the RMS levels were too close or at -17, or -23 or too close. Is there a secret to making them consistent?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Congratulations on your first book! Yes, references are not typically narrated. The RH may have just made sections for each file for you in ACX unaware that they are not narrated. You can remove the section and let them know that they are not included in an audiobook version. The only way to get them close to the same is to maintain the distance from your mic, keep your voice volume consistent and your processing steps the same, there will be some slight fluctuations but as long as they are within range for compliance, you're fine. :)

[@soniakallen878]

@@VoiceOverAngela Thank you much!

[@tonofquestions]

Hi Angela 😀 Thank you so much for all of this information! I have a good techie understanding but am confused about something. I recorded a file per ACX specifications. When I play that file and compare it with audio from an audio book from Spotify - the audio from Spotify is SO much louder. I'm not sure if I'm not comparing apples to apples or if maybe I'm completely out to lunch on something?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Thanks for watching! All that matters, is that the files you send in are compliant with their standards. The difference in volume could be a number of factors, but you just need to be sure your files fit the standards. ;)

[@Vona44]

Would you be willing to share exactly what you have in your effects rack for audiobooks? I am just starting and would love some assistance.

[@VoiceOverAngela]

@Vona44 absolutely! If you check out my audiobook Playlist and search the adobe audition videos, there are a couple in there where I review my rack.

[@Stella2U]

Why wouldn't the production copyright be for your company?

[@LearnAudacity]

Thank you for this. I'm curious, do you also use compression? If so, what settings work for you? Thanks!

[@VoiceOverAngela]

I use very little compression. Always start with a little, that goes for all effects, then gradually increase until it sounds right. It's easy to over do it!

[@RandaWise]

Wow, you are good! Now, I don't use the same software. I use Garageband, so the RMS is tougher to figure out. Is RMS pretty much like a peak limiter?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

RMS is more like the average volume of dialogue. Adding a bit of compression will help to make your volume more uniform. 😀

[@PoetCatRussell]

Thank you for this video. It's very helpful. However, I have one question: how does the chapter/section file division apply to poetry collections? If I have a poetry book divided into four sections, with differing amounts of individual poems in each section, do I create a single file for each titled section (including all the poem's in that section), or do I need to create separate files for individual poems? Thank you again!

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Great question, and a situation I had faced before... I asked the rights holder if they wanted it to be in 4 sections, each poem a separate file or all poems on one file. My opinion, 4 sections. But, ultimately, I think you should ask the author what they want, what their vision was.

[@onedaytonwomandotcom]

Also, I got a mic for $32 from target and I made myself a Microphone isolation box using ... a cardboard box and some bath towels... actually works better than foam believe it or not (I ended up getting acoustic foam later that day and my sound was actually coming out better with the towels). What did you use for mic isolation when you started?

[@allenslayer]

Hi Angela, thank you so much for this information. What if i have sub chapters in my book ?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

They stay within the major chapter, just leave a few seconds of room tone before you start the next subsection.

[@jimwilliams6827]

What, exactly, is "formatting"? And in what sequence should the different details be done?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

@@jimwilliams6827 formatting is the steps you take to convert the file to the proper standards for ACX.

[@newideanetworks1260]

how i can see the copyright book in acx plz

[@ejirokerewi5374]

Lovely. But you didn’t put a link of how you had your audiobook setting on Adobe audition. I hope you can understand.

[@VoiceOverAngela]

I linked the video I referenced as a "card", it pops up on the top right corner of the screen when I mention it in the video.

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6C4g4KqlrVmeK8

[@dereklondon9404]

Hi Angela, I’m obsessed with your content. You’ve helped me so much! So here’s an issue I am having… My mic is great. I’m using Adobe Audition. My recordings peak around -15db to -12db while recording (pretty standard). I edit it. Apply effects. I reduce any harsh peaks after, like you recommend. I normalize to -3db. The Total RMS is always between -18db and -23db. It sounds fantastic. Everything’s great. But every now and then, the odd word slightly distorts. Maybe 3 words in a whole audition. And certain auditions don’t clip at all. It’s just every now and then, and only on certain of my devices. Am I being too fussy? Does ACX lower the volume in mastering for audible once the producer has met the requirements? Thanks for everything you do. I really appreciate your help.

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Hi! Thank you for watching! Hmm... so when you say a few words distort, or clip? It sounds like some words are still a bit too loud or you may be using a hard limiter? It's hard to say without seeing or hearing your file and I am nowhere near a tech guru, lol. But, maybe try a touch more compression, to bring your lows and highs a bit closer together. It may help wth clipping, also, I don't use a hard limiter for this reason. I have just tweaked my process to fit the standards in the end result. This does take some time to fine tune, but worth it.

[@dereklondon9404]

@@VoiceOverAngela thanks so much for taking the time, Angela. That actually helps a lot. You’re right, I do cap just the tips of my highest peaks with a limiter. Maybe I should stick to manual tweaking, failing that, revising my compression, like you suggest. Thanks a million.

[@bespokevocals]

Question about file naming. If the RH uses, as example, “Chapter VI” instead of “Chapter 6,” should the typed file names be consistent with that convention? ie: “0x_Chapter VI” as opposed to “0x_Chapter 6.”

[@VoiceOverAngela]

I would just use Chapter 6.

[@jazznutz]

Using Audacity,I have and acx check and rms plugin. I keep getting a message that nose floor is unnaturally quiet. This is perplexing. And rms is too low then loudness is too high. I have to raise rms then normalize lower to -3db. I'm not sure what to do about noise for too low. I have been proud and happy learning to use noise filter or gate but I get this message even without them.

[@VoiceOverAngela]

I've heard mixed reviews of the acx check. You can manually check these as well, to be sure. What matters is what passes ACX QA, they'll tell you what needs fixed. It may not even be a concern on the checker....

[@AlDano]

Wow. When I read books for ACX years ago, (pretty much when they started) their standards were much lower. Perhaps it's because of all the bad narrators (producers) over the years.

[@SennaCrow]

What would you name the retail sample when you save it? Would it just be a continuation of the other file's numbers, and then "retail sample"? "45_The Great Gatsby_Retail Sample" ?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

I name this like this: Title of book_Retail Sample. No numbers.

[@SennaCrow]

@@VoiceOverAngela awesome, thanks

[@moriahfellwock2294]

Thank you for the breakdown! Have you had any experience with audacity while narrating?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Thanks! I used Audacity for only a month or 2 and then switched to audition.

[@moriahfellwock2294]

@@VoiceOverAngela You're welcome! Okay, good to know! I've just started on ACX, and have been trying to learn the ropes to Audacity. It's proving challenging/frustrating. So I might have to look into a new option. In your experience, did you find audition worked better for narrating?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

@@moriahfellwock2294 choosing your DAW really comes down to preference, although Audition can handle different types of plugins for effects, if you choose to purchase some. I know Audacity is limited in this respect but otherwise very similar in function.

[@moriahfellwock2294]

@@VoiceOverAngela Okay, good to know! thank you for the info and taking the time to reply!

[@ramatumuhammad8312]

Hi Angela, I'm looking into working as an audiobook narrator, my problems thus, I do not have a mic n the tools to get pass acx requirements. Kindly assist.

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Hi! I have quite a few videos on my channel regarding these topics, just about everything you need to get started. :)

[@showmanceband]

Who decides the retail sample? The author/rights-holder doesn’t weigh in on this?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

If the author doesn't have a chosen section, which is common, I'll typically use the first 5 minutes of the intro.

[@lytnin88]

Another question: What about naming of the files? Is there a convention that needs to be followed?

[@VoiceOverAngela]

I typically start with 00_title of book.opening credits . Then 01_title of book. Chapter number/name. And so on, it makes it easy to find the order of upload.

[@sofiagordon6479]

hello .copyright the book is not in acx wher can i find it

[@VoiceOverAngela]

Date of copyright is typically on the first few pages, usually on the same page as the ISBN. If it isn't included on the copy the RH gave you, then ask the RH for the copyright date.

[@jazznutz]

ACX much more tricky than LibriVox.

[@davidmcnamee625]

after all that you never defined dB, RMS, or any of the other anacronyms, = ))