VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[craigcrumpton]

Interesting read for you narrative types out there:

http://acting.suite101.com/article.cfm/audio-narrators-and-the-future-of-the-industry

An excerpt:

[bobsouer]

Craig,

Thank you. Interesting article.
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[Lance Blair]

Just listened to some Lloyd James clips here:
http://www.learnoutloud.com/Results/Narrator/Lloyd-James/759#play21877

Wow, there's some dirty audio going on - buzzing (check out Antietam, yikes!), bad gating, boominess at times. I take it these weren't all from his studio. I couldn't listen to some of these recordings for more than a minute.

He sounds fine, but kinda detached for my tastes - it's all too precious. I never "got" audiobooks. If you're driving, then drive. If not, then read. If you're disabled, then fine audio books are a wonderful resource. But hey, to each their own, if you get your kicks being read page sixty-six, then enjoy.
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[craigcrumpton]

@Lance: I kinda feel the same way about audiobooks. It's actually hard for me to listen to a straight-forward narration when I'm driving.

I like narrators that offer more variety in character voices like Jim Dale and Pat Fraley. I also prefer audio dramas over audiobooks and never do a road trip without them.

I think it might also be important to note that Bauman is a publisher, so of course she's only going to plug their top narrators.
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[asnively]

Just the opposite for me. I could listen to Lloyd forever (I don't disagree with the audio quality issues, of course).

But, what do I know? I never read fiction for pleasure. And while I appreciate the work and talent involved, I don't enjoy listening to character dialog in an audiobook. I find most dramatic readings painful to listen to. I prefer a nice, clean, straight narration!
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[craigcrumpton]

@asnively: That's cool. I'm sure others identify either way. Just comes down to personal preference.

But character voices are kinda my "thing." Otherwise, I would not have spent the last decade blogging about them.
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[Diane Havens]

I listen to audiobooks because I record them and want to know what's out there -- it runs the gamut from oratorical, to conversational to theatric. It's a matter of taste and there are no absolutes as to style. If one has the good fortune to work with a director, that's ideal. I think the most important thing is to vary the pacing -- if not, it becomes a continual drone. Personally, I like hearing character voices, as it breaks up the sameness of the narrative. Not over-the-top cartoonish certainly, even in children's lit, but some suggestion of a different voice delivering the dialogue. And every publisher has their own preferences, so if one is serious about doing audiobooks, it requires some research as to those preferences in everything from what they expect on a demo to the narration style they are looking for.
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[Lee Gordon]

I want to personally thank everyone who does audio books. My mother is nearly 90, suffers from macular degeneration, and has always been a voracious reader. Without audio books, her life would suck. I'll have to ask her whether she prefers straight reading or the more dramatized style.
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