VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Kim Fuller · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:27 pm Post subject: audiobook narration time

Hey - those of you who narrate audiobooks - on average, how many hours a day do you normally put into it? Saying it another way - assuming you are not under a tight deadline - what is your comfortable limit of studio hours per day? Thanks - I did poke around the archives first but didn't see this - if it's been covered just point me to it...

Jason Huggins · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:19 pm Post subject:

I only occasionally do books, so I usually try to get one finished hour done a day. I know there are others who do much more, but I haven't developed the stamina for more than that.

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 2:32 am Post subject:

About 6 hours per day. That nets me 2.5-3 hours of finished audio per day. I outsource my editing so that leaves me time in the day to do other smaller projects that might come in.
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Jeff
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Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

Roar-duh · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:35 am Post subject:

I've been thinking about taking a shot at audiobooks, but I don't think my current schedule allows it. I only have 1-2 hours of recording time per evening after my day job.

Obviously I won't be able to complete "War and Peace" in any usable timeframe, but are there enough shorter projects out there that it might be possible?
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John Roorda
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HeatherMasters · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 7:31 am Post subject:

Wow Jeff, I admire your stamina!! I usually budget 2 hours a day for audiobooks, which leaves me with 1 finished hour. I contract out my editing also, as the drudgery of that made me want to give up audiobooks altogether. I should mention though that I only work three hours a day, as I stay at home with my little ones. Someday I hope to be able to narrate for 6 hours a day. Jeff's my new hero Smile

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Heather

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Bish · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 7:57 am Post subject:

It's not just a question of stamina. Our Jeff has turned himself into a narrating machine and has created a great business model around the fact that he can narrate for significant periods both by having stamina & focus and by leaving the editing, proofing etc. to sub-contractors. This being said, let's not forget that he's turning out a high quality, salable product that people want to buy.

As for the stamina... it's not just how long you can keep "reading out loud"... it's the quality and tone you can maintain for extended periods. Consistency is the key. Even with my paltry audiobook output, I have learned that I have differences in my afternoon and night voices (my morning voice is a series of neanderthal grunts). I have learned that one job can have a definite (and detrimental) effect on others. Maybe my bad technique, but a two-hour session recording a shouty game voice can take me out of the loop for normal recording well into the next day. With a schedule that requires multiple hours recording each and every day, care of your voice becomes an important factor.

I was wondering, do you have, for example, to restrict your screaming and cheering in support of the Seahawks on a Sunday if you have a long recording session on Monday? Mind you, cheering for the Seahawks may be a bad example.

That was a long way to go for a dig at the Seahawks Smile

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Jason Huggins · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 8:13 am Post subject:

Shiromi · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 11:02 am Post subject:

My voice/energy is usually good for an hour to 1.5 finished hours per day. So 2-3 hours of recording. The rest of the time is spent doing smaller projects, preparing for upcoming audiobooks and usually leaving the editing/proofing/mastering to someone else's more capable hands.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 2:49 pm Post subject:

HeatherMasters · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:54 pm Post subject:

Like Bish, I'm also curious how you maintain the quality of your voice, Jeff. I find that when recording a bunch of characters especially male voices, my voice gets fatigued. I have noticed some audiobook narrators who have such a slight variation in their characters, as to not really modify their vocal quality too much, but, at least for me so far, authors seem to want limitless voices, unique and distinct, which gets vocally exhausting for me after 2 hours. How do you do it Jeff?
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Heather

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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 8:18 am Post subject:

You can make characters unique without going nuts. Slight variations in cadence/tempo/pitch etc are usually enough to distinguish characters. Plus the text helps. And I don't get any pushback from authors because the publishers don't ask their opinions. Smile

As for stamina, I take breaks and drink water. Keep in mind, this is a marathon, so don't expect to master audiobooks right out of the gate. I've done 275 of them and I'm still training. Smile

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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

Scott Pollak · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:07 pm Post subject:

Narrating my 50th audiobook now. Multiply that times 5 and I might catch up to Kafer.

If I have nothing else pressing, I'll narrate in the morning, when my voice is strongest, for a couple of hours, then spend the afternoon editing. I can't afford to outsource the editing, so I do it myself. 4-5 hours of recording/editing = roughly 1 finished hour of audio. On a day when I have nothing else on the docket, I'll spend 5-6 hours total voicing and editing.

I just record right on thru, leaving the mistakes in. There are 2 reasons for this:
- If I stop and punch and roll, then I break my rhythm. I'd rather keep going, keeping my tempo and energy level consistent
- I have to go back and edit anyway, so it's almost a moot point that there are going to be mistakes in there that need to be edited out.
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Scott R. Pollak
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 3:13 pm Post subject:

I punch n roll and outsource all my editing/proofing. I can't afford NOT to. Why would I spend time doing something I could pay someone else to do for $75 per finished hour, when I could be narrating for $250?
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

I'm kind of in the same boat as Pollak at the moment....dipping my toe into the audiobook waters and not yet willing to shell out $$ for editing.....curious, in general how much would it cost get an 8-hour audiobook edited?

Jason Huggins · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 6:38 pm Post subject: