Why ANALOG-Style Compressors Are BETTER for Audiobooks

Every now and then, I see narrators over-complicating one of the most important parts of their workflow: compression. If you’ve ever felt frustrated or overwhelmed by compression, this is the video for you.

PERFECT Room Treatment is OVERRATED (What Actually Matters)?

Think you need a perfectly treated room and high-end gear to master audiobooks? I’ll show you what you should be doing and what will actually make a bigger impact.

8 Ways to IMPROVE Your EAR TRAINING Forever

Many narrators struggle with getting that clean, professional sound in their audiobooks, often finding that their mixes feel dull or lack the polish of those produced by big publishers. That’s why I’ve put together 8 ways to help you train your ears for mastering—no matter your skill level.

You’re Thinking The WRONG WAY About Izotope MOUTH DECLICK

Ever wonder why your audiobook recordings still have those pesky mouth clicks, even after running iZotope RX De-click? In this video, I’ll show what you might be getting wrong.

NEWBIE NARRATOR in GarageBand vs PRO in other DAWs

GarageBand is a fantastic starting point for beginners. That said, it’s essential to recognize its limitations. As you grow as a narrator, there comes a time when you may want to consider making the switch to more advanced DAWs.

Which One Is BETTER For AUDIOBOOKS?

Ever wondered about the magic behind the scenes in creating radio-ready audiobooks for ACX? Let’s break down the battle between normalization and limiting – two tools for self-producing narrators. Discover why one might be your audiobook's go-to, while the other could lead to unexpected pitfalls.

From RAW Audio To The FINISHED Audiobook

If you're serious about creating quality audiobooks, you've probably heard about ACX. Do you know what the mastering standards are for submitting your finalized audio? After this video, you will.

Why Your Audiobooks Sound FLAT — And How To Fix It

Why do audiobooks from publishers have so much punch, power, and energy when a lot of audiobooks from home studios sound flat? The answer is well executed compression, and more specifically, it has to do with setting your threshold.

EQ for AUDIOBOOKS (with the Narration EQ Guide)

If you're part of my mailing list, it's likely because you snagged my Narration EQ Guide. Now, let's unlock the secrets to using the guide effectively in your mastering.

The SPEED of Punch & Roll EDITING

Punch and roll editing is a huge part of audiobooks and it’s the best way to maximize speed and efficiency and it’s a huge part of my business.Today I want to share with you how fast it can be.

Being A Narrator | Tom Jordan [INTERVIEW]

Even if you record audiobooks as a side gig, this interview will give you that extra push to keep going and live in both worlds. This one was very inspiring.

Today’s guest is Tom Jordan.

The Basics to Manual Editing for MOUTH NOISE

One of the biggest challenges a new narrator or audiobook editor facing is how to handle mouth noise when diving into an edit. That’s why in today’s episode, I do a dive into manually editing out mouth noise before you apply an expander or audio restoration tools, like Izotope’s Mouth DeClick.

Being A Narrator | James Romick [INTERVIEW]

An actor with 20+ years of experience, a guy that has 130+ titles under his belt…oh and he work on Broadway. James is one of the best guys to talk with about acting, audiobooks, and how to navigate the audiobook journey.

Today’s guest is James Romick.

Pro Tools VS Adobe Audition - Which is better?

Pro Tools or Adobe Audition? Is Pro Tools better than Adobe Audition? I've been a Pro Tools user for my entire audio career, and I continue to use Pro Tools because of its amazing features and possibilities. In this new series, I’ll be continuously checking on Pro Tools features against the competition.

Being A Narrator | Jason Lasky [INTERVIEW]

A renaissance man, a narrator, a teacher and so much more, this was an insightful interview. The unique approach this man takes to his life and career is amazing. 

Today’s guest is Jason Lasky.

Improve Your Audiobook Auditioning with 3 Mindful Tips

If you’re new to narrating audiobooks, then chances are you’ve found yourself going on lots of auditions. Auditioning can be nerve-racking because there’s the fear of rejection. Today I want to give you three mindful tips that can help you land more books.

Being A Narrator | Curtis Michael Holland [INTERVIEW]

A teacher, an actor, in his words a global nomad, This narrator is the type that, not only loves to tells stories, but tells the stories that are true to his heart.

Today’s guest is Curtis Michael Holland.

DIAL in your HIGH-PASS FILTER

Low end rumble can cause a lot of problems in the audiobooks you narrate.  If you’re struggling to clean up the bass frequencies in the audiobooks you narrate, this video is for you.

My Go-To Audiobook Plug-in Chain

Mastering can be intimidating because there are so many decisions to make. I want to show you my go-to plugin chain and the order to help you get started.

Being A Narrator | Joel Froomkin [INTERVIEW]

This interview was so eye-opening. And this person was more than generous with his time.

Today’s guest is Joel Froomkin.

The BASICS to PUNCH and ROLL

When recording long-form voice-over or narration, there are a couple of ways to record your reading. Punch and roll is going to be the best method for the best result and I’m going to show you why.

Being A Narrator | Dallas Britt [INTERVIEW]

Hearing a southern drawl in an audiobook is something that catches the ear. It keeps your attention. Learning the process of using that as a strength is transformative. Curious? sit back and enjoy my conversation with Dallas Britt

This TOOL can help you EQ BETTER

How do you know if you’re making the right EQ moves on your narration track? There is a little shortcut that can help you make better EQ decisions. This tool can help give you some idea that you’re heading in the right direction.

Being A Narrator | Scott Brick [INTERVIEW]

Today’s guest is Scott Brick. In this episode you’ll hear: How you can implement 8 ways of emphasis in narration How you blend truth and technique The personal beliefs and thought-process Scott puts into audiobook narrating So, sit back and enjoy my conversation with Scott Brick.

The Digital Sweet Spot: Compression

Setting up compression when you have a low recording can be a balancing act, but there’s a digital sweet spot Today I want to show you how I take a very clean and even recording and set it up to level off the peaks, but not changing the gain after compression, to set it up for using a limiter to get the desired volume and RMS in a later stage.

Being A Narrator | Julienne Irons [INTERVIEW]

Today’s guest is Julienne Irons. As I say in this podcast, the narrator’s story is just as important. In this episode you’ll hear: Julienne’s rise to become a full-fledged narrator How she takes control of her day-to-day operations What valuable career lesson she learned

Cleaning Up Sibilance

Cleaning up the sibilance in any vocal isn’t the hardest task in the world, but it can take some ear-training to know what frequencies to listen for. More importantly, it can be especially hard if you don’t know the specific sibilant area of your voice. Using a de-esser is the best tool to get the job done.

Being A Narrator | Greg Stack [INTERVIEW]

In each episode of “The Home Audio Podcast”, I’m talking with a wide array of narrators in their adventures of doing just that. From Veteran narrators to beginners, just learning the trade. Learning their strategies, their wins and what is still ahead for them. Today’s guest is Greg Stack.

Mental Prep BEFORE You Get Into Audiobooks

When you’re an aspiring narrator there are tons of questions to get answered. Where do I start? How much money do I have to invest for equipment? How often do narrators work? If you can relate to any of these questions or maybe you’re already a narrator that have friends asking about your journey, this will help.

Your Recording Software Doesn’t Matter

There is much debate in the audio world about which recording software (or DAW) is the best and that if you don’t use Pro Tools (because it’s industry standard), you’re not a real professional. How do you know what the best recording software is? The bigger question being, is there even a recording software out there that IS the best? Well, in my opinion, it doesn’t matter what software you use!

GarageBand: How To Send Your Finalized Files - Day 5 of 5 in GarageBand

After you're recording is done and your audiobook is ready to send the an author or publisher, you have one last step to take. The last thing in the process of audiobook recording is sending your finalized file, whether it’s raw or processed.

GarageBand: How To Edit & Export Audiobook Files - Day 4 of 5 in GarageBand

If you’re in the audiobook industry, whether you’re new or you’ve been doing this for a while, punch & roll is a style of narration that is used commonly.

GarageBand: How To Punch & Roll Record - Day 3 of 5 in GarageBand

Punch & Roll in audiobooks is the process of recording your audiobook until you make a mistake. Then you need to listen back to your good takes and punch back into the recording and continue now.

GarageBand: Set Up Your Narration Template - Day 2 of 5 in GarageBand

Having a readily available recording session template is a must-have when you are constantly recording week after week. GarageBand, although a very powerful tool, it can be a little complicated those starting out and saving a recording template can be a hassle.

GarageBand: How To Set Up GarageBand For Narration - Day 1 of 5 in GarageBand Narration

Recording is one of the essential elements in narration. Of course you have to be a story-teller and perform the book, but if you’re not properly set up with a recording system, then you as a narrator can never get discovered.

These 3 DAWs are chosen almost EVERY TIME

What DAW (recording software) do you like is right for you? This can be a tough choice for most people starting out in audiobooks, because there is a lot to learn. From recording, to editing and more. DAWs are all different price points, they have different internal setup configurations, and that can lead to a whole new world of confusion.

The Number One Strategy That Will Make You A Better Narrator

What is the most important part about audiobook narrating? Especially when you’re just getting started or just have the interest in narrating?

4 Benefits of Narrating Audiobooks

What are some benefits of narrating? When you're thinking about narrating as a side gig or a full-time career, it's important that you love it.

The GEAR needed to NARRATE AUDIOBOOKS

When starting to get into audiobook narrating everything can seem very overwhelming, from what gear to buy, recording auditions and demo reels. There’s a lot of information on what gear is the best and they all range in different prices.