How I decided one day to turn my cozy Mystery "Whispers in the Attic" into an Audiobook and how you can do the same.
If you are an Author you have probably thought about an Audiobook at one point...
After my success in going from zero to audio hero my brother and I decided to offer the process the equipment list, the advice and the audio processing as a service. If you are an author interested going down that road, drop me a line! We can always have an initial zoom call to see if and how we could help you achieve the same.
Our Service – Pricing:
How much does custom processing and mastering cost?
Send us your raw, unprocessed recording, and we'll diagnose your equipment and audio quality. Once we understand the work required, we'll provide you with an
individual quote. See our introductory offer, valid until November 30:
We'll review your audio file. If any adjustments to your recording process are
necessary, we'll provide suggestions and help you resolve the issues. The first
hour of this consultation is free. Any subsequent hour of consulting will be
charged at $150.
Processing up to 8 hours of Audiobook reading
with a custom voice preset including mastering to ACX standard: 2000 $.
Any additional hours of recording-time are each charged 250 $.
Prerequisite:
The quality of your recordings must have reached a stage where our services can
make them sound competitive.
Ready to start your journey?
Click here for our signup form and we will be in touch.
We don't charge for demonstrating the sound of your custom-tuned preset. As a result, you can get an accurate idea of how the finished product will sound. If you decide not to proceed, we can part ways here, no questions asked. We only hope that you'll share information about our service with your voiceover colleagues.
Uploading, cover graphics and marketing assistance:
Once you have your finished audiobook MP3 files (which will always remain yours), you'll need to open an account with ACX (the Audiobook Creation Exchange). Creating an account isn't difficult, but it does require a lot of personal information.
If you own your cover graphics, we'll process them to audiobook-standard, upload your files and covers. While we wait for the final approval from ACX (usually within 10 days), I'll share my dos and don'ts – strategies that have worked for me and my group of fellow audiobook authors.
This will be an online document that I'll periodically update with the latest marketing efforts that have and haven't worked for us, ensuring you have access to the most current information!
Uploading, cover graphics processing, and marketing assistance are available as an optional extra for a reasonable $350!
Juergen Frisch
is a seasoned freelance journalist and podcaster based in Stuttgart, Germany. His topics mostly cover business-IT. Before becoming an IT-writer he worked at various radio stations. For the audiobook ‚Whispers in the attic“ he created a custom processing preset and mastered the recordings according to the ACX standard. Juergen is the technical mastermind for our Audiobook Production Service.
Sabine Frisch
Creator, Author of the "Preacher Series" of thrillers, the "Magical Papillon" Series of Cozy Mysteries and Narrator of the Audiobook to "Whispers in the Attic."
If you are ready to dive in, click here for the signup form, tell us a bit about yourself, and we'll set up an initial call.
Read on below, for free hints, tips and tricks to get you started, helpful advice and equipment you can't do without!
Free advice to get you started!
A microphone, an audio interface and a recording device – the choice in the market is simply overwhelming. To give you an overview we put together a short guide about recording gear, Digital Audio Workstations Mic Technique and Room Treatment.
Some of the solutions we mention are basic, and you will outgrow them sooner or later when you advance and become a professional voice over artist. Still, our selection is a good starting point.
A list of gear that will not cost the world but will get you started
Learn more
Recorder
Zoom P4
The go-to-model for many podcasters. Records independently from a PC and doesn’t crash.
Pros:
Very versatile: You can even use it to record conversations from Microsoft Teams or from a mobile telephone.·
Four Microphone-Inputs with a lot of gain (70 dB). Even notoriously gain-hungry microphones do not need an additional booster like a Fethead or a Cloudlifter.
Cons:
·
Build quality is not very sturdy. ·
The P4 records only in 44,1khz, 16 bit. That is good enough for a voice recording.
Not enough for recording videos that require 48 khz sampling rate.
https://www.thomannmusic.com/zoom_podtrak_p4.htm
Dynamic Microphones
Dynamic Microphones record higher frequencies less accurately than condenser microphones. On the other hand they tend to be quite forgiving when it comes to untreated rooms or external noises. You have to speak very closely to them otherwise the signal will be very low.
Samson Q2u
https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Handheld-Microphone-Recording-Podcasting/dp/B001R747SG/
Pros: ·
Bright sounding dynamic microphone with both XLR-and USB-Connection.·
Excellent bang for the buck.
Cons:
The provided desktop stand is not ready for primetime.·
Entry level gear. You will outgrow it sooner or later.
Rode Podmic 
https://www.thomannmusic.com/rode_podmic.htm
Pros:
Very good build quality.
Cons:·
Needs a sturdy microphone stand.·
Quite gain-hungry.
Mic-Booster
https://www.thomannmusic.com/tritonaudio_fethead.htm
You need a pre-amplifier like this if the input gain from your recorder is not strong enough to drive a gain-hungry microphone like the Rode Podmic. Not needed with a Zoom P4, as this recorder has a very powerful gain.
Condenser Microphones
A condenser microphone records high frequencies very clearly. This can result in a pleasing sound. The downside: These microphones are very sensitive to noise. They hear „a mouse fart in the next county“ and are generally not very forgiving when it comes to untreated rooms.
Marantz MPM 1000 
https://www.thomannmusic.com/marantz_mpm_1000.htm
Pro: ·
Nice and bright sounding microphone. A good starting point that gives you a very good bang for the buck.
Con:
·
Might pick up room noise.·
Entry level, you will outgrow it sooner or later.
Behringer TM1
https://www.thomannmusic.com/tannoy_tm1.htm
A stepup from the Marantz MPM 1000.
Rode NT1
https://www.thomannmusic.com/rode_nt1_signature_black.htm
Pro
A high quality condenser microphone with extremely low self noise.·
Pop filter and elastic microphone mount is included.
Cons
May pickup room noise.
Needs a well treated room.
Microphone Accessories
Pop filter
Windscreens and pop filters reduce excessive P-s in your voice.
https://www.thomannmusic.com/the_tbone_windschutz_ws60.htm
https://www.thomannmusic.com/the_t.bone_ms_200.htm
Microphone stand
You need one of these to keep your microphone in position:
https://www.thomannmusic.com/km_210-9_stativ.htm 
https://www.thomannmusic.com/rode_psa1_529272.htm
Microphone mount
The elastic ribbons in these microphone mounts prevent vibrations
from hitting the microphone and making noise. Not to be used with Rode Podmic
as this microphone is too heavy.
https://www.thomannmusic.com/rycote_usm_universal_studio_mount.htm
https://www.thomannmusic.com/sennheiser_mks_4.htm
Pro-Tips:
How to choose the best-fitting microphone
To find the microphone that best fits your voice and your room you have to ty out different models. Record one minute of your voice with them and then let your colleagues decide which one sounds best. Local retailers will possibly borrow you the microphones for this shootout. If you shop online you just send back the ones that you do not like. If you know what microphone or what recorder you need and you want to save money you can easily buy them second hand.
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You need to be able to listen to everything you do! Quality is important here. You are producing something for sale, so you must hear what you are doing accurately. Your headphones should be closed back and not open. You do not want sound leaking out and being picked up by the microphone. I use Beyerdynamic Studio
headphones. This company has been producing industry standard gear for years. The headphones have a clear, precise sound and they will last.
https://www.thomannmusic.com/beyerdynamic_dt_770_pro_80_ohm_70th_anniver.htm
If you buy only one pair of headphones this is what I recommend. On the other hand: If you check the quality of your recordings in sessions that last one hour or longer you may want to look at a second pair of open back headphones. They are less fatiguing to listen to. 
https://www.thomannmusic.com/akg_k_240_studio_kopfhoerer.htm
https://www.thomannmusic.com/beyerdynamic_dt_990_pro_80_ohm.htm
The general recommendation is that you use headphones not just for recording but also for editing so that you hear any little imperfection and can get rid of it. But to be honest, spending a day under headphones is not only potentially bad for your ears but pretty depressing too.
Less fatiguing is listening on speakers. If you are reading audiobooks more than occasionally, then I suggest you sort out your editing room sound-wise and buy a decent set of near-field or mid-field studio monitors with built-in active amps. 
https://www.thomannmusic.com/presonus_eris_3.5_2nd_gen.htm
https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B07ZR2G296
To mount your speakers you need these stands. Fix the speakers with a rubber band to avoid dropping.
https://www.thomannmusic.com/millenium_bs_500_wh_set.htm
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A Digital Workstation (DAW) is a software that allows you to work with an audiofile. Just like you work on a text with a word processor like Winword. The are two main use cases: The obvious one is editing out of mistakes and unwanted segments from your audio. The second use case is a process known as „post-processing“.
This is where you clean up any background noise, ensure that volume levels are consistent throughout and that the overall volume of the episode is within generally accepted podcasting standards. You may outsource the post processing to a service provider. Editing out the mistakes is a step you need to do yourself.
You find a plethora of podcast editing software on the market today. There's no single best option out there, because everyone’s knowledge and preferences are different. For this post I picked three options that are quite common.
Audacity
A stalwart in the world of podcasting, Audacity is an open-source audio recording and editing program. The fact that Audacity is free makes it the most commonly used DAW in podcasting. Being free isn't its only appeal. The software is packed with good enough features to build a podcast episode or an audiobook.
Audacity is the obvious choice when it comes down to price. On the downside this software is not very user-friendly when it comes to post-processing as there are no presets.
Here are some reviews of Audacity:
Audacity Podcast Tutorial – Quickly Edit A Podcast And Sound Great!
Jumpstart your recording career for free with Audacity
Many tutorials for Audacity can be found on Youtube:
Audacity-Tutorial for Beginners
Adobe Audition
Adobe Audition is a paid solution that is immensely powerful and flexible. It has excellent features for sound restauration and a ton of presets for post-processing. The pricing is not cheap, as you have to rent the software. You can pay monthly, for $34.49, you can commit annually but pay monthly for $22.99 or you can pay annually for $263.88.
Reviews of Adobe Audition
Adobe Audition CC review
Getting to know Adobe Audition
Adobe Audition: Review by Transom.org
Many tutorials for Adobe Audition can be found on Youtube:
Adobe Audition 2024 - Tutorial for beginners
Wavelab Cast
Wavelab Cast
appeared in 2021 as a stripped-down version of Wavelab, which is a competitor to Adobe Audition. The main focus of Wavelab Cast is simplicity. The so called Track Inspector simplifies cleaning-up and post-production with a one-knob-approach.
The pricing of Wavelab Cast is very user friendly. A small drawback is the documentation that is not very rich at the moment. If in doubt with a special effect like Compression or Parametric Equalizer you can borrow the corresponding documentation from Wavelab pro, the bigger sibling of Wavelab Cast.
You can test Wavelab Cast at no cost for 30 days.
Reviews of Wavelab Cast
Introducing WaveLab Cast | For Podcasts and Social Media Content
Tutorials of Wavelab Cast
How to Improve The Sound of Your Podcast with WaveLab Cast | For Podcasts and Social Media Content
Audio Montage Overview WaveLab Cast 2
A typical workflow
Record your voice with Zoom P4 or any other recorder. The files are stored on an SD-card. Put this card in the corresponding slot of your laptop or card-adapter and copy the tracks you need (usually Mic 1) to your hard drive.
Open a single track session in Adobe Audition or any other DAW and bring in the Mic1-track. Edit out any mistakes. Then normalize this track to -6dB and save it with a new name.
All post-processing happens in a multitrack session of your DAW. Put your different tracks together to a chapter. For mastering use an Equalizer, Compression a DeEsser and an Exciter until you have the sound you like. Last step is normalizing all files to ACX-standard. As stated before all post-processing can be outsourced to a service-provider.
It's is worth noting that – like whatever microphone you use – your editing software is just a means to an end. Your presentation and your room will determine the quality of your recording. No editing software can guarantee you an audience.
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Good Mic Technique for Voiceover
Mic technique tends to be an overlooked part of voice over. Many people think that if they just buy a good microphone, their recording will automatically sound great. This is not he case. Just like buying an expensive car won't necessarily make you a great driver.
Fortunately learning good mic technique not very difficult. A lot of it comes down to best practices. Here, we'll run through seven tips for getting the best possible sound for your content.
1. Avoid Handling Noise
Most microphones make noise when handled. Keeping your microphone on a stand ensures that this doesn't ruin your take. You have three choices: a desktop mic stand, a floor stand or a boom arm. All of them have their pros and cons: A desktop stand can transmit noise from any interaction with the table surface. Floor stands are better, but they are not immune to walking or foot-tapping. If you use a boom arm, attach it to a surface other than your desk to reduce transmission noise.
2. Decouple your Microphone
If you use a desktop stand decouple it by either using a piece of acoustic foam or some inexpensive decoupling pads. Attach decoupling pads to the feet of your floor stand to prevent noises from making it into the microphone.
3. Position your Mic Properly
Good positioning of the microphone helps to prevent reverb from getting into the recording. It also reduces the excessive bass response that is caused by the proximity effect. This effect happens when a speaker gets very close to a microphone. A good distance for a dynamic microphone is about 6 - 8 inches away from your mouth. To find this, extend the thumb and forefinger into the shaka sign.
Source: Wikipedia
To find the best positioning, record your voice in different positions and hear what sounds best.
1. Learn Gain Staging
Before each recording session, gain staging your microphone is a good practice. To find the correct setting turn up the input level of your recorder or your Digital Audio Workstation until the average levels are around -12dB when speaking at a natural volume. If you tend to speak loudly, do so when gain staging to leave yourself some leeway before clipping. Never peak above -6 dB.
2. Use Pop Screens
Plosives are a bassy distortion that happens when you say the letter B and P as air bursts from your mouth hit the mic’s capsule There are a few ways to reduce these. The first line of defense is to use a pop screen between the microphone and your mouth. Pop screens help by diffusing the air from the plosive before it can hit the microphone. The second tip: Avoid speaking directly into the microphone. Instead angle the microphone 45 degrees to your mouth.
3. Reduce Mouth Noises
Excessive mouth noises are distracting. They are picked up especially by very sensitive condenser microphones. You can reduce these if you avoid eating sugary foods, like bread or potato chips before recording. Drink plenty of water before and during the recording session. This ensures you are well hydrated and reduces the number of times you will feel compelled to lick your lips. Furthermore plenty of water will significantly reduce the amount of tongue and lip-smacking noise generated by
trying to keep your mouth moist and keep the saliva flowing. It might also be a good
idea to clean your teeth before a recording session.
4. Breathe quietly
You should never take sucking breaths between sentences or. Breathing quietly is vital for a quality voice-over recording. Ideally you are breathing from your abdomen. It takes practice to train the muscles in your diaphragm to breathe quietly and deeply. This skill is what sets professional voice-over talents apart from the amateurs. If you are new to this you might benefit from voice training.
A Beginner's Guide To Acoustic Treatment
Acoustic treatment is what turns a home bedroom setup into a professional studio. The right acoustic treatment is one of the most important aspects building a room where sound quality and noise control are paramount. In a well treated room a mid priced microphone can sound good. In an unteated and echoey room on the other hand, even the most expensive boutique microphone does not live up to its promise.
That said, beginning voice actors that are just testing the waters do not need to come up with a full blown treatment of their room. Follow the advice below and see, if these reduce the reverb in your room to a point where it is not distracting. If you want to dive in deeper follow the links at the end.
1) Choose a small room and fill it with items
Echo is the enemy of a good sounding recording. Therefore, start with a small room, and then put things inside. Pictures on the walls, couches, a bookshelf, anything that is in the room will help to absorb the reflections and reduce the echo picked up by your microphone. Spaces with hard surfaces will bounce sound back into your microphone creating reverb. To avoid this, equip your studio with sound-absorbing materials including carpets, curtains, upholstered furniture, cushions, and even foam acoustical panels that can be purchased online.
2) Start with the area around your mic
Most aspiring voiceover artists think that they need to renovate an entire room to make it sound good. This is not the case. Firstly you only need to treat the area around the mic itself. One recommendation for people short on budget and space: put your mic into a cat bed. This creates a tiny studio atmosphere around the mic and will kill the reverb in your recordings.
3) Record in a closet
Many voice over artists record from their closets because of their sound-absorption. A big walk-in closet with a door, desk, and a power outlet is perfect, and it gives a sound-absorptive purpose to all those clothes that you cannot convince yourself to throw away.
4) Create a pillow fortress
If you’re starting out and need to treat the room acoustically, you can create a pillow fortress. Fill the room and the surrounding area with pillows or sound-absorbing materials (e.g. carpets, curtains, and blankets) that keep the sound from bouncing. This is a basic way of soundproofing which works for anyone.
5) Always wear headphones when recording
It’s crucial that you monitor the sound of your voice with a good pair of headphones. That allows you to catch any mistakes during the recording. You can then easily rerecord a given sentence instead of editing out the mistakes in post.
6) Aim for Consistency
As your voiceover progresses, consistency becomes important. Dedicating a space to do your show not only makes the sound quality and production level more consistent, but also reduces variables in your workflow. This makes the process of producing your content easier.
Futher reading
·
What Is Reverb? (& How to Fix It!) Acoustic Treatment
Guide
·
Acoustic Blankets for Podcasting - Kill the Reverb in Any
Environment
Acoustic Treatment Basics for Voice Over Studios
Acoustic Room Treatment on a Low Budget
Further viewing and listening
Spend some time and watching YouTube
videos, listen to podcasts, and learn from experts what your the best options
are at this stage in your voiceover journey. Here are some examples:
Acoustically Treat Your Space For Cheap!
Treat These Areas
First: Where to begin Acoustic Treatment
Sound for Video Session:
Acoustic Treatment
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