Consistency first
To guarantee a constant sound, we note at each session the exact microphone position, the height of the stand and the preamp and processing settings. The narrator finds the same setup from one session to the next. We recommend sessions of three to four hours with regular breaks: beyond that, the voice changes and attention drops.
In the control room, the engineer follows the text alongside the narrator. An error, a skipped word or a doubtful pronunciation is picked up immediately, avoiding long corrections later. Proper names and difficult terms are listed before the session and their pronunciation confirmed with the author or publisher.
Technical specifications
Each publisher or platform has its requirements: average level, maximum peaks, noise floor, silence at the start and end of files, splitting by chapter, format and sample rate. We work from the specification you send and check every file before delivery. If you have no specifications, we suggest common values and document them.
Audiobooks are charged per finished hour, meaning the length of the book once edited. This includes recording, editing and mastering. As a guide, a 70,000-word novel represents about eight finished hours.
Editing
Editing is a large part of the work. We remove retakes, mouth, page or chair noises, adjust the pauses between sentences and paragraphs for a natural pace, and check against the text. A complete listen-through is done before each chapter is delivered.
If the publisher or author notes corrections after listening, we organise a short pick-up session. Pick-ups due to a reading or editing error on our side are included; text changes requested after recording are charged for the time spent.
Narrator's and text rights
The narrator is a performer: their performance is protected, and their written authorisation is required to record and exploit it. That contract is concluded between the narrator and the publisher or author who exploits the audiobook. Likewise, the audio adaptation rights in the text belong to the publisher or author. The studio carries out the technical service and takes no rights in the work or the performance.
When we record on behalf of a publisher, we process narrators' data (voice, contact details, schedule) on its instructions; our data processing agreement covers this situation.
Podcasts
For a podcast, the booth takes one or two people, and the live room can seat up to four guests around a table with individual dynamic microphones. We record each voice on a separate track, which makes editing easier. A podcast studio hour with engineer costs €70 including VAT; editing and mastering are charged separately, on quote, depending on episode length.
You remain the publisher of your podcast. If you invite people, it is up to you to obtain their consent to record and broadcast their voice; we can provide a simple release template on request.
Voices and artificial intelligence
We do not use our clients' recordings to train artificial intelligence systems, and we do not clone voices without the specific written authorisation of the person concerned. If a publisher asks us for such a use, we require that authorisation beforehand. These commitments are set out in our terms and our privacy policy.
Rates and schedule
Audiobooks are charged €140 including VAT per finished hour. For a book of eight finished hours, generally plan four to six narration sessions, then about two weeks of editing and checking. A 30% deposit is requested when the quote is accepted; for publishers, the balance is invoiced on delivery, payable within 30 days.
What is included
- Script following in the control room
- Identical setup at every session
- Editing and checks per chapter
- Mastering to the requested specifications
- Technical check report
- Pick-ups due to the studio included