Audio is for the Ears: Three Pieces of Advice from an Audio Beginner for Audio Beginners.
As someone who recently began audio storytelling, I know how daunting it can be to get started. To an outsider looking in, it might not seem like it takes a lot to create a good piece of audio. Let me tell you, there is a learning curve to this audible art form. That being said, when you learn the basics, even someone with no formal training or expensive equipment can learn how to tell meaningful stories through audio. Even though I still have a lot to learn, these three tips helped me hone my skills and feel confident in my stories.
Audio Stories are for the Ears:
My biggest failure when I began my audio journey was trying to create an audio story like it was a written piece. From the concept of my story to even how I wrote my script, I was writing as if someone was going to read my piece. When I read my script aloud it felt forced. I practiced over and over again to get phrases right instead of just rewriting them to fit my natural dialogue. I didn’t even begin to think about natural sounds, music or even the tone and rhythm of my voice. The point is, I wasn’t using the medium, and I didn’t realize who my audience was. I was writing my piece to be seen by the eyes, not heard by the ears. Looking back, it isn’t surprising how boring these early final products ended up.
So, I began asking myself “how do I make this story interesting to the ears?” When I made this realization, I quickly changed how I produced my stories. First, when I thought of concepts for new stories, I always ensured there was a reason to tell them in an audio format. Second, I tried to write in my natural voice — a skill I still haven’t quite mastered. Lastly, I improved my recording voice by intentionally relaxing before recording sessions to bring out my natural intonations and rhythms.
The Quality of Your Audio Makes a Difference:
Currently, humanity has access to more audio storytelling than in our entire history. From unconventional hobby podcasts to radio stations covering local news, there have never been more audio options that serve your interests. So, if you clicked on an audio story and heard weird background noises and poorly mixed dialogue, what would prevent you from turning it off in favor of one of the other hundred options with better audio quality? In an age with options, we want to hear good quality audio, and, if it’s not up to our standards, it can instantly repel potential listeners.
Luckily, we are also in an age where good audio quality has never been easier to capture. Most of us carry a small recorder in our pocket that we call a phone. I have recorded most of my pieces using my phone. The biggest difference between good and bad audio when using a phone is where you record. When I first recorded with my phone, I thought I could get away with recording in my room with a closed-door acting as my only sound barrier. When I listened to the recording back, I noticed every little sound from the meow of my roommate’s cat in the next room to the cars driving by outside. So, I tried again. This time, I surrounded myself with pillows, blankets and everything else soft in my room, and I hit record. Even though the process was a bit tedious, the audio ended up being clear as day. So, if you’re like me and don’t have expensive microphones and a soundproof studio, use your phone and create your own studio. You don’t have to use my method. Any quiet place with lots of sound dampeners like a closet full of clothes or even under your bed will help you produce dialogue that sounds like it came straight out of the studio.
Edit Before You Edit:
If you want to transition into audio because you think it’s easier than crafting a well-written story, you’re in for a rude awakening. At its core, audio is a medium to tell stories. The story is the foundation for everything that we create. In audio, there are options like music and sound effects that can help enhance a piece (and ruin one if done wrong), but those tools shouldn’t be relied on to solve poor storytelling.
The stories I’m most proud of usually begin with a finalized script on paper. I always try to know where the story is going before I ever touch an editing software. If I can see the story on paper, and it makes sense, then — with some tweaking — I know it will work in a listener’s ear. Whatever story you’re trying to tell, make sure you know where it’s going before you jump in. Audio is similar to the film industry. Whenever a director on set says “we’ll fix that in post production” it usually means two things: the director didn’t think to solve this issue ahead of time and whatever is done in post production will likely look worse than if they had just solved the problem on the day. When you begin in audio, you’re the director and the editor. It is up to you to know your story — and work out its problems — before you begin the editing process.
