StretchLearn Course

Produce Audiobooks That Pass Retail QA First Time

Master the full ACX and Findaway Voices workflow — from mic placement to final file delivery.

Beginner9 hrSelf PacedRegistered

Course Overview

What this course is designed to develop

Audiobook Production takes you through the complete workflow used by professional narrators and independent authors: setting up a broadcast-quality home studio on any budget, capturing clean takes, editing for continuity and pacing, and mastering to exact retail specs. You will learn the ACX technical requirements (RMS -23 to -18 dBFS, noise floor below -60 dBFS, peak below -3 dBFS), the equivalent Findaway Voices standards, and how to deliver files that pass QA on the first submission. Every lesson uses concrete settings, named tools, and real-world examples so you can apply the techniques immediately.

Learning Outcomes

What the learner should be able to understand, build, or execute.

Configure a home recording environment that meets ACX and Findaway noise-floor requirements

Choose and position a condenser or dynamic microphone for optimal voice capture

Edit raw narration using punch-and-roll and destructive editing techniques in Audacity or Adobe Audition

Apply a professional mastering chain (noise gate, EQ, compression, limiter) to hit loudness targets

Export chapter files in the correct format and run pre-submission QC with ACX Check and Auphonic

Submit a complete audiobook project to ACX and Findaway Voices and respond to QA feedback

Curriculum Preview

Inside the curriculum: a structured path from fundamentals to execution.

Preview the course structure, see how the modules build on one another, and understand the path this program is designed to take you through.

Module 1

Module 1: Studio Setup and Acoustic Treatment

Build a home recording environment that consistently meets the ACX -60 dBFS noise floor requirement, regardless of budget.

3 lessons

Understanding ACX and Findaway Technical RequirementsContent · 45 min

Preview Enabled

Acoustic Treatment on Any BudgetContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Microphone Selection and PlacementContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 2

Module 2: Recording and Narration Technique

Develop a reliable recording workflow and narration style that produces clean, consistent audio with minimal editing required.

3 lessons

Session Workflow and Punch-and-Roll RecordingContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Narration Performance and PacingContent · 45 min

LMS Access

File Management and Chapter OrganisationContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 3

Module 3: Editing and Post-Production

Edit raw narration for continuity and pacing, remove noise and artefacts, and prepare clean files for the mastering chain.

3 lessons

Editing Raw Narration in Audacity and AuditionContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Noise Reduction and Spectral RepairContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Mastering to ACX and Findaway Loudness TargetsContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 4

Module 4: QC, Submission, and Distribution

Run pre-submission quality control, submit your completed audiobook to ACX and Findaway Voices, and manage the QA review process.

3 lessons

Pre-Submission Quality ControlContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Submitting to ACX and Findaway VoicesContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Managing QA Feedback and Growing Your CatalogueContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Built for Application

A complete learning path, not a one-off inspiration hit.

This program is designed around progression: focused lessons, structured modules, applied resources, assessments, and a course rhythm that turns information into usable capability.

audiobookACXFindaway VoicesnarrationmasteringRMS loudnesshome studioAudacityAdobe Audition