How does the audio process work? Let's consider a sales presentation or e-learning course as an example. You provide the script... And I add voice to your material!
I want to know several important points: What is the target audience? Under what circumstances and context will the learner be seeking the specialized knowledge that this material provides? I also peruse the script for clarification of technical terms and proper pronunciation. Answers to questions like these are important... You don't get a second chance at making a first impression, and if you betray the listener's trust, you'll never regain that trust to the original level you had when you began...
I record the material, edit each recorded page into final form, and deliver the finished WAV files. Many times, the files may also be converted and delivered in a different format, such as mp3 at a compact bitrate if desired. In any case, you still receive the WAV file for each page for your archiving purposes.
Typically, if each recorded page runs somewhere between 15 and 40 seconds in narrated length, and consistently concentrates on one thought or concept per page, I generally average eight files per hour... Such a presentation running 24 pages in length would amount to three billable hours of work, including recording, editing and simple delivery of the content to an FTP site.
If the content averages one or two simple sentences per page, such as in a basic "how-to-do" presentation, it could be 10 or 12 files per hour. Conversely, if the content is very technical or complex in nature and the finished files run consistently one to two-and-a-half minutes in length or more, the editing process gets slower and runs as few as three or four files per hour... The "chewier" the material, the longer it takes to produce.
For content revisions such as modifications or rewritten pages, I listen back to the original file in order to recall the tempo and timbre of the presentation, and re-record the affected material. This is done to make the revision sound as close to the original presentation as possible. This process is a little longer, so I generally estimate six files per hour in the research/recording/editing/delivery process.
This is the 11th year I've recorded and produced instruction and industrial narrations... I love what I do, and I want you to be satisfied with your presentation. It would be a privilege to help bring your material to life!