2024 Guide | How to Record an Audio Book Simply

Melissa Lee updated on Mar 14, 2024 to Screen Recording Utility

Recording an audiobook is easy, and we've made this even easier for you. This article will teach you what equipment you'll need, how to record and edit audio to make it sound professional, and much more. Continue reading to learn more!

PAGE CONTENT:

Things You Need to Prepare Beforehand
Record an Audio Book with EaseUS RecExperts
Alternative Programs to Record an Audio Book
FAQs about How to Record an Audio Book

Want to know how to record an audiobook? You'll be surprised to know that you can do so in the comfort of your own house or maybe rent a professional studio for it.

It's pretty easy to record an audiobook. Today we are going to discuss what you need to record an audiobook, how to record an audiobook, and so much more. Stick around for full information.

Part 1. Things You Need to Prepare Beforehand

So if you are recording an audiobook, here's what you need to be ready with and do:

Sounds easy and fun, right? Because it actually is. But let's dive deep into this so you may get a clearer picture.

Get a Studio Room

If you've listened to an audiobook, you would have noticed its high-production quality, meaning no echo, background noise, or speaking fast. To get this kind of effect, you can either rent a professional studio room or convert your room into a studio. To turn your room into a "professional studio," you will first have to reduce the echo or remove background noise.

To reduce the echo, you can either fill the room with things or install acoustic panels on some areas of the wall, which will reduce the echo by a huge margin. If you want your audiobook to sound completely professional, soundproof the entire room by installing acoustic panels.

If you are not sure or don't have time, you can hire a specialist who can do things better on your behalf, or better yet, rent a studio. Capturing clear audio is not all dependent on the room. Your recording equipment also matters, and how you edit it in post-production also counts.

Before we discuss anything about post-production, let's talk a little bit about recording equipment.

Get a Recording Equipment

Equipment is the heart of audiobook production. All you need is:

  • Microphone
  • Headphone
  • An audio recording and editing software

Microphone: For recording an audiobook, you should select condenser microphones instead of dynamic microphones. The condenser microphones usually detect subtle sounds, which the dynamic microphones don't.

And remember to buy a standalone microphone, not a headphone and microphone combination. The microphone and headphone combination has many nuances, and one amongst them is the cancellation of background noise. It doesn't do so well.

There are many microphones that are in the $100-$200 range that you can pick up from an electronic store. Also, don't forget to grab a pop filter with the microphone for a proper microphone setup.

Headphones: Having good and decent headphones will help you weed out any imperfections and adjust the audio in post-production. So, it is necessary that you get a decent pair of headphones that can show any imperfections.

Audio recording and editing software: There is both free and paid software on the market that has a built-in audio recorder for Windows and other devices. Or you can also select standalone software as well.

Start an Audiobook Recording

Now that you have your equipment ready, it's time to record your audiobook. If you are recording your audiobook in your room, make sure there is nobody in the room with the narrator and that it is silent.

If it is a professional recording studio, you will have no problem recording your audiobook. The rooms are constructed in such a way that it is impossible for outside noise to creep in, and you wouldn't even require any extra equipment like microphones, headphones, or others.

Part 2. Record an Audio Book with EaseUS RecExperts

So, here's one of our recommendations to record your audiobook - EaseUS RecExperts. This is an all-in-one Mac and Windows screen recorder that can also record an audiobook for you.

With this tool, you can record audio on PC, screen record your monitor, your zoom meetings, YouTube, gameplay, and so much more. Once recorded, you can also edit the video or the audio with this software.

Standout Features of EaseUS RecExperts:

Now, you can download the tool from the button below.

In case you want to play music as BGM, we will show you how to use it to record the system and mic sound at the same time. 

Step 1. Launch EaseUS RecExperts and choose "Audio" (looks like a speaker) from the left side of the interface. Select the sound source by clicking on the speaker sign (the system sound) or the mic sign (the microphone). Or, you can record them both at the same time.

Step 2. Hit "REC" button to start recording audio. To finish it, you just click on the red square icon to stop the recording.

Step 3. After that, the recording list window will pop up automatically. You can listen to or edit the recording with built-in tools.

Part 3. Alternative Programs to Record an Audio Book

Apart from EaseUS RecExperts, which is a great tool for all kinds of recording and editing, here are our chosen standalone voice recording and editing programs for your audiobook.

Audacity

This app is a free audio recorder that can be downloaded on both Mac and Windows. It was designed and created for basic editing and mastering of audio and music files.

This program is loaded with effects and other features that will help you fix your audiobook recording if you find something wrong with it. It is very user-friendly and you will not have any problems getting started with it.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Simple interface
  • Record internal and external audio

Cons

  • Not for professionals
  • Professional tools are not available
  • It is buggy at the time

Pro Tools

Built by AVID, the Pro Tools is one of the most preferred screen and audio recorder among audio engineers. Pro Tools is packed with lots of advanced tools like automating the mixing, Dolby Atmos rending, and more. There are a total of three versions that you can select from, which are free, standard, and advanced.

Although the audiobook is not so demanding and is very easy to edit, you can download the free or standard version of this program to record and edit your audiobook. If you want more professional tools, you can easily upgrade them in the future as well.

Pros

  • Available for both Windows and Mac
  • It has all the professional tools
  • Offer an easy-to-use interface

Cons

  • There is a learning curve
  • May have trouble working with a few third-party plugins
  • The composition tools can be a bit better

Garageband

Developed by Apple for its Mac and iOS devices, Garageband is well-known among Apple device users. Even if you don't own an Apple device, you must've heard about Garageband by now.

You can create music using Garageband as well as record voice on Mac. It is good software overall. You can record your audiobook using Garageband without any problems.

Pros

  • Great for both beginners and semi-professionals
  • Simple interface
  • Packs a decent amount of professional features

Cons

  • Only available on Mac
  • Project files can come out large
  • Lack of a more comprehensive help menu

Reaper

Reaper is available for both Windows and Mac for $60. It is loaded with all the bells and whistles and has a beautiful interface. For the price it is available, it is shocking, as it has all the features that are found in more premium recording and editing software.

If you want all the tools at your disposal, Reaper is your go-to, but for an audiobook, this could be overkill.

Pros

  • Fast and light
  • Extremely customizable
  • Multi-channel audio recording, recording and more at an affordable price

Cons

  • Lack of built-in instruments and loops
  • UI needs an improvement
  • There is a slight learning curve

FAQs about How to Record an Audio Book

Here we give you some frequently asked questions that may be helpful to you. Let's check them together.

1. What program should I use to record an audiobook?

Audacity is the app most popular will look for when they want to record an audiobook. There is also some other popular recording software, including EaseUS RecExperts, Reaper, Twisted Wave, Pro Tools, etc.

2. What equipment is needed to narrate an audiobook?

To narrate an audiobook, you will need headphones, a quality microphone, and a computer, and most importantly, recording software.

3. What is the best way to record yourself reading a book?

The best way to record yourself reading a book is using a recorder that can record the webcam and the microphone at the same time. EaseUS RecExperts is what you need.

With this tool, you can launch it on your computer and use the webcam recording function with audio. The image and sound will both be recorded.

Conclusion

Wasn't that simple and easy? I knew it! To record an audiobook, you don't need expensive tools and software. You could do everything very affordably.

If you are limited on budget, we would suggest you give EaseUS RecExperts a try as there is a free version and even the premium license doesn't cost much. This is a great audio recording program for recording an audiobook, and I believe you will thank us later.