What to Expect in the Studio: An Author’s First-Time Guide
A comforting walkthrough of the recording process.
You are in the right place
Walking into a recording studio for the first time can feel exciting and a little intimidating. You do not need to be a performer to succeed here. You need a supportive team, a simple plan, and a space that helps you focus. This guide shows what the day looks like and how Lucent keeps you comfortable from hello to goodbye.
Before you arrive
A little prep lowers stress and keeps the session smooth.
What to wear. T-shirts and jeans work well. Avoid layers, noisy fabrics, zippers, bracelets, or necklaces that may click or rustle.
What to bring. Water, tea or coffee, lip balm, and a light snack. Green apple slices or mints can help mitigate mouth noise. Most audiobook studios will have many of these on hand.
Your script. We will provide a clean reading copy on an iPad or tablet. If you marked up a PDF and prefer to narrate from that, let us know and we will have it loaded. Printed pages are rarely used for narration because they slow things down and introduce noise.
Voice warm-up. Five minutes is enough. Gentle breath work, lip trills, and a short paragraph or two out loud.
Headspace. Plan to arrive a few minutes early. Phone on silent. We will handle the rest.
Meet your team
Studios staff sessions in a few common ways:
Engineer-director (one person). At many audiobook-specific studios, one professional handles recording and light direction. This is normal and efficient.
Engineer and director (two people). Some sessions have a dedicated engineer and a separate director or producer focused on performance. This is the preferred approach if you aren’t able to record at an audiobook specific studio.
Lucent can provide a dedicated director if you want one, either in person or remotely. In all cases you will receive clear guidance throughout the session.
The room and the gear
You will record in a quiet booth with a large-diaphragm condenser microphone (often a Neumann U87), headphones, a music stand with an iPad or tablet for your script, or a desk/table, and adjustable lighting. You can choose to sit or stand, but it works best if you commit, since different body positions can alter your sound. We set the mic distance to keep your voice rich and reduce plosives, and we will dial in your headphone level so you can hear yourself and your engineer-director clearly. You do not need to touch any settings.
Mic etiquette in one line: sit or stand tall, keep your mouth about a hand’s span from the mic, and stay still. Slight arm movement is okay. Check with the engineer to be sure it is not audible, and be ready to take a line again if movement noise slips in.
Sound check and practice pass
We begin with a short sound check. You read a few lines so we can set levels. Keep going until we ask you to stop. We will fine-tune the setup to help you sound your best and may adjust mic position if we hear too much room or plosives. We might ask for some loud lines and some quiet lines. You will hear yourself lightly in the headphones. You may hear your tone change briefly if we sweep the EQ to boost or cut frequencies. Do not be alarmed; we are enhancing what works and reducing what does not. If you prefer less of your own voice in your ears, we can lower it. If you want more direction in your headphones, we can raise it.
How a session flows
A calm rhythm helps performance.
Read in short sections. Think one paragraph or one idea at a time.
If you trip, pause. Your engineer will roll back a few seconds. Pick up at the start of the sentence. Match your tone and pace.
Marking moments. If you want to take a line again, let your engineer know. They will roll you back and punch you in quickly. Don’t get lost here though. Trust your engineer and/or director. If they didn’t stop you, you don’t need to stop.
Breaks. Every 60 minutes or so, pause for a stretch. Short breaks keep your voice fresh and your focus steady. You can go longer or shorter. Find the cadence that works best for you. Sip on water, coffee, or tea throughout your session.
Pronunciations. We keep a list open. If something surprises you, stop and ask. If we want to check something, we will let you know. Solving it now is best.
Quick resets: breathe 4-2-6, jaw release, shoulder drop, one simple line to a friend in your mind.
What if nerves show up
They will, and that is fine. Nerves tend to speed up pace or tighten the jaw. We will slow your breathing, place natural pauses, and coach emphasis so your meaning lands. You do not need to carry the performance alone. Your engineer-director or dedicated director is there to guide you.
Taking care of your voice
Hydrate often. Room-temperature water is best. Tea or coffee is fine if that is part of your routine.
Reduce mouth noise. Sip water, try a mint, or take a bite of green apple between takes.
Posture. Long spine, relaxed shoulders. Think conversation.
Pacing. Let sentences land. Give a small beat before the next idea.
What we handle in post
We remove clicks and extra breaths, smooth pacing, and keep the tone consistent from chapter to chapter. We flag anything that needs a pickup and schedule it quickly. After recording, your audiobook passes through editing, quality control, and mastering so the final product is clean, balanced, and ready for distribution.
How long it takes
Authors new to narration often record at about three hours of studio time per finished hour of audio. We plan sessions in focused blocks so you stay clear and comfortable. Take breaks as needed to stay fresh. Audiobook sessions are usually six hours long, but they can be longer or shorter. Some authors prefer four-hour sessions. Your schedule will reflect your book length and your preferred pace.
Remote and hybrid options
If you prefer to record from a premium home setup, we can evaluate your space and let you know if it will work. If it does, we can provide remote direction while you record. The flow and support are the same. We simply bring the studio to you.
Studio etiquette at a glance
Quiet clothing, quiet jewelry, quiet phone.
No strong perfumes or colognes if possible. The booth picks up more than you think.
Tell us if something feels off. Headphone volume, font size, booth temperature. We adjust fast.
The takeaway
A good studio session feels calm and predictable. You narrate. We guide. The tech disappears. By the end of day one you will sound like yourself at your best. If you have a marked script from prep, we will load it for you.
FAQ
Q1. Do I need acting experience to record my audiobook?
No. A supportive engineer or director guides pace, emphasis, and clarity so you sound like yourself at your best.
Q2. How long is a typical audiobook session?
Many authors work well in six-hour sessions with short breaks. Authors that are new to narration often average about three studio hours per hour of recorded audio.
Q3. Will there be both an engineer and a director?
Many audiobook studios run with one engineer-director. Lucent can add a dedicated director in person or remotely if you prefer.
Q4. What should I wear and bring?
Quiet clothing, water or tea, lip balm, a light snack. Green apple slices or mints can help reduce mouth noise.
Q5. Can I record from home?
Yes, if your space and gear meet quality standards. We can assess your setup and provide remote direction.