Please note that this article is to support voice replica beta participants only. Please do not share its content or link with others. As a reminder, the details of this beta are Audible Confidential Information, subject to the confidentiality obligations under Section 6 of the ACX Account Holder Agreement.

The voice replica beta gives ACX narrators the opportunity to create a voice replica — a computer-generated virtual voice that sounds like you, based on professional recordings that you submit. Once you've created your voice replica, you will be able to monetize it as an additional narration service, expanding the number of projects you can take on at one time, as well as the opportunities for listeners to connect with your voice. Note, you are in full control of your voice replica — you choose which projects you'd like to submit voice replica auditions for, and you review and edit all final productions.

See below for frequently asked questions about this service:

What is voice replica narration?

Voice replica narration is a computer-generated speech technology that enables narrators to create and monetize replicas of their own voices. It is a first-of-its-kind offering from an audiobook service, allowing narrators to take on more projects simultaneously, produce high-quality audiobooks quickly, and increase their earning potential.

Why are you offering this technology?

We continue to hear from our creator community, including authors, publishers, and narrators who are interested in using emerging technologies to make more audio content available to listeners— including the vast catalog of print and ebooks that does not yet exist in audio. For free during the beta, narrators can build a voice replica and offer it as an additional narration service for rights holders, giving narrators the opportunity to take on more projects at once and generate new business.

How do I access the voice replica beta?

If you’ve been invited to the voice replica narration beta, please accept using the link in the welcome email you received. Once you accept the invitation, you can access the voice replica creation process in your narrator profile on the "Edit Profile" page. Under the "Available Voices" section at the bottom, you will see a "Voice Replica Narration" beta option; click the button to get started with the voice creation process.

How do you create your voice replica?

Once you click through to start the voice creation process, you’ll be prompted to test your recording set up (this should take about 1 minute). Once you confirm your setup, you will download a selection of scripts, which we will provide. Please record these scripts on your own time (this should take about 2.5 hours) and then return to the page where you downloaded the scripts to upload your completed recordings. Once you provide your voice recordings, ACX uses proprietary computer-generated voice technology to create an identifiable voice replica that sounds like you (this may take several weeks). You will get a notification in the ACX message center and by email when it is time to review and approve your voice replica.

How will my voice replica be used?

As with other ACX projects, you decide on a title-by-title basis when to audition with your voice replica, which means you choose the titles that meet your criteria. Once your voice replica is selected by a title's rights holder, you'll get to review the final production, editing for pronunciation errors, pacing, and more to enhance the narrative. Audible will never use a voice replica for commercial purposes without the narrator's consent. Recording data may be referenced and used in continuing to develop the technology that makes high quality voice replicas possible.

Will my name be associated with my voice replica?

Narrators must provide a professional name to create their voice replica. On the product detail page, your professional name will appear in the "Narrator" field as “Your Name's voice replica". Crediting you directly as the narrator helps ensure that fans of your professional narration can find all titles performed with your voice. This is also a selling point for rights holders who choose to work with professional narrators for their titles.

How do I get paid? 

Narrators can choose to be paid a per-finished-hour fee for their voice replica narration, receive a share of the royalties from the audiobook during the initial 7 year distribution period (narrators receive 10% (legacy royalty rate) or 12.5% (new royalty rate), authors receive 30% (legacy royalty rate) or 37.5% (new royalty rate), or opt for the hybrid royalty share plus model, receiving a smaller up front fee in exchange for a share of the royalties. For per-finished-hour fees, the producer and rights holder agree on a per-finished-hour rate at the start of the production. More information on how royalties work can be found here.  

Can I continue auditioning with my professional narration?

Yes. We encourage you to continue auditioning for professional narration roles while using your voice replica as an additional or supplemental opportunity to earn. You will be able to choose which projects you audition for with professional narration, your voice replica, or both. By using your voice replica to create more titles than you could with professional narration alone, you can build a wider audience and reach more fans.

How can I get started with voice replica production?

To get started with voice replica production, you must have your voice replica published. 

1. First, make sure your voice replica has the correct attributes (gender, acting style) on your profile so the rights holder can easily identify your narration style. Audio recordings you upload to ACX for voice replica creation must adhere to the recording guidelines. 
2. Find projects you'd like to audition for. Filter by Producer Type to show only projects accepting voice replica narration.
3. Once you choose a project, select whether you want to audition with your voice replica or live narration.
4. Voice replica auditions will be auto-generated. This may take up to 30 seconds. During the beta phase, you will not be able to edit the audition before it goes to the rights holder.
5. If the rights holder chooses you as the narrator, you will receive an offer from them.
6. Once you agree to their offer, you can start the production.
7. You will have access to the production tool, Virtual Voice Studio, where you can edit pronunciation errors and pacing. You can read more about the Virtual Voice Studio in this article.
8. When you are done with your editing, send it back to the rights holder for their review. 
   1. Please keep in mind that unlike current productions which include a 15-minute checkpoint, for the beta, a rights holder can decide to cancel a project up to 7 days after they've received your audiobook, so we would encourage you to message your rights holder through the ACX message center early and often to ensure you have shared expectations.

How will the voice replica titles be displayed in the Audible and Amazon stores?

Titles narrated using voice replicas will be labelled in the narrator field of the title’s product detail page as [“Narrated by Narrator’s voice replica”]. 

Can I cancel the voice replica production contract with the rights holder?

You may cancel the contract within 7 days of the offer being accepted. Please refer to the terms and conditions for full details.