Audio production: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What audio production is

An audio engineer records, edits and mixes sound for projects such as podcasts, ads, audiobooks and videos, delivering polished, balanced audio files. The engineer works on the clarity, levels and tone of the sound so the listener can focus on the content.

Signs you need it

  • You have a podcast, an audio ad or a video with sound that is hard to hear or uneven.
  • You are making an audiobook and need the narration cleaned, balanced and delivered in the right format.
  • You have recordings from several places that need to sound like one project.
  • Your background music overpowers the speech, and you cannot fix the balance yourself.
  • You need a final audio file that meets the specification of a platform or a broadcaster.
  • You are recording a project in a home setup and want professional sound before release.

What the pro does

  • Reviews the recordings and the purpose of the project, and agrees the length and the final format.
  • Cleans up noise, clicks and room sound, and removes mistakes that do not belong in the final track.
  • Balances the levels between voices, music and effects, so each part is heard clearly.
  • Applies tone and dynamics processing, such as compression and equalization, to suit the speech or the music.
  • Delivers the final files in the agreed formats, with the project file kept if requested.

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Length of the project and the number of tracks or episodes.
  • Condition of the recordings and how much clean-up they need.
  • Whether music and sound effects need to be mixed in.
  • Number of versions, such as a full version and a short ad version.
  • Number of review rounds.
  • Turnaround time for the delivery date.

What a written quote should spell out

  • The length of the audio and the number of episodes or versions.
  • The clean-up, music and effects included.
  • The number of review rounds and the final formats.
  • Who owns the final files and the project files.
  • Who arranges music and sound effect rights, stated in writing.

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What condition are the recordings in, and what clean-up do you expect?
  • Can you show a before and after of audio you cleaned?
  • Will you mix in music and effects, and who arranges their rights?
  • What final format and loudness does the platform or broadcaster require?
  • How many review rounds are included?
  • Will you keep the project file so I can make changes later?

Red flags

  • Says a poor recording can be made perfect without hearing it first.
  • Removes natural breaths and room tone so far that the voice sounds unnatural.
  • Will not show samples or explain its clean-up steps.
  • Uses music or effects without confirming the rights.
  • Asks for full payment before the scope and the formats are agreed.

What you can do yourself

You can record a clean voice track in a quiet room with a microphone placed close to the speaker, and leave a few seconds of silence at the start and end. Hire an audio production engineer when the project will be published, when the recordings are noisy or uneven, or when music and effects must be mixed to a set specification.

Licenses and permits

Audio production is not commonly licensed, so a license is usually not required for this work. Check with your state or local licensing agency about business rules that apply to you, and ask the engineer for a before and after sample and a list of the final formats they deliver, as proof of skill.

Audio production questions

What is the difference between audio editing and audio production?

Audio editing mainly cleans and assembles recordings. Audio production covers the whole project, including mixing, music, effects and the final delivery. Many projects need both.

Can noise be removed completely?

Noise can be reduced a great deal, but removing it completely can make the voice sound unnatural. Ask the engineer to explain the trade-off for your recordings.

What final format do I need?

It depends on where the audio will be published or broadcast. Ask the platform or broadcaster for its requirements before the final mix, so the file can be delivered in the right format the first time.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See screened pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More video and audio production guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request audio production