English Speakers Needed (North America) – One-Hour Audio Recording Project

We are seeking native English speakers located in North America to participate in a voice data collection project. Participants will record approximately one hour of audio through a virtual recording studio to support the development of speech and language technologies.

This is a straightforward recording task and does not require professional voice acting experience or a professional recording setup.

The recordings collected for this project will be used for research and development purposes only.

What You'll Do

• Record approximately 1 hour of prompted speech using our virtual recording platform
• Complete the recording in a quiet environment
• Speak naturally and clearly throughout the session
• Audio recordings will be automatically submitted from the studio for review upon completion

Who We're Looking For

• Native English speakers
• Currently located in North America
• Able to follow recording instructions carefully
• Reliable internet connection, and access to a computer, microphone and quiet recording environment
• No prior voice acting or recording experience is required.

Audio Sample Requirement:

• No audition is required for this project.
• However, for the proposal, all applicants must submit a short audio sample recorded using the same microphone, device, and environment they intend to use for the project.
• Please submit a sample that is approximately 30–60 seconds in length.

Recording Requirements
To ensure high-quality recordings, participants must:

• Record in a quiet indoor environment
• Use a consistent recording setup throughout the session
• Speak clearly and at a natural pace
• Ensure their voice can be heard clearly at all times
• Minimize background noise and interruptions

Technical Requirements

• System Configuration: Your talent must ensure their audio hardware, interface, or microphone is set to a sample rate that matches the recording settings used in the Studio that we provide access to.
• Equipment: An XLR microphone is the best option. Use of laptop and Bluetooth microphones is strongly discouraged.
• Microphone Positioning: The microphone should be placed approximately 6 to 8 inches from the mouth.
• Required Audio Metrics: The Studio setup check will measure noise floor, voice level, and signal-to-noise ratio, and will check for clipping before recording begins.
• Environmental Consistency: The setup check only measures metrics at the moment the test runs. Any subsequent changes to background noise, microphone position, or gain and volume settings will affect the final audio.

Scripts

• The scripts are not continuous and consist of different utterances spoken separately. You will record these in the studio and they will be automatically sent to the end client. Because of this, there will be no need for post editing, naming, or splitting.

The following are NOT permitted during recording:

• Television, music, podcasts, or other audio playing in the background
• Conversations from other people
• Fans, appliances, or other persistent background noise
• Turning on noisy devices during the recording session
• Recording while driving or in public spaces

Recordings that do not meet quality standards may be rejected.

Important Notes

• Recordings must be completed by the selected participant. AI-generated or synthetic voices are strictly prohibited.
• Recordings are subject to quality review.
• Audio recordings will be used for research and technology development purposes.

When applying, please include your short audio sample recorded with the setup you intend to use for the project in your Upwork proposal.