Watch the Audio Basics Video

Total running time: 3:46


This short article gives a broad overview of creating and uploading audio for personalized videos using the Idomoo interface. The areas covered are:

  • Terminology - What do we call what?
  • Dynamic file labeling - Best practices for audio file names
  • File Labeling for QA - Best practice for audio file names if Idomoo are running QA on your project
  • Audio Durations - Best practices for seamless integration of audio files
  • General Guidelines - An overview of Audio file do’s and don’ts


Terminology

When incorporating audio in to a personalized video, the way audio is heard can be defined in the following ways:

  • Static Audio- Audio is the same for each viewer; everyone hears the same thing
    • For example; ‘Welcome to our video presentation’
  • Dynamic Audio- Audio that is data driven and personalized to a specific viewer
    • For example, giving the name of the viewer; ‘Hi John’
  • Alternative Scene Audio- Audio that can play a variation on the scene depending on the interaction of the viewer
    • For example; Scene A would contain different audio to Scene B or C
  • Generic Audio- A fallback audio file that plays a file when no data is available
    • For example, if no name is available, ‘Hi there’ would play as the default fallback
    • It is highly recommended that all your recordings have a Generic Audio fallback


Dynamic File Labeling

Labeling of dynamic audio files is important so that each file can match the data it is assigned to use. To achieve this, all dynamic audio files should be labeled exactly as they appear in the data of your Storyboard.

In the above example you can see the data uses the word ‘February’ and this is spelt out without abbreviation. Your audio file must also be labeled; ‘February.wav’ and not, for example, ‘Feb.wav’. A difference in the name structure will cause a mismatch in the database, resulting in a failure to find the correct file.

  • Best Practices - Put all versions of a dynamic file into one folder
  • When recording different versions, check that all labels are exactly the same as your plan


Audio Durations and Levels

The length and levels of your audio files are also important to ensure seamless integration inside a personalized video. This requires that all the various pieces of audio you wish to integrate, need to have audio levels that make them feel as though they are unique recordings.

In the example below, the static audio is; ‘thanks for joining’. The dynamic audio is the name of the viewer. Both are joined together using Idomoo’s ‘Magnetic audio’ functionality, which lines up the two files in order to create a seamless audio file.

However, to seamlessly integrate static and dynamic audio, the levels and expected duration need to be carefully controlled during the recording and post-production stages of audio file creation.


General Guidelines

When creating audio files for your personalized videos, please take note of the following suggested guidelines:

  • A sound engineer has to speak the language of the session that is being recorded
  • Audio should be recorded at:
    • 44.1KHz
    • 16 bit
    • Stereo
  • Files for delivery should be in either:
    • .wav, or
    • .mp3
  • Mastered levels of audio should be no more than:
    • -1db
  • Record a guideline before you begin recording the actual audio. Time this guideline to the animation, then record each individual file to the pace of that guideline.