Attention-grabbing audio
Audio is a versatile and developing medium for interpretation and communicating with audiences. With technology development galloping along at a quickening pace, audio is becoming more and more accessible to heritage organisations from studio slick to homespun charm.
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Audio content can be used in so many ways:Image

  • podcasts
  • audio trails
  • self-guided walks
  • 21st century storytelling - digital stories
  • exhibition audio
  • creating an atmostphere
  • evaluation and consultation - focus groups and sound bites
  • marketing
  • audio books
  • oral history
  • talking benches, posts and interpretation panels

Audio varies hugely in quality and effectiveness. 

Even audio that has had a huge amount of cash thrown at it can fall flat on its face by not observing simple rules of interpretation development. 

Below are some examples of audio - what do you think?  Which ones work for you?:

  • Discover the exploits of pint-size furry park inhabitants on the red squirrels trail in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
  • Follow Goblin Gwladys into her underground kingdon on the geology tour in the Brecon Beacons National Park
  • Find out what makes Yorkshire tick with digital stories on the My Yorkshire website
  • Like a good story? Listen to the The Beast of Hackfall  adventure for families in Hackfall Woods (Woodland Trust)
  • Want to engage your corporate sponsors more?  The Family Holiday Association use audio as part of their communications campaign to sponsors
  • Get 'down w'h the kids' at the I am Here project at the Museum of Croyden
  • Not for the feint hearted - Jack the Ripper and the East End of London podcast part 1 and part 2 complete with video and maps from the Museum of Docklands.

We run Inspiring Audio courses (and digital storytelling courses to order, from £60 per person).  During this day-long workshop, delegates learn the nuts and bolts of how to script and create audio content, useful whether you are going to be doing it yourself or commissioning a company to do it for you. 

Delegates start with the question 'What makes great audio?'.  Here's what our delegates in July and October 2010 (BGEN training workshop) came up with:

  • Enthusiasm and passion
  • Don't include too many facts – make any facts you use work hard and make sure they're relevant.  Ask yourself about each fact - So what? Why should my audience care about that?  Above all, avoid fact overload! 
  • Make it memorable
  • Use the correct voice for the setting to have most impact and consider using several voices for variety and interest
  • Make it honest!
  • Quirky – can you take risks?
  • Include changes in voice and tone.  Will you use a regional accent?
  • Be dramatic!
  • Focus on the most engaging stuff and cut out the rest - what's the nub of what you're trying to communicate, emotions you're trying to evoke or discussions you want to start?
  • Involve the other senses apart from hearing - what can the listener see, small and touch around them?
  • Correct length for environment
  • Use evocative and descriptive language - how can you create an atmostphere with words and sounds?
  • Good editing is very important
  • How can you get your audience to emotionally engage with the subject matter? 
  • Directions i.e. turn left after the clocktower, must be clear
  • How can you move your audio from ordinary to extraordinary?
  • Decide if your audio is to be formal or informal, tightly scripted or work on a loose framework of questions or key points to cover
  • For trails, have the right number of stops - 15 is an absolute maximum
  • Give the listenener time to absorb key information and particualrily directional instructions
  • If you are using visuals, make them fit the script and get the timing right
  • Only use music when it is needed but consider using background nooise for scene setting.

Some useful audio resources:

Free places to upload podcasts and trails: