[Studiotalk] Narrators for Westerns or other titles

Mon Jun 11 08:27:23 CDT 2018

I do try to match up the narrator with gender-appropriate material. I always have quite a few titles to choose from, so the narrator can still choose what interests them most. I think they read better if they like the material. I also think it is jarring to the listener to have the book read by a woman if it is written in male narrative. And I have given volunteers books to read which they bring back, saying they think it would be better to be read by the opposite gender. I’m not rigid about this, but I do try to keep books available for both male and female voices. Of course, I have an almost equal number of male and female narrators.

Deborah

Deborah Stroup
Studio/Volunteer Services Manager
Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library
600 W. Main
Jefferson City, MO  65102
573-522-2766
deborah.stroup at sos.mo.gov<mailto:deborah.stroup at sos.mo.gov>

From: studiotalk <studiotalk-bounces at islemail.org> On Behalf Of Ruda, Sharon
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 8:06 AM
To: TBBS Recording Studio Info <studiotalk at islemail.org>
Subject: Re: [Studiotalk] Narrators for Westerns or other titles

This has been a very interesting discussion. We have many male patrons who exclude women narrators due to the two reasons articulated below. But interestingly, we also have male patrons who do not want to listen to books by female authors.

Sharon Ruda
Associate Director
Illinois State Library
300 South Second Street
Springfield, Illinois 62701-1796
217-782-9435
1-800-665-5576 extension 1
Fax 217-782-6062
sruda at ilsos.net<mailto:sruda at ilsos.net>
http://www.ilbph.org<http://www.ilbph.org/>

Office of the Secretary of State Jesse White

From: studiotalk [mailto:studiotalk-bounces at islemail.org] On Behalf Of MacLeod, Deborah
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 7:43 AM
To: TBBS Recording Studio Info
Subject: Re: [Studiotalk] Narrators for Westerns or other titles

Another point to consider:

As people lose their hearing, they typically lose the higher frequencies. We have many patrons who cannot hear books that women have narrated and have an exclusion to that effect.

If I were going to select a woman narrator, I would be inclined to select one who has a more alto than soprano register.
I hope that makes sense.

Debbi MacLeod
Director
Colorado Talking Book Library
Colorado State Publications Library
303.727.9277  |  Mobile 303.503.2569  |  Fax 303.727.9281  |  Toll-free 1.800.685.2136
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From: studiotalk [mailto:studiotalk-bounces at islemail.org] On Behalf Of Stephen Lewis
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2018 12:18 PM
To: TBBS Recording Studio Info <studiotalk at islemail.org<mailto:studiotalk at islemail.org>>
Subject: Re: [Studiotalk] Narrators for Westerns or other titles

NLS’s attitude is “a good narrator is a good narrator” and can thus narrate anything, regardless of the main character’s gender.

We still have volunteer narrators who think in terms of appropriate gender for specific titles / genres but I think ultimately, its more about getting the material available for patrons to hear.

Of course there are patrons who only like specific gendered narrators, period. But in my mind, if I were a patron I’d rather be able to hear a book than not.

We also have male narrators read Romance genre books. And our recordings of HANK THE COWDOG have been read by many narrators and interestingly have likely been read by more women than men.

My attitude has always been that I am not a “producer” choosing the best talent for particular roles / books. Rather, I’m an administrator, trying to keep a steady flow of new recordings for patrons to read. I mostly let our volunteers self-select what they want to read next; only pushing them towards those high-demand books my Collections coworkers have indicated are a priority due to patron demand.

-        SMiles

From: studiotalk <studiotalk-bounces at islemail.org<mailto:studiotalk-bounces at islemail.org>> On Behalf Of Coffman, Linden
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2018 11:59 AM
To: studiotalk at islemail.org<mailto:studiotalk at islemail.org>
Subject: [Studiotalk] Narrators for Westerns or other titles

Hi all,

I have a question concerning selecting books for narrator and in this case specifically westerns.  As I have more females narrators available would you see a problem with having some of them reading westerns.  I’ve always felt that the male voice is what goes best with this genre, but I was wondering if it really matters that much.  That also brings up another thought.   Does gender matter that much in regards to what you have you narrators reading or not if the book is non-fiction or fiction told in third person?  Haven’t run across any guidelines on this. I’ve just been doing what seems to sound right.  Suggestions?  Advice?

Linden Coffman
Director
Indiana Voices
Indiana State Library
Talking Book & Braille Library
315 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-232-3683
E-mail: lcoffman at library.in.gov<mailto:lcoffman at library.in.gov>

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