Publications > Audio Engineering

Today, as much as 80% of all people live in oral culture communities. Even for those living in highly literate societies, many learn best by listening. The need for biblical content to be available in audio format is more significant than any time in history.

Is it possible to meet this immense need? We think so! Excellent Biblical content that is available under non-restrictive licensing together with tremendous advancements in technology make it possible from the standpoint of technology and content. However, trained audio technicians and gear identified as suitable for sub-optimal recording environments are still required in order to make this opportunity a reality.

The global Church has the capacity to meet the vast needs across every people group in the world. The vision of unfoldingWord Audio Engineering is simply to equip and serve the global Church as they meet their own needs for biblical audio resources. A world-wide team of recording technicians, empowered with training and viable solutions, can lead and drive projects for their own people groups faster, farther, at less cost, and more effectively by using the local strategies and networks they know best.

We are providing and contextualizing open access to the training, principles and techniques needed for economical, high-quality recording. In addition, we are specializing in the identification of affordable, user-friendly equipment suitable for sub-optimal recording environments.

Why We Seek to Equip the Global Church

We think the most effective way for excellent biblical audio resources to be made freely accessible to all people groups without exception is when it is done with, by and for the global Church.

With the global Church

The translation, recording and distribution of the Gospel is something God's people can and should do together. We are all an equal part of God's family. Together we are better. God has distributed gifts, natural skills, wisdom, resources and networks among His people across the world. It is our joy to serve alongside and under the global Church in the solutions and strategies that make the Gospel message available to everyone without restrictions in audio---the most versatile and efficient format.

By the global Church

There is no single organization or conglomeration of organizations, regardless of how well-staffed and funded they are, that can match the effectiveness of an equipped global Church in sharing the Gospel and supporting discipleship. This is why we openly release all the knowledge, resources and skills we've found for the benefit and encouragement of the global Church, to lead and accomplish far beyond what we could ever do on our own. Equally, we learn and reinvest everything that the global Church teaches us back into the resources and training, making them more effective and always current.

For the Global Church

Unrestricted biblical content is for the global Church, for all who have longed for access but could never gain it, for those who do not know Jesus. Likewise, knowledge in recording, editing, producing, duplicating and effective sharing of audio resources is for the global Church.

Audio Engineering Guiding Principles

Simplicity First

The shortest path to a high quality recording is always built on simplicity. With today's technology, a few essential pieces of gear, used properly by a skilled technician, will faithfully yield excellent results project after project with the least amount of stress and expense.

No Shortcuts

Cutting corners on one phase of a recording project creates more work for technicians downstream, typically compromising overall quality and increasing overall project time and stress. It takes less time and stress to record right the first time.

Excellence

Recorded Biblical content, support resources and training tools are the most valuable content in any language. For many people, these recordings will be the only Biblical content they access in their lifetime. It is worth doing our best quality effort. It speaks volumes about our God, about the value of the message and about the value of the people group.

Listening Appeal & Longevity

Recordings need to speak clearly to the listeners of all ages in a language group while avoiding enhancements that lead listeners to a predetermined interpretation of the message. The most effective and requested genre continues to be natural, single-voice narration.

Resources and Downloads

Audio File Naming Standards

Audio File Quality Standards

Stories From the Field

  • Hope in harrowing times

    • February 21, 2024

    As the world worries over the horrific events in Israel and mullahs call for global jihad, a hopeful fact remains. The more Islamists promote jihad, the more average Muslims are open to the gospel. In...

  • Trust God and Get Going

    • September 11, 2023

    “God, this is your journey, your work. Please help us get out of here.” Let’s imagine that your family and close friends have a passing acquaintance with the message of Jesus, and some might even be b...

  • Critical Tools for Courageous Translators

    • August 03, 2023

    The global demand for Bible translation far exceeds the capacity of existing Bible translation agencies. Doing translation in dangerous places makes it doubly difficult. That’s why members of the illu...

  • Meesha's Story

    • July 03, 2023

    In the Republic of Iran, for the church to be planted, discipled, and grown, more than 60 people groups need a Bible translation in their own language. May was Iran’s bloodiest month in the last five...

  • UKRAINE: Bomb Shelter Bible Translation

    • July 03, 2023

    Ukrainian Great Commission partners are translating unfoldingWord’s suite of Bible translation tools to make God’s Word accessible to more than 540 languages spoken across the countries of the former ...

  • All 27 New Testament Book Packages Complete

    • August 08, 2023

    It used to take western experts at least 20 years to translate the New Testament into a Bible-less language. Now, every bilingual church-planting network has access to the open-license English tools t...

  • Making God's Word Accessible to Ordinary People

    • September 11, 2023

    Sofia Ivanov speaks on the impact of unfoldingWord’s Bible Translation tools  Editor’s Note: Sofia Ivanov* is a project manager for unfoldingWord’s Eurasian Whole Bible, Whole Nation partner. Her thou...

  • Saved While Escaping

    • October 02, 2023

    “I was a terrible husband for the first fifteen years of our marriage. Every weekend, I would get drunk, abuse my wife, and ridicule her. We mistreated each other terribly,” said Siroos. “But God amaz...

  • Man on the Run

    • July 03, 2023

    Asim* serves on the Bible translation audio-video team for unfoldingWord’s Whole Bible, Whole Nation partner in Sudan. They use Bible translation as part of their church-planting strategy for 133 unre...

  • Ten Times Faster

    • March 14, 2023

    Imagine you are ordering a new internet connection or cable TV or maybe something new from Amazon and you get the message saying, “Your town is too remote and we can’t serve your area at this time. We...

  • Meet Amy & Priscilla

    • March 14, 2023

    unfoldingWord operates as a catalyst for the Church-Centric Bible Translation movement. We collaborate as part of the body of Christ to develop and implement strategies and unrestricted biblical resou...

  • Jeremiah and the Occult King

    • May 04, 2023

    When Jeremiah* first heard that his Chadian church-planting network needed his help translating unfoldingWord® Open Bible Stories (OBS), he was skeptical. “I thought Bible stories were for children, l...

  • The Exponential Journey

    • April 10, 2023

    Khartoum, Sudan, April 2021. I was sitting in a small hotel conference room with the leaders of Greater Reach Alliance and half a dozen representatives of unreached Sudanese people groups. We were ta...

  • Chad's Unreached Receive the Gospel with Joy!

    • June 05, 2023

    “Giving Jesus to any human being is the best gift you can give to that person. Only the gospel can change the ugliness of man,” says Jeremiah,* one of the Chadian leaders of CCGP,* unfoldingWord’s chu...

  • Iran: Bibles in every language

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    • Escape from Kharkiv

      • June 13, 2022

      BAM! A rocket penetrates a building, shattering windows and shaking foundations. Clatter! Bomb debris splatters cars, building façades, and adjacent roofs. Bang-Bang-Bang! The jackhammer staccato of A...

    • Innovation in Bible Translation

      • March 13, 2023

      unfoldingWord catalyzes innovation in Bible translation. Your gifts and prayers are enabling remarkable new developments! One of those is happening in a state in Asia. It began with translationCore. ...

    • Breakthrough in Chad

      • July 04, 2022

      Three churches were birthed when a local chieftain, who formerly combined Islam and the occult, came to Christ. In the another community, new believers were baptized, and two new churches were planted...

    • OVERCOMING the ODDS for 300,000 PEOPLE

      • April 06, 2022

      The challenge Pastor Manish was facing seemed insurmountable. His 300,000-member South Asian mountain people group desperately needs Scripture in the language they understand best. Pastor Manish, an e...

    • Ruska Roma celebrate first Scripture in their language

      • September 20, 2021

      EASTERN UKRAINE — To Stephen K., holding a Ruska Roma translation of 3 John means more than a chance to celebrate with his Roma friends. It’s the answer to 10 years of prayer.  In April, a team of fou...