How many words fit onto an Audio CD?

[Jeff_Gardner]

I've created a post on Elance looking for a writer to create a script for a 4 audio CD package - and the bids are (slowly) starting to come in.

However, I'm now getting the question:

"How many words will fit onto an audio CD?"

To which I have no answer.

Has anyone written a script for audio CD - or hired someone to do this - and know the approximate number of words you'd need per audio CD (if you were to include some intro and exit music)?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Best,
Jeff

[Elmer Hurlstone]

Hi Jeff,

"Normal" rate of speech is approximately 150 words per minute; slow rate is considered to be 120wpm.

Recording slightly slower than normal will result in better understandability by your audience.

Most CD's will hold about 80 min. of content. Subtract your lead, intro and outro times and there you have it.

I'm lousy with arithmetic so I'll leave that to you...

Elmer

[Steven Wagenheim]

Actually Elmer, unless there have been changes made to CDs over the years,
a standard CD holds 74 minutes of recorded whatever. I just finished a music
CD and when I initialized it on my BR900 CD, it came back at 74 minutes.

If there are 80 minute CDs out there, I haven't found any yet.

[Elmer Hurlstone]

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

Actually Elmer, unless there have been changes made to CDs over the years,
a standard CD holds 74 minutes of recorded whatever. I just finished a music
CD and when I initialized it on my BR900 CD, it came back at 74 minutes.

If there are 80 minute CDs out there, I haven't found any yet.

Ah, kind sir, I beg to differ.

Right here on my extremely cluttered desk I'm currently viewing a stack of "Staples CD-R" Compact Discs. On the lower right quadrant of each disc is clearly stated: 80 min 700 MB.

Staples wouldn't lie to me, would they?

Granted, this is probably a best case claim. Your mileage may vary.

I suspect most of us prefer our audio broken into more manageable bites. Recording even 60 minutes without a break may reduce listenership. (yes, that's an invented word)

Elmer

[Steven Wagenheim]

Originally Posted by Elmer Hurlstone

Ah, kind sir, I beg to differ.

Right here on my extremely cluttered desk I'm currently viewing a stack of "Staples CD-R" Compact Discs. On the lower right quadrant of each disc is clearly stated: 80 min 700 MB.

Staples wouldn't lie to me, would they?

Granted, this is probably a best case claim. Your mileage may vary.

I suspect most of us prefer our audio broken into more manageable bites. Recording even 60 minutes without a break may reduce listenership. (yes, that's an invented word)

Elmer

Man, that is really odd. My CDs say 740 MB (???)

Well, all I know is when I pressed my first CD in 5 years, I had 50 minutes
of music on it and the software told me I had 23 minutes an change left.

Hell, what do I know? I just read the label and try not to blow up my
recording studio in the process.

[tj]

Actually you both are right - the rest of the CD's space is used for writing stuff onto the CD like the lead-in and lead-out information.

Timo