When onboarding our clients, one of the most common questions we get is, “How long does it take to transcribe audio?”
Today’s blog provides a clear idea of the time transcription companies take to complete your project.
Let’s dive in.
Exactly How Long Does it Take to Transcribe Audio?
The quick answer:
Most professional transcriptionists will take between 2-4½ hours to transcribe a one-hour audio. The average person with a typing speed of 15-40 words can take up to 10 hours for just one audio hour. The industry standard for transcription experts is 4 hours.
However, several factors also come into play when determining how long it takes to transcribe audio.
What Factors Affect Transcription Time?
Even though the average is 4 hours, the factors listed below can cause transcription to take longer.
- Transcriptionist’s level of experience: A skilled professional can transcribe a one-hour audio or video in two hours or less. Their familiarity with nuances, technical terms, and different accents makes it possible to shorten the time needed.
- Number of speakers: Multiple speakers can introduce complexities since each voice must be individually identified and transcribed. This element, coupled with cross-talk or overlapping speech, can increase the overall transcription time.
- The accent of the speakers: Different accents impact how quickly a transcriptionist works. Take a thick accent, for instance. Understanding how the words are spoken requires more time. This means more rewinding, research, and reviewing to make sure everything is accurate,
- Audio quality: Well-recorded audio speeds up transcription, while poor quality or distorted audio makes transcription more challenging and slow. With the right audio quality, a skilled transcriptionist can transcribe an hour of audio in just 30 minutes.
How Long it Takes to Transcribe Different Types of Audio(Examples)
- Multiple Speakers (e.g., Team Meetings, Group Discussions, Panels): Generally requires three to four hours for each audio hour.
- Special Requirements (e.g., Transcripts with Time Stamps and Speaker Identification): Can extend to three hours per audio hour due to specific demands.
- Single Speaker (e.g., Podcast Monologue, Lecture): Typically takes one to two hours for every audio hour.
FAQs
Why does it take so long to transcribe audio?
Transcribing audio and video takes time due to heavy accents, multiple speakers, and specialized jargon that often necessitates additional research.
How long does it take to transcribe an audio hour?
Most one-hour-long audios (or videos) take between two and four hours.
How long does it take to transcribe 30 minutes of audio?
Transcribing 30 minutes of audio takes one to two hours.
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