What is Audio Transcription and How Does It Work?

As long as you own a business, you should know the importance of audio transcription, This is what people might say, and they are correct. But it does not mean you missed the bus— like look at you, you’re here right? So leave the rest to us.

Firstly, to fully understand the audio transcription, you must understand the reason behind its creation and then what it aims to achieve. 

Before technology advanced, there were stages to how meetings were recorded. It began with taking written notes on the key points discussed in the meeting. Then we had audio recorders and later video recorders, taking us leaps ahead in analyzing meetings after they’ve been held. 

But there was something missing. And that was to accurately convert these audio and video files into digital text format. This is why it was created. 

In this blog, we will look into what it is, its importance, and why you need good audio transcription services for your company.  Let’s jump right in!

What is Audio Transcription?

For starters, Audio Transcription is the digital or handwritten text of an audio or video file. In other words, the conversion of audio and video files into text format. 

Now, these audio and video files can be about meetings, interviews, podcasts, phone calls, and many more. Whatever the contents may be, it is important to transcribe your audio.

Significantly, one reason why a lot of organizations transcribe their audio to text is that it makes them easier to access and review. Also, highlighting key areas in the text saves a lot of time than listening to the audio all over again. 

So now that we have defined it, let’s look at how it works.

How does Audio Transcription Work?

Well, there is not much to how it works. It is basically listening to an audio or video file and accurately writing down each word in the manner they were said. Although this may sound easy to your ears, it requires a lot of time and dedication to get the job done.

However, there are three main ways to transcribe your audio to text. Knowing this will help you make the right choices on your transcription journey.  

Forms of Audio Transcription

1. Manual(Human)Transcription
   This can also be called Do-It-Yourself(DIY) audio transcription. Meaning you have to transcribe any audio or video material yourself. 
   This process takes up lots of time and mental focus to transcribe an audio or video file(well depending on the length of the file). But it delivers a higher level of accuracy than automated transcription.
2. AI automated Transcription
   AI transcription software is faster and easier to use and it delivers good results. Notice how we used the word “GOOD” not best quality. This is because even though AI has evolved over the years, its level of accuracy isn’t yet on par with an expert human transcriber. 
   However, if you need to save time and money for your projects, it is advisable to use this method. But why settle for GOOD when you can get the BEST… right?
3. Audio Transcription Services
   As the name implies, these are businesses that offer professional, top-notch audio transcription services. 
   Although this is a fascinating field, it lacks professionals and that is why audio transcription services are highly sought after. So, for any of your audio projects, it is advisable to choose a reputable transcription service like Macgence. 
   We deal in any type of transcription and we ensure our clients leave with joy on their faces because your happiness is our satisfaction.

Types of Audio Transcription

There are two main types of it namely: Verbatim and Intelligent(clean) verbatim. Let’s briefly discuss them.

Verbatim Transcription

This refers to what we call a full transcription of the audio or video file. Meaning nothing will be left out while transcribing. It includes slang, hesitations in voice, stutters, door sounds, and phone chiming—in fact all that can be heard in the file. 

However, in order to completely achieve this and still produce a clean transcript, we need to use tags. Tags make it easier to identify when something happens in the audio transcript. 

For instance,  an interview recording, and the interviewee starts crying at a certain point, we can transcribe it in this way: “I told James to… give me a…call when he gets there but…he never did(breaks down into tears)…(coughs)…”

This style of transcription is useful in legal cases, like interrogation sessions and investigations.

Intelligent Verbatim Transcription

Intelligent verbatim is the opposite of full verbatim. We say this because it doesn’t include slang, hesitations, stutters, and very little that can be heard in the audio or video file. 

This style focuses on producing a transcript that is free of grammatical errors, pauses, half-sentences, etc. 

Conclusion

It is important in any business and we hope we have made you realize why. By converting audio or video materials to digital text format, it makes them easier to review and accessible when needed. Additionally, it is not only limited to business, it can be applied to every field. Whether in research, journalism, or the military, it is needed. So why not let us at Macgence handle your audio transcription projects? Contact us today!

Get Started with Macgence 

Get started with Macgence, your ultimate destination for all transcription solutions. Our services encompass data, audio, video, and text transcriptions catering to all your machine learning and projects. With Macgence, you’re assured of scalability, allowing us to handle projects of any size, and ensuring on-time delivery. We take pride in providing superior transcription quality in this case audio, as our skilled transcribers meticulously convert your data to digital text format with high precision. Our commitment to zero internal bias ensures fairness and neutrality in all transcriptions, enhancing your project’s integrity. Regardless of your industry, Macgence’s cross-industry compatibility ensures customized solutions tailored to your specific needs. Start today and experience the power of audio transcription at Macgence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Previous Blog

Next Blog