How to let a rights holder listen to audiobook chapters without downloading them

Short answer: share the chapters with Can view (listen-only) permission, so the rights holder can play every chapter in the browser but can't download the files. When the payment comes in, turn on downloads and they can take the finished files.

Why not just share a OneDrive or Google Drive folder?

When you work directly with a rights holder instead of through ACX, nothing holds the files back until you're paid. A shared cloud folder usually hands over the finished masters the moment you send the link. Keeping the final files until the invoice is paid in full is ordinary business practice. It doesn't mean you distrust the client.

How narrators use Notetracks for audiobooks

Notetracks is where the chapters live while the book is being finished. You upload each chapter to one project, proof it with notes pinned to exact timestamps, fix the pickups in your editor, and share the project with the rights holder when it's ready for them to hear.

Because every note sits on the waveform at the moment it refers to, nobody has to write "around 14 minutes into chapter 3, the second time she says the name".

Proof each chapter with timestamped notes

1. Click New Project, choose audio, and name it after the book.
2. Upload your chapters with either Add Track button, drag and drop them, or import them from Dropbox or Google Drive.
3. Open the chapter and make sure you're in the Comment pane at the top of the screen.
4. Play the chapter. When you hear a mistake, a mouth noise or a misread line, pause.
5. Double-click the waveform, or click New Comment, to leave a note at that exact moment.
6. To flag a longer stretch, like a paragraph that needs re-reading, drag across that part of the waveform, type your note and press post. The note covers the whole range, with its start and end times.

Notes can be replied to and reacted to, so if someone else is proofing with you, the back-and-forth about a fix stays on the note instead of in an email thread.

Bring the notes into your editor as markers

When proofing is done, export the notes and import them into your audio editor, so every pickup lands on your timeline at the right spot. There are step-by-step guides for Adobe Audition, Audacity and REAPER.

Once the pickups are fixed, upload the corrected chapter to the same project and share it with the rights holder.

How to share audiobook chapters as listen-only in Notetracks

1. Open the book's project and click Share Project in the top right.
2. Enter the rights holder's email address and choose Can view. They can open the project and listen to every chapter, but they can't download the audio. If you want them to leave notes on the chapters too, choose Can comment instead.
3. Click Send Invite.

Turn on downloads once you're paid

When the invoice is settled, open the project's share settings and enable downloads for the rights holder. They can then download the final chapter files from the same project. There's nothing new to upload and no second link to send.

Can they still record the audio while it plays?

Yes. Anything that plays on a screen can be recorded, so listen-only sharing isn't copy protection. What it does is keep the clean, full-quality files in your hands until you've been paid. A genuine client who just wants to check the chapters won't need anything more than the player.

FAQ

Does this work for chapters on ACX?

No, this is for working directly with a rights holder outside ACX. On ACX, uploads and approvals happen inside the ACX platform.

Can the rights holder leave notes while they listen?

Yes. Invite them with Can comment instead of Can view. They can listen and leave notes at exact timestamps for any pickups they want, and they still can't download the files until you turn downloads on. See what each share permission allows.

Can I take access away later?

Yes. The project owner can unshare the project at any time.

More on proofing: how to proof an audiobook or voice-over recording, including labels and the Draw tools.

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