This video provides a pretty thorough evaluation and walkthrough of HearThis (version 3.3).

Project Types

HearThis includes a built-in Sample project if you just want to play around with it to become familiar with the user interface or do a simple demonstration for training purposes.

To use it for real work, you’ll need to have access to the Scripture text you want to record. HearThis supports three different sources, or types, of text:

Paratext Project

For teams doing active Bible translation, HearThis provides the ability to pull in the “live” data directly from a Paratext project. You do not have to have edit access to the project, it is sufficient to be an Observer.

To select a Paratext project:

  1. Click the Choose Project Choose Project icon.
  2. If Paratext is not installed:
    1. Install and setup Paratext first.
  3. If Paratext is installed:
    1. The Paratext projects available on the computer will be shown.
    2. Select the Paratext project you want to use.
  4. Simply select the project you want to record and click OK.

Note: You cannot access Paratext resources to record them using HearThis.

Some teams use HearThis as part of the quality-checking process for their drafted Scriptures, since recording and listening to the recordings can help identify problems and improve naturalness. Do keep in mind that you should distinguish between such recorded drafts and final recordings for wider distribution, which should only be produced for material that has been consultant checked and approved for publishing.

Note: HearThis reads in the text of all books when a project is opened, so any edits made in Paratext while the project is open in HearThis will not be reflected in HearThis until the project is closed and reopened.

For best results, when using HearThis to record the text of a Paratext project, ensure these Basic Checks all pass:

  • Chapter/Verse Numbers
  • Markers
  • Punctuation

If Paratext is not installed but you have one or more local copies of Paratext projects that you want to record, click the Find Paratext projects folder link to tell HearThis where to find your projects.

Text Release Bundles

HearThis can read Scripture data from a Text Release Bundle. To use this approach, you will probably need to have access to download the published text from the Digital Bible Library®.

To select a Text release Bundle:

  1. Click the Choose Project Choose Project icon.
  2. Click the Create new project from text release bundle link near the bottom of the Choose Project dialog box.
  3. Navigate to the bundle file.

Glyssen Scripts

For multi-voice recordings, HearThis can read the text of a Glyssen™ script.

To select a Glyssen script:

  1. Click the Choose Project Choose Project icon.
  2. Click the Open GlyssenScript for dramatized recordings link near the bottom of the Choose Project dialog box.
  3. Navigate to the glyssenscript file.

Since HearThis does not provide the guidance for managing a recording project involving multiple “voice actors,” it is strongly encouraged that you work with someone who is trained in doing this. One excellent option to consider is partnering with Faith Comes By Hearing. (See more information below.)

Project Settings

Before starting to record a lot of material, it is highly advisable to look through the various settings that affect the way HearThis will interpret your project data.

To review these settings:

  1. Go to the More menu
  2. Select Settings.

The settings on the Interface tab are not project-specific, but the settings on the other tabs are. Although they can be changed later, many of them affect how the text will be split up into recording blocks, so later changes might mean you would have to re-record some blocks. Although HearThis will help you with that, it is best if you can try to get those settings right early on.