Poetry was an oral tradition long before it was written down. Homer performed the Iliad. Griots recited genealogies. Slam poets electrify audiences. Stanza treats spoken word as a first-class medium, not an afterthought bolted onto a text platform.
Recording in Your Browser
The spoken word composer at /compose/spoken includes a full recording studio:
- Real-time waveform visualization — See your audio as a live waveform while you speak
- Volume meter — Monitor your recording level to avoid clipping
- Elapsed time counter — Track your performance length in real time
- Preview playback — Listen back immediately before publishing
- Re-record — Not happy with a take? Start over as many times as you need
The recorder uses your browser’s built-in microphone access. No plugins, no downloads, no external software needed.
For best audio quality, use a quiet room and speak at a consistent distance from your microphone. External USB microphones sound dramatically better than laptop built-ins.
Uploading Existing Recordings
Already have a recording from a live performance, a studio session, or another app? Upload it directly.
Supported Formats
- m4a, mp3, wav, webm, ogg, aac, flac
File Limits
- Maximum file size: 100MB
- No minimum or maximum duration
Transcripts: Text Alongside Audio
You can add a written transcript alongside your spoken word submission. This is powerful for several reasons:
- Accessibility — Readers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can follow along
- Searchability — Text transcripts are indexed by Stanza’s search engine
- Close reading — Listeners can read the text while hearing the performance
Two Ways to Add a Transcript
- Type it manually — Paste or type your poem text into the transcript field
- Auto-generate with Speech-to-Text — Let Stanza’s transcription engine create a text version from your audio
Ambient Soundscapes
This is one of Stanza’s most unique features. You can layer a background audio track behind your performance to create atmosphere.
Imagine:
- A jazz loop under your spoken word piece about city nights
- Rain sounds behind your nature poetry
- Soft piano underneath a love poem
- Silence broken only by your voice for maximum impact
Upload any audio file as your ambient track (same format and size limits as the main recording). It plays at a lower volume behind your performance.
Presentation
Spoken word submissions support the same presentation options as text:
- Background color — Set the mood with a custom background
- Background image — 16:9 image displayed behind your submission
- Privacy settings — Public through Private, same five tiers
Your voice deserves to be heard. Start recording.
Tagged