As Heard On...

Announcing Bonus Chapter!!!

In collaboration with Lissa Soep and our inaugural author, Leila Nadir, we've created something we hope will make a splash in the audiobook world.
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Photo Credit: Vivian Le
about

Sharif Youssef is a writer, editor, producer, designer, engineer, and artist working primarily in the media of sound and words — often at the same time!

Their work has appeared on This American Life, 99% Invisible (where they were a staffer for 4.5 years), Vox Media, NBC, and New York Magazine (among others).  Shows, series, and episodes they’ve worked on routinely rank in the top ten of the iTunes Chart, have won awards (including a Pulitzer), and garnered praise from critics at The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Vulture, and (occasionally) their father.

They are from Wheeling, West Virginia by way of Alexandria, Egypt and now call Oakland, California home.

 

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A Few Of My Faves

Amricani
The first piece I made: an audio essay about my time in Egypt.
Trailer: ON with Kara Swisher
I co-produced this with the ON team and did the sound design, scoring, and engineering with Fernando Arruda's brilliant music.
The Great Dismal Swamp
Wherever slavery existed, there were self-liberated Maroon Communities. This is the story of the Great Dismal Swamp and the Indigenous people and enslaved Africans who found autonomy there over the course of generations.
Pineapple Head
A children's poem I wrote and produced with music by Poddington Bear. It was selected for Transom's Small, Random, Meaningful Project.
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What i offer

Soup. Nuts.
The Stuff Between.

Are you looking for an experienced audio editor, sound engineer, or sound designer for your longform narrative podcast, film, or video game? Someone to teach you audio best practices? To train your staff on Pro Tools? Maybe you’re just looking for an experienced field producer and tape syncer in the Bay Area. I can help. I have experience in every stage of the audio creation process, from initial pitch to mastered podcast. Bring me on for some (or all) of the following:

Technical Audio

field recording, scoring, sound design, mixing, mastering

Production

scripting, producing, punch-ups, and interviews

Editing &
Consulting

I enjoy making things better— editorially, sonically, systemically

Training

one-on-one trainings on Pro Tools and iZotope; detailed feedback on mixes

all services
Testimonials

what folks are saying...

Pineapple head: so beautiful! And beautifully produced! I got goosebumps at the end.
Ira GlassHost and Creator: This American Life
Sharif has mixed and engineered for the world's most prestigious podcasts and is also a sophisticated thinker as a storyteller and editor. Working with Sharif will make your ideas sharper and your finished product sound better.
Anna SaleHost: Death, Sex, and Money. Author: Let's Talk About Hard Things.
As a journalist, Sharif is a thorough archive plunderer and empathetic interviewer. But Sharif's musicality and canny story sense make them a gifted engineer. They don't only make stories sound beautiful, they add spacing and insights to make them sound their very best.
Avery TrufelmanHost and Creator, Articles Of Interest. Former co-worker at 99% Invisible
Sharif is a huge talent and also a lovely human being. They can do everything from basic engineering, to expert editing, to layered sound design with equal skill. When we worked with them, they really understood what we were trying to make and became a critical part of our team. I would work with them anytime. Call me for a reference!
Hanna RosinEP and Host of Cover Story Season II, Former editorial director of audio at NY Magazine, Former co-host of Invisibilia, current host of Radio Atlantic
It is a rare thing — if not impossible — to find an audio conspirator possessing such a complimentary trifecta of engineering chops, musical discernment and editorial instinct. And not only is Sharif Youssef a superlative audio professional, they are responsive, sensitive and kind; a true team player.
Bryson BarnesTechnical Director of Audio at NBC
Sharif is an excellent sound engineer and a patient instructor. They know their stuff inside and out and are thoroughly prepared to teach or field questions with great clarity and depth. I definitely recommend working with Sharif!
Lasha MadanProducer and former co-worker at 99% Invisible
I would work with them again and again and again.
Marianne McCuneSenior Producer: Cover Story, Founder: Radio Rookies
We selected Sharif — someone we cold-called from another hemisphere — to review mixes on our project because their reputation was so good. Sharif's ear is brilliant, they're sensitive, knowledgeable and they really GET storytelling. They're also a delight to communicate with, and someone we'd work with again in a heartbeat. Highly recommend!
James Milsomwriter, producer, and composer at Tricksy.co
It's not often that you have such talented multi-hyphe's on a production team. Sharif not only has the gift of sound design but also a sharp editorial ear that makes pieces shine.
Leila DayCo-Founder The Editors Collective, Co-Creator and Co-Host of The Stoop Podcast
Sharif helped shape the latest season of Bloomberg's Foundering podcast through deft script editing and brought the show to life with expert sound design.
Mark MilianEditor: Foundering, The John McAfee Story
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