COMPLETE [SOLO] A Town is Drowning by FREDERIK POHL and C. M. KORNBLUTH - rap

[stepheather]

I have to admit I didn't see his illness coming after reading the description!

I suggest trying the method Rapunzelina suggested earlier in the thread for the plosives. I tried it on mine, and it really took that edge off without making it sound overly edited. That should actually be fairly quick, if you want to try it.

PL Notes chapter 9
Please re-record the intro--you know the drill!
0:34--plosives on "Polly"
0:39--plosive on "apparently"
2:09--plosive on "through"
2:28-30--plosives on "put" and "Polly"
3:35-39--plosives on "cohabitation" and "promised"
3:58-4:03--plosives on "publicity" and "possibility" and "newspaper"
4:39--plosive between "without penicillin"--"penicillin" and "fast" also got run together a little bit
5:16--missing end of "step"--sounds like an edited portion, maybe re-record that sentence? It sounded like something was left out, even though there wasn't anything.
5:47-54--plosives on "town," "pumped," "penicillin"
6:10--I hear "laughed the laugh" or "laughed laugh"; text says "laughed a laugh"--listen to this and determine whether you want to change it; it just stood out to me as being harder to understand
7:02--plosive on "three"
7:44-48--plosives on "pleasantly" and "pack"
8:07-08--plosives on "time" and "take"
8:26--strong plosive on "Polly"
9:13-16--plosives and I had a hard time understanding the phrase "our Destiny" (I had to look it up)
10:19--plosive on "suppose"
11:06-09--plosive on "appeared" and "three"
11:55--plosive on "putting"
12:25--plosive on "three"
12:59--plosive on "besides"
14:17--plosive on "plotz"
14:29--plosive on "plenty"
14:50-52--plosives on "penicillin" and "bed rest"
15:37--plosive on "penicillin"
15:52--plosive on "place"
16:22-24--plosives on "pilot pointed"
16:29--plosive on "pointed"
Add the five seconds of silence

Let me know what you've updated.
Thanks,
Stephanie

[donma03]

Just uploaded chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Chapter 3 - removed thump at 2:54 between "shoes" and "her"

chapter 4 - I did not re-record just editing. The time change from the original is due to the shorter intro. I did try to level out the volume change per your observation. Also did try to patch on the corrected Zehedi pronunciation.

Chapter 5 - just edit this time, to correctly enunciate "Coffee's hot"

Chapter 6 - Corrected intro/outro. Fixed "Civil Defense" and "for years now" enunciation. Attempted to squash out the plosives.

Just venting for a moment, feel free to skip past:
I've tried the suggested method for quashing plosives and I'm having little success - hand crafted volume editing seems to work best for me. After this is over, I'll need to work on my Sound Engineers skill set. Any suggestions on a decent beginners Sound Engineer primmer would be welcomed.
Actually, the best method (for me) on fixing plosives is to be hyper-aware in the recording session, to do more read-through rehearsals, and to make sure my instrument (vocal, throat, mouth) are best prepared to enunciate.

Sorry it took so long to turn around.

On to Chapters 7, 8, and 9

Best Regards,

Maurice

[stepheather]

Hi, Maurice,

I’m not worried about the turnaround time here—you’ll notice I need to extend my estimated PL deadline by a couple of weeks…if that’s okay. I have chapter 10 almost done, but not quite., and I don’t think I’ll have the other seven chapters done this week. I’m trying for one a day, but…life.

I’ll get those spot PLs done as well.

Regarding the sound engineering, I get it. I’m sad the high pass didn’t work well enough.

You might reach out to adrianstephens here on LibriVox. He’s been helpful to me and does have an engineering background—although I don’t know what type.

Thanks for laying out what you changed—that should make the spot PLs go quickly!

I’m still excited for you to get this out for people. I’m still going to recommend it to my brother and I think my husband (who only likes thrillers) might actually enjoy it, too!

Thanks,
Stephanie

[Rapunzelina]

Plosives usually occur when air/breath hits directly on the microphone; recording at a different angle so that your breath goes past the microphone could avoid plosives.
Another option is a pop-filter for the microphone.

[stepheather]

Hi, Maurice,

Chapter 10 PL is done! I know it seems like a long list, but I think there are just some particularly pesky passages. Also, I think the authors really like alliteration with initial p's and b's, sooo...

Ugh. I could smell that stink when it was described. Things are not looking good!

Great expressions!

PL Notes Chapter 10
Please re-record the intro
1:19-22--plosives on "PWA" and "county"
2:03--plosive on "porches"
3:18-21--plosives on "into town" and "back"
3:49-53--plosives on "petty" and "picked"
4:01-04--plosives on "porches" and "plopped"
5:24--plosive on "pick"
5:34--plosive on "three"
5:54--plosive on "ninety-three"
6:09-11--strong plosives on "profitable preganancies were not permitted"
7:00-09--strong plosives on "police," "tired," "panic" x2
7:53-8:00--plosive on "handy" and "Hebertown"
8:33-35--weird echo, maybe on sibillants?
11:15--plosive on "possible"
11:38--I hear "two've plus"; text says "two of us"--it was sufficiently confusing enough to resort to the text.
11:48-12:02--plosives throughout on versions of "perfect" and "imperfect," "think"
12:14--plosives on "diploma" and "prove"
12:52--plosive on "please"
13:52--plosive on "approached"
15:13-17--plosives on "perilously," "pointed," and "Polly"
15:41--plosive on "through"
16:14--plosive on "kill"
17:06-18--plosives on "pop," "passed," "people," "please," "time," "take"--"take" seems to be the worst, so the others could probably be ignored
17:59--plosives on "people"
18:57-59--plosives on "complete" and "twelve"
19:12--plosives on "three times"
19:28-30--plosives on "with a roaring outboard motor pulled up"
19:39-44--plosives on "town" and "perfectly"
20:29-34--plosives on "Polly, preoccupied," "imperfect"
Add those final 5 seconds of silence

Again, if you listen and don't hear them...you have the power to override these notes. Just let me know what you've done.

Let's see if I can sneak in at least one of the spot PLs before work starts...

Stephanie

[stepheather]

Chapter 3 is PL okay!

[stepheather]

PL Notes on Chapter 4:

Great! I'm marking it as PL Okay.

There is one instance of "Zedehi" at 10:19, but you can leave it alone if you want--that's definitely within the acceptable margin of error. (Just let me know if you change it, obviously.)

I'm hoping to get to some more today. I seem to be coming down with a cold, which is awful for everything else, but might mean I have a bit more time for PLing. (My husband has had it this week and seems to be doing better, so it looks to be a short bug, which I'm thankful for!)

Stephanie

[stepheather]

Chapter 5 PL okay!

That phrase is definitely clearer now.

[stepheather]

Just uploaded chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Chapter 3 - removed thump at 2:54 between "shoes" and "her"

chapter 4 - I did not re-record just editing. The time change from the original is due to the shorter intro. I did try to level out the volume change per your observation. Also did try to patch on the corrected Zehedi pronunciation.

Chapter 5 - just edit this time, to correctly enunciate "Coffee's hot"

Chapter 6 - Corrected intro/outro. Fixed "Civil Defense" and "for years now" enunciation. Attempted to squash out the plosives.

Just venting for a moment, feel free to skip past:
I've tried the suggested method for quashing plosives and I'm having little success - hand crafted volume editing seems to work best for me. After this is over, I'll need to work on my Sound Engineers skill set. Any suggestions on a decent beginners Sound Engineer primmer would be welcomed.
Actually, the best method (for me) on fixing plosives is to be hyper-aware in the recording session, to do more read-through rehearsals, and to make sure my instrument (vocal, throat, mouth) are best prepared to enunciate.

Sorry it took so long to turn around.

On to Chapters 7, 8, and 9

Best Regards,

Maurice

Hi, Maurice,

Here are the spot PL notes for chapter 6. I can tell you really did a lot of work on this, and most things were fixed!

Spot PL Notes Chapter 6
2:37-39--it sounds like it skips here--I'm not sure whether it really does--go ahead and listen and see what you think
3:16--still hear a plosive on "for"--if you're editing something else, you might see if you can fix it--but otherwise it's in line with the emotion of the dialogue, so don't worry over much about it
7:03-04--still hear a plosive on "with physical pain"--again, though, it's up to you
8:27--still hear a plosive on "this torrent"--again, up to you

I'm going to mark it as PL Notes, but please just reply here if you decide all of those are fine. The one I'm most concerned about is the "skipping" I seemed to hear on/over Sprayragen's name.

Thanks,
Stephanie

[stepheather]

Got a chance to listen again today--but only to one chapter.

The trooper's situation was understated but heart breaking. The accents in this one were entertaining. There were long stretches without intrusive plosives, too!

PL Notes Chapter 11
Re-record the intro
0:43--plosive on "why"
3:16--plosive on "put"
4:00--plosives on "said precisely"
4:17-33 --plosives on "through," "of course," "through," "stop people," "composure," "precisely"
5:21--plosive on "pulled"
5:32-36--plosives on "the trunk" and "appliances"
6:33-35--plosives on "back" and "Pittsburgh"
6:44-49--plosives on "people," "supplies," "passed"
6:55--plosive on "passenger"
7:05-15--plosives in the description of the press badge (e.g., "picture," "thumb," police")
7:37-41--plosives on "station," "passengers," "paused"
7:57--plosive on "past"
8:27-30--this silence is a little long--consider reducing it to about 2 seconds
8:48-55--plosives on "places," "potholes," "places," "debris"
9:42--plosive on "Passaic"
10:11--plosive on "pavement"
10:43-54--plosive on "clobbered," "parked," "place," "pulled," "curb"
Add the 5 seconds of silence

Can't wait to get back to the main storyline--hopefully tomorrow!

Thanks,

[donma03]

Hi,

Just uploaded chapters 6 and 7, and modified times accordingly.

Chapter 6
. 2:37-39-- rerecorded sentence to remove skips
. 3:16-- quash down plosive on "for"
. 7:03-04--quash down plosive on "with physical pain"
. 8:27--quash down plosive on "this torrent"

Chapter 7
. re-record the intro (note intro change shortens time by ~ 9 seconds)
. re-record sentence to fix odd transition, disruptive to the ear--I hear "from the car Mrs. Chesbro"; text says "from the car, this Mrs. Chesbro"
Quash plosives on

• 0:58-59--plosives on "sick pup Dick McCue"
  1:36-45--plosives throughout
  2:05-07--plosives on "private place to do"
  6:08-11--please cut this silence down to 2 seconds or less
  6:23--plosive on "put"
  6:41-47--plosives throughout
  7:24-26--plosives throughout
  7:41-52--plosives throughout
  8:18--plosive on "this was"
  9:05--plosive on "throat"
  9:41--plosive on "through"
  10:06-15--plosives throughout
  10:32-33--plosives throughout
  11:54-55--plosives throughout
  12:26-29--plosives throughout
  12:41--stumble on "sat up abruptly"
  13:06--plosive on "breath rattling"
  13:32--plosive on "up here"
  13:47-51--plosives throughout
  15:14--plosive on "self-pityingly"
  15:21-40--plosives throughout
  16:06-08--plosives throughout
  16:18--plosive on "composedly"
  17:30-35--plosives throughout
  18:39-46--plosives throughout
  19:12--plosive on "put"

Added the 5 seconds of silence at the end

Onwards and thank you for persevering!

Maurice

[stepheather]

Hi,

Just uploaded chapters 6 and 7, and modified times accordingly.

Chapter 6
. 2:37-39-- rerecorded sentence to remove skips
. 3:16-- quash down plosive on "for"
. 7:03-04--quash down plosive on "with physical pain"
. 8:27--quash down plosive on "this torrent"

Chapter 7
. re-record the intro (note intro change shortens time by ~ 9 seconds)
. re-record sentence to fix odd transition, disruptive to the ear--I hear "from the car Mrs. Chesbro"; text says "from the car, this Mrs. Chesbro"
Quash plosives on

• 0:58-59--plosives on "sick pup Dick McCue"
  1:36-45--plosives throughout
  2:05-07--plosives on "private place to do"
  6:08-11--please cut this silence down to 2 seconds or less
  6:23--plosive on "put"
  6:41-47--plosives throughout
  7:24-26--plosives throughout
  7:41-52--plosives throughout
  8:18--plosive on "this was"
  9:05--plosive on "throat"
  9:41--plosive on "through"
  10:06-15--plosives throughout
  10:32-33--plosives throughout
  11:54-55--plosives throughout
  12:26-29--plosives throughout
  12:41--stumble on "sat up abruptly"
  13:06--plosive on "breath rattling"
  13:32--plosive on "up here"
  13:47-51--plosives throughout
  15:14--plosive on "self-pityingly"
  15:21-40--plosives throughout
  16:06-08--plosives throughout
  16:18--plosive on "composedly"
  17:30-35--plosives throughout
  18:39-46--plosives throughout
  19:12--plosive on "put"

Added the 5 seconds of silence at the end

Onwards and thank you for persevering!

Maurice

Chapter 6 PL okay.
Chapter 7 PL okay.

Thank you for persevering as well!

[donma03]

Chapter 8 uploaded

. Re-record the intro
. Quashed
0:26-27--plosives on "sleep" and "Dave"
0:46-47--plosives on "repeated" and "flood"
0:58--plosive on "surprise"
1:28--plosive on "people"
2:01--plosive on "can"
2:12--plosive on "throw"
2:18-22--plosives throughout
2:33--plosive on "power"
2:41--plosive on "power"
3:10--plosive on "police"
3:17--plosive on "picked"
3:46-53--plosives on "up," "preservation," "place"
3:56--plosive on "Hebertown Civil"
. Add the 5 seconds of silence at the end

Best Regards,

Maurice

[stepheather]

PL Notes for Chapter 12

Well, Sharon and Chesbro are working the angles, Mrs. Godecke is learning things, and Groff is a nicer guy than I expected!
This is the longest chapter, and this is a fairly long list. I did go back and relisten to make sure that these really did have that "thump" of air hitting the mic, and I think they do. (I took off several I had marked the first time through.) If you disagree on any, let me know! I bolded the ones that aren't plosives.

PL Notes Chapter 12
Re-record the intro
0:47--plosive on "appraisingly"
1:04--plosive on "hotel"
2:03--plosive on "putting"
2:21-22--plosives on "tasted" and "three"
2:31-36 --plosives on "listen," "Groff shrugged"
3:04-05--plosives on "apathetically" and "trudge"
3:33--plosives on "through the plate"
3:44--plosive on "through"
3:48--plosive on "invitation"
4:02-14--plosives on "before," "peered," "preoccupied"
4:43-44--plosives on "thought this"
5:29-30--plosives on "spread," "next half"
5:48--plosive on "pair"
6:00-04--plosives on "prying," "pulling," "stealing everything"
6:01--I hear "Colly Chesbro" instead of "Polly Chesbro"
6:17-23--plosives on "tail" and "surprise"
6:29-30--plosive on "Mrs. Goedeke"
6:33--thump on "I'll...I'll"
6:37--plosive on "pass"
6:48-49--plosive on "picked" "gasping"
6:55-7:00--plosives on "loafers," "bums," "them"
7:27--plosive on "property"
7:58--plosive on "put"
8:20--plosive between "tip another"
8:31--plosives on "flat-top thudded"
9:44--plosive on "porch could've"
9:58-10:00--plosive on "passed" and "off its foundations"
10:11-12--plosives on "fire apart"
10:23-25--plosives on "hydraulic" and "week's worth"
10:39--plosive on "place"
11:10--plosives on "protesting"
11:16--plosive on "Auckland's coming"--also, should it be "Ackslund's?
11:30--plosive on "detachment"
11:54--plosive on "tire"
12:18-19--plosive on "with a"
13:23--plosive on "Polly"
14:25--plosive on "unpromising"
14:42--plosive on "three"
15:58-16:06--plosives on "point," "pass," "but," "appeared," "panting"
16:40--plosives on "that's not" "point"
16:43--stutter on Halmer (H-Halmer)
18:03-05--plosives on "piece" and "newspaper"
18:23-27--plosive on "think" and "thirty"
18:30-44--plosives on "carpools," "people," "carried," "twelve"
18:48--plosives on "last his"
18:52--I hear "carb when" instead of "car when"
18:55--plosive on "plans"
19:05--thump on "broadcasting"
19:18-21--plosives on "brass tacks on a concrete proposal"
19:28--plosive on "proper"
20:00-02--plosive on "pool," "through"
20:08-16--plosive on "Hebertown," "pool," "teacher's parking lot across"
20:28-29--stumble on "crowded and"--I think you started to say "crowded with"--you may be able to clip out the "w" sound
20:32--plosive on "two"
20:52-54--plosive on "place" and "mustachioed"
20:59--plosive on "public"
21:09-26 --plosives on "town," "people," "people," "burning," "useful," "help in the hospital," "people," "beds," "slops"
21:36--plosive on "intense"
22:10--plosive on "hospital"
22:22--plosive on "Palestine"
22:27-30--silence is just about 0.5 second too long--make it around 1.5-2.0 seconds
22:30-33--plosives on "ten" and "telling"
22:39-40--stumble on "runs into"--I hear "run-ins-into"
22:52--plosive on "place"
22:58-59--plosive on "for"
23:43--plosive on "tax"
23:52-24:06--plosives on "strength," "unemployment," "GOP here," "depression," "put," "time"
24:14-16--plosives on "sixteen," "appointments"
Add the 5 seconds of silence


Had to look up "doubled-bitted axe"!

Also, there's a typo when I bring it into my media player--it says "Chapter Tweleve"--where is that coming from?

I am very interested to see where the story goes next (but I also see I have another spot PL to do!).

Thanks,
Stephanie

[donma03]

Hi,

I just posted Chapter 9 for Spot PL

• Re-record the intro
• 4:39--plosive between "without penicillin"--"penicillin" and "fast" also got run together a little bit -- rerecorded a fix, see 4:30
• 5:16--missing end of "step"-- rerecorded corrected sentence to fix "step", see 5:09
• 6:10--I hear "laughed the laugh" or "laughed laugh"; -- rerecorded sentence to "laughed a laugh", see 6:05
• 9:13-16--plosives and I had a hard time understanding the phrase "our Destiny" (I had to look it up) -- rerecorded a fix, see 9:10
• Add the five seconds of silence
• Quashed:
  0:34--plosives on "Polly"
  0:39--plosive on "apparently"
  2:09--plosive on "through"
  2:28-30--plosives on "put" and "Polly"
  3:35-39--plosives on "cohabitation" and "promised"
  3:58-4:03--plosives on "publicity" and "possibility" and "newspaper"
  5:47-54--plosives on "town," "pumped," "penicillin"
  7:02--plosive on "three"
  7:44-48--plosives on "pleasantly" and "pack"
  8:07-08--plosives on "time" and "take"
  8:26--strong plosive on "Polly"
  10:19--plosive on "suppose"
  11:06-09--plosive on "appeared" and "three"
  11:55--plosive on "putting"
  12:25--plosive on "three"
  12:59--plosive on "besides"
  14:17--plosive on "plotz"
  14:29--plosive on "plenty"
  14:50-52--plosives on "penicillin" and "bed rest"
  15:37--plosive on "penicillin"
  15:52--plosive on "place"
  16:22-24--plosives on "pilot pointed"
  16:29--plosive on "pointed"

Best Regards,

Maurice