[COMPLETE] The Raven - Multilingual - pw

[charlie5]

Thanks Leni, and sorry for the delay.

Before these cold feet develop a critical case of frost bite, here goes ... *gulp* ...

http://gazelle.net.au/cavern/aural/librivox/the_raven.mp3

I have yet to add the librivox intro and trailer ... but will get to it soon.

Also, it's a '1st draft' and a little, err, longish ... maybe, i can improve on it some, after a little more practice. Whether there is a noticeable Aussie accent or not, I leave up to the jury (since i cannot really tell ).

In any case, any comments are very welcome.


cheers.

[Leni]

Thanks Leni, and sorry for the delay.

Before these cold feet develop a critical case of frost bite, here goes ... *gulp* ...

http://gazelle.net.au/cavern/aural/librivox/the_raven.mp3

I have yet to add the librivox intro and trailer ... but will get to it soon.

Also, it's a '1st draft' and a little, err, longish ... maybe, i can improve on it some, after a little more practice. Whether there is a noticeable Aussie accent or not, I leave up to the jury (since i cannot really tell ).

In any case, any comments are very welcome.


cheers.

Hi, Charlie!

Wow! That's a VERY different reading, really dramatic. After your feet are recovered from the frost bite I totally suggest you try the Dramatic Works forum!

I like it, I'd just add two more technical things. First, your recording is a bit too soft, it's hard to hear sometimes. I have this problem myself, mainly with readings I think should be read more quietly, and my microphone isn't very good (a new one has been ordered already ). so what I do is record it as low as I think it should be (so it doesn't sound like I am screaming at the microphone) and then I amplify using Audacity - I suppose whatever program you're using will have that function. Second, I don't know if it's my player, but your file seemed to be cut in the beginning. Maybe you could leave a second (not more than that) in the beginning?

Other than that, you read slowly, but I understand it as part of the performance, of how you feel the poem. So, all good to me.

Thanks!

[charlie5]

Hi, Charlie!

Wow! That's a VERY different reading, really dramatic. After your feet are recovered from the frost bite I totally suggest you try the Dramatic Works forum!

Ah, yes, apart from length, my other main worry was that I had gone overboard on the drama side. I hadn't noticed the Dramatic Works forum yet, so thank you, I'll be sure to check it out.

I like it, I'd just add two more technical things. First, your recording is a bit too soft, it's hard to hear sometimes. I have this problem myself, mainly with readings I think should be read more quietly, and my microphone isn't very good (a new one has been ordered already ). so what I do is record it as low as I think it should be (so it doesn't sound like I am screaming at the microphone) and then I amplify using Audacity - I suppose whatever program you're using will have that function.

Thanks for the tips. My mike technique is pretty lousy, with a habit of speaking directly into the mike, or (as you say ) speaking too softly. I've plans to get a new mike/earphone combo soon, which might help a little.

I've been using Audacity also, but only the very basics, so far. I'll certainly experiment with the 'amplify' tool, in future.

Second, I don't know if it's my player, but your file seemed to be cut in the beginning. Maybe you could leave a second (not more than that) in the beginning?

Mmm, yes, I forgot the opening silence section also I'll add a 'pause' in the next edit session.

Other than that, you read slowly, but I understand it as part of the performance, of how you feel the poem. So, all good to me.

Thanks!

Heh, thank you, for both the encouragement and advice.

Perhaps I might have another try, or two, and see if I can tone down the drama, a little, and perhaps improve on the volume, speed and rhythm. At the least, I shall re-edit the current reading, and try to replace one or two of the 'dodgier' stanzas. (In fact, I think I may need to re-add a few lines accidently deleted from one stanza, by mistake, in the current version).

cheers.

[PaulW]

Charlie, you might also want to look at the input gain on your sound control panel...if it's not at max, you can nudge it up a bit, and that will increase the volume without having to amplify the recording, which also amplifies any background noise. It will work on recordings made after your adjustment, but it won't anything that's already recorded...for that you'll have to adjust it with Audacity.

The other effect you might want to consider besides "Amplify" is the "Normalize" effect. You can use it to make the loudest part of the recording at a certain point, and the whole recording is amplified (or de-amplified) to make the loudest bit at that level. I've found that normalizing to about -2.0 db with Audacity brings the volume of the recording to about the right level, unless you have some real shouting-type parts. I also leave the "remove any DC offset" checked, as well.

If you have to noise clean, be sure you're using Audacity 1.3.3 or later, as the noise-removal effect was greatly improved in that version. My usual settings with 1.3.5 are to start with noise reduction of 6 db, frequence of 110, and attack/decay of 0.05. I don't noise clean so that the "silent" parts are dead silence, it's better to leave a little bit of noise in the background.

Hope these tips help!

[lezer]

Hi Leni,
I was curious, so decided to look for the 1861 Dutch translation by Jacob van Lennep - and... I think I traced it! Moreover, I think I will have it in my hands in a few days...

If so - I'll post it in some kind of wikisource page or something, and let you know. And I'd be happy to record it for this project too - if you would like that.

Anna

[Leni]

Hi Leni,
I was curious, so decided to look for the 1861 Dutch translation by Jacob van Lennep - and... I think I traced it! Moreover, I think I will have it in my hands in a few days...

If so - I'll post it in some kind of wikisource page or something, and let you know. And I'd be happy to record it for this project too - if you would like that.

Anna

That's absolutely great news, Anna! Thanks a lot, and, of course, it will be great if you can read it!

[Aldor]

Paul,

Here you'll find the Mallarmé's French Translation :

http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/pw/raven_07_mallarme_al.mp3

whom lenght is 10:38 min.

Have a good ay !

[PaulW]

Leni's the slave driver BC around here, I'm just the overseer MC.

Seriously, thanks for the file, Aldor. We'll get it in he window shortly, and I'm sure someone who understands French (not me) will be along shortly to proof it for you.

[charlie5]

hi PaulW,

Thank you, those Audacity tips will be very helpful. I've not been game to try many of the effects, as yet, since most of the configuration settings baffle me . The normalise effect, though, sounds ideal for my 'too low-too high' problem.

I'll also re-check the mixer and audacity recording levels, and make sure all the mike boost options are on full.

I've been using the default Audacity (version 1.3.4-beta) noise removal settings. I'll experiment with the settings you suggest, and hopefully improve the result. At the moment, noise removal causes the voice to sound a little different, but in my case, that may be a good thing .

Cheers again for the tips

[Leni]

Leni's the slave driver BC around here, I'm just the overseer MC.

Seriously, thanks for the file, Aldor. We'll get it in he window shortly, and I'm sure someone who understands French (not me) will be along shortly to proof it for you.

Yes, thanks Aldor.

And the slave driver BC is putting it in the window AND PL'ing.

[PaulW]

hi PaulW,

Thank you, those Audacity tips will be very helpful. I've not been game to try many of the effects, as yet, since most of the configuration settings baffle me . The normalise effect, though, sounds ideal for my 'too low-too high' problem.

[whisper]I'll let you in on a little secret...most of them still baffle me![/whisper] Although if you have both too low and too high in the same recording, you're probably better off with the leveler effect, rather than normalize.

I'll also re-check the mixer and audacity recording levels, and make sure all the mike boost options are on full.

Play around with the gain. the top peaks of your waveforms shouldn't be more than around 0.7 to 0.8 on the vertical scale. If they get up to the top, they'll start getting clipped, and you'll have distortion as a result. You don't want the red bouncing level meter bars at the top of the window to get much beyond -3 for your max level. The -3 on that scale corresponds to normalizing to -3 db in the normalize effect.

I've been using the default Audacity (version 1.3.4-beta) noise removal settings. I'll experiment with the settings you suggest, and hopefully improve the result. At the moment, noise removal causes the voice to sound a little different, but in my case, that may be a good thing .

Yes, the default settings usually make the voice sound "tinny", or metallic--sounding. I use as little noise removal as possible, as the more you use, the more you distort things. I usually start at 6 db, and work my way up from there. I haven't used anything past 16, and even that much was starting to sound metallic to me.

[quote Cheers again for the tips [/quote]

Glad to be of assistance. Happy recording!

[gypsygirl]

Yes, the default settings usually make the voice sound "tinny", or metallic--sounding. I use as little noise removal as possible, as the more you use, the more you distort things. I usually start at 6 db, and work my way up from there. I haven't used anything past 16, and even that much was starting to sound metallic to me.

Or if it doesn't make the voice sound tinny and metallic, it adds little metallic dings and whistles to the silences between the words (those really ruin a recording for me).

[Aldor]

Leni's the slave driver BC around here, I'm just the overseer MC.

Leni, PaulW, I am merely confused.

[fink]

I can read the transliterated Yiddish version if it is still free.
I`m still a little weak when reading original yiddish but fine when its transliterated.
Joseph

[Leni]

I can read the transliterated Yiddish version if it is still free.
I`m still a little weak when reading original yiddish but fine when its transliterated.
Joseph

That'd be great, Joseph!

Yes, I have one transliterated version, but nurBahnhof, who has kindly transliterated it for us, has sent me a pm saying he will contact you to discuss some transliteration matters (of which I understand... nothing ). So, whenever you decide on one transliteration, I can set up the Google Docs (if you wish me to) or you can just record, and then give me the title of the poem in Yiddish, the name of the translator and all that.

I'm adding you to the MW. Thanks much!