[COMPLETE] Anna Karenina Bk 3 by Tolstoy - arb

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
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Don Stirno
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Joined: March 2nd, 2010, 5:27 am

Post by Don Stirno »

Uh-oh, I thought Audacity was automatically taking things down to mono :/ The problem with the noise is, try as I might, I can't seem to remove it without making the rest far far too quiet! I'll keep playing about with it and try to figure it out... Sorry! Thanks for the help, I'll hopefully have them back up within a couple hours.

Edit: I downloaded a newer version of Audacity and have just edited chapter 24, and will be doing 25 as soon as 24 has been exported as MP3. I'll have them both uploaded within the hour :)
Don Stirno
Posts: 39
Joined: March 2nd, 2010, 5:27 am

Post by Don Stirno »

Here they are! Still a little noise, but I'm sure you'll agree greatly improved :)

24:
http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/arb/annakarenina3_24_tolstoy.mp3
9:43

25:
http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/arb/annakarenina3_25_tolstoy.mp3
8:10
Shipley
Posts: 590
Joined: February 18th, 2009, 10:05 am
Location: MA, USA

Post by Shipley »

Dear Don:

Thank you for the revised versions of Sections 24 and 25. I have updated the duration for Section 24 in the Magic Window. It is not necessary to update the "Listen" hyperlinks since the revised version automatically replaces the original one. The MC's have access to both versions through some mystic incantation to which only they are privy, but which is not vouchsafed to mere BC's such as myself.

Regards,
David
libraryanne
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Location: New England

Post by libraryanne »

I've PL'ed both chapters and chapter 24 is PL OK!

Chapter 25 still has the same glitches as before. It's in stereo, there's the beginning silence. Perhaps you uploaded the same chapter by mistake?

Regards,
Betty
Don Stirno
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Post by Don Stirno »

:S The link I just posted isn't coming up as stereo either when I play the file on my desktop *or* from the link, nor is there particularly noticeable noise... Although there does seem to be 3 or 4 seconds of silence at the start... This is really confusing...
libraryanne
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Location: New England

Post by libraryanne »

Hi there,
What program are you using to record and save your file? I can't help you other than refer you to other threads or the MC here, Anne.
I'm sure this can be corrected. Perhaps David can offer assistance?

Betty
Don Stirno
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Joined: March 2nd, 2010, 5:27 am

Post by Don Stirno »

I've been using Audacity, and can't afford anything else.

The problem is that when I play the file it *is* corrected, there's barely any noise (and what there is is happening at the same time as the talking, so 'noise removal' would surely ruin the rest of the recording) and it is definitely not in stereo, I genuinely can't find the errors you say are still there, in the uploaded file or on my computer. I've just checked for a third time, and it is 100% definitely in mono, and there is barely any audible noise. I'm using stereo JVC headphones.

Edit: I will contact Anne and/or David in the morning and ask for their opinions on the problem, but the I just can't hear the glitches you refer to :S
libraryanne
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Location: New England

Post by libraryanne »

The noise is less noticeable in Section 25, so that's not a problem, and the silence at the beginning can be snipped out. Either you or one of our posters here can do these edits, so no need to worry.
I already contacted Annise about this and when she is able to post she probably will.
Don Stirno
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Joined: March 2nd, 2010, 5:27 am

Post by Don Stirno »

Its just really strange and confusing - it seems like we're hearing different versions from the same link, which defies all logic :/ Are you sure the latest is coming up in stereo? Because I specifically remember mixing it down to mono, and its coming up as mono on mine... If the noise levels aren't too bad though, I can cut the first few seconds off tomorrow morning :)
Shipley
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Joined: February 18th, 2009, 10:05 am
Location: MA, USA

Post by Shipley »

I have sampled both Sections 24 and 25 and whilst I claim no expertise in these matters, I would offer the following observations:

1. Section 24 is mono, Section 25 is definitely stereo. Have you checked that the input device is correctly set in Audacity (Edit-Preferences-Devices) and is set for Channel 1(Mono). At the moment, the stereo traces look as though a single mono microphone is being fed to both channels of a stereo recording.

2. Both Sections are much too quiet; they should both be normalized (Effect-Normalize) on the Audacity menus to about -1 to 0 decibel. The background noise is very high. If you are using a microphone which plugs into the microphone socket (as opposed to a USB microphone) is it possible that you have the input set to "Line In" rather than "Microphone"? Also, if you are using Windows (XP, Vista or Windows 7) please check the Volume Mixer to ensure that the Audacity volume is set to 100 and the Windows Sounds is set to zero. (Audacity usually does the latter automatically.)

3. Both Sections appear to suffer from an excess of reflected noise, rather as though they had been recorded in a tiled bathroom. I would suggest checking for highly reflective surfaces near the microphone.

4. Both Sections suffer from an irritating intermittent background noise which sounds to me like an unbalanced fan. Is the microphone picking up noise from a computer fan, other fan or air conditioner? Alternatively, is the microphone on a hard surface; microphones readily pick up noise, especially high frequency noise, from the surface on which they are resting.

5. There are a few very large peaks in the recording, typically at the beginning of sentences, which make it very difficult to normalize to a reasonable volume. These peaks are not plosives ("p" sounds etc.) and would appear to result from the speaker suddenly approaching the microphone very closely, assuming that a desk microphone is being used.

6. There are a number of loud cracks in the recording and it would be beneficial to edit these out.

7. Spectral analysis shows no trace of a 50 Hz or 60 Hz mains hum; the chief background noise source is rather high-pitched, but not so high pitched that low-pass filtering is any use.

Incidentally, I also checked Section 23, which appears to be in stereo, although the volume is a little more reasonable than on the other two recordings. I tried reducing this Section to mono, doing some amplification (with clipping enabled) and trying heavy noise reduction. Although the result leaves some irritating background noise, I think the result is considerably improved; it has been uploaded to:

http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/tests/annakarenina3_23TESTtolstoy.mp3

and I would welcome comments.

Sorry I cannot be more helpful, but the crucial thing appears to me to be tracing the source of the background noise.

Regards,
David
Don Stirno
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Joined: March 2nd, 2010, 5:27 am

Post by Don Stirno »

I think I'm just going to rerecord them... They were done in my room down in London which doesn't have much space, and has paper thin walls... The strange thing was that the surface wasn't hard and there was nothing else electrical on in the room, except the lights and my phone (which was set to silent and on the other side of the room). Very bizarre indeed... Well, I'll rerecord them later today and hopefully things will be better...
annise
LibriVox Admin Team
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Post by annise »

Hi
Can I suggest that you just record a minute or 2 of one of the chapters and submit it ? Then if the same thing is happening it gives us a chance to help you fix it without wasting too much of your time?

Anne
Don Stirno
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Joined: March 2nd, 2010, 5:27 am

Post by Don Stirno »

Well, I'm in a different room now, and the recording I've just finished up I'm sure you'll agree is much improved... It is Benedictus De Spinoza - Ethics - 3-13 and I'll post the link on that thread within half an hour... Would it be possible for you to have a listen to that one instead? I'd quite like to get these chapters totally sorted today, and recording and putting up a sample, then waiting for feedback, would really slow things down... Thanks!
Shipley
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Joined: February 18th, 2009, 10:05 am
Location: MA, USA

Post by Shipley »

Dear Don:

Sorry for the delay in replying; I have had a bad attack of real life these last two days.

I agree that the quality of the Spinoza recording is greatly improved, and that the noise level is now entirely acceptable; I have heard considerably worse on other LibriVox recordings. I would respectfully suggest that you record all three Sections 23-25 under the new conditions.

There are still, however, some background noises. Since you have not told me whether you are using a desk microphone or a headphone microphone, I will try to cover both possibilities. If this is a desk microphone either some quiet noise is happening close to the microphone (unlikely) or the microphone is picking up vibration from the surface on which it is resting. Have you tried resting the microphone on something (for example, a foam pad or a folded towel) which would insulate the microphone from its supporting surface.

If this is a headset microphone, either something (fingers, paper etc.) is coming into contact with the microphone boom or you are turning your head too suddenly; I have noticed that my own headset mike tends to put noises on the recording if I turn suddenly.

These are just suggestions to get the last bugs out our your recordings; as previously stated, the results are now very acceptable.

Regards,
David
Don Stirno
Posts: 39
Joined: March 2nd, 2010, 5:27 am

Post by Don Stirno »

Sorry for not starting recording sooner, I've gone from days with no plans filled with free time to intensely filled days which have been both time consuming and physically exhausting (I have no money, so have been walking everywhere, which is no doubt doing me a lot of good, but means when I get home at 10 or 11 at night I'm really not up for recording, editing etc).

I'll try to start re-recording today, hopefully editing in the next couple days. I'm going away Wednesday though (for 8-11 days, depending on what happens) so the editing process may not be finished when I go. Thanks for the advice, I've been having to use my inbuilt mac microphone, which is usually quite good, but sometimes not. I'll try the paper towel idea, as the surface has essentially been laminated wood. Thanks!
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