COMPLETE: Insomnia Collection Vol. 001 - SW/tc

[Cori]

Complete! All audio files can be found on our catalog page:
http://librivox.org/insomnia-collection-vol-1/

Recordings with the avowed aim of boring our audience to snores.

Obviously, soporific dullness is in the ear of the listener, and what's Tedium Incarnate to one person will be another person's Passion and Delight. Thus NO INSULT IS INTENDED in the choice of material here. Lists, tables, and repetitive material are especially appropriate. You may NOT nominate other Librivoxers' existing chapters for inclusion. However, should you wish to read your own version of something you've found particularly insipid, please feel free.

1. New to recording?
   Please read our Newbie Guide to Recording! Post here or PM me if you have any questions.
2. How to claim a part, and 'how it all works' here
   You don't need to announce what you're reading, unless you're doubtful it will be boring enough, or if you are not ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN of its public domain status. Please post here if you want to confirm that, or if you'd like to offer or receive suggestions for something to work on, or need help with dividing a longer document.
3. What are the requirements for the reading?
   Readings should last between 30-60 minutes. (Longer than that -- please divide it into two parts. Shorter readings are unlikely to give listeners enough time to be relaxed.) Please read in a Calm and Placid manner. If you find your chosen topic too exciting, and that affects your serene speed or tranquil tone, please consider donating your recording to another Collection. Readings may be contributed in ANY LANGUAGE but the text must be potentially dull to other speakers of that language.
4. Where do I find texts?
   There's a list in the next post of some at Project Gutenberg I thought suitable, but you're welcome to choose any text that's in the Public Domain. If in doubt, please get it checked by posting here FIRST (particularly if you are reading from print and not an online source.) You are welcome to pick a couple of chapters of a book, or a particularly slow section from a scientific paper, or divide the material in another way you find appropriate. Please do NOT change the content itself or the order of what has been written. This is probably the only opportunity that many utterly banal texts will ever have to be recorded by us, so choose wisely.
5. Is there a deadline?
   No, this will be catalogued when it reaches 10 entries, or readers' interest is lost for more than 3 months consecutively, whichever comes first.

BC Link

• BEFORE recording:
  Please check the Recording Notes:
  http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6427#6430
  
  Set your recording software to:
  Bit Rate: 128 kbps
  Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz
• DURING recording:
  Make sure you add this to the beginning and end of your recording:
  Start of recording (Intro)
  • "[Chapter/Section/Part] of [Book title]. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit: librivox DOT org"
  • If you wish, say:
    "Recording by [your name]"
  • Say:
    "Title, by Author. [Chapter]"
    If you need help phrasing your disclaimer appropriately, please post here!
  
  End of recording
  • At the end of the section, say:
    "End of Title, by Author."
    If you wish, say any or all of:
    "Recording by [your name], [city, your blog, podcast, web address, the date.]"
  
  Please leave 10 seconds silence at the end of your recording.
  
  Also, please remember to check this thread frequently for updates!
• AFTER recording:
  Save files as
  • 128 kbps MP3
  • titleinoneword_authorsurname_yourinitials.mp3 (all lower-case)
    (eg. cabbagesandcauliflowers_gregory_cs.mp3)
  ID3 V2 tags
  (To find out more about ID3 tags, go to our wiki: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/WhatIsID3)
  Add the following tags to your .mp3 file (how you do this depends on which software you use – if you are unsure about ID3 tags, send me a message). Please mind upper and lower case!
  • Title: Chapter[s / Part # / 'A selection from'] ## - Book Title
  • Artist: Author Name
  • Album: Librivox Insomnia Collection Vol. 001
  Again, just ask if you'd like help in giving your reading appropriate tags. Please ignore tags for Genre and Track Number - these will be filled in automatically at the cataloguing stage.
• Transfer of files (completed recordings)
  Please always post in this forum thread when you've sent a file.
  IMPORTANT!! Put a link to the online source of your text in your post, along with your file link. This is vital for checking public domaininess before cataloguing.
  • If you have your own server space, post the link here. Please leave the file in this location until the project is catalogued.
  • If you don't have your own server space, you'll need to transfer the file to one of the free servers available. For a list of options, please check our How To Send Your Recording wiki page.

If this is your first LibriVox recording, I'll need your name/pseudonym as you want to appear in the LibriVox catalog, and (optionally) your website URL, when you submit a recording.

Any questions?
Please post below or PM me. Think your question is too stupid to be asked..? Bet you I've asked stupider in my time -- just try it.

[Cori]

I found these at Project Gutenberg by searching under various terms such as 'history', 'lecture', 'essays', 'analysis' etc. However, there are likely to be all kinds of gems with quite interesting names, which are actually akin to ditchwater in practice, so feel free to do whatever you like!

[Edited 10th Feb to add good suggestions from folks later in the thread, and to indicate interest. Duplicate readings, though, would add to the tedium, though it *would* be marvellous to have as diverse a range of topics as possible.]

A System of Instruction in the Practical Use of the Blowpipe, Being A Graduated Course Of Analysis For The Use Of Students And All Those Engaged In The Examination Of Metallic Combinations

Some Mooted Questions in Reinforced Concrete Design

Introductory Lecture on Experimental Physics.

Spalding's Baseball Guide and Official League Book for 1889

A Manual of Analysis of All the Structural Factors and Designs Employed in Musical Composition

The Natural History of Wiltshire

Elements of Civil Government

Copyright Basics (please read Gutenberg disclaimer also, if you choose this one.)

The Code of Honor, Or, Rules for the Government of Principals and Seconds in Duelling

Greek in a Nutshell

Let's Collect Rocks and Shells

The Enemies of Books

Fires and Firemen: from the Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature, Science and Art, Vol XXXV No. 1, May 1855

Shearing in the Riverina (too interesting?)

Yeast

Umbrellas and Their History (only for those who can manage a perfectly po-faced reading ... umbrellas ARE innately funny.)

Reincarnation from Vedanta Philosophy - recorded by Mochan42

English Walnuts : What You Need to Know about Planting, Cultivating and Harvesting This Most Delicious of Nuts recorded by thistlechick

The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms, with observations - Caeristhiona has dibs

One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture Answered - DSayers has dibs

[Links to many of these can be found later in the thread, or search at Project Gutenberg by title.]

Previous discussion of this collection can be found in this Book Suggestions item.


P.S. Anyone attempting to contribute anything by Jane Austen or Mary Shelley will be summarily ignored. It's my project, and I said so.

[frenchaudrey]

This is hilarious!
Well done Cori!

I guess I'll have to keep my eye out for something uninteresting

~Claire

[Starlite]

P.S. Anyone attempting to contribute anything by Jane Austen or Mary Shelley will be summarily ignored. It's my project, and I said so.

Hee hee you are funny.

[Justin Brett]

I am adding "Oxy-acetylene Cutting and Welding" to my to-do list. Tee-hee.

Justin

[thistlechick]

whoohooo! Here I am... Cori, I'll set up a Magic window for you and PM you with details for useing it =)

[Starlite]

I am adding "Oxy-acetylene Cutting and Welding" to my to-do list. Tee-hee.

Justin

0o0o0o0 My hubby is a welder, that must be very interesting (NOT) Don't ya just hate "Shop Talk"?


Just a question - can we submit previously recorded and catalogued bits?

I am thinking of http://librivox.org/the-copyright-question/ which I thought would interesting.

[Mochan42]

I'm thinking about this: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7377 Will that work?

[ceastman]

Haha! Great idea.

However, I have too many things going right now, and.. well.. I like to read with passion, so I would be a Bad Reader for this project.

-Catharine

[Cori]

Just a question - can we submit previously recorded and catalogued bits?

I am thinking of http://librivox.org/the-copyright-question/ which I thought would interesting.

Hmmm. I wasn't thinking of it, really, because as far as I know, no-one's set out to read in a boring way before. Of course, some material overwhelms even the reader's most vivacious voice -- this one does seem in that category (I'm 3 minutes into the recording and am lost already. And from other recordings I've listened to, I know it's not the voice that's the problem...)

I'm thinking about this: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7377 Will that work?

Oh, definitely, yes! That's a perfect example of an interesting topic rendered potential insomnia cure by the richness and denseness of the writing. A nice calm reading of one of those (I think the Evolution one might be a bit pacy , but any of the others ...) will be a super addition to this set. Which one did you have in mind..?

[Mochan42]

I'm thinking about this: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7377 Will that work?

Oh, definitely, yes! That's a perfect example of an interesting topic rendered potential insomnia cure by the richness and denseness of the writing. A nice calm reading of one of those (I think the Evolution one might be a bit pacy , but any of the others ...) will be a super addition to this set. Which one did you have in mind..?[/quote]

I was thinking the 'Reincarnation' one, http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/8rinc10h.htm

[Cori]

The visible phenomena of the universe are bound by the universal law
of cause and effect. The effect is visible or perceptible, while the
cause is invisible or imperceptible. The falling of an apple from a
tree is the effect of a certain invisible force called gravitation.
Although the force cannot be perceived by the senses, its expression
is visible. All perceptible phenomena are but the various expressions
of different forces which act as invisible agents upon the subtle and
imperceptible forms of matter. These invisible agents or forces
together with the imperceptible particles of matter make up the subtle
states of the phenomenal universe.

YES please!!!

Did you need any help working out the Disclaimer and Tags for it, or shall I just cheer you on from the sidelines..?

[Mochan42]

The visible phenomena of the universe are bound by the universal law
of cause and effect. The effect is visible or perceptible, while the
cause is invisible or imperceptible. The falling of an apple from a
tree is the effect of a certain invisible force called gravitation.
Although the force cannot be perceived by the senses, its expression
is visible. All perceptible phenomena are but the various expressions
of different forces which act as invisible agents upon the subtle and
imperceptible forms of matter. These invisible agents or forces
together with the imperceptible particles of matter make up the subtle
states of the phenomenal universe.

YES please!!!

Did you need any help working out the Disclaimer and Tags for it, or shall I just cheer you on from the sidelines..?

Just reading that little bit is putting me back to sleep.

But uh...Should I read this part?
"The Project Gutenberg EBook of Reincarnation, by Swami Abhedananda

Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the
copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing
this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook.

This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project
Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the
header without written permission.

Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the
eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is
important information about your specific rights and restrictions in
how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a
donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved."

Or should I somehow go searching to see if it's copyright?

[Cori]

It's pretty boring, their smallprint, but no ... the "legal small print" is our disclaimer -- we don't read theirs. Theirs relates to the online, gutenberg.org&mirror-sites version of the text. We're making a 'new version' of it, if you like -- that's why we specifically say it's in the public domain -- that's referring to Your Reading of it, not just the text itself. Otherwise you could fairly claim copyright on your reading of it.

In terms of copyright laws -- this one is "in copyright" for me for another two years, since its author died in 1939, and I'm in the UK with "Life + 70" copyright. But because it is at PG, and doesn't have a special note on it (what you quote is their standard boilerplate) you can assume this was printed before 1923, and is completely public domain for you and in this case, all North America. Gutenberg check their books pretty thoroughly before putting them up, so their legally-minded folks have done the confirmation for you.

[Mochan42]

Darn, I was hoping the small print could add to the boring.


But uh, that's what I assumed about the copyright. Should I add the usual, "This is in the public domain, etc..." at the beginning of the recording?