COMPLETE Strange Stories from A Chinese Studio-mas

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
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carteki
Posts: 1618
Joined: January 10th, 2015, 9:56 am

Post by carteki »

Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio, volume 1 by Songling Pu (1640 - 1715). Translated by Herbert Allen Giles (1845 - 1935)

This project is now complete! All audio files can be found on our catalog page: https://librivox.org/strange-stories-from-a-chinese-studio-volume-1-by-songling-pu/
"Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" or "Strange Tales of Liaozhai") is a collection of nearly five hundred mostly supernatural tales written by Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. It was written in Classical Chinese rather than Vernacular Chinese. Pu is believed to have completed the majority of the tales sometime in 1679, though he could have added entries as late as 1707. He borrows from a folk tradition of oral storytelling to put to paper a series of captivating, colorful stories, where the boundary between reality and the odd or fantastic is blurred. The cast of characters includes vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists and beasts. Moral purposes are often inverted between humans and the supposedly degenerate ghosts or spirits, resulting in a satirical edge to some of the stories. Ghosts and spirits are often bold and trustworthy, while humans are on the other hand weak, indecisive and easily manipulated, reflecting the author's own disillusionment with his society. (Wikipedia)
20 of these stories have already been recorded and can be found here. This project will record the entire volume (including the 20 stories previously recorded).
  1. How to claim a part, and "how it all works" here To find a section to record, simply look at point 5. below at the sections. All the ones without names beside them are "up for grabs." Click "Post reply" at the top left of the screen and tell us which section you would like to read (include the section number from the left-most column in the reader list, please). Read points 6. to 8. below for what to do before, during and after your recording.
  2. New to recording? Please read our Newbie Guide to Recording!
    [Same edition available on Project Gutenberg at : http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43627]
  3. Is there a deadline? We ask that you submit your recorded sections within 1-2 months of placing your claim. Please note that to be fair to the readers who have completed their sections in a timely way, if you haven't submitted your recording(s) after two months, your sections will automatically be re-opened for other readers to claim, unless you post in this thread to request an extension. Extensions will be granted at the discretion of the Book Coordinator. If you cannot do your section, for whatever reason, just let me know and it'll go back to the pool. There's no shame in this; we're all volunteers and things happen.Please do not sign up for more sections than you can complete within the two month deadline.
  4. Where do I find the text? Source text (please only read from this text!): https://archive.org/details/strangestoriesfr00pusuuoft
  5. Please claim sections (the numbers in the first column below)! If this is your first recording, please let me know under which name or pseudonym you'd like to appear in the LibriVox catalogue. We can also link to a personal website/blog.
  6. Prospective Prooflisteners: Please read the Listeners Wanted FAQ before listening! Level of prooflistening requested: standard

    Please don't download or listen to files belonging to projects in process (unless you are the BC or PL). Our servers are not set up to handle the greater volume of traffic. Please wait until the project has been completed. Thanks!

    Magic Window:



    BC Admin
    ===========================================
    This paragraph is temporary and will be replaced by the MC with the list of sections and reader (Magic Window) once this project is in the admin system.

    • Project Code: t5CYalrS
    • Link to author on Wikipedia (if available): (Songling Pu) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu_Songling
    • Link to title on Wikipedia (if available): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Stories_from_a_Chinese_Studio
    • Number of sections (files) this project will have: 103
    • Does the project have an introduction or preface [y/n]: No
    • Original publication date (if known): 1880
    • If you are a new volunteer, how would you like your name (or pseudonym) credited in the catalog? Do you have a URL you would like associated with your name?:

    ============================================

    Genres for the project: Culture & Heritage
    Keywords that describe the book: librivox, fiction, short stories, supernatural, Qing dynasty, chinese literature

    ============================================
  7. BEFORE recording: Please check the Recording Notes: http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6427#6430

    Set your recording software to:
    Channels: 1 (Mono)
    Bit Rate: 128 kbps
    Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz
  8. DURING recording:
    No more than 0.5 to 1 second of silence at the beginning of the recording!
    Make sure you add this to the beginning of your recording:

    START of recording (Intro)
    • "Chapter [number] of Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio, volume 1. 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], [city, your blog, podcast, web address]"
    • Say:
      "Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio, volume 1, by Songling Pu. Translated by Herbert Allan Giles. Chapter [Chapter number, title]"

    END of recording
    • At the end of the section, say:
      "End of Chapter [Chapter number]"
    • If you wish, say:
      "Recording by [your name], [city, your blog, podcast, web address]"
    • At the end of the book, say (in addition):
      "End of Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio, volume 1, by Songling Pu. Translated by Herbert Allan Giles."


    There should be 5 seconds silence at the end of the recording, or 10 seconds for files longer than 30 minutes.

    Please remember to check this thread frequently for updates!
  9. AFTER recording
    Need noise-cleaning?
    Listen to your file through headphones. If you can hear some constant background noise (hiss/buzz), you may want to clean it up a bit. The new (free) version 1.3.3. of Audacity has much improved noise-cleaning. See this LibriVox wiki page for a complete guide.
    Save files as
    128 kbps MP3
    strangestoriesvol1_##_pu_128kb.mp3 (all lower-case) where ## is the section number (e.g. strangestoriesvol1_01_pu_128kb.mp3)
  10. Transfer of files (completed recordings) Please always post in this forum thread when you've sent a file. Also, post the length of the recording (file duration: mm:ss) together with the link.
    • Upload your file with the LibriVox Uploader: https://librivox.org/login/uploader
      Image
      (If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin)
    • You'll need to select the MC, which for this project is: maryannspiegel
    • When your upload is complete, you will receive a link - please post it in this thread.
    • If this doesn't work, or you have questions, please check our How To Send Your Recording wiki page.
  11. Any questions?
    Please post below
Thanks Kim
Last edited by carteki on June 3rd, 2016, 6:35 am, edited 4 times in total.
MaryAnnSpiegel
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18347
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Location: Chicago, IL

Post by MaryAnnSpiegel »

Kim,
I'm a bit confused. It looks like volume 1 has 62 stories . . . with 20 already recorded, that leaves 42 for this volume? But you asked for 100+ sections? :?
MaryAnn
carteki
Posts: 1618
Joined: January 10th, 2015, 9:56 am

Post by carteki »

MaryAnn
My initial look at the book was that there were 106 sections, but when I went through it to get the word counts there are the 60 that are shown.
I left it because I have 2 questions on the work that is to be done :
1) will the original 20 recordings be incorporated into this volume, or will they be re-recorded? There are positives and negatives to both, so I'm not too fussed. My understanding from previous discussions is that to be re-recorded is the preferred method.
2) based on the word counts some of the sections are quite long, especially the introduction. Do these need to be split? I'm not sure what the rule is here. You can edit the "assigned" column in the sheet if you want to indicate there which sections should be split.
Thanks
annise
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Location: Melbourne,Australia

Post by annise »

The first project will not part of this one. We never use the same readings in more than one project. It was a special project with the same 20 stories as in a Chinese sister project.
With the title you have for this , you would need to read all of the stories.
If you wanted only to read those that were not in the first project you would need a title which finished with something like (further selections from Volume 1)
The decision which way to go is yours.
As only a few of the stories would reach 30-35 mins reading time there is no need to split them
If you aren't reading those stories that appeared in the first project you probably do not need the introduction to be repeated ?

Anne
The previous title was
Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio (selections from Volume 1)
carteki
Posts: 1618
Joined: January 10th, 2015, 9:56 am

Post by carteki »

Anne, Thank you for clarifying.
MaryAnne, does that help you with the number of sections? Assuming that none of the parts are split due to length there are 61 sections.
Regards
MaryAnnSpiegel
LibriVox Admin Team
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Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 4:37 pm
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by MaryAnnSpiegel »

Thank you Kim and Anne, that makes sense now. You are doing the whole book as a separate project (not a continuation of the previous project).

I can MC this for you.

MaryAnn
MaryAnnSpiegel
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18347
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 4:37 pm
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by MaryAnnSpiegel »

Kim,
Your MW is ready. I see you have PL'd before, so you are familiar with logging into the MW system. Please be sure to read through the instructions for BCs again to make sure you are up to speed on your duties as the Book Coordinator (including filling in the MW with the section titles, etc.)

Instructions for BCs and DPLs

A version of the above is also in the LibriVox wiki in case you can't access Google Docs for some reason.

BCs - How to Update the Magic Window

If you have any questions, please let me know and we'll find an answer!

MaryAnn
carteki
Posts: 1618
Joined: January 10th, 2015, 9:56 am

Post by carteki »

MaryAnnSpiegel wrote:Thank you Kim and Anne, that makes sense now. You are doing the whole book as a separate project (not a continuation of the previous project).

I can MC this for you.

MaryAnn
Thank you. MW is updated. I'm looking forward to listening to the stories.
MaryAnnSpiegel
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18347
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 4:37 pm
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by MaryAnnSpiegel »

carteki wrote: I'm looking forward to listening to the stories.
Do you plan to DPL?
MaryAnn
LisaRubio
Posts: 81
Joined: December 23rd, 2014, 2:04 pm
Location: San Rafael, California

Post by LisaRubio »

I'd like to read section 21. I'm new, can I read a few sections or are you looking for someone to read the entire book?

Thanks,
Lisa Rubio who was thelibrifox.
Librivox, my favorite thing!!!
philchenevert
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Contact:

Post by philchenevert »

Hi. Here is section 21 https://librivox.org/uploads/philchenevert/strangestoriesvol1_section21_pu_128kb._.mp3

The LibriFox lost the link and she asked me to send it to the right place. And here it is!!!
"I lost my trousers," said Tom expansively.
89 Decibels? Easy Peasy ! https://youtu.be/aSKR55RDVpk
carteki
Posts: 1618
Joined: January 10th, 2015, 9:56 am

Post by carteki »

Thank you Lisa for starting things off :clap: and Phil for finding the file.
I got put into hospital yesterday, so won't be able to PL immediately.
MaryAnnSpiegel
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18347
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 4:37 pm
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by MaryAnnSpiegel »

Lisa,

I'm the Meta Coordinator on this project . . . and Kim asked if I would step in and help with the Book Coordinator tasks while she has limited access to the MW.

I have added you as a reader for section 21 and put your file in the MW. I see your 1 minute test is not yet OK'd, so let me check the technical specs on this file before you record any more. I'll do that tonight, or tomorrow, depending on when I get home . . .

You now have a reader page here: https://librivox.org/reader/10387
In the future, please watch your file names. This one should have been strangestoriesvol1_21_pu_128kb.mp3 [you had strangestoriesvol1_section21_pu_128kb._.mp3]
We'll get this one fixed up behind the scenes, so no need to upload again unless you have PL notes to correct.

And welcome to Librivox!

MaryAnn
LisaRubio
Posts: 81
Joined: December 23rd, 2014, 2:04 pm
Location: San Rafael, California

Post by LisaRubio »

MaryAnn,

I'm thrilled to see my name in the magic window. As you can imagine, or remember, I'm reeling from all the little details I need to know.

I've finished another section, 29, chapter 28, The Singing Frogs.( Please know that I'll happily redo any of my readings because I'd rather do things over again than turn my readers off.)

I couldn't find or figure out what should go in the ID3 tags, although I did watch Phil's video twice!

I'm going to finish section 29 and post the link to you, then I'll review what you did to help me with my 1 minute test, as I'm afraid if I quit what I'm doing now, I'll forget where I was!

I'm having trouble editing my ssss sound, what helps that?

Back at ya later with the link to section 29

Thanks so much,
Lisa
Librivox, my favorite thing!!!
MaryAnnSpiegel
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18347
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 4:37 pm
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by MaryAnnSpiegel »

Lisa,

Your technical specs are fine for section 21. We'll let Kim proof listen the entire file when she can get back on line.

I'll put in a claim for section 29.

PLEASE CLAIM in advance of recording the sections. It's not a problem on this project because things are just getting started. But if someone claims a section that you are recording, the person submitting the claim gets the section, even if you had it all recorded and were ready to submit.

If there are more in this project that you want to record, just give me the numbers and I'll put you in the Magic Window.

MaryAnn
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