Check 1, 2... Oakland CA Says Hello to All... Esp Seattle!

[Alaoui]

Goodness we never really leave home, I can see Seattleites in the sky from here!

I lived on Capitol Hill (*Seattle neighborhood) for three years. I split just before they blew up the ChiaDome in 2000. What a landmark that was; a futuristic-looking concrete sports arena, obviously someone's vision of advanced architecture from thirty years ago, its convex roof visible from the freeway... with moss and grass growing profusely out of it, thanks to Seattle's fertile climate. I really do miss the Dome.

What a great project this is. For the hundred-millionth time! I'm very glad to be a part of it.

Technical question here, and I can probably find an answer to it elsewhere in the forum, but since this box is open, and I'm rambling, I'll let fly:

Should our final file be in Mono, to make it smaller?
or, are people adding music to their readings? I thought of doing that, but are there rights issues to be concerned with?

Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for your response!

[GordMackenzie]

Technical question here, and I can probably find an answer to it elsewhere in the forum, but since this box is open, and I'm rambling, I'll let fly:

Should our final file be in Mono, to make it smaller?
or, are people adding music to their readings? I thought of doing that, but are there rights issues to be concerned with?

Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for your response!

Welcome!

In terms of the technical questions... since our files are compressed in MP3 format, it actually doesn't save any additional space to have a mono file. Either is fine, but most people tend to do stereo.

Please be very careful with music. If you compose your own music, then you can add it to your readings, if you wish. But please don't add anyone else's music without the copyright holders express permission... and even so, it can get tricky.

Remember that Librivox readings are usually in the public domain ... we release all copyright controls on the files (anyone can copy, distribute, chop up, re-mix or do anything they want with the files). The music should also be public domain to keep in the spirit of the project.

Glad to have you on board!

[Alaoui]

gord-

thanks for the good info

-y

[kayray]

Hi Alaoui,

Some answers for you that are slightly different form Gord's :)

We would REALLY prefer it if you didn't add music, even if you compose and perform it yourself. It gives our already over-worked book coordinators and catalogers yet another thing to check up on. You'll find the answers to this and other questions in our "volunteering" faq:
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=877

Although the resulting mp3s are are same size whether they were originally recorded in stereo or mono, a lot of us record in mono to save resources on our computers. A mono .wav or .aif file takes half the time to save or filter, and of course takes up only half the disk space! When I used to record in stereo it could take up to four minutes for my poor iBook to save a 40-minute recording -- and one should save often, so recording in mono can really save some time.

That said, do make sure, if you record in mono, that the resulting mp3 is audible in *both ears* if you listen through headphones :)

And -- welcome to librivox! :)

Kara

[Alaoui]

kara and mary

I do thank you. I'm a musician and thought I might add some of my own tracks. but clarifying that there are humans who sift through files double -checking for copyright infringement, and realizing that any of this can be cut up and used for whatever purpose, I am resigned to using vox only here on librivox!

I know that this information will help other newbies too.

cheers

Youssef

[Mikey]

Alaoui -

Howdy from Phinney Ridge (an old Cap Hill denizen myself).

I'm a musician too and I've thought about this, and then promptly shelved the idea. I guess it depends on the literature, but there's a point where an audiobook can cross over into a radio play, which is no longer just the human voice reading a book.

Doesn't mean it would never be appropriate - there's some interesting experimentation with environments (see the Ulysses project thread), and I've thought about composing a subtle theme for the introduction to the LibriVox project in my recordings. But I'm going to stay away from music otherwise, as there would be few actual times when a piece of literature actually contains arrangements FOR music that is PART of the literature.

I dunno, it's worth talking about though.

[Mikey]

Hi Alaoui,


Although the resulting mp3s are are same size whether they were originally recorded in stereo or mono, a lot of us record in mono to save resources on our computers. A mono .wav or .aif file takes half the time to save or filter, and of course takes up only half the disk space! When I used to record in stereo it could take up to four minutes for my poor iBook to save a 40-minute recording -- and one should save often, so recording in mono can really save some time.

Also, unless you've got a binaural mic setup and you want to move your voice around, there's really no reason to record in stereo. I guess if you thought using some kind of stereo filter that did some interesting phasing to give the voice more dimension would actually enhance the experience...

[ceastman]

Hi Alaoui! Welcome to Librivox.

I have never lived in Seattle. I have friends who used to live here and now live there, though - does that count? I'm delighted to have another Bay Area person here! One of these days, we'll get enough people in this area to have a recording party.

-Catharine

[GordMackenzie]

Some answers for you that are slightly different form Gord's

Slightly different ...and more complete/correct! Thanks, Kayray!