Greetings from Los Angeles

DavidClow · Post by **DavidClow** » August 7th, 2018, 9:37 pm

I have some VO experience as a reader for the visually impaired and corporate work. I'm eager to get started, but there are some inoperative links in the section on doing a 1-Minute test, "to check that all your equipment is working well, and that your technical settings are correct. A time-honoured first recording for many volunteers is our Weekly Poetry, in the Short Works forum." I'm looking for advice. I can do a 1 minute test with a random selection of poetry if that's permitted. Meanwhile I'd be glad to make contact with local voice artists around Los Angeles for guidance in making quality recordings here. Thanks!

nikoleander · Post by **nikoleander** » August 7th, 2018, 10:43 pm

The text for the one minute test is on the page. I believe it is:

"People were pleased to find that Peter Piper had picked a couple pages for fable fans at LibriVox. Thankful that this was Thursday the thirtieth, the Piper anticipated forum fun and a wonderful weekend of recording! This is a test by YOURNAME. Had it been an actual LibriVox contribution, it would have been a Public Domain text, previously published and probably interesting." (Leave the mic running for 3-5 seconds at the end, where you don't say anything.)

I agree though, the newbie guide has some outdated information as well.

msfry · Post by **msfry** » August 8th, 2018, 8:02 am

Hi, David. The text of the 1 minute test, while a bit silly, was devised to test for, among other things, how your recording set-up handles plosives -- a common problem with audio recording. This helps us help you position your mike properly. My advice would be to just go ahead and record the thing, get it over with, then move on to real recording. And yes indeed, the Weekly and Fortnightly Poetry readings are a great place to start. They are short and expressive, each reading stands alone, there's no pressure to be perfect, you get your name "in lights" within a week or two (as the projects end every Sunday, and a new one begins). it's just a bunch of fun, and teaches you the process of how to read the First Post carefully, insert the correct Intro and Outro, plus how/where to name and upload your files. Check this out: IF, by Rudyard Kipling.

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