[COMPLETE] [Group Song] LV 13th Anniversary Song

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
commonsparrow3
Posts: 3101
Joined: January 17th, 2013, 9:16 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by commonsparrow3 »

The song is now closed, editing has been completed, and the song has been submitted to the LibriVox 13th Anniversary Collection. Thanks to all the singers!

It's that time again! Time for the -

LibriVox 13th Anniversary Song

This year's song pays tribute to the many and varied talents that our members bring to LibriVox. While our readers are the most recognizable part of LV to the casual listener, there are truly so many other skills involved in bringing each new book to the catalog. This year, we sing out a big thanks to everyone, readers, PL'ers, BC's and MC's, researchers and cover designers, veterans and newbies alike.

Are we ready to ROCK?

How can you join in this year's musical chorus? It's easy!

  • You don't have to be able to read music, or even to be able to sing!
  • You may sing/speak/shout as much or as little of it as you wish. Extras are welcome - hurrays, whoops and other mad things.
  • I can't use everything, but the more I have, the more fun it will be. Those of you who have done this before know that I will be using as many voices as I possibly can - some bits solo, other bits duets, other bits a massive chorus of voices. EVERYONE will be in it somewhere!
  • The melody might already be familiar to many of us, as it's the traditional holiday carol "Gloucestershire Wassail". The tune is so old that it's PD for everybody.
    If you'd like to hear it sung in its traditional style, here's a link: Gloucestershire Wassail


The zip file is here: https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/lv13annivsong.zip

It includes these files:
  • MP3 of only instumental accompaniment: lv13annivsong_accomp.mp3
  • MP3 of instrumental accompaniment with my rather caterwauling voice singing along as a rough guide: lv13annivsong_singalong.mp3
  • PDF of lyrics: lv13annivsong_words.pdf
This is how you do it:
  • Import (or drag) either lv13annivsong_accomp.mp3 or lv13annivsong_singalong.mp3 (your choice) into Audacity.
  • In Edit | Preferences | Recording, tick the box that says "Overdub: Play other tracks while recording new one"
  • Click record and sing along while listening using headphones if possible. Put the playback sound down low (or adjust the Gain slider at the left of that track) so that it doesn't get recorded with your voice.
  • Now you should have two tracks. When you are happy with it, just delete the accompaniment track, and export your voice track as an MP3.
  • Don't forget to uncheck the Playthrough box when you have finished.
  • Call your file lv13annivsong_yourinitials.mp3, and number it [e.g. yourinitials1] if you upload more than one file.
  • Upload it with the LibriVox Uploader:https://librivox.org/login/uploader to TriciaG 's folder by July 25th !
  • Don't forget to post the link to your uploaded file here in this thread so I can find it.
This song will become a part of the LibriVox 13th Anniversary Collection. Go over there and check out that project while you're at it! It's an eclectic melange of short works which have nothing in common except the number Thirteen, or references to a Baker's Dozen or Luck (Good or Bad) in their titles. Quick and quirky, and lots of fun!

Words are also here:
Once more we gather together in song
To celebrate LibriVox still going strong.
Our LibriVox mission we proudly proclaim –
We will read every book in the public domain.

We shout out a thank-you to all volunteers
Who’ve kept LibriVox lively for 13 great years.
Their many and various talents combine
To help us keep growing, one book at a time.

Here’s to our readers! Their voices they give
To lift words from pages, and make those words live.
For each hour you hear, they have spent two or three,
To edit and polish and be blooper-free.

Here’s to our proof-listeners! They give an ear
Alert and attentive to all that they hear,
They find sneezes, and dog barks, and the teakettle’s hiss,
And they catch all the edits that we somehow miss.

Here’s to our BC’s, as busy as bees,
They juggle group projects with style and with ease.
Of assignments and sections they never lose track,
For resolving confusion they have quite the knack.

Here’s to our Admins, their talents we prize.
With a wave of their hand, Magic Windows arise.
Finished projects they catalog, errors they fix,
Pesky technical glitches they know how to lick.

Here’s to our researchers hunting to find
The links that we need to the info on line.
They find authors and dates, they locate PD texts,
And they post great suggestions of what to read next.

Here’s to our artists! Their skills they apply
Designing book covers that catch someone’s eye.
Using photos and pixels and fonts as their tools,
For layouts as clear and as lovely as jewels.

Here’s to our well-seasoned veterans who share
Advice and good guidance with humour and care.
And here’s to our newbies who’ve answered the call;
They’re the future of LibriVox -- Welcome them all!

We record every book in the public domain.
Twelve thousand books done – many more yet remain.
It takes many hands to help LibriVox run,
As we keep reading books – and what’s more – having fun!
Many books beckon yet! And a lot of good fun!

(Cheering and hurrahs!)
Last edited by commonsparrow3 on July 30th, 2018, 7:16 pm, edited 6 times in total.
commonsparrow3
Posts: 3101
Joined: January 17th, 2013, 9:16 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by commonsparrow3 »

By the way, in case anyone wonders about the reference in the song to "12,000 books done", I thought it was a fairly safe gamble to include it. Our count is presently at 11,841 completed works, and this song won't be appearing until the LV Anniversary celebration on August 10th. By that date, we will probably be so close to 12,000 that we may take the liberty to use that as a "round number". Certainly "11,841" doesn't fit the rhythm of the song very easily! :D
MaryinArkansas
Posts: 1402
Joined: October 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
Location: Arkansas

Post by MaryinArkansas »

What a great song! A million Thank Yous, Maria!👍
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.”
―Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Mary :)📚
Sue Anderson
Posts: 5180
Joined: July 24th, 2008, 11:48 am
Location: Midwest, USA

Post by Sue Anderson »

Hi Maria, I really liked your lyrics to this year's song! :) Here's my version.
https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/lv13annivsong_sa_.mp3

This should reassure anybody thinking about contributing that you don't need to know how to sing to participate.

I have a different mic than I did last year, and at first I was having trouble with static, with both the background track and what I was trying to record in the same Audacity window. This mic has a headphone plug-in to listen while recording, so I finally played the background track on it's own, and just recorded one track (me & my periodically objecting cat) on Audacity. I've included 3 sound effects at the end, clapping, sleigh bells, and a few yowls from Homer, my cat.

Any problems, let me know. This is an easy song to sing. I hope lots of people give it a try.

Best wishes,
commonsparrow3
Posts: 3101
Joined: January 17th, 2013, 9:16 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by commonsparrow3 »

Thank you, Sue, for getting us started with a great contribution! Well sung, and I don't hear any of the background static you mentioned at all!
Sue Anderson wrote: June 20th, 2018, 9:27 amI've included 3 sound effects at the end, clapping, sleigh bells, and a few yowls from Homer, my cat.
I love the sound effects, too. I already know the cat will make a prominent appearance in the "proof listening" verse!
Sue Anderson wrote: June 20th, 2018, 9:27 amThis is an easy song to sing. I hope lots of people give it a try.
Hear that, folks? The song is officially tested and pronounced easy to sing! :)
barbara2
Posts: 2916
Joined: June 24th, 2012, 10:28 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Post by barbara2 »

Hi Maria,

It is a great song. As it was way south of my range I had a go at singing it a third higher in case a bit of harmony (harmony is what I'm calling it, anyway) might come in handy.

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/lv13annivsong_singalongbab.mp3

Best,

barbara(I am not a musician)2
commonsparrow3
Posts: 3101
Joined: January 17th, 2013, 9:16 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by commonsparrow3 »

barbara2 wrote: June 20th, 2018, 11:59 pmAs it was way south of my range I had a go at singing it a third higher in case a bit of harmony (harmony is what I'm calling it, anyway) might come in handy.
Barbara, thank you for this lovely contribution! I am very happy to have some harmony to add to the mix!
barbara2 wrote: June 20th, 2018, 11:59 pmbarbara(I am not a musician)2
By me, anyone who can invent harmony is definitely a musician! It sounds great!
barbara2
Posts: 2916
Joined: June 24th, 2012, 10:28 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Post by barbara2 »

commonsparrow3 wrote: June 21st, 2018, 1:33 pm By me, anyone who can invent harmony is definitely a musician! It sounds great!
No, Maria, I wasn't being modest. I found a setting in the Audacity Effects menu - "Change Pitch" - so I changed the pitch of your file by what I gathered was three notes up and sang along with you. I just hope that I chose the right setting and that it really does harmonise when played with the other contributions.


Best,

Barbara
commonsparrow3
Posts: 3101
Joined: January 17th, 2013, 9:16 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by commonsparrow3 »

barbara2 wrote: June 21st, 2018, 4:06 pm I found a setting in the Audacity Effects menu - "Change Pitch" - so I changed the pitch of your file by what I gathered was three notes up and sang along with you. I just hope that I chose the right setting and that it really does harmonise when played with the other contributions.
Wow, that's clever! Okay, so it was computer cleverness, when I took it for musical cleverness, but it's still clever! I've never tried the "change pitch" effect. I think now I'll have to play with it a bit and learn what it does. You've shown me it's handy to help create harmony, anyway! :clap:
MaryinArkansas
Posts: 1402
Joined: October 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
Location: Arkansas

Post by MaryinArkansas »

Maria,

Here's a link to my upload of the song. I hope you'll be able to use some parts of it. If is far from perfect, but I wanted to get something to you asap. In my case that means before recording something drives me so batty I won't try recording again for some time, then realize the deadline has snuck up on me. :shock:

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/lv13annivsong_mh.mp3
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.”
―Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Mary :)📚
commonsparrow3
Posts: 3101
Joined: January 17th, 2013, 9:16 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by commonsparrow3 »

mhhbook wrote: June 27th, 2018, 12:27 pmHere's a link to my upload of the song. I hope you'll be able to use some parts of it. If is far from perfect, but I wanted to get something to you asap. In my case that means before recording something drives me so batty I won't try recording again for some time, then realize the deadline has snuck up on me. :shock:
Thank you, Mary! Of course I'll be able to use it! It was slightly out-of-sync in a couple places, but it was easy to fix that by pasting in tiny bits of silence between verses. It sounds great!
I know what you mean about trying to squeeze in some LV before deadlines "sneak up" -- they've pulled that sneaky trick on me a few times! :roll:
DrPGould
Posts: 2785
Joined: December 12th, 2016, 9:27 pm

Post by DrPGould »

Hello Maria!

First of all, thanks for such a terrific song! The lyrics and melody fit beautifully together.

Second--After barely being able to croak at this time last year, I'm going to try to give you a bass line (looks like only at most 9 notes to learn--whew).

I was looking for the key the recording is in and I did find it.
It is g major. Now that I found it, I'll try to hang on to it.

Thanks for your help.

Philip
Back after 8/15. In the hands of the medicos.
commonsparrow3
Posts: 3101
Joined: January 17th, 2013, 9:16 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by commonsparrow3 »

DrPGould wrote: July 12th, 2018, 9:58 pmAfter barely being able to croak at this time last year, I'm going to try to give you a bass line (looks like only at most 9 notes to learn--whew).

I was looking for the key the recording is in and I did find it.
It is g major. Now that I found it, I'll try to hang on to it.
A bass line would be very welcome, Philip! Layers of voices, high and low, give the sound more depth. And a nice deep bass note makes a good "anchor". I'm looking forward to hearing your contribution!
Oh, and yes, it is the key of G. No particular reason except that it was easy for me to play and sing, and I hoped it would work for most others.
DrPGould
Posts: 2785
Joined: December 12th, 2016, 9:27 pm

Post by DrPGould »

Thanks, Maria for the info...I'm rehearsing daily and as soon as I get it acceptable (probably toward the end of next week, I'll record). My basso is not profundo, more like debole, but at least it will be there--a weak anchor is sometimes better than none at all. :lol:

Philip
Back after 8/15. In the hands of the medicos.
robinlamb
Posts: 175
Joined: March 3rd, 2016, 1:14 pm

Post by robinlamb »

Here is the link to my recording of the song: https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/lv13annivsong_rl.mp3
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