constant repetition of public domain message

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JeffinTexas
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Joined: March 15th, 2013, 5:27 pm

Post by JeffinTexas »

Hi,

I very much appreciate this site, and all the great work done by volunteers. I have enjoyed listening to many of your works over the years.

But I do have a bit of a complaint. (I imagine it's been discussed before, but a quick search didn't turn up anything.)

I just started listening to a new work. It's very long, and very nicely done. Good technical quality; good reader. I'm sure it took a ton of work. However, there's a problem. It's divided up into very short chapters (files). (Typically 5-10 minutes, and many even shorter than that.) And before every chapter is the same several-sentence-long "This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain."

It lasts about 12 seconds, which may not sound like much. But coming every 5 minutes or so, it really does diminish the listening experience. And this book has more than 200 files, so that means if I listen to the whole thing, I'm going to have to hear the message more than 200 times. In other words, I will have spent more than 40 minutes listening to that message. Even YouTube is more merciful than that.

I realize that complaining about a free, volunteer service like this may seem like looking a gift horse in the mouth. But does this message absolutely have to be at the beginning of every file?

Thanks.
TriciaG
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Post by TriciaG »

It has been complained about and discussed before. :)

Depending on the type of project (solo/group/poetry) and the age of the project, other projects have a shorter intro. We implemented a shorter one for solo and short poetry projects - can't remember exactly when - I think around 2009.

But the basic argument for the group project disclaimer is twofold: (1) it reiterates to the reader and listener that the recording is in the PD; (2) It is the one (and pretty much only) way we advertise.
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david wales
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Post by david wales »

When I run across short chapters in my recording I put several together to make about 30 minutes files, in an effort to minimize listening to the intro. The intro is the reason I don't listen to librivox poetry; such constant repetition ruins the experience for me. But, as you say, looking gift horses in the mouth...
Peace, David
JeffinTexas
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Joined: March 15th, 2013, 5:27 pm

Post by JeffinTexas »

Thanks for the replies. They both make a lot of sense. I especially like the idea of having longer files rather than shorter ones.

And again, as I said, I really like and appreciate this site, despite this one quibble.
bluechien
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Post by bluechien »

I might play with a tool like this one, especially if listening to solos where the intros and disclaimers might be of predictable length: :hmm:
http://mpesch3.de1.cc/mp3dc.html

You can have it cut out the first or last "x" seconds of each mp3.

it does batch processing, and seems like once you got to know the interface, you could process a book very quickly.
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annise
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Post by annise »

From what I have listened to they are not predictable - especially if the reader gives his name and his address and his webpage. (or her..)
Not forgetting it would also remove the starting section/chapter identification that we were asked to insert for blind listeners and those listening on devices without screens.
This enables them to resume at the place they left off by flicking through quickly.
I like the intros on group projects - it gives me a chance to get used to the new reader, to adjust the volume should I find the pitch difficult with my less than perfect hearing, and the only ones that I find annoying are those when the readers decide they are boring and it shows in the way they read them

Anne
lurcherlover
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Post by lurcherlover »

You can of course click on the timeline a few seconds into the recording and miss out the intros ...

PS I feel guilty now as maybe my intros are of the boring kind ...
annise
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Post by annise »

It's the readers mindset that shows - think of it translating as " I'm making you a gift of this reading with no strings attached and what's more you'd be welcome to come and do the same thing" not as "here comes that boring old intro again, if I speed through it I might break the word record" :D

Anne
SonOfTheExiles
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Post by SonOfTheExiles »

Having taken part in the “Insomnia Collection 003”, now I feel like we need a “Too Much Caffeine Collection”, with all the intros read in novel ways.

Can anyone do Basil Fawlty? :lol:

Chris
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Availle
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Post by Availle »

:lol:

I'm not sure this should be a full project, but... a podcast perhaps?
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commonsparrow3
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Post by commonsparrow3 »

SonOfTheExiles wrote: October 24th, 2018, 3:33 am Having taken part in the “Insomnia Collection 003”, now I feel like we need a “Too Much Caffeine Collection”, with all the intros read in novel ways.

Can anyone do Basil Fawlty? :lol:
Sorry, I can't do Basil Fawlty. But I did once attempt a novel version of the LV intro -
"This has been a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are individually crafted – each one unique as fingerprints – released into the public domain – to float free as fireflies – for your delight. For more enlightenment, laughter, wisdom, and sheer joy, please visit librivox-dot-org."
- the above was read with a plummy and highly emotional gusto.

(If you want to hear it, it's at exactly the 14-minute point in the 10th Anniversary Podcast.)
Availle wrote: October 24th, 2018, 3:37 am I'm not sure this should be a full project, but... a podcast perhaps?
In Europe, carnival season starts on 11. 11. Just sayin'... :mrgreen:
I would love to hear an assortment of insane versions of the LV disclaimer! That would make such a gloriously fun podcast!
kayray
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Post by kayray »

One of the newbies I whose forum account I recently activated said she discovered us because the narrator of the book she was listening to invited her to join us at the beginning of every chapter. What a lovely way to think about it!
Kara
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--------
"Mary wished to say something very sensible into her Zoom H2 Handy Recorder, but knew not how." -- Jane Austen (& Kara)
commonsparrow3
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Post by commonsparrow3 »

kayray wrote: October 25th, 2018, 8:54 am One of the newbies I whose forum account I recently activated said she discovered us because the narrator of the book she was listening to invited her to join us at the beginning of every chapter. What a lovely way to think about it!
That's how I got here. After about a year of hearing "for more information, or to volunteer" repeated many times, the idea finally sunk in, "Oh, wait, maybe I could actually volunteer, too?" Some of us need to hear the suggestion often before that light bulb really lights up! :idea: The sense that all of the readers sounded friendly and inviting also helped!
Elizabby
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Post by Elizabby »

commonsparrow3 wrote: October 25th, 2018, 10:46 am
kayray wrote: October 25th, 2018, 8:54 am One of the newbies I whose forum account I recently activated said she discovered us because the narrator of the book she was listening to invited her to join us at the beginning of every chapter. What a lovely way to think about it!
That's how I got here. After about a year of hearing "for more information, or to volunteer" repeated many times, the idea finally sunk in, "Oh, wait, maybe I could actually volunteer, too?" Some of us need to hear the suggestion often before that light bulb really lights up! :idea: The sense that all of the readers sounded friendly and inviting also helped!
Me too - it was Cori Samuels, actually! :9: I was listening to a longer recording of hers (sorry, forget which one!) and in the last chapter of the book the emphasis was slightly different, with a stress on "volunteer" - and I suddenly wondered if I could do that! I found the forum just as they were finishing up the Dram Read of Anne of Avonlea, so "Mrs Harrison" was my first ever DR role, and I was hooked!
kayray
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Post by kayray »

I hear that story a LOT in the newbie inbox! Like, "I've been listening to librivox books for five years and I suddenly realized that I could volunteer so here I am!" :9: :9: :9:
Kara
http://kayray.org/
--------
"Mary wished to say something very sensible into her Zoom H2 Handy Recorder, but knew not how." -- Jane Austen (& Kara)
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