Getting to the point in the opening lines

DSayers · Post by **DSayers** » December 3rd, 2006, 3:19 pm

I've enjoyed so many LibriVox recordings. Yet the more I listen, the more I wish we could slightly modify our opening message.

As I'm listening to my iPod Shuffle (admittedly, with no screen) with shuffling switched off, iit takes a full 30 seconds to find out what track I am on.

It would be helpful if we could say right away, "Chapter 30 of Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad. This is a LibriVox recording, etc., etc. ..."

That way those without screens (and there are many at the screenless Shuffle level, especially in schools and school libraries) can quickly know where they are.

Has anyone had this experience of wishing they knew what chapter they were on and waiting ... ?

-denny

Starlite · Post by **Starlite** » December 3rd, 2006, 3:22 pm

I downloaded some books from Gutenberg namely Sherlock holmes and the introduction starts with "file one......." "File two......" etc. Not a bad idea.

a.r.dobbs · Post by **a.r.dobbs** » December 3rd, 2006, 8:25 pm

It actually can take a full 30 seconds to reach the chapter number, though some recordings make it there in 10.

But yeah, I agree!! On new projects, add these 3 or 4 seconds at the very start:

Chapter ## of Book Title
This is a LibriVox ... etc. ...
Recorded by Reader, etc.
Book Title, written by Author, Chapter ## . . . "It was a dark and stormy night..."

That would make a very small repeat (don't say author's name at the opening for instance), and would delay getting to the text by another few seonds, but I think it's a great idea.

I own a little mp3 player that is extremely difficult to read titles from, and many times the title also has so much information in front of the chapter number that I can't see the number, it's off screen.

I think it's a great idea. Not to retrofit. Not to add mid-project. But to put into the guidelines on new projects. I like it!

Post by **hugh** » December 3rd, 2006, 8:51 pm

yeah i wonder too about taking out the option of adding readers URL ... that adds a lot of time.

we've talked a bit about this intro a number of times, and decided to leave it more or less as is, but shortening it is a good idea, where we can.

putting chapter at the front seems a reasonable thing too....

kayray · Post by **kayray** » December 3rd, 2006, 9:29 pm

hugh wrote:
putting chapter at the front seems a reasonable thing too....

Yes please!
(I confess to having been doing this already in my solos for quite some time ;-)

thistlechick · Post by **thistlechick** » December 3rd, 2006, 10:46 pm

...and perhaps encouraging folks to put their url's at the end of the recording? I do like having the reader's name at the beginning though so that I know who it is I am listening to =)

Starlite · Post by **Starlite** » December 4th, 2006, 4:57 am

Wow, all great ideas. I agree with Betsie - name at beginning, url at end.

I will start putting the chapter # at the begining in my solo as nothing has been completed yet.

Esther

thistlechick · Post by **thistlechick** » December 4th, 2006, 9:08 am

We can also just use an abbreviated intro for all chapters after the first one (which would still have the full disclaimer/intro):

At Beginning:
Chapter ## of [book title] by [author] read for Librivox.org by [reader name]

At End:
End of Chapter ## read by [reader/url/etc] on [date] in [location]. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain.

fae · Post by **fae** » December 4th, 2006, 9:15 am

Ooh, that sounds great Betsie!

Maybe add the full disclaimer with the last chapter too, that way if someone enjoyed the listening and is inclined to volunteer they have the info reiterated to them; and it lets them know that this is the last chapter, time to go back to LV and get another!

a.r.dobbs · Post by **a.r.dobbs** » December 4th, 2006, 11:57 am

Betsie, that sounds perfect, ideal, exactly right, wonderful!

And since it says "read for LibriVox.org" each time, it's easy enough to figure out where the website is.

The precise term for your suggestion is "perfect"

Post by **hugh** » December 4th, 2006, 12:02 pm

I think we need to include "public domain" in there too, since each indiv mp3 file is a separate work of art.

Chap # of Book Title by Author
This is a LibriVox recording, all librivox recordings are in the public domdain.
Read by Name.

URL at the end (opitonal).

(oooh, sad to lose our full intro tho)

a.r.dobbs · Post by **a.r.dobbs** » December 4th, 2006, 12:07 pm

ahhh, hugh,

each file would mention public domain:

Betsie wrote:At End:
End of Chapter ## read by [reader/url/etc] on [date] in [location]. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain.

And the first chapter would have the whole shebang.

That's what makes Betsie's suggestion perfect.

Jazbees · Post by **Jazbees** » December 4th, 2006, 1:08 pm

Sounds like an awesome idea! When I'm listening, I'm eager to get right back into the story after a chapter switch, and the current full intro on every chapter becomes a bit tedious. An abbreviated intro for all but the first chapter would be very welcome.

kri · Post by **kri** » December 4th, 2006, 3:09 pm

I have no preference over whether or not the disclaimer changes (as long as it says the LV url and mentions PD), but I will say for the record, I have no problems with the length of the disclaimer, as a listener.

Post by **hugh** » December 4th, 2006, 4:05 pm

lets just stick the public domain bit at the beginning. very important to have it up front I think, on all files.