COMPLETE: The Grand Cañon of the Colorado by John Muir -jo

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
BeckyWTX
Posts: 256
Joined: November 10th, 2020, 5:07 pm
Location: Texas USA

Post by BeckyWTX »

The Grand Cañon of the Colorado, by John Muir (1838 - 1914)

This project is now complete.  All audio files can be found on our catalog page here:

https://librivox.org/grand-canon-of-the-colorado-by-john-muir/

Nothing is ordinary in the world of John Muir, naturalist and author known as the Father of the US National Parks. In this short work, written in the latter part of his life for Century Magazine, Muir beckons us to come with him, unrushed, to behold the wonder of the Grand Canyon. Some of the beauty every life needs awaits here. Its magnificence envelops, "carrying us back into the midst of the life of a past infinitely remote. And as we go on and on, studying this old, old life in the light of the life beating warmly about us, we enrich and lengthen our own." (Summary by Rebecca Eden Walker)
Source text (please read only from this text!): http://gutenberg.org/ebooks/12298

Target completion date: 2021-09-15

Prooflistening level: Standard
Prospective PLs, please see the Guide for Proof-listeners.

IMPORTANT - soloist, please note: in order to limit the number of languishing projects on our server, we ask that you post an update at least once a month in your project thread, even if you haven't recorded anything. If we don't hear from you for three months, your project may be opened up to a group project if a Book Coordinator is found. Files you have completed will be used in this project. If you haven't recorded anything yet, your project will be removed from the forum (contact any admin to see if it can be re-instated).

Please don't download or listen to files belonging to projects in process unless you are the BC or PL. Our servers are not set up to handle the greater volume of traffic. Please wait until the project has been completed. Thanks!

Magic Window:



BC Admin

Genres for the project:

Keywords that describe the book: nature, geology, Arizona, National Parks, Grand Canyon

========================================

LibriVox recording settings: mono (1 channel), 44100 Hz sample rate, 128 kbps constant bit rate MP3. See the Tech Specs

Intro to recording:
Leave 0.5 to 1 second of silence at the beginning.

For the first section, say:
"Section (or Chapter) # of The Grand Cañon of the Colorado. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit librivox.org." [Optional: "Read by your name."] "The Grand Cañon of the Colorado, by John Muir. Section Title."
For the second and subsequent sections, you may use the shortened intro if you wish:
"Section (or Chapter) # of The Grand Cañon of the Colorado, by John Muir. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain." [Optional: "Read by your name."] "Section Title."
End of recording:
Say:
"End of section (or chapter) #." [Optional, and if not stated in the intro: "Read by your name, city, date."]
If you are recording the final section of the book, add:
"End of The Grand Cañon of the Colorado, by John Muir."
Leave 5 seconds of silence at the end.

Filename: grandcanon_##_muir_128kb.mp3 where ## is the section number. (e.g. grandcanon_01_muir_128kb.mp3)

Upload to the LibriVox Uploader: https://librivox.org/login/uploader

MC to select: knotyouraveragejo

Copy and paste the file link generated by the uploader into the relevant Listen URL field in the Section Compiler, enter the duration in the Notes field, and post in this thread to let your PL and MC know that you have uploaded a file. You may also post the file link in the thread.
knotyouraveragejo
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 22067
Joined: November 18th, 2006, 4:37 pm

Post by knotyouraveragejo »

Hi Becky. I will MC for you. MW will be available shortly.
Jo
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 17624
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

I could proof listen if you'll have me
knotyouraveragejo
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 22067
Joined: November 18th, 2006, 4:37 pm

Post by knotyouraveragejo »

Since we haven't heard from Becky, I've gone ahead and added you as DPL, Rapunzelina. Moving the thread to Going Solo.
Jo
BeckyWTX
Posts: 256
Joined: November 10th, 2020, 5:07 pm
Location: Texas USA

Post by BeckyWTX »

Thank you for being DPL Rapunzelina! Good busy week - sorry for the delay responding.

Planning on getting first section uploaded next weekend. (Most of my Librivox time is on weekends.)

I appreciate your time and suggestions on this project. I'm still not 100% where I'm dividing the sections - trying to do where Muir switches subject matter. There are no chapters - just one long text. Three sections on the solo template was just a guess on my part!
BeckyWTX
knotyouraveragejo
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 22067
Joined: November 18th, 2006, 4:37 pm

Post by knotyouraveragejo »

No problem, Becky. It's easy to add more sections as needed. :)
Jo
BeckyWTX
Posts: 256
Joined: November 10th, 2020, 5:07 pm
Location: Texas USA

Post by BeckyWTX »

I have 2 sections recorded however, allergy season has turned my S's into a sound editing nightmare! (a bazillion S's in 30-plus minutes of recording!) Having trouble getting nyquist to install/open on Windows10 - error message. Once I can run these through de-esser, they are ready to submit. (I'm hunting for answer on forum on install issue.)
BeckyWTX
BeckyWTX
Posts: 256
Joined: November 10th, 2020, 5:07 pm
Location: Texas USA

Post by BeckyWTX »

Section 02 The Grand Cañon of the Colorado
Duration: 11:17

https://librivox.org/uploads/knotyouraveragejo/grandcanon_02_muir_128kb.mp3

I decided to divide into 4 sections instead of 3 -- to try to keep all sections 20 minutes or less. If a title is needed for the section - and I am to create it (since no chapters exist), it would be "The Tremendous Impression It Makes" Please let me know if that is appropriate to do and I'll add to MW.

I haven't tried Word Counter software yet (just approximated).
Section 2 begins with paragraph: "It is very hard to give anything like an adequate conception of its size, much more of its color, its vast walled sculpture, the wealth of ornate architectural buildings that fill it ..."

I'm learning all this tech stuff! If either of you have a suggestion on additional Effect I should use on Audacity on this recording, I am very open to guidance! Thanks.
BeckyWTX
knotyouraveragejo
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 22067
Joined: November 18th, 2006, 4:37 pm

Post by knotyouraveragejo »

Just enter them as Section 1, Section 2, Section 3...etc or Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 if you prefer.
Jo
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 17624
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

Section 2 is PL OK! It's a lovely recording! No suggestions for any additional effects, but rather I'd like to ask which ones you are using now, in case I want to try them on my editing routine! Your sound is impeccable!
BeckyWTX
Posts: 256
Joined: November 10th, 2020, 5:07 pm
Location: Texas USA

Post by BeckyWTX »

You are very gracious! Thank you!
I upgraded my mic filter a couple of weeks ago so I hopefully avoid some of the micro-editing I'm doing! Most of the editing effects I am clueless how/why to use. Here are the ones I use: Click Removal, Noise Reduction, Fade-in, Fade-out, D-esser (the one recommended on Librivox Forum -- I want to say Paul's D-esser). A note on that, I did some research then changed settings to customize. A pro would surely set it up better for me. I found the default didn't do much for my S's. I still "fix" with Fade In/Out. I usually use Normalize but with ONLY the top box checked -- I am still not clear what that is supposed to do but I keep reading/hearing on youtube Audacity videos that we should use it!
I'm still VERY amateur and I find I occasionally over-clean the background noise and the recording starts to sound like I'm in a tunnel - usually Click Removal and Noise Reduction being used one too many times! Learning curve.

Still learning where to place the mic - I find my usb mic is best pointing slightly away from my mouth, 3 fists distance then 1 fist to left. Still struggling with hissing S's thus lots of micro-editing. Sound editors/coaches on youtube say that's lazy pronunciation/diction. Found some good exercises to improve my speech! (I have lots of public speaking experience but that is different projection than audio-recording!) Another learning curve!

I'll upload Section 1 early next week - recorded but need to edit. I love John Muir's writing. Pure magic -- I don't know any other way to describe it.
Thanks again.
BeckyWTX
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 17624
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

Thanks, Becky! I also use Fade in, especially for my breathing. I've been meaning to try different microphone positioning to check if it catches less of my breathing... I guess a mic filter would help!

ETA: I just downloaded the De-Clicker and De-Esser! Going to give them a try! :D
BeckyWTX
Posts: 256
Joined: November 10th, 2020, 5:07 pm
Location: Texas USA

Post by BeckyWTX »

Section 01 of Grand Canon of the Colorado submitted
https://librivox.org/uploads/knotyouraveragejo/grandcanyon_01_muir_128kb.mp3

Duration 9:43.26
dB 89.3

I was encouraged to make all section mp3's as close to 89.0 as possible. I will correct the earlier submission of Section 02 when all sections are complete.
I have a lot of public speaking experience over mics and can calculate durations in a snap BUT obviously I completely over-estimate recording length for audiobook mp3's! I remove all breathing, instead only creating pauses in delivery. Estimating what final mp3 length will be is obviously something I need to work on - guessing every reader has their own true multiplier.

Thank you for your PL work! I appreciate your input.
Also anxious to hear your tips/review on Audacity Effects. Virtually everything I've learn has come from one professional on YouTube.
BeckyWTX
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 17624
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

Section 1 is PL OK!

I have only good things to say about your reading and sound quality! All admirably great!
BeckyWTX
Posts: 256
Joined: November 10th, 2020, 5:07 pm
Location: Texas USA

Post by BeckyWTX »

A lingering summer head cold that no amount of sound editing could cover up/fix has left me behind in both my solo projects. I have blocked out time to complete this project (John Muir) the week of July 23-30th. It will still come in ahead of scheduled deadline. Thanks

BeckyWTX
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