COMPLETE Entrapped by Alice Mangold Diehl - tg

miss stav · Post by **miss stav** » June 15th, 2015, 8:32 pm

I am sorry, but with the end of simetter coming ip, I decided to give up pling the project.

Newgatenovelist · Post by **Newgatenovelist** » June 15th, 2015, 10:34 pm

That makes perfect sense. Uni is more important. Please take care of yourself and don't get too stressed with the end of term.

Thank you for taking on this project in the first place. It's been lovely to have an experienced PL for my first solo!
-Erin

michaelreuss · Post by **michaelreuss** » June 16th, 2015, 1:52 pm

Hi Newgatenovelist, I'm going to finish up the PL'ing for this project. Is there anything you want me to listen for in particular? I see you want standard quality checking, and I'll make sure to check for proper intros and outros, major errors, duplicated sections, etc.

Newgatenovelist · Post by **Newgatenovelist** » June 17th, 2015, 6:38 am

Excellent - and thank you very much!

I don't think there is anything in particular, and I'm happy to defer to your greater experience.
Erin

michaelreuss · Post by **michaelreuss** » June 17th, 2015, 7:29 am

Hi Erin,

Normally, my understanding would have evolved over a longer period, but since you've submitted all the sections and I'm catching up, let's cover everything in one fell swoop (or one swell foop, as the case may be).

I listened to the first 6 chapters just to catch up with the story, and in chapters 1 and 2, I noticed a few obvious patched sections wherein the sound was noticeably different and much lower in volume, perhaps due to a different recording environment, equipment or distance from the mic. After those two chapters, I've not heard anything similar. As they are marked PL OK, and the reading is understandable, you're probably OK with them as is. But if you'd like me to proof those sections again, I'd be happy to mark the quieter parts for repair.

I'll just ask you once about background noise levels. There is a bit of constant background noise in all the sections heard so far (I'm up to chapter 10). The hum is mostly innocuous, and a bit more noticeable when lots of birds are chirping nearby. This noise might be more noticeable at a louder volume levels. Have you done any noise reduction as a rule? Also, are you using Audacity software for editing? If you're happy with the noise reduction level, then we can mark Chapters 7-10 as PL OK.

Finally, your reading voice is wonderful, and I'm enjoying the story! Your readings of the brough accents of Mrs. Slee and the gardener at the inquest are terrific.

Newgatenovelist · Post by **Newgatenovelist** » June 17th, 2015, 10:22 am

That's very fast indeed!

Thanks for checking so we can figure out what works best. Regarding the background noise, I had already done some noise cleaning before I uploaded the chapters. I'll confess that I had thought they sounded better, but then I'm just comparing them to the 'raw' files. This is my first solo, and it's quite likely that there's even more of a learning curve than I realised.

To answer your question, I'm using Audacity to do the editing. On the first two chapters I used 1-2 rounds of levelling and 2-3 of noise reduction. Since then I have not been using the levelling feature very often. Instead what I usually do is 2-3 rounds of noise reduction, as before, but combined with 2-3 rounds of notch filtering and 1-2 of compressing and amplifying. If you think it would benefit from a few more passes of noise reduction, I can do that. Do let me know - you've done this before, so I'm quite willing to learn.

I'd like to say thank you for the comment about the reading. I wasn't sure if I was overdoing it, so it's rather nice to have an outside opinion, so to speak.
Erin

michaelreuss · Post by **michaelreuss** » June 17th, 2015, 1:52 pm

Hi Erin, I have some good news (excellent news, really) and some bad news. I've gone through the entire book and enjoyed it immensely. The heroine was a bit flighty for my tastes, but she certainly suffered for her mistakes, didn't she? The diversion of the uncle as his own vindictive murderer was well done, almost too evil to contemplate doing to an innocent girl back in those days.

The good news is that I've marked Sections 7-22 as PL OK in the magic window. Congratulations and excellent job! Your sound quality was fine, and I wouldn't expect you to adjust the background levels any further. I ran the sound out to an external speaker, and cranked up the volume, and things sounded very good. There is a 30 second section in chapter 3 (4:00 to 4:30) where you can hear a little bit of distortion at high volume, but it was playing at a volume that was uncomfortably loud, so I think you (we) are fine with background noise. Beyond that point whatever process you've worked out is good, because the sound was good, quality of your reading is excellent, with a very few minor omissions or errors, and I read through the text, line by line, as I listened.

Now the bad news: I've marked chapters 1 and 2 as incomplete, pending the completion of our discussion about the quiet segments. I think I'll actually PL the first two chapters, if you don't mind, and make a log of those passages and quiet sections. I really think that since this is your first production, you'll feel pride of ownership and at some point in the future and you're going to want those two chapters to match the rest of the book for sound quality. I don't know how difficult it is to change an existing volume once it goes into the catalog, but I'm pretty sure it can be done more easily now. Trisha, is that right? And to be sure, you're the BC and are free to overrule me. In which case, we are ready for Trisha to take it to cataloging.

Post by **TriciaG** » June 17th, 2015, 2:30 pm

I don't know how difficult it is to change an existing volume once it goes into the catalog, but I'm pretty sure it can be done more easily now. Trisha, is that right? And to be sure, you're the BC and are free to overrule me. In which case, we are ready for Trisha to take it to cataloging.

When it's cataloged, it starts to spread far and wide. The M4B is made, and other sites often take it up themselves. So any changes are best made before cataloging. The process to change out files after cataloging is easier than it used to be, but there's no way of changing any 3rd party copies once we've let them into the wild.

So yeah - if you, Erin, want to fix up the first couple chapters a little more, it's best to do it before we catalog it.

michaelreuss · Post by **michaelreuss** » June 17th, 2015, 4:19 pm

Entrapped, Chapter 01 PL Notes

--[01]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4:15 to 4:36 - different sound quality and there also seems to be a quiet but jet-plane type whine underlying this segment. The whining noises might be new artifacts created by some of your filtering and noise reduction. I don't think we could ever say for sure where they come from, but that's a reasonable guess.

'But how can it be "all wrong," my love, as he has sent for me?' asked Andrew, hanging up his coat, which fell down twice because he could not see the pegs. 'It shall be all right, anyhow,' he went on defiantly, crossing the hall with his arm round her. ' I was telling myself as I came along — this sending for me means we have won.'

She urged him gently into the dining-room. As they entered, Phoebe, with a 'Good- evenin', zur,' went out.

--[02]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1:15-3:50 There are some distortions at high volume which manifest as a fuzzy, poorly-tuned radio station type echo to some of the words, but nothing too specific. If you rerecord from 1 minute mark to the 4:35 mark of chapter 01, you'd eliminate almost all the distortion and fix the previously mentioned segment as well.

By the way, I always do PL notes in reverse chronological order, so that as you fix them (from back to front) the time stamps don't move on you.

michaelreuss · Post by **michaelreuss** » June 17th, 2015, 5:26 pm

Entrapped Chapter 02 PL Notes

In all cases with these segments, increasing the volume to that equal to the surrounding sections, the difference in sound quality becomes even more noticeable. They should be rerecorded.

--[01]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10:51 short segment with different sound quality and lower volume

the ' young Squoire,' as he was generally called, lent him sporting papers ;

The surrounding text is:

'E ain't well,' he added sympathetically — the ' young Squoire,' as he was generally called, lent him sporting papers ; he was, indeed, generally liked round about — as the doctor came hurrying up, muffled by his careful old spouse.

--[02]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:38 short segment with different sound quality and lower volume

startled, and stared as a young woman in a lavender print gown and cap and apron rushed in.

The full paragraph around the segment is:

They all turned, startled, and stared as a young woman in a lavender print gown and cap and apron rushed in. 'He's ded — the' Squoire's ded! Oh my!' she gasped ; then she fell on the floor in hysterics, writhing and gasping.

--[03]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5:18 short segment with different sound quality and lower volume

What does it matter ? He has made a dozen different wills to my knowledge since it pleased him to annex me, chain me to his car, the Juggernaut! three years ago ;

the next sentence goes on:

he will live to make a dozen more, and revoke them all in torn, till at last he will die intestate, and you, as next-of-kin, will walk into everything.'

--[04]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4:12 short segment with different sound quality and lower volume

he alternately smoked and kicked the logs on the hearth. '

The full sentence containing the above fragment is:

And while the slow girl lumberingly removed the plates and dishes, he alternately smoked and kicked the logs on the hearth. '

--[05]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3:11 short segment with different sound quality and lower volume

... who seemed really ill,

The surrounding paragraph for the above is:

So she tried to find extenuating circumstances, and told Andrew of the visit
that day of some stranger man who had not given his name, yet, by sending up a blank card with 'Nemo' upon it, had obtained audience of the Squire, who seemed really ill, though he would only acknowledge to a slight cold, and forbade the summoning of the village practitioner.

--[06]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1:34 two distinct segments of different sound quality and lower volume, separated by a good segment.

She did more than her utmost to make life less unendurable to the poor, much-abused girl ; she pampered the Squire's failing appetite while lessening the sum total of her weekly accounts by adding money from her own little
treasured hoard — a mere pittance. She contrived marvellous little dishes out of odds and ends, in almost a miraculous fashion, for both persecutor and persecuted, telling herself it was all she could do. Tonight, the little dinner she sent in to the lovers was quite dainty, although a chef- d'oeavre of contrivance.

--[07]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

0:56 short segment of different sound quality and lower volume

..., and the Squire took him in, and after some months of probation adopted
him, she thanked Heaven,

Newgatenovelist · Post by **Newgatenovelist** » June 17th, 2015, 11:48 pm

I'm very glad you enjoyed the story! Yes, the heroine is a bit dim, but I wanted some of Mangold Diehl's work to be added to the catalogue and this novel seemed like a good place to start.

Thank you ever so much for your thorough PL notes. You're quite right, I would like this to be as good as it can be. I realise that as a first project it's unlikely to be as close to perfect as I would wish, but I think the only way to improve is by working on it. I shall do just that and record new sections in the next few days. Thank you again!
Erin

Newgatenovelist · Post by **Newgatenovelist** » June 21st, 2015, 8:19 am

The 'new' chapters one and two are in the MW, and I've altered the times as well.

With chapter one, the rerecorded section is 00:57-05:08 inclusive.

For chapter two, the rerecorded sections are as follows:

00:57-1:03

1:34-2:09

3:13-3:15

4:11-4:19

5:20-5:30

7:41-7:48

10:55-11:02

I wanted to say thank you not only for the very useful tip about editing in reverse order, but also for your extensive notes. They've been very helpful.
Erin

michaelreuss · Post by **michaelreuss** » June 21st, 2015, 10:24 pm

Chapter 01 has been marked PL OK.

Chapter 02 PL in progress. I'm trying to see if I can equalize the sound between the original recording and the new patches. The new audio has a reverb quality that's still different enough that it makes it a little bit jarring when the transitions occur. If I can figure out a way to flatten out the patch sounds, I'll let you know.

Newgatenovelist · Post by **Newgatenovelist** » June 22nd, 2015, 4:45 am

I tried to do enough noise cleaning, but perhaps I didn't. I made sure the rerecorded bits were exactly 89 dB, but when I edited the chapters, the overall volume dropped. I didn't think that would be mathematically possible, but maybe fiddling with the file affects other aspects of it beyond the volume.

I would like to make this book and future recordings as good as I can, so thank you for all of your effort with this.
Erin

Post by **TriciaG** » June 22nd, 2015, 5:28 am

Don't bother trying to make the edits perfectly match the original. I took a listen. Yes, they sound different, but they're not going to make anyone jump out of their seat or freak out. I've heard much worse.

I'm ready to catalog this as it is. Shall I do so?