COMPLETE[PLAY]Madame Pepita by Sierra - thw

[ToddHW]

The reason you can't amplify it is that you have some spikes - for example at 2:20, 2:25, and 3:10. These spikes would go too high and clip - which is bad: they click or sound fuzzy - if you amplify everything in Audacity. So Audacity will not let you amplify it unless you explicitly say to allow clipping, which you don't want to do. Ever.

One option is to carefully isolate each spike, zoom in, and de-amplify them one by one. I sometimes do that when I want to amplify someone's part and there are only one or two spikes stopping me from doing that.

Another approach is to use the Audacity Effect called Compressor. This will de-amplify all loud things more than all soft things - so any spikes get relatively smaller. You then can amplify everything without the spikes clipping - in fact the effect has a checkbox that if checked will enable an automatic amplify after compressing - you will have to check the levels afterwards to make sure it didn't get too loud. (I use the default Compressor settings in Audacity; Phil has a Librivox video that describes this more.)

Thanks, Todd

[OooThatsNifty]

The reason you can't amplify it is that you have some spikes - for example at 2:20, 2:25, and 3:10. These spikes would go too high and clip - which is bad: they click or sound fuzzy - if you amplify everything in Audacity. So Audacity will not let you amplify it unless you explicitly say to allow clipping, which you don't want to do. Ever.

One option is to carefully isolate each spike, zoom in, and de-amplify them one by one. I sometimes do that when I want to amplify someone's part and there are only one or two spikes stopping me from doing that.

Another approach is to use the Audacity Effect called Compressor. This will de-amplify all loud things more than all soft things - so any spikes get relatively smaller. You then can amplify everything without the spikes clipping - in fact the effect has a checkbox that if checked will enable an automatic amplify after compressing - you will have to check the levels afterwards to make sure it didn't get too loud. (I use the default Compressor settings in Audacity; Phil has a Librivox video that describes this more.)

Thanks, Todd

Understood - thanks Todd.

Played around a bit with both options, here's a version of Act 3 that at the very least passes Checker. No problem with editing further if need be.

https://librivox.org/uploads/toddhw/madamepepita_augusto_3_128kb.mp3
Time: 4:48 (unchanged from prior submission)

[Kitty]

Three acts of Augusto, presented for your pleasure. What a charmer...

well you play the "conceited puppy" perfectly love the snobbish arrogance in your voice when talking about his own merits , but in the end there is even hope for Augusto it seems. Brilliant performance, and all three acts PL ok.

I had a bit of an issue with the volume on Act 3 - Checker says it's just below the acceptable range at 85.5dB, but for some reason I'm not able to amplify it any further through Audacity.

you must have managed after Todd's guidelines because Checker passes it now and I don't hear any distortion or clipping all good.

Oh the only thing I wanted to mention is: please be careful in future projects to leave much more space between quotes. Usually it's good here, but when you have stage directions inside your speech you forget to leave 2 seconds. Todd can probably work around it this time, but it's much easier on his eyes and hands to have more space everywhere.

Thank you for the excellent performance, I hope I hear you in other plays soon ! There are some open plays around still

Sonia

[ToddHW]

Don Guillermo orphaned at original reader request.

Thanks, Todd

[adrianstephens]

I see that Don Guillermo is open. I'm not sure I can be that sweet, but I'll try.

[Kitty]

I see that Don Guillermo is open. I'm not sure I can be that sweet, but I'll try.

oh you cannot be sweet throughout, or Madame Pepita will roll right over you. Be assertive. Show her who is the man in the house. (or die trying)

Thanks !!

Sonia

[adrianstephens]

Here is Don Guillermo:
https://librivox.org/uploads/toddhw/madamepepita_donguillermo_1_128kb.mp3 @ 4:06
https://librivox.org/uploads/toddhw/madamepepita_donguillermo_2_128kb.mp3 @ 19:39
https://librivox.org/uploads/toddhw/madamepepita_donguillermo_3_128kb.mp3 @ 11:09

An opinionated, sarcastic, misogynist who finds a cause, and eventually, love.

[Kitty]

An opinionated, sarcastic, misogynist who finds a cause, and eventually, love.

what a harsh verdict, Adrian. Did you really find him so bad ? Yes he was a bit arrogant at times but he meant well. And madame Pepita is a handful, it's not easy to live with her. I hope it wasn't too much of a drag for you to do it, if you disliked him so much.

I had the impression Don G. had more feelings for the daughter than was good for him

Excellent job. Especially the part in Act 3, the outraged outbursts of self-righteous indignation, wonderfully acted out.

Act 1 is already PL ok.

A few small things to edit in the other acts though:

Act 2:

> at about 7:16: (p. 206) missed line: "Yes. Why all this sudden interest in painting ?"

Act 3:

> at 9:53: (p. 240) repeat "Pepita ! But" – is there one version you prefer, then you can cut out the other one

> at 10:58: (p. 241) between "woman's hand" and "we might spend our honeymoon" – could you leave more silence please as it's two different quotes

thank you

wow and now only waiting for one more role to come in to wrap this up

Sonia

[alanmapstone]

Here is Don Guillermo:
An opinionated, sarcastic, misogynist who finds a cause, and eventually, love.

Thanks for doing this Adrian I felt a bit bad about leaving the team in the lurch over this role, so I am glad to see it picked up so quickly.

[adrianstephens]

Here is Don Guillermo:
An opinionated, sarcastic, misogynist who finds a cause, and eventually, love.

Thanks for doing this Adrian 👍 I felt a bit bad about leaving the team in the lurch over this role, so I am glad to see it picked up so quickly. :clap:

No problem, Alan. Sonia got hold of the wrong end of the stick. I enjoy playing those opinionated and sarcastic - it means I don't need to change a thing.

[adrianstephens]

An opinionated, sarcastic, misogynist who finds a cause, and eventually, love.

:lol: what a harsh verdict, Adrian. Did you really find him so bad ? Yes he was a bit arrogant at times but he meant well. And madame Pepita is a handful, it's not easy to live with her. I hope it wasn't too much of a drag for you to do it, if you disliked him so much. :?

I had the impression Don G. had more feelings for the daughter than was good for him ;)

Excellent job. Especially the part in Act 3, the outraged outbursts of self-righteous indignation, wonderfully acted out. :thumbs:

Act 1 is already PL ok.

A few small things to edit in the other acts though:

Act 2:

> at about 7:16: (p. 206) missed line: "Yes. Why all this sudden interest in painting ?"

Act 3:

> at 9:53: (p. 240) repeat "Pepita ! But" – is there one version you prefer, then you can cut out the other one

> at 10:58: (p. 241) between "woman's hand" and "we might spend our honeymoon" – could you leave more silence please as it's two different quotes

thank you

wow and now only waiting for one more role to come in to wrap this up :9:

Sonia

Thank you, as always for finding something good in what I do.
"I hope it wasn't too much of a drag for you to do it, if you disliked him so much." - Not at all, I enjoyed playing the character.

Anyhow, the updated files are here:
https://librivox.org/uploads/toddhw/madamepepita_donguillermo_2_128kb.mp3
https://librivox.org/uploads/toddhw/madamepepita_donguillermo_3_128kb.mp3

Best Regards,
Adrian

[ToddHW]

Thank you.

Todd

[Kitty]

Thank you, as always for finding something good in what I do.

you're welcome. And don't think that just because I highlight some part that I really liked that all the rest was rubbish (finding "something" good led me to believe that's what you think) I just cannot enumerate every bit that was good (not with you, neither with others) because otherwise my feedback writing would take hours longer. So I restrict myself to some highlights.

And Guillermo is PL ok now. Thank you

Sonia

[ToddHW]

Missing an Act 2 line for Catalina (page 205): "Don Guillermo, is painting a nice business?" A small separate file please.

(PM'd jennlea)

Thanks, Todd

EDIT: got it, PL OK

[ToddHW]

I have everything assembled except our Alberto.

Thanks, Todd