ZOOM Discussion Thread

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TriciaG
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Post by TriciaG »

Tricia, you are the one who said we could announce Zoom sessions in the Announcement Thread. Go for it.
Well I was gauging interest first, to see if it's feasible. So it isn't at the announcement stage just yet.
TriciaG, would you be available & willing to spend 5-10 minutes on the 8th and talk through how the Zoom play is going to work?
Of course, that assumes you don't hold it before the 8th, in which case it might be a debriefing on how well it went.
Sunday afternoons don't always work for me, so I don't know. I could try to pop in at some point (if we're not visiting the in-laws, which we often do on Sunday afternoons).

It would definitely be after the 8th, though, since that's only a week away. ;)
Serial novel: The Wandering Jew
Medieval England meets Civil War Americans: Centuries Apart
Humor: My Lady Nicotine
msfry
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Post by msfry »

Availle wrote: October 31st, 2020, 9:16 pm Then, maybe it's better to call this "How I make covers" rather than "basic tutorial".
I think it's important to stress that this is how YOU do covers and not a LibriVox-wide prescription that will suit everyone.
There are some basics to cover making that we all have to follow (preclaims, the claims board, naming files, uploading a zip file, etc.), and then I'll share how I personally approach cover design, organize my flies, etc. Of course there are other approaches, programs used, etc. I can only share what I know, which I think will take up 30 minutes. If other cover makers want to share their techniques, please let me know. We could go beyond an hour if need be.
adrianstephens
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Post by adrianstephens »

TriciaG wrote: October 31st, 2020, 12:57 pm I've found a one-act farce that might be fun to record in a Zoom meeting. It has 5 male characters, 1 female, and 1 narrator. Here it is in a Google Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTv5SjyAkYHDwojSOwkv-uynzWB_nSH9y1BeOvuQMaocF1Q9Ton-GzgSLqWlfLtc1GmjbnqLvriR03O/pub

I'm willing to oversee it on the Zoom call and edit it afterward (I've done it before with in-person one-act play readings. These things DO require editing afterward - all the chuckles, outtakes, side comments that inevitably come in.)
TriciaG - how is the audio recording going to be handled? You can record a zoom meeting (video and audio) to the cloud or to a local machine. But zoom compresses the speech to save bandwidth, so the quality on the recording is not perfect. I have plenty of examples I can point you to if you want to survey, as I post our minister's sermons recorded via zoom.

I can think of a couple of alternatives, if this is not good enough, but neither is probably workable:
1. everybody records the entire session on their local machine using audacity and sends you the recording.
2. everybody installs mumble (https://www.mumble.info) on their machines and connects to a mumble server set up for the purpose. One person makes a local recording of the mumble session. Mumble can transport high-quality audio. But it's another layer of set-up that might deter participants.

Best,
Adrian
My Librivox-related YouTube series starts here: Part 0: Introduction. https://youtu.be/pMHYycgA5VU
...
Part 15: Case Study (Poem) https://youtu.be/41sr_VC1Qxo
Part 16: Case Study 2 (Dramatic Reading) https://youtu.be/GBIAd469vnM
adrianstephens
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Post by adrianstephens »

NEXT ZOOM WILL BE SUNDAY AT NOON, NOV 8th, CENTRAL TIME, USA, 6:00pm GMT.

Anybody interested is welcome to join. You don't have to be a Librivox volunteer to participate in the call.

AGENDA:
The call is scheduled for 1 hour.

Intro - 2 minutes Adrian S

"Technical"
15 mins Phil C - on his current video project
5 mins Kevin S - on the importance of being wet
Either: 15 mins Tricia G - zoom play recording
or: 10 mins Adrian S - on the importance of using waveform (dB) display mode

"Non-Technical" ~ 30 minutes
I will invite people at the call to speak to one of the following:
  • My favo(u)rite literature - bring a short sample to read
  • Details about my recording setup
  • Why I volunteer for Librivox
  • What I do for Librivox

Note, the link is different to the one used last time.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82349344723?pwd=YXNQdHVVL0g3enhWOTV2cVhBK09udz09

Meeting ID: 823 4934 4723
Passcode: 037704

You can also join by phone. Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcAQDGeKDA

(Would an admin please re-post to the Zoom announcement thread? Thanks.)
My Librivox-related YouTube series starts here: Part 0: Introduction. https://youtu.be/pMHYycgA5VU
...
Part 15: Case Study (Poem) https://youtu.be/41sr_VC1Qxo
Part 16: Case Study 2 (Dramatic Reading) https://youtu.be/GBIAd469vnM
williamjones
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Post by williamjones »

adrianstephens wrote: November 2nd, 2020, 2:29 am NEXT ZOOM WILL BE SUNDAY AT NOON, NOV 8th, CENTRAL TIME, USA, 6:00pm GMT.

AGENDA:
The call is scheduled for 1 hour.

<snip>

I have written a program, "Cataloged_Since.exe" which I'd like to demonstrate in a 5-minute segment during an upcoming ZOOM session.
This program allows a user to
1.enter a date in the past (defaulting to one month)
2. and then receive a list/spreadsheet of the LV projects cataloged since that date up to the present
3. along with various particulars of each project
such as LV Book ID, Title, link to Project Catalog Date, genre, number of sections, etc.

This program can be run at any time and will always retrieve the most current info.
The Beta version, currently in test, takes less than one minute to run.

This program is an offshoot of another, more extensive (and unfinished) program to avoid the current, frustrating flaws in the API and allow full programmatic access to the Librivox Database.
-- Bill Jones

When you think that you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven't.
--- Thomas Edison
TriciaG
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Post by TriciaG »

Ooo, nice, Bill!

Adrian - I've posted your announcement. :) We can change it as needed.
adrianstephens wrote: November 1st, 2020, 11:53 pm TriciaG - how is the audio recording going to be handled? You can record a zoom meeting (video and audio) to the cloud or to a local machine. But zoom compresses the speech to save bandwidth, so the quality on the recording is not perfect. I have plenty of examples I can point you to if you want to survey, as I post our minister's sermons recorded via zoom.
I wondered about that while trying to go to sleep last night. :lol: My thoughts were going towards each person recording in Audacity (or their own program, whatever it is), and I'd combine them. If each reader doesn't mess with the length/timing of the file, combining them should be very easy, as the timing will all be the same!

Is it possible to run Audacity and Zoom at the same time, such that they won't interfere with each other? One would have to turn off any overdub/playthrough that may be on, so that others' lines coming through the computer don't get recorded, but I'm wondering if most people's systems are capable of running both programs at once (RAM or other limitations). :hmm:
Serial novel: The Wandering Jew
Medieval England meets Civil War Americans: Centuries Apart
Humor: My Lady Nicotine
williamjones
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Post by williamjones »

TriciaG wrote: November 2nd, 2020, 6:27 am Ooo, nice, Bill!

<snip>

Is it possible to run Audacity and Zoom at the same time, such that they won't interfere with each other? One would have to turn off any overdub/playthrough that may be on, so that others' lines coming through the computer don't get recorded, but I'm wondering if most people's systems are capable of running both programs at once (RAM or other limitations). :hmm:
Michele and I have had both programs running (on PCs, not phones) - sharing both video and audio, as she was testing and preparing for future demos.

So, think it's is safe to assume that there are normally sufficient resources to run both. On PCs, that is.
-- Bill Jones

When you think that you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven't.
--- Thomas Edison
adrianstephens
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Post by adrianstephens »

TriciaG wrote: November 2nd, 2020, 6:27 am
Adrian - I've posted your announcement. :) We can change it as needed.
Thank you!
...
I wondered about that while trying to go to sleep last night. :lol: My thoughts were going towards each person recording in Audacity (or their own program, whatever it is), and I'd combine them. If each reader doesn't mess with the length/timing of the file, combining them should be very easy, as the timing will all be the same!

Is it possible to run Audacity and Zoom at the same time, such that they won't interfere with each other? One would have to turn off any overdub/playthrough that may be on, so that others' lines coming through the computer don't get recorded, but I'm wondering if most people's systems are capable of running both programs at once (RAM or other limitations). :hmm:
I just did a test. Yes, you can record and use the same mic for zoom at the same time.
Clearly they will both take up some resources, but I'm guessing most people's laptops will be OK.
If we really are going to record for 3 hours (180mins) that means a ~180MB mp3 to upload, and probably 500MB for the Audacity project.
Most people should be OK with that technically.

If people record in headphones, each user's Audacity recording should contain only their lines (and background noise :0). If they don't, their Audacity will also
capture the zoom call. I think this will be at a lot lower volume, so it should be distinctive when you come to edit it.

Best Regards,
Adrian
My Librivox-related YouTube series starts here: Part 0: Introduction. https://youtu.be/pMHYycgA5VU
...
Part 15: Case Study (Poem) https://youtu.be/41sr_VC1Qxo
Part 16: Case Study 2 (Dramatic Reading) https://youtu.be/GBIAd469vnM
ToddHW
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Post by ToddHW »

Our uploaded is limited to 100M, so have to start a new file every hour and a half or so.

Thanks, Todd
adrianstephens
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Post by adrianstephens »

ToddHW wrote: November 2nd, 2020, 8:44 am Our uploaded is limited to 100M, so have to start a new file every hour and a half or so.

Thanks, Todd
I think it makes sense to take rest breaks in anything this long. Hopefully they can be aligned to act/scene boundaries.
That would make a natural place to start/stop recordings too.
My Librivox-related YouTube series starts here: Part 0: Introduction. https://youtu.be/pMHYycgA5VU
...
Part 15: Case Study (Poem) https://youtu.be/41sr_VC1Qxo
Part 16: Case Study 2 (Dramatic Reading) https://youtu.be/GBIAd469vnM
TriciaG
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Post by TriciaG »

Just had a thought: I don't have a paid Zoom account. Would someone else be willing/able to set up the meeting, so we can run long?

I'm thinking Thursday the 12th or Wednesday the 18th, 10:00 am Eastern / 3:00 pm GMT. That gives those in the Central time zone a bit of time to show up, too - not too early. (I am working around my husband's schedule, so I can't run too much after 1 pm. But I don't want to make it screaming early, either!)
Serial novel: The Wandering Jew
Medieval England meets Civil War Americans: Centuries Apart
Humor: My Lady Nicotine
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Post by adrianstephens »

TriciaG wrote: November 2nd, 2020, 9:20 am Just had a thought: I don't have a paid Zoom account. Would someone else be willing/able to set up the meeting, so we can run long?

I'm thinking Thursday the 12th or Wednesday the 18th, 10:00 am Eastern / 3:00 pm GMT. That gives those in the Central time zone a bit of time to show up, too - not too early. (I am working around my husband's schedule, so I can't run too much after 1 pm. But I don't want to make it screaming early, either!)
Hello Tricia,
You're welcome to use my Zoom account. I'll make you co-host so you can run things.
Those times work, although I have a preference for the 18th as the 12th is my Wife's birthday.

Best Regards,
Adrian
My Librivox-related YouTube series starts here: Part 0: Introduction. https://youtu.be/pMHYycgA5VU
...
Part 15: Case Study (Poem) https://youtu.be/41sr_VC1Qxo
Part 16: Case Study 2 (Dramatic Reading) https://youtu.be/GBIAd469vnM
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Post by williamjones »

TriciaG wrote: November 2nd, 2020, 9:20 am Just had a thought: I don't have a paid Zoom account. Would someone else be willing/able to set up the meeting, so we can run long?

I'm thinking Thursday the 12th or Wednesday the 18th, 10:00 am Eastern / 3:00 pm GMT. That gives those in the Central time zone a bit of time to show up, too - not too early. (I am working around my husband's schedule, so I can't run too much after 1 pm. But I don't want to make it screaming early, either!)
I happen to know that the Zoom account used by Phil is a "Pro" account gifted to Librivox but placed in Phil's hands for management. I can't imagine he'd object to its use for such a worthy project.
-- Bill Jones

When you think that you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven't.
--- Thomas Edison
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Post by adrianstephens »

williamjones wrote: November 2nd, 2020, 10:32 am
TriciaG wrote: November 2nd, 2020, 9:20 am Just had a thought: I don't have a paid Zoom account. Would someone else be willing/able to set up the meeting, so we can run long?

I'm thinking Thursday the 12th or Wednesday the 18th, 10:00 am Eastern / 3:00 pm GMT. That gives those in the Central time zone a bit of time to show up, too - not too early. (I am working around my husband's schedule, so I can't run too much after 1 pm. But I don't want to make it screaming early, either!)
I happen to know that the Zoom account used by Phil is a "Pro" account gifted to Librivox but placed in Phil's hands for management. I can't imagine he'd object to its use for such a worthy project.
I didn't know that, Bill. In that case, it makes more sense to use his account, provided he is available to at least start the meeting. If not, mine is available.
My Librivox-related YouTube series starts here: Part 0: Introduction. https://youtu.be/pMHYycgA5VU
...
Part 15: Case Study (Poem) https://youtu.be/41sr_VC1Qxo
Part 16: Case Study 2 (Dramatic Reading) https://youtu.be/GBIAd469vnM
TriciaG
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Post by TriciaG »

aradlaw can only do it on the 12th.

Narrator - Dave (12th only)
Pawkins - Denis (algy pug)
De Windsor - Adrian? (prefers 18th)
Whitewash -
Ferguson -
Thwaites -
Agatha -
Serial novel: The Wandering Jew
Medieval England meets Civil War Americans: Centuries Apart
Humor: My Lady Nicotine
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