My one-minute test [OK]

[BriMo]

https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/test_brimo.mp3

Any and all help will be appreciated.

Thanks!

-B.L.

[Winnifred]

https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/test_brimo.mp3

Any and all help will be appreciated.

Thanks!

-B.L.

Welcome to Librivox, B.L.!

Your voice is clear, lively, and pleasant and your test meets all but one of the Librivox technical specifications: volume. The volume on this is 75.3 dB. Librivox requires the volume to fall within the range of 86 to 92 dB, with 89-90 dB being the ideal.

You can fix this by selecting your entire track and using Effect > Loudness Normalization in Audacity, set to -19LUFS and "Perceived Loudness." That will bring the volume up to just under 90 dB.

If you are using Audacity, see this post for more information about how to adjust your volume settings for future recordings (scroll down a bit to find the information about volume).

Please apply the fix described above, re-upload your file (same file name, but please post it to the "tests - tests" folder, not icequeen), and post the link in a response to this post. I'll come back and check it out.

Thanks,

[BriMo]

Hello Winnifred,

Thank you for your reply. I've followed your advice and the instructions and am hoping that this file will be within the guidelines. I look forward to hearing back.

Cheers!

-B.L.

https://librivox.org/uploads/tests/test_brimo_wav.mp3

[Winnifred]

Hello Winnifred,

Thank you for your reply. I've followed your advice and the instructions and am hoping that this file will be within the guidelines. I look forward to hearing back.

Cheers!

-B.L.

https://librivox.org/uploads/tests/test_brimo_wav.mp3

Hi B.L.,

Something odd going on here. Your test has now changed to a bit rate of 79 kbps (variable) from the correct 128 kbps (constant) that it was (did you maybe change the settings when you exported the audio to MP3?) and the volume is higher, but still only 82 dB.

Please re-export the original (loudness normalized) audio file to MP3 again, making sure to select Constant and 128 kbps in the Export Audio dialogue box. Download the Checker to check your own recording before you reupload (see this post for information about the Checker).

Once you've made those changes, please upload your file and post the link in a reply to this one.

Thanks,

[BriMo]

Hello again...

I started from scratch, and have hopefully ironed out any issues. The checker came in at 88.7dB, 128kpbs, 44100Hz. I am curious about the background noise that registered in the checker as I can't differentiate it from my voice.

Thank you again for your patience. Cheers!

B.L.

https://librivox.org/uploads/tests/test_brimo.mp3

[Winnifred]

Hello again...

I started from scratch, and have hopefully ironed out any issues. The checker came in at 88.7dB, 128kpbs, 44100Hz. I am curious about the background noise that registered in the checker as I can't differentiate it from my voice.

Thank you again for your patience. Cheers!

B.L.

https://librivox.org/uploads/tests/test_brimo.mp3

And that one passes the Checker! You're ready to start recording.

Every room has some background noise; it would sound unnatural if there was none. I sometimes record in a proper sound-proofed recording studio at my library and I'm happy if my background noise there is below 35 or so. Yours is 28.3 dB, which is perfectly acceptable.

You don't need to worry about that unless it gets above 45-50 or so (at which level you'll probably start to notice it).

I suggest heading over to the "Readers Wanted: Short Works (Poetry & Prose)" forum to find your first recording. There are lots of short options there in all genres. Let the book coordinator of your first reading know if you want a different name than BriMo in the Librivox catalogue.

If you have questions along the way, the "Need Help? Got Advice?” forum is a useful place to get answers.

Happy reading!

Cheers,