~[SOLO]The Naval Pioneers of Australia by Louis Becke-ans

Upcoming books being recorded by a solo reader
Bidgiewidgie
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Joined: October 16th, 2011, 7:35 pm

Post by Bidgiewidgie »

annise
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Post by annise »

I've had a listen and there are a few things to say.
General housekeeping
The file I have downloaded is 30:38 secs ??? - we don't usually gain bits from the ether.
I notice you have included the introduction with the first chapter - that is fine - but that leaves 12 chapters and you ask for 13 ? Let me know what you need and I will adjust the MW
I notice you read the contents and the illustrations - there is nothing really wrong with doing it - most people just don't - but I do need to check whether you are reading from the text or a hard copy - as the text said list of Illustrations and you said "Illustrations throughout the text" - it is important to know as a hard copy may not be PD - things are often changed in new editions and they claim copyright.

So that is the end of housekeeping :D PLease answer the questions

Anne
annise
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Post by annise »

And now to the recording
Very nicely read - so the hard part is done
But there are a sound bits that could be worked on,
It is really important to leave the microphone on while audacity is running - especially for the last 5-10 secs silence. This gives a background noise sample which makes any cleaning much more satisfacory , and I did notice a few spots in the recording where the wave pattern looks like you started Audacity then switched on the microphone. There are afree few 'plosives - one on Preface - the air has hit the microphone. If you can angle the mic so it points at your mouth but is not straight in front of it you can usually stop it happening.
So now to the electrical hum - it is quite bad in places. People have found various solutions - I don't know your setup at all so it is just guessing but it would be nice to stop it happening if possble. If you are using a portable - try using battery power to record
Check the microphone cord is not near a power cord, switch any electrical things you can off and see if it is still there.

Have a look at the wiki about hums that you have a link for - and see how you go

Anne
Bidgiewidgie
Posts: 29
Joined: October 16th, 2011, 7:35 pm

Post by Bidgiewidgie »

annise wrote:I've had a listen and there are a few things to say.
General housekeeping
The file I have downloaded is 30:38 secs ??? - we don't usually gain bits from the ether.
I notice you have included the introduction with the first chapter - that is fine - but that leaves 12 chapters and you ask for 13 ? Let me know what you need and I will adjust the MW
I notice you read the contents and the illustrations - there is nothing really wrong with doing it - most people just don't - but I do need to check whether you are reading from the text or a hard copy - as the text said list of Illustrations and you said "Illustrations throughout the text" - it is important to know as a hard copy may not be PD - things are often changed in new editions and they claim copyright.

So that is the end of housekeeping :D PLease answer the questions

Anne


Hi Anne, thank you!

I am very sorry about the time stamp because I checked the finished Mp3 a couple of times in Windows Media Player it clearly said 28:52, checking it again now, it says the same thing again ... something definitely fishy with that program's way of timestamping then? -- opening it up in iTunes instead, it says 30:39. So therein lies the problem and I am very sorry for the mistake and will check converted Mp3s in iTunes instead.

re 12 chapters instead of 13: Sorry for the inconvienience. I whacked them in together because the preface ended up being shorter than I had expected. Having not recorded a book before, I don't know how text translates into (my) speech and how much time I require exactly for each section but I expect, since they're not enormous chapters, that it's a file per chapter. And I hope this remains the case.

re contents: the historical texts that I have listened to on Librivox have the contents read out (as well as references and textbook questions) so I figured that was standard practice. I would prefer not to do this task as it's not fun to listen to, but then again, it does offer a view of the structure of the book.

Similarly, as other Librivox recordings I have listened to, I read out what was on the file, and historically, pictures are relevant because for anyone researching the issue, they may want to see the pictures and will look them up. Again, however, lists are boring, but they can be fast forwarded through. And sorry about the different wording of the picture title, I wanted to clearly mark that they were pictures throughout the original text. I can change or remove it if it's a problem. But it sure is in the Public Domain, I am using the copy from the Project Gutenberg site.

Thank you for your time.
Last edited by Bidgiewidgie on November 19th, 2013, 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bidgiewidgie
Posts: 29
Joined: October 16th, 2011, 7:35 pm

Post by Bidgiewidgie »

annise wrote:And now to the recording
Very nicely read - so the hard part is done
But there are a sound bits that could be worked on,
It is really important to leave the microphone on while audacity is running - especially for the last 5-10 secs silence. This gives a background noise sample which makes any cleaning much more satisfacory , and I did notice a few spots in the recording where the wave pattern looks like you started Audacity then switched on the microphone. There are afree few 'plosives - one on Preface - the air has hit the microphone. If you can angle the mic so it points at your mouth but is not straight in front of it you can usually stop it happening.
So now to the electrical hum - it is quite bad in places. People have found various solutions - I don't know your setup at all so it is just guessing but it would be nice to stop it happening if possble. If you are using a portable - try using battery power to record
Check the microphone cord is not near a power cord, switch any electrical things you can off and see if it is still there.

Have a look at the wiki about hums that you have a link for - and see how you go

Anne


Thank you, and that's terrific info so thank you also for those pointers and I will reread this when I am recording next time to try to make those problems go away. I appreciate the help.
Last edited by Bidgiewidgie on November 19th, 2013, 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
annise
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 38572
Joined: April 3rd, 2008, 3:55 am
Location: Melbourne,Australia

Post by annise »

You could just post a few minutes if you wanted - and we could see about the hum - they are usually easy to get rid of but having a clear background sample makes it easier. Why not start doing chapter 2 next time - you can always go back to 1 if you need at the end - I could help you improve the existing one but you did say you wanted it to sound as good as possible so why not try things with chapter 2?

Anne
annise
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 38572
Joined: April 3rd, 2008, 3:55 am
Location: Melbourne,Australia

Post by annise »

I've uploaded a worked on version you can check out - to give you an idea of the volume we need and what can be done . There is still a bad patch 6:02-6:12 But the early part I thought sounded OK
http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/arb/navalpioneersofaustralia_01_beckearb.mp3
Bidgiewidgie
Posts: 29
Joined: October 16th, 2011, 7:35 pm

Post by Bidgiewidgie »

Wow, Anne! you worked some magic on that or something! it's terrific. Thank you! I am really happy with it if you are.

For the subsequent chapters, I have decided to escape the mains hum altogether by using a tiny portable Mp3 recorder, and a headset, and so far this is yielding great results and far less background noise. I have checked the preliminary results in Audacity, and the lovely little flat lines between speech abound.
Last edited by Bidgiewidgie on November 19th, 2013, 4:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bidgiewidgie
Posts: 29
Joined: October 16th, 2011, 7:35 pm

Post by Bidgiewidgie »

Hi Anne, and all,

Just to touch base, I'm still going, trying to get things recorded when the neighbours aren't using chainsaws and power tools, ha! what timing. But am up to chapter six of the recording.

Am moving house this Moday-Thurs (it's a huge house and many days packing and unpacking) so I won't be able to record anything for a few weeks, but will get back to working on things when the dust has settled.

Have managed to work out how to solve many of the technical problems. thanks again for your advice on the recordings, have taken action on the points.

'see' you in a few weeks after the move!
Last edited by Bidgiewidgie on November 19th, 2013, 4:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bidgiewidgie
Posts: 29
Joined: October 16th, 2011, 7:35 pm

Post by Bidgiewidgie »

Hello!

touching base, in case you were worried.

The move went well but there are many dramas typical of rural living that need to be dealt with, like running water, phoneline, and a working loo, so I have a few priorities to sort out first. Although, all is looking like it will soon be sorted out and things are just settling down to a good routine. I have a couple of weeks of uni work to complete before I can give myself any free time, but then I am all free to finish the last few chapters of recording and then to complete the editing and upload the chapters one by one (as they're completed - I won't keep you waiting of course). But i am still here, eagre, and willing and completing the solo project is still very much on my mind.

the weather here is not at all like the rest of the country. when everyone whinges at me about how hot their city is, i tell them that here, on the really hot days, i have a novel way of cooling off: I take my ugg boots off. no joke! Winter should be quite an experience!

I hope you're all well and happy.
Last edited by Bidgiewidgie on November 19th, 2013, 4:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bidgiewidgie
Posts: 29
Joined: October 16th, 2011, 7:35 pm

Post by Bidgiewidgie »

Hello!

Just touching base.

I am now back to working on editing my recordings

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and happy New Year.
Last edited by Bidgiewidgie on November 19th, 2013, 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
annise
LibriVox Admin Team
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Joined: April 3rd, 2008, 3:55 am
Location: Melbourne,Australia

Post by annise »

Thanks for keeping me informed - I hope to hear from you in the New Year

Anne
Bidgiewidgie
Posts: 29
Joined: October 16th, 2011, 7:35 pm

Post by Bidgiewidgie »

rightio! back to it!!!

may there be no further floods, tradesmen, or medical emergencies for a little while so I can get some chapters uploaded.

thanks, guys. especially you, Anne!

:)
Last edited by Bidgiewidgie on November 19th, 2013, 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
annise
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 38572
Joined: April 3rd, 2008, 3:55 am
Location: Melbourne,Australia

Post by annise »

Great you are back - looking forward to more chapters

Anne
annise
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 38572
Joined: April 3rd, 2008, 3:55 am
Location: Melbourne,Australia

Post by annise »

How are things going now ?

Anne
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