[COMPLETE] Unbeaten Tracks in Japan by I. L. Bird - ava

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
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Gesine
Posts: 14137
Joined: December 13th, 2005, 4:16 am

Post by Gesine »

Unbeaten Tracks in Japan: An Account of Travels in the Interior Including Visits to the Aborigines of Yezo and the Shrine of Nikko by Isabella L. Bird

This project is now complete. All audio files can be found on our catalog page:
http://librivox.org/unbeaten-tracks-in-japan-by-isabella-l-bird/


Abandoning this for now. Don't have time to turn it into a collab at the moment, either. - Gesine, 19 March 2011

I will take this on as my next solo, to start in May or early June. Availle, 23. April 2011

Isabella Lucy Bird (1831 – 1904) was a nineteenth-century English traveller, writer, and a natural historian. - Bird was a sickly child and spent her entire life struggling with various ailments. Much of her illness may have been psychogenic, for when she was doing exactly what she wanted she was almost never ill. Her real desire was to travel. In 1854, Bird's father gave her £100 and she went to visit relatives in America. She detailed the journey anonymously in her first book The Englishwoman in America, published in 1856. Later she travelled to Australia, Scotland, India, Hawaii, and the Far East. - Like many of her works, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan is compiled from letters she wrote home to her sister in Scotland. (Summary from Wikipedia and Gesine)
  • Target completion date: 31 December 2012
  • Text source (only read from this text!): http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2184
  • Type of proof-listening required: Standard
    Please consider these points during proof-listening and comment on them as appropriate:
    • Do the intro and disclaimer match the instructions at the bottom of this post (below the magic window)?
    • Are there any long silences or pauses that ought to be edited out? If so, note the time.
    • Are there any stumbles or repeats that ought to be edited out? If so, note the words and the time.
    • Is there excessive background noise, a constant hiss or buzz that detracts from the reading?
    • Did you need to turn your volume up unusually high to listen to the recording? (Or did you find the recording too loud?)
    • Are the correct closing words used at the end of the recording (see instructions in the first post of the project thread, below the Magic Window)?
    • Are there 5 seconds of silence (10 if the recording is more than 30 minutes long) at the end of the file?
    IMPORTANT - soloist, please note: in order to limit the amount of languishing projects (and hence the amount of files on our hard-pressed server), we ask that you post an update at least once a month in your project thread, even if you haven't managed to record anything. If we don't hear from you for three months, your project will be opened up to a group project as soon as a Book Coordinator can be found. Files you have completed will be used in this project. If you haven't recorded anything yet, your project will be removed from the forum (contact any admin to have it re-instated).

    Please don't download files belonging to projects in process (unless you are the BC or PL). Our servers are not set up to handle the greater volume of traffic. Please wait until the project has been completed. Thanks!

    Magic Window:



    BC Admin
  • The reader will record the following at the beginning and end of each file:
    No more than 0.5 to 1 second of silence at the beginning of the recording!

    Start of recording (Intro)
    • "Section [number] of Unbeaten Tracks in Japan. - This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit: librivox DOT org"
    • If you wish, say:
      "Recording by [your name]"
    • Say:
      "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan: An Account of Travels in the Interior Including Visits to the Aborigines of Yezo and the Shrine of Nikko, by Isabella L. Bird. Letter [number, part if applicable]"
    For the second and all subsequent sections, use the shortened form of this intro disclaimer:
    • "Section[number] of Unbeaten Tracks in Japan by Isabella L. Bird. - This LibriVox recording is in the Public Domain.
    • If you wish, say:
      "Recording by [your name]"
    • Say:
      "Letter [number, part if applicable]"
    End of recording
    • At the end of the section, say:
      End of Section [number]"
    • If you wish, say:
      "Recording by [your name], [city, your blog, podcast, web address]"
    • At the end of the book, say (in addition):
      "End of Unbeaten Tracks in Japan: An Account of Travels in the Interior Including Visits to the Aborigines of Yezo and the Shrine of Nikko, by Isabella L. Bird."
    There should be 5 seconds silence at the end of the recording, or 10 seconds for files longer than 30 minutes.
  • Example filename
    unbeatentracksjapan_##_bird.mp3
  • Example ID3 V2 tags
    Title: ## - [Section title]
    Artist: Isabella L. Bird
    Album: Unbeaten Tracks in Japan
  • Instructions for soloist: transfer of files (completed recordings)
    Please always post in this forum thread when you've sent a file.
    Also, post the length of the recording (file duration: mm:ss) together with the link.
    • Upload your file with the LibriVox Uploader (when your upload is complete, you will receive a link - please post it in this thread):
      http://upload.librivox.org
      Image
      (If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin)
      You'll need to select an MC, which for this project is: ava - Availle
    • If this doesn't work, or you have questions, please check our How To Send Your Recording wiki page.
Last edited by Gesine on May 30th, 2010, 8:47 am, edited 19 times in total.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein
MermaidMaddie
Posts: 181
Joined: May 25th, 2006, 12:30 am
Location: Northern California

Post by MermaidMaddie »

Gesine,
I had to come over here and cheer you on! I just replied in the book suggestions thread too, but I'm glad to see this book is being taken on...and once I made up a list of sections and realized it had 56-ish long sections... well, lets just say my enthusiasm for coordinating it was somewhat *diminished* by the hugeness of it all! :roll:
I had started to think of asking if someone more experienced wanted to take it on...so your timing was great! :)

I'm looking forward to hearing this one :)
To take this on as a solo, you must have some really strong lungs :lol:
[color=green]"Elphaba, where I'm from, we believe all sorts of things that aren't true...we call it 'history'. "[/color]

[url=http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/MermaidMaddie][color=purple]MermaidMaddie's Wiki Page[/color][/url]
Gesine
Posts: 14137
Joined: December 13th, 2005, 4:16 am

Post by Gesine »

Ha! As usual, I took it on without much investigation - read a couple of snippets and liked it so much... I've just created a more serviceable Word doc from the e-text, with a table of contents. Yes, it is looooong! Some sections are very long. Still, I've decided the way to go about this is to post the contents in the first post, and to 'cross them off' as I go along - I'll mark them complete and shall underlay them with links when the files are finished.

It'll move slowly, but it'll be done eventually - and I can always open it up to a collaborative project if I get fed up...

So, thank you, Maddie! :)
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein
earthcalling
Posts: 6604
Joined: April 8th, 2006, 2:26 pm
Location: London, England

Post by earthcalling »

Wonderful, Gesine, this'll be a real treat. With this and Kwaidan, it must be Japan Season in LV! :D

D
Kristen
Posts: 390
Joined: September 26th, 2005, 12:36 am
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contact:

Post by Kristen »

Gesine wrote: It'll move slowly, but it'll be done eventually - and I can always open it up to a collaborative project if I get fed up...
I kind of hope you get fed up with it (or opt to take a partner as a duet). :)

I've decided that I'd like to retrace Isabella Bird's footsteps this autumn. I know generally where she was traveling and I think I can figure out her route quite specifically if I read closely. I'll make a film of it and use her letters as part of the film's narration. So I'll be reading (parts) of them, anyway.

I live here in Japan, so it's just a matter of going out and doing it. I don't think it will take me quite so many months to get to Hokkaido (Yezo) as it took her. The trick will be seeing how near I can match her route by train and on foot - there aren't too many "unbeaten tracks" these days.
Kristen
http://www.mediatinker.com
[url=http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/KristenMcQuillin/]My recordings & claimed chapters[/url]
earthcalling
Posts: 6604
Joined: April 8th, 2006, 2:26 pm
Location: London, England

Post by earthcalling »

Kristen, what a brilliant brilliant idea. All shades of green with envy here. Wonderful!
Gesine
Posts: 14137
Joined: December 13th, 2005, 4:16 am

Post by Gesine »

Oh really, Kristen? I'd *love* to do that myself. Will be so much fun to see your film and everything. Would you like to do a duet? It would certainly speed me along. And you can help me with the pronunciations, too... I was going to bug Kasumin. :) If you're up for it, please do the even-numbered ones, and just update the first post with your sections (and the duet)

Yay, this is great! Thanks so much.

EDIT: Ah, I've already read the first three. Shall we do it in bunches of three, or five? Or you can just record number 2 again - it's short and not yet edited, so not a lot lost. I'll leave it to you! Just put your name against the ones you fancy doing. :)
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein
Kristen
Posts: 390
Joined: September 26th, 2005, 12:36 am
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contact:

Post by Kristen »

In a way, someone has beaten me to it - Evelyn Kaye followed Isabella's unbeaten tracks in 1998 and wrote a book. But there's no film yet.

So I will be making the film. I need to decide how to frame it, but I'm researching and studying and hoping that something will come to me. I'm now planning to do the filming next summer - to coincide with the weather and seasons Isabella mentions in her letters - so I have some time to get things organised and to find some funding!

Anyone who wants to participate is welcome to be part of the team. Plan your trip to Japan between June & August 2007. One-woman filmmaking is not a lot of fun and I'd be happy for assistance and company.

In the meantime, yes, let's duet! Groups of three seem fine to me. I'll get going on these soon. The clamour of urban renewal in my neighborhood makes finding recording time tricky.
Kristen
http://www.mediatinker.com
[url=http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/KristenMcQuillin/]My recordings & claimed chapters[/url]
Gesine
Posts: 14137
Joined: December 13th, 2005, 4:16 am

Post by Gesine »

Not much urban renewal going on here at the moment (our tiler has fallen ill and next week everyone takes the whole week off for some religious celebration I've never heard of) but recording time is sparse anyway. Still, having Kristen come on board has motivated me to tackle this soon!

Next summer in Japan. Hmmm. Sounds lovely. I've never been involved in film-making. I'll seriously consider this, Kristen, if I can get some money together! :)
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein
Gesine
Posts: 14137
Joined: December 13th, 2005, 4:16 am

Post by Gesine »

Kirsten, have added this to admin system; see new-style reader list in first post. Let me know if any mistakes (or of course, you can fix yourself).
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein
Kristen
Posts: 390
Joined: September 26th, 2005, 12:36 am
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contact:

Post by Kristen »

Rehi! What a great book this is. I've read it cover to cover twice now - silently - and I'm looking forward to recording my assigned letters as soon as I get Mansfield Park (due last June!) off my list.
Kristen
http://www.mediatinker.com
[url=http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/KristenMcQuillin/]My recordings & claimed chapters[/url]
Gesine
Posts: 14137
Joined: December 13th, 2005, 4:16 am

Post by Gesine »

Fab! I've also been thinking of getting back to it. I'm going to rely on you for some pronuciation issues! :)
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein
Kristen
Posts: 390
Joined: September 26th, 2005, 12:36 am
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contact:

Post by Kristen »

No problem. Japanese pronunciation is quite regular and uses the same vowels as Italian! Ask about anything and I'll make you a recording of how it's supposed to sound.
Kristen
http://www.mediatinker.com
[url=http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/KristenMcQuillin/]My recordings & claimed chapters[/url]
Kristen
Posts: 390
Joined: September 26th, 2005, 12:36 am
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contact:

Post by Kristen »

I submitted my chapters for Mansfield Park yesterday. Now Isabella's Letter 3 is recorded and edited.

http://www.mediatinker.com/librivox/isabella/unbeatentracks_03_bird.mp3

For ID3 tags, I used

Letter 3
Isabella Bird
Unbeaten Tracks in Japan
Kristen
http://www.mediatinker.com
[url=http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/KristenMcQuillin/]My recordings & claimed chapters[/url]
Gesine
Posts: 14137
Joined: December 13th, 2005, 4:16 am

Post by Gesine »

Congratulations on Mansfield Park... and thanks for letter 03.

We have more than ten letters, so ID3 tag will have to be "Letter 03." We can change it in the Validator when the time comes.

I suggest that for the letters that continue over more than one file, that we name them Letter 06a, 06b etc, in the tag. That should sort properly.

Will you update the reader list yourself with your files from now on? We can proof-listen for each other as we go along, can't we, and mark the files OK (or otherwise) in the Notes field. - Please let me know of any mispronunciations (in English and Japanese!) or other things. I'd like to get this right, and don't mind criticism at all, so please don't hold back. :)
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein
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