What if I Suck?

[RuthieG]

Hah! They pay me nearly as well as LibriVox does .

I wouldn't have posted it if I didn't mean it.

Ruth

[TimoleonWash]

I wouldn't have posted it if I didn't mean it. Ruth

I know, just my shot at humor And since you have read this far, thank you for the tremendous help you have been to me. I think it's just wonderful!

[philchenevert]

• a) On average, how long does it take folks to record and edit
  b) How do I get my recordings objectively and critically analyzed and scored

I recently recorded a text of 4,600 words @ 27:58 . To produce my submission I:

• 1. Read aloud - 30:00
  2. Recorded - 40:00
  3. Edited - 3:00:00
  Total - 4 hrs work / 30 min recording

I have listened to some recordings by us LibriVoxers and subjectively rank my submissions below average If an acceptable-to-me authority confirmed this ranking my time might be put to better use here at LibriVox if I PL or DPL or some project or admin tasks...
Do any of you know of something like a web site which will examine and critically evaluate my recordings

I don't know of any website that gives critical feedback like you are looking for; and I know how frustrating that can be when you sincerely want to improve but don't know in what direction to go. Here in LibriVox we usually don't do it so that no one gets discouraged and we are also just too darned nice. So ..... since you obviously want to improve your recordings, I will give you feedback and be as objective as posible. Just point me to one of your recordings. Regarding the length of time to record and edit, what do you mean "read aloud"? Is that a practice read through? If so, I don't do that, just cold read 99% of my sections. The actual recording time (40 minutes for a 4.6k word section) is about right for me. My editing is about 2:1, meaning I would edit that 40 minute section into 30 minutes in about an hour. yeah, I'm fast! This is much shorter than the experience of most other people who have a 2.5:1 to 5:1 ratio so you should listen to different readers and see the finished product of their approach. Mine may not be exacting enough for you at all.

I'm making a video this week called "How Do You Record & Edit - III" which is the third yearly installment of this and kind of documents my progression as I learn different editing techniques. I'll post it somewhere. If you would like to see last year's version, let me know.
You are to be congratulated for wanting to improve and for asking for help. I am always looking for feedback too by the way!

[TimoleonWash]

... I will give you feedback and be as objective as posible... what do you mean "read aloud"?...I'm making a video this week called "How Do You Record & Edit - III"... I am always looking for feedback too by the way!

You are so DANG helpful Phil, THX To begin at the end I would love to give you feedback and will when my ear improves a bit. I was amazed by your Record & Edit II, your speed and facility with the software I look forward to III and I am in the process of installing Auto-Hotkey. I love to read aloud and my 1st contact with the texts I read for LibriVox is to just read it through aloud; I record my 2nd reading. My latest submission is at http://uploads.librivox.org/triciag/sermonssecondseries_17_wesley_128kb.mp3 and I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

And it is just like me to poke around LibriVOx and completely miss the "Instructional Videos" wiki entry Thx for the reference

I would be on but with all the homework you've just given me I haven't the time

[philchenevert]

Ok, I will listen to your track(s) and give feedback later today.
In the meantime here is the video I made last night called "How I Edit: 2014 edition". My biggest changes this year have been the addition of external things; a directional microphone and a threshold limiter to stop room noise before they get to the computer. All the rest is still my method; autohot keys, programming audacity shortcut keys, etc. etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKfcj9MZUsY&list=HL1403497895&feature=mh_lolz I had my camera on while recording but could not see is so the finished product has my face taking up way too much space. oh well, live and learn.

are we having fun yet? you bet!

[philchenevert]

Hi Tim. I just got a chance to listen to a bit of your section 17 (Wesley sermons or talks) and can give some off the cuff feedback as you asked. Your voice is clear and all the words are distinct; a definite positive. But there is something awkward about your rhythm or cadence when actually recording some parts. It is hard to define but I'd say that some phrasing sounds stilted and unnatural. Not bad by any means, please understand, just when read aloud it falls a tiny bit awkwardly on my ears; it doesn't flow naturally or someothing like that.

So if I were you, I'd record a sentence, then say the same sentence as someone would say it in normal conversation and see if it sounds different and how you like it. Remember, it is you who must be satisfied with the product, now me. Other than this phrasing thing you are doing a great job!!!!

I will listen to more later. If this is unclear just let me know and I'll make a video that may demonstrate better what I'm saying.

[TriciaG]

Also, keep in mind that Wesley can be difficult to read - getting the phrasing right can be a challenge sometimes!

[TimoleonWash]

Hi Phil. Thx for the feedback. I will pay close attention to my cadence and phrasing in my next recording. For various reasons I am not too surprised that I would benefit from some changes in this area; I know that I am relatively awkward in conversation. I have just asked to record for a project and will do my best to address this area in that recording.

And thank you for your various YouTube videos that I have listened to so far. I thought your voice was completely and easily understandable and pleasant; superior diction, no slurring, warm tone. I cannot think of one thing you could to improve in this area.

I do have a suggestion on the content though. I would find it helpful if you verbally stated each thing that you do while you are doing it (within reason of course). E.G. when you move your mouse to a drop down menu to select something you might narrate it; "I'm clicking on the XXX tab and selecting the 3rd offering, YYYY." When I worked in technical customer support, all of us support folks wished the voice on the phone told us everything they did because our confusion led us to ask, "have you clicked anything since I last asked you to do ZZZ?" If they had informed us of everything they did we could have followed along. With your video in addition to your audio this is not nearly the problem it was there though there were times when I glanced away from the screen while watching your video and when I looked back I didn't quite know where you were in Audacity. Because of my experiences in the support area, now when I am teaching someone how to do something on a computer I provide a detailed, running commentary on every little thing I am doing; within reason of course

Outside of this minor thing I find your creations very, very good, superior, and extremely helpful. They have already made me a lot more productive in the use of my time.

p.s. I cracked up when I read your comment on Karma

And thx TriciaG; I'm glad others find them challenging also

[philchenevert]

I do have a suggestion on the content though. I would find it helpful if you verbally stated each thing that you do while you are doing it (within reason of course). E.G. when you move your mouse to a drop down menu to select something you might narrate it; "I'm clicking on the XXX tab and selecting the 3rd offering, YYYY." When I worked in technical customer support, all of us support folks wished the voice on the phone told us everything they did because our confusion led us to ask, "have you clicked anything since I last asked you to do ZZZ?" If they had informed us of everything they did we could have followed along. With your video in addition to your audio this is not nearly the problem it was there though there were times when I glanced away from the screen while watching your video and when I looked back I didn't quite know where you were in Audacity. Because of my experiences in the support area, now when I am teaching someone how to do something on a computer I provide a detailed, running commentary on every little thing I am doing; within reason of course

That is absolutely true Tim and an excellent idea. I know how frustrate I get when trying to follow someone and they go too fast because THEY know where they are going but I don't! A running commentary would help a lot and I'll do more of that in future videos or when I redo current ones to make them up to date. Thanks again for the compliments and I am very very glad they have helped people make more and (hopefully) better recordings for LibriVox. Keep recording! we have a lot more PD books to go ....

[hognip]

So I don't want to suck.

No one wants to suck. I am doing this just to help out a good cause. I suppose if I'm that bad, someone will say something and then I'll figure out another way to help.

[carolb]

... I am doing this just to help out a good cause ...

Your joining us is much appreciated, and no-one will criticize your performance unless you specifically ask for 'CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM'
We all feel there is room for improvement in ourselves, but the forum is full of help and guidance, and reading this sub-forum is useful.

Excellent tips in how not to suck can be found here

Carol

[ej400]

Nobody sucks on Librivox!!!


Just saying when everyone help's, it makes a diffrence.

Nobody suck's on Librivox

[Cori]

I thought this advice to a struggling writer was wonderful -- resonates with so many of the things that have been said in this thread. Just replace 'writing' with 'recording', 'editing' etc.

http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/09/ask-polly-should-i-just-give-up-on-my-writing.html?mid=twitter-share-thecut
(Note: sweary in places.)

There's a reason a lot of your successful friends are "lovely odd ducks for whom you’d never predict bonkers mainstream success." Those are people who do the work they love passionately, who bring the full force of their personalities to every project, and the world embraces them with equal passion. Those are not people who are trying to "connect" with some imagined audience. They're [...] weirdos who are foisting their weird creations on the world without apology.

You can't try to "reach" some imagined mob of [dipsticks], molding your work to match their [dipsticky] tastes. Be a lovely odd duck instead, one who hardly notices if people are booing or cheering.

[vanarp]

I have a question about one comment that was posted here (some pages before)

I'll just do my best and if I really really suck, someone awesome can re-record my chapters

If someone re-records your chapter, does it become part of a new collection or is it the same book?

Like if a book has ten chapters spoken by ten people and someone re-records chapter 5. Does that give us two new books with only difference being fifth chapter?

[annise]

No , in a few rare cases we have alternate chapters by different readers in the one book. There are a number of reasons this can happen , it's not something we aim for and it needs a good reason for it to happen.
But it is an LV rule that the same recording is not in our catalogue twice.

Anne