[HUMOROUS ESSAYS] The Powder of Sympathy, by Christopher Morley - icequeen

[Winnifred]

I’d like to read Section 37, Maxims and Minims.

It's yours.

Thanks,

[tshoes76]

Thanks, W. In the meantime, I saw the Section Numbers and put a new front and back end on Section 27, Midsummer in Salamis.

https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_27_morley_128kb.mp3

[Winnifred]

Thanks, W. In the meantime, I saw the Section Numbers and put a new front and back end on Section 27, Midsummer in Salamis.

https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_27_morley_128kb.mp3

Thanks so much! Ready for PL (and correctly named).

Cheers,

[BetsyWalker]

Thanks, W. In the meantime, I saw the Section Numbers and put a new front and back end on Section 27, Midsummer in Salamis.
https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_27_morley_128kb.mp3

Hi Tom -

Very nicely read. My only comments have to do with the length of pauses.

--The longest one is 54 seconds before you start. It should not be more than 1.5 seconds at the beginning.
--After that at 1:23 there is a 4 second pause between the chapter title and the text
--Then at 8:31 another 4 second pause between paragraphs

The two 4 second pauses are not really "wrong", but leave the listener wondering for just a bit. Perhaps our Admin will advise that no adjustments are needed for those.

Betsy

[Winnifred]

Thanks, W. In the meantime, I saw the Section Numbers and put a new front and back end on Section 27, Midsummer in Salamis.
https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_27_morley_128kb.mp3

Hi Tom -

Very nicely read. My only comments have to do with the length of pauses.

--The longest one is 54 seconds before you start. It should not be more than 1.5 seconds at the beginning.
--After that at 1:23 there is a 4 second pause between the chapter title and the text
--Then at 8:31 another 4 second pause between paragraphs

The two 4 second pauses are not really "wrong", but leave the listener wondering for just a bit. Perhaps our Admin will advise that no adjustments are needed for those.

Betsy

Opening silence must be between 0.5 and 1 second (I believe 1 1/2 would be too long).

The general wisdom seems to be that silences between paragraphs shouldn't be more than 2 seconds, and even less within paragraphs. Fifty-four seconds is an awfully long time to wait for a story to start. Some listeners would assume there's something wrong with the recording and give up. Four seconds between paragraphs would also leave the listener wondering.

Just a nitpicky note about terminology. Flattered as I am to be called an admin, I'm not actually one. Yes, I'm the book coordinator (BC) on this project, but I'm merely another volunteer like you. Admins are a higher level of volunteer on Librivox and there's only a few of them. The admin here would be Ann (Icequeen) who is meta coordinator (MC) on this project, and she'd likely only weigh in if I didn't have an answer to your questions (or gave a wrong one ). But hey, you can call me whatever you'd like. As long as you know the truth...

Cheers,

[BetsyWalker]

Opening silence must be between 0.5 and 1 second (I believe 1 1/2 would be too long).
The general wisdom seems to be that silences between paragraphs shouldn't be more than 2 seconds, and even less within paragraphs. Fifty-four seconds is an awfully long time to wait for a story to start. Some listeners would assume there's something wrong with the recording and give up. Four seconds between paragraphs would also leave the listener wondering.
Just a nitpicky note about terminology. Flattered as I am to be called an admin, I'm not actually one. Yes, I'm the book coordinator (BC) on this project, but I'm merely another volunteer like you. Admins are a higher level of volunteer on Librivox and there's only a few of them. The admin here would be Ann (Icequeen) who is meta coordinator (MC) on this project, and she'd likely only weigh in if I didn't have an answer to your questions (or gave a wrong one ). But hey, you can call me whatever you'd like. As long as you know the truth...
Cheers,

Thanks for this feedback, Winnifred! -Betsy

[BetsyWalker]

Section 24 is ready for PL: https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_24_morley_128kb.mp3 (4:25)
Cheers,

Well read - PL Okay - Betsy

[tshoes76]

Thanks to both of you. This is a lot of fun!

I don’t know if you wanted me to do this, but I went back to the recording and tightened up the long pauses you noted, as well as some others. I didn’t make any other changes; no new words or recordings.



https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_27_morley_128kb_v2.mp3

[tshoes76]

Well, I read another one, Section 37, and tried to edit it to eliminate long silences. I think it may come from my stopping-and-starting technique, which needs work. I also am trying not to actually pause as long between chapters or topics. Anyway, here you go:

The length of this recording is 29:44.

https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_37_morley_128kb_v2.mp3

[Winnifred]

Thanks to both of you. This is a lot of fun!

I don’t know if you wanted me to do this, but I went back to the recording and tightened up the long pauses you noted, as well as some others. I didn’t make any other changes; no new words or recordings.



https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_27_morley_128kb_v2.mp3

Yes, it is fun, isn't it?

I believe that was the correction needed, so you're good. Please note that the file must be named exactly as set out in the first post and not changed, no matter how often you submit it (so it would be powderofsympathy_27_morley_128kb only; no "_v2" please).

This is now ready for spot PL. If there are any further changes needed, you can correct the file name when you reupload (if there aren't any, we'll ask our MC to fix that).

Thanks,

[Winnifred]

Well, I read another one, Section 37, and tried to edit it to eliminate long silences. I think it may come from my stopping-and-starting technique, which needs work. I also am trying not to actually pause as long between chapters or topics. Anyway, here you go:

The length of this recording is 29:44.

https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_37_morley_128kb_v2.mp3

Again, no _v2 in the name, please. The MCs have their own methods of differentiating between submissions, and there's no risk of overwriting your own earlier files accidentally (though if you give it the wrong number, you do risk overwriting someone else's file!)

Same deal as above for the file name.

On the stopping-and-starting, there's nothing wrong with letting your recording just run on and on while you try multiple versions of the same sentences/phrases/words, then just delete the ones you don't like in editing. That's how most of us work, I believe. It's better to let the recording continue no matter what's going on, if you can, as room noise can change significantly if you stop recording and then restart. And no harm in stopping for extended periods of time whenever you like (for throat clearing, a drink, to allow a noise to pass by, etc.) provided you remember to trim it in editing.

Ready for PL!

Perhaps you'd like to claim another section?

Cheers,

[tshoes76]

Good guidance! Other than the “v2,” was the file naming correct? I think it was … but …

I’d like to claim Section 28, The Story of Ginger Cubes …

[Winnifred]

Good guidance! Other than the “v2,” was the file naming correct? I think it was … but …

I’d like to claim Section 28, The Story of Ginger Cubes …

Yes, that was the only thing. Filename is otherwise just fine.

And you have Section 28, thanks!

Cheers,

[BetsyWalker]

Well, I read another one, Section 37, and tried to edit it to eliminate long silences. I think it may come from my stopping-and-starting technique, which needs work. I also am trying not to actually pause as long between chapters or topics. Anyway, here you go:
The length of this recording is 29:44.
https://librivox.org/uploads/icequeen/powderofsympathy_37_morley_128kb_v2.mp3

MY ERROR HERE. THIS COMMENT BELOW DOES NOT APPLY TO SECTION 37, BUT TO THE EARLIER ONE WITH THE LONG PAUSES. SORRY.

Good pause fixes. I only checked the ones I mentioned as I didn't have time to re-listen to it all. But I'm sure it's good now. - Betsy

[ecase25]

May I claim section 40: Intellectuals and Roughnecks?