COMPLETE Ghost and Horror Story Collection Vol. 057 - rap

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18060
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

Ghost and Horror Short Story Collection Vol. 057

This project is complete and all audio files can be found in the catalogue: https://librivox.org/short-ghost-and-horror-collection-057-by-various/
  1. How to submit a story, and 'how it all works' here
    Please select and record any short ghost or horror story in English in the public domain (up to about 74 minutes, so as to fit in an audio CD, or if longer, split in parts). There is no need to "sign-up" before recording, as long as the work is clearly in the public domain. If you have any doubts, feel free to ask. Multiple versions are always welcome, so don't worry whether someone else has recorded your selection already; we're happy to hear your version too. :)

    A ghost or horror story should have something of an otherworldly or gruesome nature at its core. Take a look at the various collections in this forum and decide which collection your story would work best in.
    .
  2. New to recording?
    Please read the Newbie Guide to Recording and do a short test recording just to make sure that all your settings are OK. Read this post carefully and refer back to it. It has all the information you need to submit a recording successfully.
    .
  3. Is there a deadline?
    No. This collection will be open until it is full (20 stories have been submitted), at which point another one may be started.
    .
  4. Where can I find horror and ghost stories?
    A good source for ghost and horror stories is https://web.archive.org/web/20141105215835/http://www.classichorrorstories.com/. Of course there will also be bunches on Gutenberg.

    You can also find suggestions in this forum post.

    Please note that a lot of Lovecraft's work is still under copyright - there's a thread here that has an up-to-date list of confirmed PD stories.

    Previous Short Ghost and Horror Collections can be found here - duplicate versions are fine, though not in the same volume.
    .
  5. BEFORE recording:

    Set your recording software to:
    Bit Rate: 128 kbps
    Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz (44100 Hz)
    Channels: 1 (Mono)
    .
  6. DURING recording:
    Leave no more than 0.5-1 second of silence at the beginning of your file.
    Make sure you add this to the beginning and end of your recording:
    Start of recording (Intro)
    • "[Story title] by [Author name]. - 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], [adding if you wish: location / date]"
    • Say:
      "[Story title] by [Author name]."
    End of recording
    • At the end of the section, say:
      End of [Story Title]"
    • If you wish, and haven't already, say:
      "Recording by [your name], [adding if you wish: location / date]"
    Please leave 5 seconds silence at the end of your recording!
    .
  7. AFTER recording:
    • Need noise-cleaning?
      Listen to your file through headphones. If you can hear some background noise, you may want to clean it up a bit (optional). Audacity (Mac/Win) offers a much improved noise-cleaning function. See this LibriVox wiki page for a complete guide.
      .
    • Save files as 128 kbps MP3
      File Name: (lower case, separated by underscores):
      ghohor057_shorttitleinoneword-noarticles_authorslastname_readersinitials_128kb.mp3, e.g. ghohor057_roomintower_benson_ce_128kb.mp3
      .
    • ID3 tags
      Not needed for this project. (You may put "Recorded by [your name]" in the comments section if you wish)
    .
  8. Transfer of files (completed recordings)
    • Upload your file with the LibriVox Uploader:
      http://librivox.org/login/uploader
      Image
      (If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin)
      You'll need to select the MC, which for this project is: Rapunzelina
      .
    • If this doesn't work, or you have questions, please check our How To Send Your Recording wiki page.
      .
    • When your upload is complete, you will receive a link. Please click "Post Reply" at the top left of this thread, and post the link there, including the following information:
      • The title and author of the work.
      • A link to the text that you used.
      • The length of your recording in minutes and seconds mm:ss
      • If this is your first recording for LibriVox, please give us your name as you'd like it to appear in the catalog (that is, either your real name or some pseudonym). We can also link to a personal web site/blog.
Any questions?
Please post below or PM me.

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
Grothmann
Posts: 1520
Joined: March 20th, 2017, 2:44 pm

Post by Grothmann »

Good evening:

The Scarlet Night
By William Sanford
From Weird Tales March, 1923
Read by Dale Grothmann
Time 14:30

Audio at:
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_scarletnight_sanford_dg_128kb.mp3

Text at:
https://archive.org/details/WeirdTalesV01n01192303/page/n139/mode/2up

(Thank you for finishing up the last volume before Halloween night. It was my gift at the Halloween party (on thumb drive) a hit of the evening.)

Thanks
Dale
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18060
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

Grothmann wrote: November 2nd, 2021, 9:24 pm (Thank you for finishing up the last volume before Halloween night. It was my gift at the Halloween party (on thumb drive) a hit of the evening.)
the timing could have probably been better, rather than last minute, but I'm glad it worked for you :D
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18060
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

Another hair-raising story! Thank you Dale, The Scarlet Night is PL OK!
ccarnahan
Posts: 4
Joined: October 13th, 2021, 10:34 am

Post by ccarnahan »

rafeball
Posts: 88
Joined: June 28th, 2018, 8:47 am

Post by rafeball »

This one has been languishing, half-edited, on my hard drive for months due to work - finally finished it! This was a response to a request in Book Suggestions (that for the life of me I can't now locate) for the 'extended' version of Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton's "The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain", which has a considerable extra amount of content to the existing Librivox versions - so much so that it had to be split into two parts! I hope we can mark it as 'Extended Version' in the catalogue to distinguish it?

The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain (Extended Version)
By Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Read by Rafe Ball
Part 1 Time: 51:37
Part 2 Time: 1:00:34

Audio:
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_houseandbrainpt1_bulwer-lytton_rb_128kb.mp3
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_houseandbrainpt2_bulwer-lytton_rb_128kb.mp3

Text:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/17953/17953-h/17953-h.htm#VI
Dudegee
Posts: 25
Joined: November 3rd, 2021, 3:50 pm

Post by Dudegee »

Hi. It's my first time. I'm super excited.

The Most Horrible Story
by John W. Jakes
Read by Dustin Pete
Time 09:50

Audio
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_mosthorriblestory_jakes_dp_128kb.mp3

Text
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65727/pg65727-images.html
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18060
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

ccarnahan wrote: November 4th, 2021, 4:28 pm https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_thedeadsmile_crawford_cnc_128kb.mp3

The Dead Smile by Francis Marion Crawford

Text Link:
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/40386/pg40386-images.html

58 min 34 sec

Colleen
Thank you for your recording, Colleen! Very nice work!! PL OK!

rafeball wrote: November 5th, 2021, 10:52 am This one has been languishing, half-edited, on my hard drive for months due to work - finally finished it! This was a response to a request in Book Suggestions (that for the life of me I can't now locate) for the 'extended' version of Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton's "The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain", which has a considerable extra amount of content to the existing Librivox versions - so much so that it had to be split into two parts! I hope we can mark it as 'Extended Version' in the catalogue to distinguish it?

The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain (Extended Version)
By Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Read by Rafe Ball
Part 1 Time: 51:37
Part 2 Time: 1:00:34

Audio:
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_houseandbrainpt1_bulwer-lytton_rb_128kb.mp3
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_houseandbrainpt2_bulwer-lytton_rb_128kb.mp3

Text:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/17953/17953-h/17953-h.htm#VI
Hi Rafe! I'm glad you found the time to complete this! All perfect except that there is a longer pause in part 2, around 4:17. Part 1 is PL OK!

Dudegee wrote: November 7th, 2021, 1:01 am Hi. It's my first time. I'm super excited.

The Most Horrible Story
by John W. Jakes
Read by Dustin Pete
Time 09:50

Audio
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_mosthorriblestory_jakes_dp_128kb.mp3

Text
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65727/pg65727-images.html
Hi, Dustin! Welcome to Librivox and the Ghost and Horror Collection!
Congratulations on your first recording! Very well done! It is PL OK and thank you for offering it to the collection.

Here is your Reader page in the catalogue: https://librivox.org/reader/16838 which you can also access from your name-link in the Magic Windows. It lists the projects you read for, and can also help you keep track of your sections in ongoing projects under the "Reader Section Details" link.
camryneli527
Posts: 16
Joined: October 28th, 2021, 6:20 pm

Post by camryneli527 »

Hi! This is my first recording!

The Dangerous Scarecrow
by Carl Jacobi
Read by Camryn Blakely
Time 14:52

Audio
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor_dangerscare_jacobi_cb_128kb.mp3

Text
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/66394/pg66394-images.html
rafeball
Posts: 88
Joined: June 28th, 2018, 8:47 am

Post by rafeball »

Rapunzelina wrote: November 7th, 2021, 8:33 am Hi Rafe! I'm glad you found the time to complete this! All perfect except that there is a longer pause in part 2, around 4:17. Part 1 is PL OK!
Thanks Rapunzelina - don't know how I missed that! Re-uploaded with gap closed up, new run time 1:00:22.

https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_houseandbrainpt2_bulwer-lytton_rb_128kb.mp3
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18060
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

camryneli527 wrote: November 7th, 2021, 10:30 am Hi! This is my first recording!

The Dangerous Scarecrow
by Carl Jacobi
Read by Camryn Blakely
Time 14:52

Audio
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor_dangerscare_jacobi_cb_128kb.mp3

Text
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/66394/pg66394-images.html
Welcome here, Camryn!! :clap:

The reading itself is great - no errors there - but we need to fix some mp3 tech specs. Will you be able to change the bitrate to Constant 128 kbps? If you are using Audacity, this is set when you export as mp3. In the Export window, check the Format Options and choose "Constant" for Bit Rate Mode, and "128 kbps" for Quality. Once you click Save, Audacity retains the same options for future uploads, too.

The volume is a bit on the soft side. I would suggest some Amplification, maybe about 5dB. After amplification, probably a pass of noise-reduction would be good, if the background noise is also amplified. Let me know if you're on Audacity, and I'll give you more detailed advice on amplification and noise-reduction, if you need it :D
Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18060
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

rafeball wrote: November 8th, 2021, 1:57 am
Thanks Rapunzelina - don't know how I missed that! Re-uploaded with gap closed up, new run time 1:00:22.

https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor058_houseandbrainpt2_bulwer-lytton_rb_128kb.mp3
Spot-checked and OK! Thank you, Rafe! :thumbs:
camryneli527
Posts: 16
Joined: October 28th, 2021, 6:20 pm

Post by camryneli527 »

Rapunzelina
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 18060
Joined: November 15th, 2011, 3:47 am

Post by Rapunzelina »

Thank you for your recording, Camryn!
This one has the tech specs correct, but the volume is still too soft for comfort (would need about 6 dB amplification).

I am going to list a few instructional resources for Audacity, if you feel like watching

For amplifying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_z607awyLw
If you have spikes that don't allow the necessary amplification, here's the compressor effect shown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fKYYj6HMZU
And if by amplifying you get noticeable background noise, here's the Noise Reduction effect shown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvhqw7zBmEo

To know by how much you need to amplify, you can either go by the eye, or by the decibels.
The visual hint in Audacity for good volume is when the waveform peaks above the 0.5 mark:
Image
To measure by decibels, the Checker can help https://wiki.librivox.org/index.php?title=Checker it is a tool that checks mp3 files for tech specs, volume, etc, and here's the video that explains it in detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKVOYsaDoRo

Would you like to try to fix both your files so far and then re-upload?
Ansam
Posts: 253
Joined: June 23rd, 2012, 5:01 am
Location: Leeds, West York's, England

Post by Ansam »

Hi Rapunzelina, Just a short one from the 'ten Minute stories by Algernon Blackwood'. My ten minutes are a bit longer than Mr Blackwood's reading pace.
https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/ghohor057_deferedapointment_blackwood_as_128kb.mp3

Source:
http://algernonblackwood.org/Z-files/Deferred_Appointment.pdf
Time:
16m 48s
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