Hi, you all. Please sign up here if you wanna do a 'voice/reading exhange'.
(Please see end comments in the "read you a story" post just below the Dale post below.)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Update on our voices
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40 comments:
I'd love to, Robin. Hard to find time this week with the whole getting married and going on a honeymoon thing.
Hard to find time this week with the whole getting married and going on a honeymoon thing.
Honestly — some people!
I'm in for Thursday & await instructions. Will sort out a variety of snippets ranging from Butter Wouldn't Melt to Vileness Incarnate.
Hey, Sarah. No worries (and congrats again, by the way!)
I bet we do this again.
Whirl, you have a really cool idea here.
I think so far, it's:
Whirl
Robin
Pete
Who else?
P.S. Before I forget - if you wanna do one and you don't have a blog - phoenix-and-ril yype people - no problemo.
We'll post those suckers right here if you'd like.
Sarah!! Congratulations - fantastic news!
Robin - I'm one of those people who reads very well in their head but trips over their tongue and causes accidents out loud! Just speaking ties me in knots sometimes! On the other hand I love listening to people reading so I love this idea but I'll sit out the actual making the noises part.
But I'll be tuning in!
I'll play.
If I can figure out how to do it I will.
I'm interested, but I'm still trying to work out how to do it. My mac recordings don't seem to be compatible with anything else in the world, sigh.
Managed it after another self-taught crash course in computer science. Podbean, thanks WO.
Do you need a mic to do podbean?
Is that an incredibly stupid question?
I just don't want to post another video if I can do audio alone.
I'd like to join in. If someone can help me with podbean that would be cool. Otherwise it'll have to be YouTube again and another picture of my lamp. Or something.
I'm game, but first I need to go buy a set of proper headphones. My voice is almost back.
Soon, everyone will know what a retarded hillbilly really sounds like.
What do we read?
Well, it looks like Pete and Sarah want to do it - but can't this week.
Should we do one this week - or wait until they're both back - and give ourselves time to work out our respective 'sound systems'?
I'm game either way.
You guys let me know.
And whirl - if you feel like it - can you post info on how to use PodBean here?
I may be stuck with begging Blondster to help me with another YouTube, to be honest. I'll try to show something like out garden or something.
PLEASE NOTE:
You really need to go listen to McKay's voice on her blog. I have the link on my sidebar.
It's amazing!!!!!
Hi Robin
There's no special reason why we have to go with this week, I suppose — unless anyone knows of any asteroids heading our way before the weekend.
So shall we wait for Pete & Sarah? Be nice to have them around.
It'll also give us all time to bone up on the technicalities etc.
Meanwhile, I can probably generate an all-purpose Pod guide for any potential podders. I'm away from Chez Whirl right now, but I'll get back to you on this.
And you're right, Mc The Marsupe is a treat.
I agree, Whirl.
Why don't we wait until Pete and Sarah can play with us?
Waiting a bit is no big deal!
Oh- and yes, if you could give us your PodBean how-to tutorial, that would be great!
*managing to whisper a few words between her blushes*
Mac users: my problem was that the type of recording made by the recording software on the Mac was not compatible with Podbean. I snuffled about for an alternative podcaster (or in my case, 'free place to store recording'), but it looked like Podbean really was the best for my purposes, not least because it was free.
So the solution was to download new recording software - preferably free. I found Audacity, which works for both Mac and Windows, and with the help of an add-on widget, can produce MP3s, which Podbean can handle. And it's free. Small complication in that Audacity didn't mention the widget in the big print. However, when I tried to save my recording as an MP3, I got a message saying I needed a widget, which was simple to download from the Audacity site. Now I'm rolling. Uploading to Podbean was simple once I had my end sorted out.
Thanks McK — I'm using Audacity plus widget too.
I'll pop this in the tutorial — but souffle of real world stuff means this probably won't happen till Friday now.
In the mean time, people can decide how to proceed.
If you've already used YouTube or the Google Vid thingy and want to stick with it, then you're sorted already.
If you want to go with PodBean, first thing you need to know is whether you can record and save files in MP3 format — the universal sound format for music downloads etc. If you have a cell phone, likely as not it will save your dictated memoes (heh) in MP3 format so you're already sorted. If not, it may be that you already have a sound suite on your computer that will do the job via a microphone. If not, download Audacity and the widget and install both.
Aud:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Widge:
http://lame.buanzo.com.ar/
Audacity installs like a regular program — principally because it is a regular program. In addition to helping us with our task, it can also record all your old LPs — plus pets.
The widget is actually a compressed Zip file which you need to open up. Most versions of Windows can jemmy this with ease. Save the file lame_enc.dll that it contains to your desktop and await further instructions. You may even wish to dress up as Tom Cruise.
Finally, set up a Podbean account at http://www.podbean.com/. This provides you with the sound equivalent of Blogger, and unless you hide yourself away, you will be visible to other Podbean enthusiasts. So, once you've thought of a hip alias and done all the necessary admin, click on Publish A Podcast, Settings and tick the Friends Only box at the top.
Knickers. While I'm here I might as well tell you the rest. Put breakfast on hold, I say.
So - if you've followed the instructions up to here, you have a PodBean account and a means of recording your own voice to generate MP3 files. Medals to follow.
To record a sound:
1) Make sure your mike is enabled in Audacity in the top right selection box.
2) Click Record and perform a test run.
3) In file menu, select Save As MP3. First time you do this, you will be asked where your Lame widget file is. Invent a folder somewhere in Audacity and put lame_enc.dll there. Then save your file. Presto.
Using PodBean:
Once you've done that, you log on to your Podbean account and upload the file. To do this, click Publish A Podcast, and you'll be led to your PodBean dashboard. So, upload the file from your computer, then click Publish and follow the instructions. This part is effectively the same thing as sticking up a Blog post.
Now the slightly tricky part. At the moment, your file resides with PodBean. To make it appear in your Podbean "blog post" (hidden from others if you've ticked Frieds Only as instructed), you need to click on Manage. This brings up a window where you will see the file you've just uploaded and published. Clicking on Embed Code reveals four options — go with 1st (white) or 2 (black). This will generate some text which you will need to cut & paste into Notepad. Save it as a text file for now. When Robin requests your voice recordings, this is what you will send — not the original MP3 sound file.
If this looks lengthy, it's because I've tried to cover all angles to usher people away from Goof Central. Once you're up and running it's no more difficult than using Blogger. Any queries, email me over at my blog.
Thanks, whirlochre.
It looks horribly complicated but if I take it step by step and breathe slowly and deeply I shouldn't have more than one panic attack along the way.
Seriously, thanks!
Wow, what a neat idea. I need to dig through dusty boxes to find hardware bits like a microphone or something. Assuming that works, I'm happy to join in. Especially if I don't need a blog (yes, I do HAVE a blog but I'm not sure how to integrate video into a handwritten notebook)
Hey Whirl-
Thanks for all the good help!
And glad you're here, Sylvia. My plan is - those that wanna play and can't use/don't have a blog- can post theirs on this blog in a section I'll set up for "just such an occasion". I think it will be a week or so- because we want to wait until Pete and Sarah can play as well.
SO glad you want to do this!
Hmm. If it's going to be a week, or two, or three... Maybe I'll sum up the courage to play too...
Maybe.
Go, ril! Would be intrigued to hear your voice. No pressure to be funny. None at all.
Knickers indeed, WO. That's nice and clear. FH, it won't even take that long.
ril,
Seriously!!!! I mean...????
This makes me very happy. Very.
We can do this after Sarah gets back from her honeymoon, and Pete's family vacation is finished.
I'm gonna be home the weekend of the 4th of July- but in Manhattan the weekend of the 11th-12th-13th of July.
So- if we can't all be here to do this on the Saturday or Sunday, the 5th or 6th of July - could we do it on Thursday the 10th of July?
Is this timeline do-able for everyone?
Here's who I believe we have thus far:
Whirl
Pete
Sarah
Arlyle
Robin
FH
Kiersten
Julie
Sylvia
McKay
ril
And didn't Freddie mention yes?
And I think Chris is in as well.
So- we need a date that works for all.
How do the above date ideas work for everyone? Thursday July 10th affords the most time for each of us to learn how to do this.
Game on?
Also- I bet BT will be up for it when he gets back.
Paca as well??
Yeah, July 10 gives me enough time to write a script, get into character (I do Method, so takes longer), rehearse and start drinking again.
Ha!
Did you see that Whirl had the idea of, essentially, reading eahc other's work?
Do you wanna try one of your own first, as a kind of test run here?
Test run?
Nah, I'm like Brando: One take and I'm in the can. Uh, it's in the can.
I'm just imagining one of your, ah, saltier passages read in a male, British accent and it's cracking me up already...
Well, that does it then.
I'll get one of my extra salties ready for you to read. Deal?
I'm goin' to bed now.
See you all in the morning.
And also, please cross your fingers for me that the weather stays nice around here - because tomorrow I'm going on a staff retreat - sailing on the Chesapeake Bay - with an open bar at hand (and headed toward mouth).
...(and headed toward mouth).
From which direction?
Hope you're a good sailor; hear it's going to be rough tomorrow.
G'night.
I'm away on hols after the 12th but I'm ready to go any time prior to that.
Think of me like the Fantastic Four, sat at the top of the Baxter Building in that 4-man glidey whizzy thing, waiting to be fired at Galactus.
It's great to see so many people on board for this.
I'm in. Does it have to be on one particular day or can we have say a two or three-day window, like we get with EE to submit exercises?
The 10th? Um OK. Have to figure out if this laptop has a mike or not.
Hi you all - Just got back in from the day's retreat.
Drinking wine on a boat in the hot sun can be a bit interesting after a while, but I'm feeling better now. And it was really a fun day.
Anyway - Sarah, if you don't have a mike, I hope you can get one!
FH - It'd be fun if we could do these on the 10th, but if you want or need to go a day ro so earlier or later - no problem- but will you post a note here so everyone knows when it goes up?
I'll be out of town from the 11th-13th of July, and Whirl said he's leaving on the 12th, so hopefully we can all get squared away before then?
If I can't get the PodBean figured out, I'm gonna ask Blondster to help me do another YouTube.
Yeah, I'll have to do a video, too.
Robin, did you know you can transfer video straight from your computer to blogger? You don't have to go through YouTube, unless you want to.
Hey Kiersten,
No - I didn't know that - thanks for the heads-up on that
How do I do it? (I'm using Blondster's Mac to record my voice. Does it matter if it's not using a camcorder?)
I can probably manage the 10th, unless I get too hung up on technical problems.
I tried uploading video direct to Blogger but it didn't work for me: it just hung. I'm sure it's meant to be possible though.
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