[DMFA Radio] - Radio Series Project - RoDP work-in-progress Jun 2013

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I have a question...does Email cause the .wav to become damaged or unsavible? If so, then I guess I can't send any voice samples. If not, then is it Ok if I give you voice samples over the email?

A secondary consideration is that wav tends to be large. If you zip it, it'll compress reasonably well, and that means it'll take a sight less time to upload on your end, and download on the recipients end.

Feel free to drop me an email with files attached, though.

[Tapewolf]

Y'all need a new Abel?  o_o

Uh.... I'd be interested.  Should I just go about recording his lines from AS 70-80, or shall I just fine whatever dialog I like and submit a few snippets?

70-80 is the acid test, IMHO although a shorter run would be Abel's debut in 424-426.

http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/dmfa_424e.wav.mp3
Thinking about it I'm not sure I ever released the Kaos version of this - be that as it may I'd like to rerecord the score on the Triton anyhow...

One thing that does make me a tad nervous was this:

Not that I'm against a DMFA project, I just can't be effed to get around to doing my necessary lines in the Voice Jack thread over at Dave's forum (Where I get to play Jack no less ), so I'm not about to devote myself to yet another project that I'll end up putting off.

...does that still hold?  I don't mind delays, but we've already lost two Abels and I don't want to have to do this again

A secondary consideration is that wav tends to be large. If you zip it, it'll compress reasonably well, and that means it'll take a sight less time to upload on your end, and download on the recipients end.

If you're using Audacity, I believe that can output files in FLAC format, which is nice, as it's reasonably small yet higher quality than MP3.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I intended to put up mp3 and wav, and only tell you where the wav was. :-]

[Goatmon]

http://www.box.net/shared/pg0jk5i226

Here's Abel's first three pages in DMFA, as suggested by Tapewolf.  I'm working on the pages from Abel's Story, but I'm very tired and going to bed in a minute.  And in response to Tapewolf's query, I'll say this: I've been getting bored at the Jack version of this thread largely because interest in it has quickly begun to fade.  I've been wanting to do a full arc with the other forumites, but it's been troublesome getting other people in on it to do their necessary part, and so nothing has really come of it.  There have been some really cool scenes recorded and edited together, but nothing large-scale.

I tend to get bored very easily when I don't have input from other people to keep me "refreshed" so to speak.  I don't really see that happening here, so I don't suppose it'll be nearly as much of a problem keeping my interest.  Especially if I get to voice my favorite character. ^^

[rabid_fox]

I did some Abel. My voice still ain't 100%, so excuse that.

I kind of went for a different approach - a chirpy sort of Abel, which may contrast with the slightly sly and thoughtful sounding Abels I've heard so far. I've always found him quite offhand and blasé in his speech, can't imagine him doing the "Cool slow drawl". Still, a change is as good as a rest and it's good to hear a variety. Just a couple of pages from when Abel first meets Dan. Let me know how you find 'em.

http://rapidshare.com/files/31471671/abel.wav.html

Also, I should have a better mic very soon. A very, very good mic. £350 worth of mic.

[Fuyudenki]

Think I like Goatmon's rendition of Abel better than Rabid Fox's, right now.  Don't get me wrong, RF, your voice is great for Devin, but it doesn't seem to quite fit Abel.  I don't know why...

This is the part of the story where I show up and submit my samples.

DMFA 424-426
Abel's Story 70-80(I see why this is the acid test, that's a lot of tricky lines to get right.)

And a sample Pip voice.

For the Abel clips, I really hate the throaty quality in my voice, as if I've got a balloon stuck in my throat.

I wonder if, since Abel's first 5 or so years were spent in the same town as Devin, and probably Xander, if he should have a hint of an Irish accent to him as well, though not as much as the locals, since he's also spent 20 years in Xinvth, and then another 270-sum years at SAIA.

[rabid_fox]

You know, I still haven't gotten on to my sister. Mostly because I've lost my phone. Those things are too small to keep up. Abel's going to be a hotly contested role, ain't he?

[Fuyudenki]

oh, doubtless.  They did say "The spot for the most popular character in DMFA is open," did they not?

In any case, I think it's probably best if as many people as possible audition, because then, Tapewolf can have a large bowl of contestants to choose the best evar from.

Think I like my Pip a lot better than I like my Abel.  I've tried distorting Abel's voice away from my own, but the distortion is always GLARINGLY OBVIOUS.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

You know, I still haven't gotten on to my sister. Mostly because I've lost my phone. Those things are too small to keep up. Abel's going to be a hotly contested role, ain't he?

He usually is.

I think last time around I dumped in a test, and got laughed at. :-) Perhaps that was Ink, though...

[Fuyudenki]

Ink sounds like Legato, from Trigun to me.  I should see if any of the strips he's in are on the radio site.

[rabid_fox]

As the old song goes, "Rashers of bacon and rashers of bacon and rashers of bacon and they're all for me".

Ayuh. I think you're right about my voice not quite hitting the right harmonics for Abel. I can deliver the lines just fine, but it just ain't Abel. That said though...Pyroduck. Pryoduck could work.

[Tapewolf]

http://www.box.net/shared/pg0jk5i226

Here's Abel's first three pages in DMFA, as suggested by Tapewolf.  I'm working on the pages from Abel's Story, but I'm very tired and going to bed in a minute.  And in response to Tapewolf's query, I'll say this: I've been getting bored at the Jack version of this thread largely because interest in it has quickly begun to fade.  I've been wanting to do a full arc with the other forumites, but it's been troublesome getting other people in on it to do their necessary part, and so nothing has really come of it.  There have been some really cool scenes recorded and edited together, but nothing large-scale.

I tend to get bored very easily when I don't have input from other people to keep me "refreshed" so to speak.  I don't really see that happening here, so I don't suppose it'll be nearly as much of a problem keeping my interest.  Especially if I get to voice my favorite character. ^^

Heh.  Well, to be frank the project has had its ups and downs.  The SAIA arc is more-or-less hanging on Pip and some replacement lines for Fa'Lina (must contact Blade), but apart from that it's about ready to be assembled as an episode.

As for your recording, it's good except for the "what's this for?"  part where it's popped.  I might be able to rescue that for the purposes of a demo but it will need to be rerecorded for the final version.

Think I like Goatmon's rendition of Abel better than Rabid Fox's, right now.  Don't get me wrong, RF, your voice is great for Devin, but it doesn't seem to quite fit Abel.  I don't know why...

I think it's because he sounds too much like Devin 

This is the part of the story where I show up and submit my samples.
And a sample Pip voice.

Wow.  That's about as near a drop-in replacement for Slip as I could hope for.  The gargling attack sound in particular (I can't do that)!

Abel's Story 70-80(I see why this is the acid test, that's a lot of tricky lines to get right.)

Really I want to see how well people can do a nervous breakdown.  Yours is kind of flat-sounding.  It's fine for him showing Dan around the Academy, but quite simply, it doesn't tell me that Abel has just seen two friends brutally murdered.  Perhaps I overdid it in my rendition, but that's what I was expecting.  Like the Palantir sequence in the BBC's version of Lord of the Rings.

In any case, I think it's probably best if as many people as possible audition, because then, Tapewolf can have a large bowl of contestants to choose the best evar from.

You know, I never really wanted to be in charge of this thing    I'm just not very good at project management.  So, particularly with something like this, I like to do it democratically.   When we've got enough candidates I'll go with the most popular, probably put up the highlights and run a poll like we did with Doctor Ink.

That said, my money's on Goatmon at the moment.

Think I like my Pip a lot better than I like my Abel.  I've tried distorting Abel's voice away from my own, but the distortion is always GLARINGLY OBVIOUS.

I must admit, I've got to agree with that myself.

[Fuyudenki]

I guess you've got your new Pip, then.  I figured anybody could do Pip, and assumed nobody else had tried because they see him as a minor character.(I know I do!)

If you want, I can take another whack at AS 70-80.  It's ironic that I would have given a flat performance, as I usually try to carry things over the top, but sometimes, I come across something I'm not entirely sure how to do.(suave&sexy, or just-saw-a-friend-die being two of those.)  It's probably because I was just reading the lines, and neglected to remember what a rough day Abel's just been through.

I should be able to go ahead and record whichever comics you need Pip voices for, though.  Is there anything particular you'd like done with the recording quality?  I tried jamming the mic into my cheek to get the "jawbone contact" effect, but that just made it sound mushy.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I should give it a go, just to see how camp I can make it. :-]

.. well, that and it'd amuse me. Give me a week or two to get organised, though...

Edit:

http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/dmfa_424e.wav.mp3
Thinking about it I'm not sure I ever released the Kaos version of this - be that as it may I'd like to rerecord the score on the Triton anyhow...

Along about 1 minute 25 seconds or so, the door closing... sounds like it's just opening, not opening and closing. Not that I'm complaining or anything....


Other than that, listening to everyone's additions... they all seem.. interesting. Not -quite- what I'd see as the tone of voice at that particular time, but... Personally, I think Fuyudenki is probably closest - whilst still having some suggestions for improvements...

Goatmon:
... you skip over the last bit of the lines a little fast, I think. the "so, when does this 'Dan' get here?" - there's a lot of information there that -isn't- supplied, due to it being a comic format. Little things like commas, quotes, etc, tend to get skipped, so there's less instruction on when to take breaks, or where to emphasise, that sort of thing.

On the other hand, the first bit, the muffin bit, I thought was excellent... A few odd tones in the middle stretch, though.


rabid_fox:
... There's a nice hum in the background that you might want to watch out for with the expensive microphone. As with Goatmon, there are places where you talk a little fast... the pauses in the "story of SAIA" bit, for example, and the "let's cut out the drama" bit...


Fuyudenki:
I think you nailed the tone I expected in the DMFA section "cuter in skirts" comment, and with the reaction to it being his fault. :-]

In the AS thing... again, you've done that particularly well, I thought. Particularly since there's a lot of half lines... I -do- think the amulet scene needs a little more hesitancy, as there's a couple of verbal stumbles that you skip on over - but that's minor tuning, I guess...

In Pip... erm. Hmm. Yeah, you're right, he doesn't have lines, per se... :-] As Tapewolf says, though, you did well with it nonetheless...


Lest anyone think I'm leaping in here and simply criticising - I'm trying to offer some helpful hints. This is also just IMHO, so you're welcome to disagree, as well. Heck, if -everyone- disagrees, I'm not going to be upset at all. Well... not very much, anyway. :-]

[superluser]

http://www.box.net/shared/pg0jk5i226

Here's Abel's first three pages in DMFA, as suggested by Tapewolf.

Huh.  Again, I don't think you have the audience quite right.  In 424, Abel has probably walked in and is waiting for Fa'Lina to finish up.  He gets bored and tries to get her attention from across the room.  She's facing away from him and probably not `aware' that he's there.

The ``cuter in skirts'' line should actually be softer than what you have now--they're very close and he's trying to fit in a bon mot.

You have Abel mull over the new roommate line, but I think mull trip should be on the ``anyways, Fa'Lina,'' with him trying to get out the ``new roommate'' line as fast as cubically possible.

The ``When is this Dan going to arrive here?'' line should be...well, I don't know what, but it should sound a little more like he's being shoved out of the room.

I'm being really hard on you because I think you have an excellent voice for the part.

That said, I'm going to try my voice at Abel, not because I have any real desire for the part, but mainly becuse all the cool kids are doing it.

I guess you've got your new Pip, then.  I figured anybody could do Pip, and assumed nobody else had tried because they see him as a minor character.(I know I do!)

Talk to Frank Welker.  He makes his living doing animal voices.

[Goatmon]

Well I appreciate the help, but really, I do the role as I see fit.  If I try too hard to make it sound just right it kind of sucks the fun out of it.  I spent a good five or ten minutes going over the lines until I was satisfied, and the result is what I uploaded earlier this morning.

I've explained already that my attention span isn't my strong point.  When you've got a bad case of ADHD like I do, it becomes necessary to avoid making something seem like work.  When that happens, the fun is gone, and so is my drive to put any effort into it.  Another big part of it, is that I have extremely little experience doing voice work.  This is a fun experience, and I do hope to improve, but I'll ask you to bear with me in the meantime. 

[Tapewolf]

I guess you've got your new Pip, then.  I figured anybody could do Pip, and assumed nobody else had tried because they see him as a minor character.(I know I do!)

Heh.  Slipdance recorded about 1 minute of usable Pip sounds.  I've been reusing them ever since

If you want, I can take another whack at AS 70-80.  It's ironic that I would have given a flat performance, as I usually try to carry things over the top, but sometimes, I come across something I'm not entirely sure how to do.

Yeah, go ahead.  The more the merrier...

I should be able to go ahead and record whichever comics you need Pip voices for, though.  Is there anything particular you'd like done with the recording quality?

It seems okay for what we're doing.  Now, the main piece which I was hoping to have from Slip was #495.  Probably the most dialogue from Pip in the entire strip.  The subsequent strips I managed to assemble from the limited samples I have to hand.

[Fuyudenki]

Fuyudenki:
I think you nailed the tone I expected in the DMFA section "cuter in skirts" comment, and with the reaction to it being his fault. :-]

In the AS thing... again, you've done that particularly well, I thought. Particularly since there's a lot of half lines... I -do- think the amulet scene needs a little more hesitancy, as there's a couple of verbal stumbles that you skip on over - but that's minor tuning, I guess...

Maybe his DMFA situations are easier to get into than his AS situations.  I've got a lifetime's experience being a sarcastic wiseguy, but I've never come home after a funeral, running into an old "friend," discovering said "friend" wasn't actually such a bad guy, and then watching him get viciously killed by a Creature.  Could take a bit if I want to get that right.  Upon further thought, it might turn out better if I did it in multiple takes, instead of one really long one.(took longer typing the lines into Notepad than my other 3 recordings took to record!)

to the other Abel contestants, though!  We've got our feedback.  It's time for round 2, everyone!(that means you, too, rabid_fox!)

Heh.  Slipdance recorded about 1 minute of usable Pip sounds.  I've been reusing them ever since

That's the way to do it, hah!  Actually, to butcher one of Dan's quotes, "That is very strange... yet I'm strangely unsurprised!"

I never said anything about Pip being unimportant, just minor.  Remember, the big picture is just a collection of details.

Now, the main piece which I was hoping to have from Slip was #495.  Probably the most dialogue from Pip in the entire strip.

Oh, that's going to be fun!  I just did a dry read-through.  Think I'll probably end up superimposing some voices.(alternately, I could send them to you raw, so you can get it exactly the way you like it.)

The one thing is that repeatedly saying "kii kiiiii kiki" gets boring and repetitive... and actually, a little hard.  Does anyone have ideas for alternate sounds for a golden drake to make, or was the mumbling I did about 2/3 of the way through my audition acceptable?

[Tapewolf]

Heh.  Slipdance recorded about 1 minute of usable Pip sounds.  I've been reusing them ever since

That's the way to do it, hah!  Actually, to butcher one of Dan's quotes, "That is very strange... yet I'm strangely unsurprised!"

Actually it was more like 30 seconds 

Here's the bulk of them:  http://dmfa.it-he.org/dmfa/pip_slip.wav.mp3
...as you can hear, he makes various 'Kiii' sounds in different intonations but also some sort of mewling sounds (as well as the famous Pip attack.  I could do with more of those, and you seem to have the knack).  For the dialogue at hand, it would be best if we had two separate voices for 'good pip' and 'bad pip', although I can pitch-shift them if need be.

Oh, that's going to be fun!  I just did a dry read-through.  Think I'll probably end up superimposing some voices.(alternately, I could send them to you raw, so you can get it exactly the way you like it.)

I'd prefer them raw so I can play around with the stereo panning.  One on each speaker...

The one thing is that repeatedly saying "kii kiiiii kiki" gets boring and repetitive... and actually, a little hard.  Does anyone have ideas for alternate sounds for a golden drake to make, or was the mumbling I did about 2/3 of the way through my audition acceptable?

Various sort of 'murr' noises, I guess.  See Slip's file.

[techmaster-glitch]

Just thought I'd say something...
In the last thread, there was some talk about how several of your voice actors had some *trouble* with swearing, even mildly. I've heard the Dan: Warrior segment, and how the actor kept saying "heck" instead of "hell" was annoying. Also, someone said in the other thread that some of your actors wouldn't even say "Oh my God". Do pardon me, but
When THAT happens, you know you've got the wrong actors.

So my point, is just a little suggestion. Try to make sure that whoever you get for Abel doesn't have a problem with swearing. It shouldn't be that hard. I might've auditioned for something myself, but I don't have a mic.

[Caswin]

For what it's worth, I'm not sure taking God's name in vain is the best standard for too-wussy-about-swearing... but yeah, when you start hearing "heck" not only as an expletive but start hearing about "the planes of heck" there's a problem.

[Stygian]

I just got my software and things right, and I am completely rigged to go if you need me for any voice parts. I've uploaded a test recording for the demon instructor part too. It's nothing big, just a few seconds reading the lines for that one on the bottom of page 66.

http://rapidshare.com/files/31545050/demon_tryout.wma.html

Now, note that I can sound quite differently from this, if you'd like that. It's just a sample. So, if anyone has any opinions, ideas, comments... Really. I can adapt quite well. If you'd like to speak to me in person to better determine, Jakob, then that can be arranged too.

[techmaster-glitch]

For what it's worth, I'm not sure taking God's name in vain is the best standard for too-wussy-about-swearing...

But that's the thing. Usually, the characters don't actually say "oh my God", they say "oh my gods" with lowercase and and pluralized. That effectively renders the phrase neutral. But some poeple are just conditioned from a young age to not say certain things, and when something is similar, their own mental training blocks it as well.

but yeah, when you start hearing "heck" not only as an expletive but start hearing about "the planes of heck" there's a problem.

Exactly, when you are actually talking about hell, it's not a swearword.

[Fuyudenki]

You may be glad to know that when referring to the place, I'll say "hell" just fine, but I won't use it as a swear word, and some of the people who've sung next to me in the church choir may notice that when "hell" appears in a hymn, I carefully fade out and back in again.  Same when talking about the Trinity, but that's a different can of worms, entirely.

Actually, you may be a little surprised at what I will and will not say, but I think Xander's taken more liberties with the script than I probably will.  Ultimately, if Tapewolf just wants to use me as Pip's voice... well, it probably means he's found a better Abel, which is fine by me.

Speaking of which, could we get a few more auditions?  Three prospective Abels isn't a very good turn-out.

I should have Pip for 495 and a re-read of AS70 ready late tomorrow, as I'm on my first day of work, and I'm working all day.(better than nothin'!)  Also, I'm going to probably grab one of our copies of Return of the King and watch the opening scenes more than a few times.

In fact, I should probably fall asleep watching that.(when in doubt, steal from the best!)

[Goatmon]

Update; I hate my ****ing microphone.  It picks up every damned milimeter of movement, and it comes clear as bell, unlike my own voice which seems to become background noise when Imvoe more than 3 inches from it.  So In order to clear sound, I'm forced to sit on the floor instead of my chair so I can hold the thing without moving around at all.  And it's still difficlut to avoid that obnoxious popping and creaking noise.

Ugh.  I'll have the pages recorded soon, but it's obnoxious as hell.  I'm going to get a new freaking microphone next month, this I vow. 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Caswin posted me a file:
http://llearch.net/radio/recordings/Caswin_Aniz.mp3

Fuyudenki, have you picked up the scripts? That'd probably limit the amount of typing in notepad you have to do... Since I've already done it... :-]

Edit: Dammit. Aniz, not Abel. Sorry, folks.

[Goatmon]

Caswin posted me a file:
http://llearch.net/radio/recordings/Caswin_Abel.mp3

Link didn't work for me. 

Update:  Finished doing the lines from page 71-77.  I don't care much for how 76 turned out.  It's not often that I'm at a total loss, but I honestly couldn't figure out how that part should sound.  I'm so ashamed. x.x

I'm very fond how the rest of the dialog turned out tho. 

http://www.box.net/shared/3stm64y47s

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

*cough* sorry, sorry, my bad. Is that any better?

Oh, and Tape? The wav is with the mp3.

[Goatmon]

Interesting....I'm not terribly famliiar with your voice, but it sounds kinda like you're trying to hide an accent. o_o 

[cerridwen666]

I'd be willing to try, but I suspect my voice may be too feminine for a male character. Regardless of how campy he may sound in my head at times, I may have too high of a voice. I'll try it out though just to see what happens.