To get an idea of how we do the reading, how the system works, visit Audioboo. Here are direct links to the Aŭdebla Biblio project contributors:

If you are interested in helping, you only need a computer with a microphone – or even a smartphone with the Audioboo app. I will gladly give suggestions and help you solve any start-up problems you may have either with Audioboo or Audacity (the sound editor we’re using).

How to sign up and contribute to the project as a reader:

Sign up for Audioboo (required):

1. Click on the word “Audioboo” or go to http://audioboo.fm/.

2. Click on the blue button, “Sign up for a free account”.

3. Choose a username and password, fill them in along with your email address. Click the checkbox “I accept the Terms of Service”, and then the blue button, “Join Audioboo”.

4. Try recording something! Click the red dot “New Recording / File Upload”, and a pop-up window appears. Click “Got your mic ready?” to record directly in Audioboo, or click “Rather upload a file?” to upload to Audioboo a file you’ve already recorded in some other program. (I use the free sound editor Audacity to make my recordings – more info below.)

5. For best results, use a plug-in headset with microphone, rather than the built-in microphone that most laptops now have.

6. If you have an iPhone or Android, go to http://audioboo.fm/ and download the Audioboo app for your phone, and try recording your readings in that way! We’d be interested in how that works for you.

Getting Audacity (optional):

· There is one clear advantage to using a sound editor: you can fix your mistakes, instead of having to start over from the beginning of the paragraph you are reading.

1. Go to http://audacity.sourceforge.net/, click the “Download” tab, and select a version of the program for your computer operating system (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux/Unix). I recommend the latest Beta version.

2. Run the installation program that you downloaded, and follow the instructions.

3. Run Audacity. Click the red round button to record something. Most users will find the program works correctly the first time, but if you have trouble, I’ll be happy to help you track down what the problem is.

Getting Started:

· Let me know what you’d like to read, either by email, or on Audioboo: after you have created your account and have recorded something, go to my page (http://audioboo.fm/keneto) and click the pink “Follow” button. When I get the notification I will also follow you so I can easily watch your progress, and will mark the book you’ve started as “taken”.

· I will add your name to the list and communicate with all readers what has been read or is being read, so you can avoid overlaps.

A normal recording & upload session:

1. In one window, open http://www.steloj.de/esperanto/biblio/index.html, and go to the book and chapter you plan to read.

2. In a second window, open Audacity, hit the (red round) record button, begin reading.

3. Try to read at a steady, consistent pace, pausing at the end of sentences, etc. (As you listen to your sound files, you will certainly find ways to improve your reading, but the important thing is to get started. None of us are professionals here!)

4. Don’t worry if you realize that you have made a mistake, mispronounced a word, left out something: you don’t even need to stop the recording, just leave a pause in your recording (by keeping quiet a moment), then re-read the sentence or phrase correctly, and continue on.

5. You may decide to only read one paragraph at a time, or you may want to keep on reading while you’re on a roll. It’s up to you. When you’re ready to stop, click the (square yellow) stop button.

6. Press the (triangular green) play button to listen to your recording. Now is the time to do any editing that is needed. You may:

a. Select any section (click and drag the mouse over it), and click the delete key to remove it. (You may want to click “play” to make sure you’re deleting what you think you are! Note: you may zoom in/out to see exactly what you are doing.)

b. Amplify (or reduce the volume) for the whole file or any section: Effect => Amplify

c. Remove background hum: Effect => Noise Removal. (Once to indicate a section of the wave file that only contains the background noise, then to apply the noise removal to the whole file or a selected part of it.)

7. When you are done editing (or even before, for safety’s sake), save your work!

8. Export the recording as one or more MP3 files:

a. Select the part of your file to export. If you read more than one paragraph of the Bible as it is formatted in http://www.steloj.de/esperanto/biblio/index.html, please export each paragraph separately.

b. Audioboo free accounts have a maximum of 5 minutes. If the segment is more than 5 minutes long, you will need to cut it into smaller pieces. If possible, choose a point where an extra paragraph break would make logical sense in the reading.

c. Click “File” => “Export Selection” (or “File” => “Export” for the whole thing), type the desired file name. Please use the format:

BookNumber EsperantoBookName ChapterNumber StartingVerse-EndingVerse.mp3

(For example, 43 Johano 19 01-16.mp3, is the paragraph containing verses 1-16 of chapter 19 of the book of John [Johano], the 43rd book of the Bible. Please note that all numbers are given in two-digit format!)

d. In the pop-up window, put the appropriate information for the mp3 tags:

· Artist Name (that’s you!)

· Track Title (can be the same as the mp3 filename, although I prefer a period between chapter and verse(s): 43 Johano 19.01-16)

· Album Title: Esperanta Biblio

· Year

· Genre: Speech

e. Then click “OK”.

9. Now go to your Audioboo homepage http://audioboo.fm/ and log in.

10. Click the red record button “New Recording / File Upload”, click “Rather upload a file?” in the pop-up window.

11. Click the green “Select a file” button, find and click on the mp3 file just recorded.

12. Click the green “Happy? Add a title” button. Add the track title and tags to help listeners find your sound files. I use the filename as the track title, and for the book of John am using the following tags, separated by commas: Johano, evangelio, bible, esperanto, John, biblio, gospel.

a. Note: Once you’ve typed these once you won’t have to again, just start typing and the whole line of tags will show as an option, click to accept it, and you’re done.

b. Note: If you later need to rename the track or fix tags, there will be a “edit” button, you can simply make the needed changes and click “Save”.

13. Click the “Ok” button to upload your file. A message should indicate a successful upload.

It does sound a bit complicated, but it’s not really as involved as it sounds. I’ve tried to give line-by-line instructions for those less comfortable with computers, but much of this will probably be obvious to you as you try it.

I hope that all participants can try to record at least once (or maybe one chapter?) per week. The project doesn’t have to go extremely fast, even slow but constant progress will show that we are moving forward and perhaps convince others to join us. Then we will see real progress.

Future plans: a computing professor and some of his students in a webdesign class have created an Aŭdebla Biblio website, the initial version to experiment with can be found here:

http://hw.cs.southern.edu/eb/ (Click on the small triangles to play the audio recordings.)

The current plan is to leave the sound files on the Audioboo site, but link to them to allow visitors to our website to read and listen to any part of the Bible. Podcasts and yearly Bible reading lists will also be possible.

Dankon pro via helpemo, kaj ĝis reaŭdo! (Thanks for your willingness to help, and “until we hear each other again”!)

Keneto <caviness@southern.edu>

Inicianto de la Aŭdebla Biblio projekto

http://audioboo.fm/boos/247532-enkonduko-kion-mi-faras-tie-ci



