The January "Vocal"Challenge: Initial Thoughts

[Tzara]

This is a preliminary thread about the challenge. A discussion thread, basically, a place we all can think about what a vocal challenge might be like.

I, for one, don't want to restrict it to people who are willing to voice their poems. I want to include people who are willing to have their work read by someone else, even if they do not want to read it themselves. So I think I'd like to start by getting a list of people who would be willing to record a poem--their own or one by someone else. (And if there is a distinction there, that you would read your own poem but not someone else's or the reverse, please say so.)

Please sign up if you are willing to read, and if there are any restrictions on what you are willing to read. I will try and negotiate this during the challenge, of course, but if you have any "ew" subjects or topics, please let me know.

Happy New Year, all, in any case.

 

[Sinseria]

go ahead and sign me up Tzara for any and all of the above my only stipulation is I if I am reading it ...I have to be able to annunciate all the words hehe

though I do like the suggestion that the reader send the private link to the author of said such poem and for them to post it upon their approval of the reading ...as to save some of us like "myself" who are not to proficient to putting voice to a poem ...as I have learned its much different then just reading it

But I am game

 

[UnderYourSpell]

I have no idea whatsover how to read anything on this laptop!

 

[Sinseria]

I have no idea whatsover how to read anything on this laptop!

if you have a smart phone Hun you can record on your phone and then email it to yourself and upload to sound cloud

 

[Tzara]

I have no idea whatsover how to read anything on this laptop!

What Sin says would work, of course. I use the free application Audacity and a USB headset to record mp3 files which I upload to vocaroo.com.

I (and I assume several other Literoticans) will help you with recording. My question here is are you willing to record yourself reading a poem?

Your response sounds like "yes," but I'd appreciate a more definite answer.

 

[todski28]

throw somwthing at me, if ive the time i'll get it done. Trix already has one she wants me to read out and it's a killer.
as to anything else I'm in

 

[Tzara]

Readers so far:

• Sinseria
• todski28
• Tzara

 

[Angeline]

Sure. I'll read whatever you want. Well not like Twilight or 50 Shades of Gray, but yknow poems, good poems.

Annie you can record directly to Vocaroo (that's how I do it). You can just test record something onto Vocaroo by hitting record and then stop and then playback. If you don't hear anything check your sound to make sure it's on and not muted or set too low. Unless you have an older laptop you should have a microphone in it.

 

[Trixareforkids]

I'm in of course.

 

[Remec]

I'd be happy to give it a go; however, I think the mic in my headset is kaput, so I would end up having to try using the one inherently in my laptop. That I've not done before, so I would have to take some time and be sure that it really works and how does it work and all that sort of stuff.

But, if everything is fine, then I'm up for it. Either my own stuff or someone else's. (After all, I prolly need to use my theatre degree for something more than the occasional D&D session, right? )

 

[butters]

currently, i'm happy for anyone to read anything of mine but can't voice ... issues with my pc mean i'm using the old laptop which has its own range of problems. if i am able to resolve them, i'll join in but, for now, i need to remain silent

 

[greenmountaineer]

The Challenges and their frequency of late have been fantastic in that they get me to write, which is why Lit PF&D interested me in the first place.

I'd like to try this but want to be very transparent about my reason because it will be doubly challenging for me, and for that reason I may not succeed. I have interstitial lung disease and have been dependent upon oxygen assistance for almost two years now. Unfortunately, it affects the sound of my voice.

Tzara: if I read someone else's poem and judged that I didn't do it justice, could I pm you to re-assign it? I'll try to write and recite one of my own. If I don't like the sound of it, perhaps someone else can recite it.

If these "yes buts" don't present a problem, I'm in. Otherwise, I'll enjoy listening to others.

 

[legerdemer]

I'm up for the challenge - read and be read, or even to be silent.

 

[AlwaysHungry]

I will try and negotiate this during the challenge, of course, but if you have any "ew" subjects or topics, please let me know.

For me, no references to hobbits, unicorns or Neil Young, please.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

I'm in - vocally and/or offering poems for others to read

 

[Angeline]

For me, no references to hobbits, unicorns or Neil Young, please.

Neil Young? Are we singing? And may I call you Rummy?

 

[AlwaysHungry]

And may I call you Rummy?

 

[AlwaysHungry]

My new avatar is George Smiley. Did you mistake him for Rumsfeld? If so, please don't call me Rummy.

 

[Angeline]

My new avatar is George Smiley. Did you mistake him for Rumsfeld? If so, please don't call me Rummy.

I did. And I'm so glad to hear it's not!

 

[Tzara]

One of my ideas for this challenge is that you can participate as a writer, a reader, or both. That is, if you want to submit a poem to be read but don't want to (or can't) record yourself reading a poem, that's OK. Similarly, if you're willing to read someone's poem but don't want to write one, that's OK too. And of course if you simply want to follow the challenge and not contribute as writer or reader, that is perfectly all right as well.

Poems can either be a new one you've written (this is my personal preference) or an older or revised poem you'd like to read or hear read. You can read the poem yourself or request that someone else read it or, I suppose, both (read it yourself and have someone else read it as well). You can ask someone in particular to read your poem (someone who has agreed to read, of course), but that person has the option to decline reading it for whatever reason. You may request that the poem be read by a particular gender, and I'll semi-randomly assign it to a reader of the appropriate sex. Or if you simply want someone else to read it and don't have a preference, I'll semi-randomly assign it to one of the volunteer readers. (By "semi-randomly," I mean that I'll randomly pick someone, but try and make sure all of the potential readers get more or less the same opportunity to read.)

When I assign a poem to someone to record, I will send it with no author name attached. When I post the poem and the link to the recording, I will identify the reader but not the poet. (People using Soundcloud for recording are identifiable by their account name, so I can't very well keep those anonymous, and most of us know many of the voices already, anyway.) If you are assigned a poem to record and decide you don't want to record it or are unhappy with how it sounds, let me know and I'll assign it to someone else. If there is a problem with this (e.g. someone requests that X read the poem and X declines), I'll notify the poet and ask what he or she would like to do instead--assign it to someone else, read it his- or herself, or withdraw the submission.

Poems should be PMed to me. Links to recordings as well. I'm looking to start actually posting things on January 2, since I'll be spending the 1st hunched like a junkie on the nod in front of the television watching football all day.

Any suggestions, comments, input is welcome. Nothing is set in concrete at the moment.

We have ten readers so far:

• AlwaysHungry (no hobbits, unicorns, or Neil Young references)
• Angeline (no Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey references)
• greenmountaineer
• GuiltyPleasure
• legerdemer
• Remec
• Sinseria
• todski28
• Trixareforkids
• Tzara

Happy New Year, all.

 

[AlwaysHungry]

I did. And I'm so glad to hear it's not!

I changed my av, to prevent any further cases of mistaken identity.

 

[legerdemer]

.

Poems should be PMed to me. Links to recordings as well. I'm looking to start actually posting things on January 2, since I'll be spending the 1st hunched like a junkie on the nod in front of the television watching football all day.

Any suggestions, comments, input is welcome. Nothing is set in concrete at the moment.

We have ten readers so far:

• AlwaysHungry (no hobbits, unicorns, or Neil Young references)
• Angeline (no Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey references)
• greenmountaineer
• GuiltyPleasure
• legerdemer
• Remec
• Sinseria
• todski28
• Trixareforkids
• Tzara

Happy New Year, all.

I have one time limitation - I'll be traveling on Jan1 and Jan 2, and may not be able to read till the 3rd or even a little after. I can record before or after.

 

[Trixareforkids]

I'd like to point out that I have two voices, and though I hear (and therefore read) most poetry with my Southern ear, I can and have read some pieces in my more everyday voice. If there's a preference for one or the other be sure to pass that along to Tzara if it's a specific request for me.

 

[Tzara]

I have one time limitation - I'll be traveling on Jan1 and Jan 2, and may not be able to read till the 3rd or even a little after. I can record before or after.

I expect the challenge to run through most of January, so there's no hurry. I meant that I won't begin working on the "real" thread until January 2.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

I changed my av, to prevent any further cases of mistaken identity.

Oh, shame! I loved Gary Oldman as George Smiley.