Joined: 6/2/2009
Posts: 1182
Location: Teresópolis - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
I know what you mean, there's some XML tags in Balabolka to control rhythm and intonation, so I tried to make her sing, but well, it was a disaster. :)
You're right about her "uncanny valley" way of speak, and I'm doing my best to learn how to speak English myself.
I'm sorry to bring such a stupid idea to the thread, I'm really sorry, but at least I know how to NOT make an audio commentary. :)
I am old enough to know better, but not enough to do it.
You're right about her "uncanny valley" way of speak, and I'm doing my best to learn how to speak English myself.
I'm sorry to bring such a stupid idea to the thread, I'm really sorry, but at least I know how to NOT make an audio commentary. :)
Please don't get me wrong. I myself, while I can write English pretty fluently, am a horrible speaker of English (or at least I think I am) and would be too ashamed to try to speak in a video. (Perhaps if I'd read from a script I could achieve some kind of decent speech, if I try hard enough, but...)
If you want to add spoken commentary to a video of yours, by all means use a text-to-speech program. As I said, the sample was unusually good for such a program.
I was simply saying that personally text-to-speech bothers me and makes it difficult for me to watch a video.
I really like the voice, and it's a good idea, but I think it would be a little better to have a real person read the English translation until text-to-speech voices become more realistic-sounding. You could ask someone here to do it, maybe (I could even present an English commentary if given a text translation of yours).
Joined: 6/2/2009
Posts: 1182
Location: Teresópolis - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Warp wrote:
by all means use a text-to-speech program.
I guess I took conclusions without thinking long enough about it, but wait a minute;
CoolKirby wrote:
I think it would be a little better to have a real person read the English translation.
Now that you mentioned it, I can't speak English yet, but I can read pretty well! Or at least I think. :)
I know it is kinda confusing - he can read but can't speak? How?
Well, it's hard to explain, I am learning English for about three years now, but I was only reading English, not listening or speaking with someone else.
So, even not being able to speak, I think I can do exactly what a text to speech program can; read English aloud.
It's still not even close to what a native speaker can achieve, as they can think in English, but still.
someone wrote:
What about your accent? Portuguese is a phonetic language, but English is not, what are you going to do about it?
I know it can be a problem for some people to understand the Brazilian accent, vowels specially. But I'll try to keep it at a minimum.
So, I was thinking about mixing my voice and Julie's voice on another commentary, something like an interview, but it will take some time.
Warp said something that I know alright; when you're shy it's even harder...
I guess I'm the shyest guy in the world, so I apologize in advance if it doesn't work too.
Well, I can't say for sure what the future of audio commentaries in TASes will be, but someday we may be able to TAS our own voices. :)
I am old enough to know better, but not enough to do it.
Here's something to try, don't try to do the entire commentary in one shot. Find small segments (any length that would lead to a natural pause) and record those over and over until they are how you want them. Put them together in a mixing software of your choice (like Audacity)
Joined: 6/2/2009
Posts: 1182
Location: Teresópolis - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Thank you, arkiandruski.
I'll try to make just short samples, and Audacity seems to be the right tool for the job.
Balabolka can import audio clips and mix them with Julia's voice seamlessly, so I think it might work.
Let's hope for the best. :)
I am old enough to know better, but not enough to do it.
No, I really meant that I can read English texts, but I can't speak English with other people.
Well, I was learning English the wrong way, I guess.
But you seem able to write english pretty well, so all is not lost!
And I wouldn't say you were learning english the wrong way, either. It all depends on what you need! Speaking and understand (reading) a language are two very different things!
So don't blame yourself.
Joined: 6/2/2009
Posts: 1182
Location: Teresópolis - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Thank you, EEssentia.
You're right, I was learning how to read because that was what I needed at that time;
read posts here at TASvideos, walkthroughs in English and to understand better the games I was playing.
Well, I know a bunch of English words and their meanings now, but it's not enough to speak English, sadly.
I don't want to make a fool of myself, doing something I'm pretty sure I'm not ready to do yet.
So I recorded a few audio clips here, to see how well it would be, but I almost died laughing. :)
My needs changed now, so I'm listening to real English all day long, practicing those tricky vowel sounds and how to connect them.
So, I must thank CoolKirby for offering to read the commentary for me, but this is one of those things that a TASer should do himself, I think.
I am old enough to know better, but not enough to do it.
My needs changed now, so I'm listening to real English all day long, practicing those tricky vowel sounds and how to connect them.
So, I must thank CoolKirby for offering to read the commentary for me, but this is one of those things that a TASer should do himself, I think.
One idea: Tool that acted as simple media player, but with the following additional functions:
- Record a clip of voice, associating it with current position.
- Move clips of voice around.
- Delete a clip.
- Export a clip.
- Import a clip.
- Export all clips at proper positions.
- Play back segment of video, with associated voice clips.
I am a spectator primarily, and I must say that as a spectator, one of my primary interests in speedrunning and TAS is learning more about how the game works. To this end, commentary would be very appreciated.
I would give recording advice, but it looks like you guys have things in order. Here's a basic sum-up anyway: Have a script prepared, look at the video while you do it (ideally in something you can seek in, like a video editor). Use audacity. Record short lines so you do not run out of breath and try not to rush your reading. Annunciate clearly so you can be understood, but don't overdo it. Keep a natural tone if you can, but understandability is what is most important. Test them out next to the video to make sure they fit the time you're aiming for.
Good luck in all you do. I hope you are able to hit many popular TASes and make many people very happy.
Joined: 6/2/2009
Posts: 1182
Location: Teresópolis - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Thank you for the tips, Evilagram.
@ Ilari; is it possible to do such a tool with a Lua script? It would be nice to have these functions right on the emulator.
My adventure on the world of learning English continues, and as you can see on my signature, I'm a useless parrot at the moment. :)
But I never thought that something so simple was the key to learn English; listening! No, it’s not so easy, but it is really effective.
Well, the text to speech may appear on a future commentary, but for now I think that a human voice is more appropriated.
I am old enough to know better, but not enough to do it.
Joined: 6/2/2009
Posts: 1182
Location: Teresópolis - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Warp wrote:
I really think that good comedy requires good delivery, which means good intonation, rhythm, etc.
I have hard time believing a programmatic text-to-speech voice is going to be any good at that.
I'm felling like a complete idiot right now... But it's good, I'll tell you why;
The first time I read your comment, when you mentioned about rhythm and intonation, I undesrtood it completely wrong.
(not your fault, not at all, that's why I'm feeling like that...)
I now know how important it is in English to use a correct intonation, rhythm also, but most important intonation to deliver your message the way it's intended.
Well, I'm still kind of far from mastering all the nuances of the American English intonation, but once I get there I think I'll be able to "teach" Julie to help me on my commentaries.
So, the idea of a Tool Assisted Audio Commentary is not dead yet, but improving with every new thing I learn.
I am old enough to know better, but not enough to do it.
The first time I read your comment, when you mentioned about rhythm and intonation, I undesrtood it completely wrong.
(not your fault, not at all, that's why I'm feeling like that...)
Speed and pitch, basically... :)
Also volume. Good speech can't be monotonous. :)
