Lost Art Press is pleased to announce that Roy Underhill will be the voice reading our audiobook presentation of “The Joiner & Cabinet Maker,” which will be released later this summer.
Roy and I have spent the day recording the first part of the original 1839 text, and we will work on the remainder of the book this week. The audiobook will be available for download from LostArtPress.com or as a CD set available from us and our retailers.
The tentative price for the book will be $16 for the download and $20 (plus shipping) for the CD.
We’ve been recording the audiobook at Roy’s cottage in Graham, N.C., where we have taken over his office and covered all the walls with quilts and blankets from his house (apologies to Jane, Roy’s wife). Roy is doing somewhat of a dramatic reading of the text, using different voices for the different characters in telling the tale of young Thomas and his journey of apprenticeship in a rural English joiner’s shop.
The only hitch in the recording so far has been controlling some of the hard “P” sounds with the microphone. We fixed that using a wire hanger and a piece of Megan Fitzpatrick’s pantyhose that she donated for the recording.
You can download a short (and somewhat rough) clip from our recording session for free by clicking below.
— Christopher Schwarz
Strictly handheld is the style that goes…never rock the mic with the pantyhose…
RIP MCA
I don’t normally go in for the whole Audio Book thing, but I think this might be an exception.
That is really a good sample bit. I would have thought that a book on wood working wouldn’t make much of an audio book. But after listening to that short clip I think it will be great and can’t wait to give it a listen. Great job on the voices by Roy, way better than just a straight reading out load.
Do I get a prize for guessing this in advance? This sounds great can’t wait to hear the whole thing. Will there be a package including both the audio book and the printed book?
Great Job! and so glad Roy is doing it, he is perfect for the job. I love the sample!
The clip sounds great. Thank you Megan for your generous contribution.
Will there also be a director’s cut to allow Roy to throw in a few adlibs along the way?
So … will the pantyhose be going up on ebay? That would be an enormously fun auction to watch. Better even than woobie.
I thought Roy speaking into Megan’s pantyhose was a little weird. Auctioning off Megan’s pantyhose is a bit on the creepy side. :0
Of course it’s creepy. But also high-larious.
Eeooouuuuwww
Now Megan, you saw this coming when you donated the hose!!!
One tip on the microphone from a ham radio operator. Speak across the mic vs into it. Roy’s definitely not over-modulating, in fact, he’s wonderful, but that may also help.
Are you going to make Roy read the entire book in one take just like his show?
if anybody could do it he could
(as Homer Simpson) Ooohhhh, roy speaking through pantyhose. Must find credit card …..
Crap, I’m leaving on a long driving vacation in 10 days. Why can’t the download be available before I leave?!?!?!
If his Ps pop downwards can you put the mic on a stand and hang it down so that it’s just above his mouth?
you can play with the axis of the microphone so the diaphragm isn’t totally perpendicular to the mouth. And try putting your hand in from of Roy’s mouth when he is pronouncing his “P”‘s to sense where the air is going, Like St.J said, if the air is going downwards put the mic over-head, and if the air blast of the “P” isn’t too wide you can try a little off axis to the sides too.
Also nothing beats someone who knows how to speak into a microphone. Roy seams to know what he is doing, but good posture and pushing the voice from the diaphragm(stomach), really helps with “P”‘s and “S”‘s.
You can do some treatment afterwards to remove those, but if you can eliminate them from the start with good microphone placement and good voicing, it’s usually the better way to go.
The clip sounds good thought!
I was pulled in immediately! Great work. I’m already looking forward to the official release.
Chris – Will there be a LAPRP (Lost Art Press Rewards Program) for frequent shoppers? Our wish lists continue to grow.
Now LAP just needs to publish Roys “radio Woodworking” book along with an audio book of it. Been waiting for 10 years for someone to publish it ever since I saw him in person and he talked about it.
Yes Chris. LAP MUST publish the “Radio Woodworking” Novel….Roy was talking about this out at dinner when I had the privilege of attending his school. I really couldn’t tell if he had actually written it or if it was a bit of a leg pull, but either way I would buy it sight unseen, sounds like so much fun… and the beginning of a whole new genre (and it comes with measured drawings!) OR maybe if this radio thing catches on, Roy could do it in this medium?
This one caught me by surprise, I can’t wait. Roy is perfect for this!