Recording and playing sounds in RM

[PJ_model_trains]

Hi all

 

Have you recorded sounds for RM,

 

e.g. The train now leaving platform....... for.......

 

If so how did you get the station type sound?

 

Have you recorded other sounds you would like to share. 

 

WTD snoring at the track side is not included  ;o)

Graskie pouring liquid gold is not allowed  ;-)

John drinking Claret is not permitted  ;o]

 

PJ

[St1ngr4y]

Hi PJ,

Last year, my brother-in-law lived with us for a while. He was a singer songwriter, and he had some recording equipment, capable of effects such as echo. My layout is a 1960's imaginary stretch of track with a station roughly between Grantham & Peterborough. He recorded for me (as individual sound files) the names of all of the main stations from Kings Cross to Newcastle, plus additional phrases such as "calling at" and "due to arrive at", as well as numbers from 5 to 55 in steps of 5 and "o'clock" "p m" "a m" etc. Combining these sequentially into a program with the correct timing of each element, can produce a quite effective announcement.

Unfortunately, my brother-in-law passed away earlier this year, so I no longer have the recording facilities available to me.

Ray

[PJ_model_trains]

 

Hello Ray

 

You have covered everything I was thinking of in one message  ;o)

 

My main concerns were how am I going to create the 'echo' effect and the initial message start tune.

 

PJ

[St1ngr4y]

Hi PJ,

Have you tried any of the sounds available in RM?

Ray

[Graskie]

As well as the RM sounds I have a few sound locos which can also make the noise of a station ambience. It makes for more variety, I suppose, and at least the sound is coming from the station area then rather than from my notebook's speaker.

[PJ_model_trains]

Hi PJ,

Have you tried any of the sounds available in RM?

Ray

 

I have Ray but, we need our own to match our stations etc

[PJ_model_trains]

As well as the RM sounds I have a few sound locos which can also make the noise of a station ambience. It makes for more variety, I suppose, and at least the sound is coming from the station area then rather than from my notebook's speaker.

I have read on here or RM Forum some adding their PC speaker under the layout so as to come from the station.

 

I have 3 different stations, I could do that but would probably need a different voice at each one.

 

But, that would be after they have been recorded!  First I have to come up with sounds that sort of echo. Other than talking into a biscuit tim I am still looking for iedas  ;o)

 

PJ

[St1ngr4y]

Hi PJ,

I have only one station, so I bought extension cables to place my PC stereo speakers at each end of the platforms. This helps when you have "Doors banging left" and "Doors banging right" for example. Also, for announcements they provide a male voice and a female voice.

Ray

[PJ_model_trains]

Hi PJ,

I have only one station, so I bought extension cables to place my PC stereo speakers at each end of the platforms. This helps when you have "Doors banging left" and "Doors banging right" for example. Also, for announcements they provide a male voice and a female voice.

Ray

 

Did you do the female voice aas well?

 

Male / female voices is an option to vary sound from one station to another but, first I need an echo chamber, or method to do it.

 

Does anyone know of any free sound software downloads with an echo facility. Now there is a challenge.

 

PJ

[PJ_model_trains]

Ermmmm

 

I have just searched free sound software echo effects, there is loads of software.

 

But I need a decent microphone first

 

PJ

[PJ_model_trains]

Ihave just downloaded Wavepad Sound Editor, it is free , I will try this first.

Lots of free sounds on it as samples

I downloaded via cnet as you don't get other junk downloads like some sites

I haven't got a microphone yet but may try adjust a sample sound file to see what it can do.

PJ

[hans_van de burgt]

We are looking for a layout soundsystem. As possible compatible with Railmaster, with better and realistic sound. And when possible cheaper than the on-board sounddecoders. The idea is to use fading sound from one to the next speaker within a surround sound system. Like the soundmanipulation in a cinema.

On the market we found several candidate systems:

1. http://www.pricom.com/Trains/DreamPlayerMK2.shtml

2. http://www.tamsonline.de/htmls/produkte/EasySound/produkte_es_maxi.html

3. http://www.soundtraxx.com/products.php

 

The last one is the most complete one, but very expensive.The Tams Easysound is more affordable, and seems like the Dreamplayer to be integrated in a DCC systeem. But also in Railmaster? For the Dreamplayer and the Easysound every soundfile is suitable. Not for the Soundtraxx option. However it has a soundlibrary of 10.000 items. But sound is in my opinion much more than variations of chufchuf noises of a steamlocomotive.

But.. I use also the Railmaster program. You can use every sound clip in .wav format when coppied to the soundfolder. No problem at all... I converted the sound of a youtube film of a sounddecoder producer (YouChoose) to this format, and use it in Railmaster.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18975948/Films/IMG_1599.MOV.mov

So far so good?? No, not yet. Railmaster offers the possibility to start the several soundclips, both by push on screenbuttons or by programming in a script. With the comming locdetection, the start would be possible with the feedback of locdetectors. To set on, yes... but to stop it, or to fade out? no...And to combine it with an extern surrond system to fade the sound from one to another speaker? Also, not yet...So, the search of realistic and affordable sound is going to be continued.

Hornby has proven to develop a simple and effective DCC system to use only a computer and an eLink. Why not going further and improve it to a complete interactive layout sound system?

Grzz, Hans

[RDS]

 .... But I need a decent microphone first ...

 

Hi PJ, Maybe the one you sent back would have been ideal!

[PJ_model_trains]

 .... But I need a decent microphone first ...

 

Hi PJ, Maybe the one you sent back would have been ideal!

 

May be RDS

But it seemed pointless has I couldn't hear properly. There was also a conflict with 2.4Ghz USB as I also have receivers for wireless mouse and wireless keyboard.

A microphone will take up less space.

PJ

[PJ_model_trains]

I have purchased a good quality microphone

A ProSound Podcast/Vocal Condenser USB 2.0 Microphone HQ 

 

I have also downloaded Audacity audio software (as well as the VLC Media Player) both FREE

 

Audacity has a massive amount of 'effects' for applying to a sound, I am going to have fun playing with this ;o)

 

I have tested it and am IMPRESSED!   It is good and easy to use, next is to create a list of announcements that can be strung together in RM.

 

PJ

[idlemarvel]

How about using a text to speech program like e,g, naturalreader

That will take some text and create a WAV file, which you can then treat with echo effects with audacity etc

There are a range of voices, it sounds quite "natural"

[PJ_model_trains]

Hi PJ,

Have you tried any of the sounds available in RM?

Ray

 

Hi Ray

Yes I have but announcements need to link with our own stations so I have found another way to play.

Audacity is excellent, record, cut out waiting time etc it is so easy.  cut-n-paste sound!  I just need to play with the filters to see is I can get the station sound types.

Excellent FREE sound manipulating software.

PJ

[PJ_model_trains]

Audacity Free sound software has an effect called Reverb which gives an echo type loud speaker sound effect to one previously recorded.

 

I tried it on one of my recorded messages it sounds pretty realistic.  

 

I will play with this more after Christmas and leave an update on here

 

PJ

[Graskie]

"The Santa Express leaving for Greenland.............."

[PJ_model_trains]

"The Santa Express leaving for Greenland.............."

Brilliant Graskie

I have recorded your announcement, I will play it back later  ;-)

PJ

[Graskie]

Has it got a Northampton accent, though, PJ?

[96RAF]

Has it got a Northampton accent, though, PJ?

If it had it would add ...has been delayed for 4 days due to major signalling works at Milton Keynes.

[PJ_model_trains]

Has it got a Northampton accent, though, PJ?

 

The Santa Express leaving for Greenland...........

 

Yes it does, as you can see I have just played back the recording ;-)

[Graskie]

Funnily enough there has just been a local radio news item saying that there will be no trains from here to Luton for the next 4 days because of engineering works!

[PJ_model_trains]

I understand there are lots of services cut over the holiday period for MAJOR maintenance and improvements.

 

The media as always are condeming the downtime. Maintenance has to be done sometime!

 

I shook my head with the latest problems at  Heathrow Airport when flights were grounded due to computer problems. The media were shouting, it shouldn't happen, there should be an enquiry so it doesn't happen again. What do they want, plane crashes and people killed?

 

PJ