(Soundscape Tour) The Diva Story Part 33


How about a guided tour through the soundscape of part 33?

You can now listen to the episode a second time and follow along with the script and my written commentary as your tour guide.

Hello there! I’m today’s tour guide 😉  Ready to enter the theater? You’ll have more fun if you use good headphones. Click play once you’re all set.

Can you hear what’s happening around you? Sound like it’s not too busy yet… People are still arriving.

 

“Well, this is fun,” Lucile said while sitting down.

Hannah lowered herself into a velvet, red chair. “I can’t believe we’re doing this!”

Lucile opened her booklet. “Don’t be silly. It was your idea,” she said and scanned the first page.

Hannah huffed. “It was not. I said it might be a good idea for me to be here. I didn’t say you should come.”

 

 Try to notice the sounds of Hannah and Lucile moving around. Did you notice Lucile’s movements are somewhat on your right and Hannah’s are a bit more on the left? In the background, you can pick up people moving around or coughing.

 

Lucile’s lips curled into an amused smile. “It was too good an opportunity to miss,” she said, turning the page.

Hannah shook her head. There was no use in arguing with her mother, she decided. She crossed her legs and made herself comfortable.

“I’ve been thinking,” Lucile said as she put down the booklet.

Hannah turned to face her.

“Maybe it’s best if I manage some of the foundation business again.”

Hannah raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Why?”

“You know why.”

Hannah straightened up. “But I thought you wanted me to take over? I don’t get it.”

Lucile pursed her lips. “I did. I still do. But the situation has changed, wouldn’t you say?”

Hannah blew out a breath.

“This is not a punishment of some sort, Hannah,” Lucile said. “This is to protect you and Mildred.”

 

Can you hear the theater staff moving things around behind the curtains now and then? It’ll take quite a bit of focus to notice it… Don’t give up!

 

Hannah met her mother’s gaze.

“Things aren’t what they used to be,” Lucile said. “Good thing too. Being in a relationship with an artist you support financially can easily seem inappropriate. It probably is, to be honest.”

Hannah ran a shaky hand through her hair. “Is this going to hurt Milly in some way?”

Lucile fidgeted with her golden bracelet.

 

Ah, the bracelet. You might notice this every time Lucile moves her arm throughout the episode!

 

“I don’t think so. It’s you I’m worried about. You’re in a powerful position. People could say you forced Mildred into this.”

Hannah’s stomach lurched. “That’s ridiculous, I would never….”

Lucile looked around. They were still the only ones seated in this box. She moved to the edge of her seat and looked Hannah straight into the eyes.

 

Did you hear Lucile move to the edge of her seat? An episode will usually have about 150 – 300 of these sounds to illustrate what the character is doing.

Clothes, seats, shoes, … They all make a lot of noise! Without these effects, the characters wouldn’t seem as real.

 

“Imagine you were a man. You have a lot of power and a lot of money. A man supporting the career of a beautiful and talented singer and then sleeping with her…”

Hannah’s brows knitted together in frustration. “Surely that’s different.”

“Is it?” Lucile asked.

Hannah clenched her jaw. She stared at the large curtains that hid the stage from view. “It’s not like that,” she sputtered.

“I know, honey,” was all Lucile said.

“So, what will change?” Hannah asked.

Lucile lifted a shoulder. “I’ll take over the public events. I’ll tell people I missed the Met.”

“Do you?”

“Maybe a little bit.”

Hannah rubbed the back of her neck.

“You think I should break up with Milly?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

Lucile took her time to answer. “No, I don’t.”

Hannah let out of a sigh of relief.

 

The sighs and other ‘body sounds’ are recorded last. Sighs, huffs, moans, … They’re all added as the cherry on top of this sound cake! They’re quite a challenge in #NSFW episodes 😉

 

“I do think you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

Hannah’s head jerked up. “What do you mean?”

Lucile took in a deep breath and pulled Hannah’s hand between her own.

“Opera singers lead a very weird life. It’s hard to be a part of that.”

“You mean Milly will be away a lot?”

Lucile nodded slowly. “That too.”

 

The voices of the characters are recorded in the same session as the narration. This means I constantly switch between my ‘narration voice’ and my interpretation of the characters.

It’s very intense, but it’s the only way (for me) to really embody the story while recording. A typical episode takes 4 or 5 hours to record. I then cut this long file into little bits and pieces.

 

Unease settled in Hannah’s chest. She didn’t want to talk about this. She didn’t even want to think about it. Especially not today. Especially not here.

She pulled her hand away. “Let’s not discuss this right now. Not here.”

Lucile sighed. “Ok, dear.”

Hannah took in their surroundings again. It was a lot busier in the theater now, but no one had joined them in the box yet.

 

Did you notice it has indeed gotten busier in the background? People have been arriving at the theater and their voices slowly increased in the background.

Hannah’s breath is an important part of the atmosphere in the coming segment.

 

She focused on her breathing to calm down a bit. This was not how she had imagined this evening. It was supposed to be a special night.

Hannah closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the tears she felt were near. She didn’t know why her mother’s words hit her so hard, but she refused to accept what she seemed to be suggesting.

Milly was different. What she and Milly had was different. They had called each other every day for the last week or so. And every single call had been more wonderful than the last.

 

Hey, we’re following Hannah into her thoughts and the people around her fade into the background.

 

Milly and Hannah had talked for hours and hours about pretty much everything. One time, a couple of nights back, they had both fallen asleep in front of the camera.

Hannah had woken up a few hours later to find her laptop still on and humming. On her screen, she could see Milly, blissfully asleep, unaware that Hannah was watching her.

“When will you tell her about Christine?” Lucile asked, pulling Hannah from her thoughts.

 

Drat.  Lucile pulls Hannah back into the room. The theater is back full force. I used several tracks for the guests around Hannah so some people are closer to her and others are further away.

It is normal for the noise of a crowded room to rise and fall in waves. Things can quickly sound artificial if you don’t pay attention to these things 🙂

 

Hannah’s nostrils flared in annoyance. Her mother seemed keen on touching every single painful topic tonight.

“I didn’t think that was a good idea while she is still in Houston,” Hannah said.

 

Listen for the bracelet! The bracelet! God, I love the bracelet.

 

Lucile crossed her arms. “You’re probably right. Maybe you shouldn’t tell her at all…”

Hannah glanced at her mother. “I don’t want to keep things from her…”

Lucile shrugged. “You could suggest she asks Christine about it…”

Hannah snorted. “I have a feeling that would blow up in my face.”

“You know her best, I guess,” Lucile said, sounding unconvinced.

Hannah was fed up with her mother’s odd behaviour.

 

Pay attention to Hannah raising her arm! The narration doesn’t mention it, but subconsciously you’ll notice her movements, making it easier for you to imagine the scene.

 

“Why are you being like this?”

Lucile pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m just worried about you.”

Hannah crossed her arms. “Well, you’re making me miserable.”

Lucile looked up in surprise.

Hannah pressed on. “I need you to support me, mom. Please.”

Lucile looked down at her hands.

Hannah kept her silence and waited.

 

Lucile is going to point her finger in a second. The typical ‘but’ gesture 😉  Guess what you should hear again…

 

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Lucile said at last. “But…”

 

Yup, the beloved bracelet around her wrist.

 

“Please, mom. No buts.”

Lucile looked at Hannah from under her eyelashes.

Hannah tilted her head. “Please?”

Lucile nodded. “Ok, ok.”

Hannah stretched out her hand. “Can I see that program for a second?”

 

Try to catch the sounds of the booklet…

 

Her mother gave it to her. Hannah started leafing through it.

“I wonder if they’ve finally bothered to include Milly,” she said.

“There’s an insert. I already checked,” Lucile replied.

“Ah, makes sense,” Hannah mumbled.

She found the piece of paper with Milly’s bio and photo. A sense of pride filled her chest. She ran her thumb over the picture affectionately.

Lucile chuckled. “God, how do they say this… You got it bad?”

Hannah flushed. “Mom…”

“When are you going to tell Milly we’re here?”

Hannah glanced at the curtains. She wondered if Milly would be able to see them from the stage. Probably not.

“Not until after the show,” she said. “I don’t want to make her more nervous.”

“Because you’re here?”

“No, because you are here!”

“Oh.”

“I hope she’s not going to be angry at me.”

“Why would she be?”

“Because she’s totally unprepared to meet you.”

 

Hey! The orchestra has arrived. Can you hear them warming up?

 

Lucile frowned. “You’re acting like I would scare her.”

Hannah raised an eyebrow at her mother. “You probably will.”

“Don’t be so ridiculous!”

“Mom, she has so much respect for you. She won’t know what is happening to her when you suddenly show up like that.”

 

OK, things are about to get a lot more intense. Ready for the other guests taking their seats around Hannah and Lucile?

Pay attention to the extra sound that’ll pop up now the door to the hallway is open…

 

Lucile looked away. Someone had pulled open the door to their box.

“Good evening,” Lucile said and smiled at the man who stuck his head around the corner.

“Thank God,” Hannah thought. Her mother would have to be careful about what she said now that they had company.

 

Can you hear the other guests talking and moving around you and Hannah? In the meantime, the room gets louder and louder. The excitement is building.

 

Hannah settled back in her chair. She couldn’t wait to see Milly again. Her skin tingled with excitement.

She had decided she would fly in to attend the closing performance over a week ago. When she heard no one would be in Houston to celebrate with Milly, she just had to come.

 

This kind of scene is hard to edit. There are so many small details needed to make the scene around Hannah vibrant and credible. People are moving around, taking their seats, talking, …

 

Hannah had looked forward to surprising Milly all week. So much so, she had told her mother about her plan. That had been a big mistake.

“I can join you! I’d love to see Milly perform!” Lucile had said immediately. Her face had lit up so much, Hannah hadn’t had the heart to say ‘hell no’.

Now, Hannah was starting to worry this surprise might end up being a big mistake. Something told her Milly would not appreciate being introduced to Lucile unprepared.

It was too late to warn Milly, though. Sending her a text now would only upset her. It would be foolish to take that risk.

“Maybe I can try to get backstage to go see her before she arrives at the party,” Hannah thought. She had no idea if they’d allow her to go see Milly, but she would have to try.

 

Pay attention the guests around Hannah! They also comment on what’s happening 🙂 Their conversations are as real as possible.

 

Down in the pit, the orchestra finally started tuning. Hannah looked over her shoulder and saw all the seats around them were taken.

“Looks like it’s sold out,” Lucile said.

Hannah scanned the rows and rows of chairs below them.

“Yeah,” she said as she put her hand on her stomach. It hurt. “Nerves,” she thought.

Lucile leaned forward.

“I found a raving review of the production online,” she said. “It mentioned Mildred too.”

Hannah had read the review. The opera critic had written he would not be surprised if newcomer Mildred North would soon be a star in opera houses around the world.

“Well, even I enjoy this opera,” Hannah said.

Lucile turned her head in surprise. “Really? The opera? Or one specific singer?”

Hannah widened her eyes at her mother in warning.

Lucile giggled. “That’s what I thought.”

She patted Hannah’s knee. “You’ll learn to appreciate opera soon enough.”

Hannah ignored her mother’s remark. “They’re about to start, I think.” She couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice.

Lucile nodded. “Yes, they are.”

Hannah moved to the edge of her seat.

“This really is a lot of fun,” Lucile whispered.

 

Don’t miss the excitement of the other guests! They’re also looking forward to the show.

 

Hannah glanced sideways to meet her mother’s gaze. There was a mischievous smile on Lucile’s lips. Hannah rolled her eyes and shook her head.

 

 Can you hear the different layers in the applause? It comes at different levels like a real wave of applause would. Sometimes a detail like this can take 15 to 30 minutes before I get it right.

 

The lights dimmed and the orchestra of the Houston opera started playing the overture of Le Nozze Di Figaro one last time.

 

Enjoy the real overture of Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart! 🙂 I think it’s absolutely brilliant. I’ve added the spaciousness of a large theater to make it feel like you’re sitting next to Hannah and Lucile 🙂

Thank you for taking the tour! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below.

Credit:
The Marriage of Figaro Overture – by the Musopen Symphony – Recording released to the public domain

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13 responses to “(Soundscape Tour) The Diva Story Part 33”

  1. Annie Avatar
    Annie

    I’m working!!! Can’t wait to listen to this!!!! 😊

    1. Sigrid Avatar
      Sigrid

      It’s reading along with the regular episode 🙂

      1. Annie Avatar
        Annie

        I saw that…LOL I saw what you released…I’m with ya. 😉 I still need to listen while I read what what you wrote. LOL 😄

        1. Sigrid Avatar
          Sigrid

          Pfiew 😉

  2. Marcie53 Avatar
    Marcie53

    Wow. I expected this to be good but it was beyond that. Words can’t describe how much I got out of this so I’ll stop there. Don’t be surprised if I come back time to time with questions. It was very illuminating. Thank you!

    1. nancy Avatar
      nancy

      Agree Marcie. Amazing tour of sounds. I’ve listened 2x. Find it better everything still. Heard most sounds you told us about can’t hear the bracelet. Can visualize Lucille’s movements can’t hear the jingle. Will listen again thank you for entertainment and education.

      1. Sigrid Avatar
        Sigrid

        Hey Nancy, it’s easiest to hear when Lucile is playing with it early in the episode.

        Could be the sound is too soft or too high for your headphones. Every headphone type has its own range of sounds. Some have more bass, others more high tones, … My wife didn’t pick up on it either, to be honest.

        Maybe this helps. Go to 2′ 29″ and…

        “Hannah ran a shaky hand through her hair. “Is this going to hurt Milly in some way?”

        ***bracelet most audible, a bit on the right***

        Lucile fidgeted with her golden bracelet. “I don’t think so. It’s you I’m worried about. You’re in a powerful position. People could say you forced Mildred into this.”

        (Bracelet audible very softly under rest of this quote)

        1. nancy Avatar
          nancy

          Thanks for all the info going to give it another go. All is quiet it’s a great episode always listen several times anyway.

      2. Marcie53 Avatar
        Marcie53

        I thought the bracelet was one of the easier things to pick up on throughout. Sometimes it is louder than others. When she crosses her arms around 8:18 I think I hear it faintly and 9:50 but at 2:41 and 2:46 it is more loud.

      3. Marcie53 Avatar
        Marcie53

        I heard those with my $5 headphones I use running this time around to help show you where to listen. The $50 pair I bought in October is good when I am in a quiet room. It was a leap to make that purchase. Maybe in another year I will step it up.

  3. LaLine Avatar
    LaLine

    If you can play the episode in an application that allows you to change some equalizer settings, boosting the treble will allow you to hear the bracelet better. As Sigrid mentioned, headphones can have different characteristics. I haven’t done extensive testing, but I have noticed my over the ear headphones tend to be heavier on bass and my various earbuds tend to be lighter on bass. Except my Bluetooth running earbuds which gave me a richer sound when I swapped the silicone tips for memory foam tips. They fit better now, too. Anyway, without making any setting changes I could hear the bracelet better with my earbuds than my over the ear headphones.

  4. Marcie53 Avatar
    Marcie53

    I’m still hearing new things. 150-300 is a lot for the sounds like moving in a seat!! I was trying to hear the conversation you were having near Hannah and Lucille and could pick up some words and tone.

  5. Harumi Avatar
    Harumi

    Absolutely AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for this Tour!!! I really enjoyed it ALL!!!

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