Audacity Lesson

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9/19/2007 1

Ge t t i n g St a r t e d w i t hA u d a c i t y

L esso n P lan

Introducing the Workshop

Preparation Print enough copies of the student handout for workshop participants: (The handout includes a script, a labeled image of Audacity Environment, and class exercises)

W:\\BITS\2007_Workshops\Audacity\ Handout.docx

Bring a USB microphone with you to the workshop. You will need it to demonstrate creating a narration.

Bring BITS literature, enough for the class

Welcome State the name of today’s workshop

Trainer Note:

Audacity is a program for creating and editing audio files.

Introduce the BITS program o [email protected]

o

www.uwec.edu/help

State that questions are welcome at any time during the workshop

Resources Tutorials:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/tutorials

Copyright free audio files (http://www.freeplaymusic.com)

Overview Test your equipment Look at the Audacity Environment

Demonstrate the process of recording and editing an audio file Demonstrate adding additional audio to a narration Exercise – Recreate the project just demonstrated Listen to some the students’ projects Answer questions



BITS Workshop Lesson Plan Audacity

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Getting Started

Testing the Equipment ‐ Everyone

Trainer Note:

Hand

out

a copy

of

the

sample

script,

Handout.docx.

You

may

want

to

display the file Path to Sound_Recorder Wdrive. docx

1. Attach the microphone to the computer 2. Open Windows Sound Recorder

Start|All Programs|Multimedia|Audio|Sound Recorder 3. Turn on the microphone if the equipment has an on/off switch 4. Record a couple of sentences from the script provided using the record, stop, and

playback buttons in Windows Sound Recorder.

Troubleshoot 1. Check the computer volume setting 2. Check the headset volume control if there is one 3. Turn the microphone on, if it has a switch (common problem) Student will

complain about static. 4. Try a different computer 5. Try the headset of someone else 6. Get your money back

Accessing the Program

Trainer Note: Audacity is found in all the general access labs and a few curricular labs on campus.

On campus

All Programs | Multimedia | Audio | Audacity 1.2.6

Off Campus Http://audacity.sourceforge.net ‐ Applications are free. Download audacity and the mp3 encoder,

Obtaining today’s Workshop Files

Trainer Note:

Class participants and trainer should copy to their desktop the following folder.

• W:\\BITS\2007\Audacity ‐copy to desktop

• Trainers: You must also copy W:\\BITS\2007\Audacity\Sample_Demo to your desk top. This folder contains the files needed for the demonstrations.




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Demonstration

Play the Finished Broadcast MP3 file (Students will create this broadcast in the workshop), Desktop\Sample_Demo\Final_Student Project.mp3 . This should take approximately 1.5 minutes. Mention that the student’s final project will also be an MP3 file.

Question for students : After list

Explain the parts of the project when you are explaining the Audacity Environment in the next part of the lesson. (Script, music, Radio broadcast)

Explaining the Audacity Environment

Show Students the Finished Broadcast’s aup file (Audacity Project file) Use it to explain the audacity environment.

Trainer Note:

Students are not actively participating yet. Trainer is still demoing and lecturing. Draw the students’ attention to the handout which has the audacity environment labeled for them. The handout has the same drawing as the one labeled below.

1. Click File|Open 2. Navigate to the desktop and open: \Sample_Demo\Example Student

Project.aup

Explain a Sound Track and its features

Trainer Note:

Audio or sound is represented by sound waves. A track will display the sound waves for one particular audio stream. The track will have a single wave for mono and two waves (one for the left, one for the right) when the audio is broadcast in stereo. Whenever a track or segment of a track is pasted after being copied, the segment appears in a new track.

1. Zoom in to show the wave pattern and the zoom tool. 2. Click on View on the menu bar (to get back to normal view) 3. Select Project to Fit in Window 4. Point out to students the Mono and Stereo Tracks 5. Show the Volume and Balance adjustment tools for the track

6. Show how to mute a track ‐ Click the mute button 7. Show how to delete a track ‐ Click the small x in upper left hand corner of the track

Explain the Meter tool bar

Trainer Note:

The meter tool bar will show the sound level of an audio track. The appropriate output range is between + and – 6 decibels. Play track 1 and then track 2 and notice the




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difference. The red area of the meter is reached with the narrative track, but the professional WPR broadcast stays in the green range.

Both the meter tool bar and/or mixer tool bar can be moved so their activity can be easily monitored when recording or listening to audio.

1. Click Mute on all tracks except the narrative 2. Select the Selection Tool 3. Click at the beginning of the narrative track` 4. Use the Audio control panel and click Play

Notice the red that displays on the Meter.

5. Mute the Narration track 6. Take Track 2 off mute 7. Click at the beginning of track 2 with the move tool. ` 8. Use the Audio control panel and click Play

Notice that the Meter never reaches the red area of the display. This is a professional recording.

Explain the Mixer Tool bar

Trainer Note:

The mixer tool bar allows for controlling the output of the microphone. If you watch the Meter tool bar when you record you can tell if you are recording within the ‐6 and – 3 decibel range. If not, adjust the mixer. Encourage students to watch the meters when they create their narrative and adjust the microphone with the mixer to get the best sound.

Explain the Student Project (4 parts to this class project) Create original narrative. See script handout Edit out any “ums’ or bloopers from the narrative Import Wisconsin Public Radio audio and edit into two parts and place appropriately Import an mp3 music file and then adjust the volume appropriately

Close the Demo project File|close




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Trainer Note:

Sometimes due to the monitor screen resolution, the tool bar wraps so that the

commands labeled above, may appear in a different position than shown.

Creating a Broadcast

Create Narration track –Demonstration

Trainer Note:

Record the 1st paragraph of the narration on the handout. Add a couple of bloopers you can edit out, when you explain how to delete unwanted sections of an audio track. Suggestions for bloopers:

• Um

• Loud noise (hit the desk or something) and start sentence over

• Rustle papers or bang the mike between sentences

1. Press the Record button on the Audacity Audio Control panel

Selection Tool Audio Control

Output Level Meter Input Level Meter

Editing Toolbar Delete a track

Mute a track Mono Track

Stereo Track

Track Volume

Track Balance

Time Shift Tool

Mixer Toolbar




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2. Repeat “Testing, testing, 1,2,3, testing” and watch the mixer tool bar 3. Adjust the mixer if necessary 4. Press the stop button on the audio control panel 5. Press the Record button on the audio control panel when you are ready to read

the script 6. Read the script. Read only the first paragraph! Include at least one “um” 7. Press the stop button on the Audacity Audio Control panel 8. Point out that now you see two tracks. Latest recording is on top. 9. Explain the audacity guidelines listed below in the Trainer Note

Trainer Note:

Please explain the following rules and guidelines of Audacity

• There is only one clip per track

• Audacity always records or imports to a new track

• Edit/Duplicate will not create another file. The feature will copy what is highlighted and paste it in a new track making a duplicate.

10. Delete the bottom track or “testing” track. Click the X on the track. 11. Click the Play button to listen to the recording of Paragraph 1 12. Adjust the Track volume

OPTIONAL: Demonstrate how to do multiple recording sessions to the same track.

Trainer Note: Use the Pause button on the Audio control panel. By repeatedly pressing the pause button, interrupted recording will be made to the same track. Once the Stop button is clicked, any further recording will appear in a new track.

1. Click the Record button 2. Read sentence 1 in paragraph #2

3. Click Pause 4. Click Pause, when ready to continue reading 5. Read sentence 2 in paragraph #2 6. Click Stop 7. Mute your track that is the recording of Paragraph #1 (bottom track) 8. Play the track that has your recordings of Paragraph #2 (example of one track from

2 recording times) 9. Delete the track by clicking on the X

Trainer Note:

Please mention the following tips for making a quality recording.

• Speak across the microphone to avoid popping B’s and P’s • Cover the microphone with a small piece of cloth or a Kleenex to eliminate

popping B’s and P’s

• Speak in a loud clear voice; Between ‐6 and +6 decibels, Watch the meters and adjust the microphone!




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Exercise 1

ON Y OUR OWN

Create a “testing” track. Watch the meters and adjust your voice and microphone to get a quality recording.

Delete the “testing” track

Create your narration track. Include an “um” or at least unwanted noise at the beginning and end of your recording.

Deleting Unwanted Segments of an Audio Track

Demonstration Scenario: Recording person said “um” and wants to delete that section.

1. Magnify the area with the “um” 2. Select the selection tool 3. Click on the wave approximately where you think the Um is going to start 4. Press the Play button on the Audio control panel to start listening. 5. Press the Pause button when you are at the end of what you want to select. 6. Click and drag the selection tool from the beginning (A) to the triangle (B) that

indicates where you stopped. See diagram below. The selection tool turns into a hand. The hand is not shown.

7. Click the Stop button on the Audio control panel. 8. Click the Play and Stop buttons on the Audio control panel to listen to your

selection 9. Adjust the selection area by using the mouse to point to an end point of the

selection area and when a hand appears move the mouse right or left to adjust the area.

10. Press Play to play your selection

Starting point (A)

Triangle indicating end point (B)




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11. Click Edit on the menu bar and select Delete to delete the selection or select Selection Restore to clear the selection and start over.

Trainer Note:

When an area is selected and you want to deselect it and select a different area. Deselect the area by clicking on EDIT | Restore Selection from the menu bar.

The editing process just described should be used for any type of sound or section that needs to be deleted on an audio track.

Exercise 2

ON Y OUR OWN

Edit your narration.

Adding the Wisconsin Public Radio file to your Audacity project

Import the WPR file ‐ Demonstration 1. Click on Project | Import Audio from the menu bar & Navigate to your desktop to

the “Audacity Copy to Desktop” folder 2. Select the WPR.wav file and double click or click “Open” 3. A new track is added to your project. Notice that it is a stereo track and was added

below your narration. 4. Mute track 1 5. Play track 2 and listen to the WPR recording 6. Select the time shift tool. Click and drag the audio to align it near the

end of your narration track.

Edit WPR track ‐ Demonstration

Trainer Note:

Not all of the specific steps are listed below. Use your knowledge from using the time shift tool and the selection tool; along with deleting unwanted tracks, splitting audio and copy and paste to edit the WPR file according to the general instructions listed.

To split an audio track, click Edit|Split

1.

Highlight the

section

of

the

WPR

track

that

announces

the

next

program

about

ground zero

2. Edit|Split (You now have two tracks with pieces of the WPR audio) 3. Use the time select tool to move the program section so it plays at the end of your

narration. 4. Delete any unwanted audio from the program section 5. Edit the time section of the WPR audio until you only have the section that says:

“It’s 8 minutes past 8 o’clock”

Selection tool

Time Shift tool

used to move the audio.






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Exercise 4

ON Y OUR OWN

‐ Add the music file, Romantic ‐Nights.mp3, to your project

‐ Adjust the volume (envelope tool)

Saving Your Broadcast as an Audacity Project and as an MP3 File

Trainer Note:

Explain the difference between the Audacity project file and an MP3 file. The audacity file is a small “pointer file” that points to your editing and composing data created while building your project. This data is in a separate folder made by Audacity and is an essential part of the project. When you export to an MP3 all the data is compressed into

a playable file. The playable file is also small. The data however will be large. For our classroom exercise we used the Desktop. Never save anything you will need again, to the Desktop. Computer maintenance each morning at 4am will clean up the computers’ harddrive. When you create your real project be sure to use the UWEC multimedia video server.

Accessing the video server

Creating a personal folder on the video drive

Accessing a group folder on the video drive

Save the project ‐ Demonstration File | Save Project

Trainer Note:

Saving the project allows you to edit any tracks if you choose to do so.

Export your final project to an mp3 file format ‐ Demonstration 1. File | Export MP3 2. Browse to where you want to save the file

Trainer Note: If the professor for the class will create a class folder on the W: drive, save all the class projects to the folder and then listen to some or all of them to experience the creativity people use in making a broadcast.

3. Give the file a name 4. Click OK

Prior to the next workshop, be sure to add the detailed steps for these headings. The instructions are not complete at this time. 10‐12‐07




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Exercise 5

ON Y OUR OWN

‐ Export your project to an mp3 file.

Listen to the Completed Projects

Trainer Note:

Ask the instructor to make a folder for the class on the W: drive. Ask students to export their project to an MP3 in the class folder. You can then play each file. Ask students and instructor for comments.

Documents

Audacity Lesson