Getting Started with Audacity

LessonPlan

IntroducingtheWorkshop
Preparation
Printenoughcopiesofthestudenthandoutforworkshopparticipants:(Thehandoutincludes ascript,alabeledimageofAudacityEnvironment,andclassexercises) W:\\BITS\2007_Workshops\Audacity\Handout.docx BringaUSBmicrophonewithyoutotheworkshop.Youwillneedittodemonstratecreatinga narration. BringBITSliterature,enoughfortheclass

Welcome
Statethenameoftodaysworkshop TrainerNote: Audacityisaprogramforcreatingandeditingaudiofiles. IntroducetheBITSprogram o training@uwec.edu o www.uwec.edu/help Statethatquestionsarewelcomeatanytimeduringtheworkshop

Resources
Tutorials: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/tutorials Copyrightfreeaudiofiles(http://www.freeplaymusic.com)

Overview
Testyourequipment LookattheAudacityEnvironment Demonstratetheprocessofrecordingandeditinganaudiofile Demonstrateaddingadditionalaudiotoanarration ExerciseRecreatetheprojectjustdemonstrated Listentosomethestudentsprojects Answerquestions

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GettingStarted
TestingtheEquipmentEveryone
TrainerNote:Handoutacopyofthesamplescript,Handout.docx.Youmaywantto displaythefilePathtoSound_RecorderWdrive.docx 1. Attachthemicrophonetothecomputer 2. OpenWindowsSoundRecorder Start|AllPrograms|Multimedia|Audio|SoundRecorder 3. Turnonthemicrophoneiftheequipmenthasanon/offswitch 4. Recordacoupleofsentencesfromthescriptprovidedusingtherecord,stop,and playbackbuttonsinWindowsSoundRecorder. Troubleshoot 1. Checkthecomputervolumesetting 2. Checktheheadsetvolumecontrolifthereisone 3. Turnthemicrophoneon,ifithasaswitch(commonproblem)Studentwill complainaboutstatic. 4. Tryadifferentcomputer 5. Trytheheadsetofsomeoneelse 6. Getyourmoneyback

AccessingtheProgram
TrainerNote:Audacityisfoundinallthegeneralaccesslabsandafewcurricular labsoncampus. Oncampus AllPrograms|Multimedia|Audio|Audacity1.2.6 OffCampus

Http://audacity.sourceforge.netApplicationsarefree.Downloadaudacityandthe mp3encoder,

ObtainingtodaysWorkshopFiles
TrainerNote: Classparticipantsandtrainershouldcopytotheirdesktopthefollowingfolder. W:\\BITS\2007\Audacitycopytodesktop Trainers:YoumustalsocopyW:\\BITS\2007\Audacity\Sample_Demotoyour desktop.Thisfoldercontainsthefilesneededforthedemonstrations.

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Demonstration
PlaytheFinishedBroadcastMP3file(Studentswillcreatethisbroadcastintheworkshop), Desktop\Sample_Demo\Final_StudentProject.mp3.Thisshouldtakeapproximately1.5 minutes.MentionthatthestudentsfinalprojectwillalsobeanMP3file. Questionforstudents:Afterlist ExplainthepartsoftheprojectwhenyouareexplainingtheAudacityEnvironmentinthenext partofthelesson.(Script,music,Radiobroadcast)

ExplainingtheAudacityEnvironment
ShowStudentstheFinishedBroadcastsaupfile(AudacityProjectfile)Useittoexplainthe audacityenvironment. TrainerNote: Studentsarenotactivelyparticipatingyet.Trainerisstilldemoingandlecturing.Draw thestudentsattentiontothehandoutwhichhastheaudacityenvironmentlabeledfor them.Thehandouthasthesamedrawingastheonelabeledbelow. 1. ClickFile|Open 2. Navigatetothedesktopandopen:\Sample_Demo\ExampleStudent Project.aup ExplainaSoundTrackanditsfeatures TrainerNote: Audioorsoundisrepresentedbysoundwaves.Atrackwilldisplaythesoundwavesfor oneparticularaudiostream.Thetrackwillhaveasinglewaveformonoandtwowaves (onefortheleft,onefortheright)whentheaudioisbroadcastinstereo.Whenevera trackorsegmentofatrackispastedafterbeingcopied,thesegmentappearsinanew track. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Zoomintoshowthewavepatternandthezoomtool. ClickonViewonthemenubar(togetbacktonormalview) SelectProjecttoFitinWindow PointouttostudentstheMonoandStereoTracks ShowtheVolumeandBalanceadjustmenttoolsforthetrack ShowhowtomuteatrackClickthemutebutton ShowhowtodeleteatrackClickthesmallxinupperlefthandcornerofthetrack

ExplaintheMetertoolbar TrainerNote: Themetertoolbarwillshowthesoundlevelofanaudiotrack.Theappropriateoutput rangeisbetween+and6decibels.Playtrack1andthentrack2andnoticethe

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difference.Theredareaofthemeterisreachedwiththenarrativetrack,butthe professionalWPRbroadcaststaysinthegreenrange. Boththemetertoolbarand/ormixertoolbarcanbemovedsotheiractivitycanbe easilymonitoredwhenrecordingorlisteningtoaudio. 1. 2. 3. 4. ClickMuteonalltracksexceptthenarrative SelecttheSelectionTool Clickatthebeginningofthenarrativetrack` UsetheAudiocontrolpanelandclickPlay

NoticetheredthatdisplaysontheMeter. 5. 6. 7. 8. MutetheNarrationtrack TakeTrack2offmute Clickatthebeginningoftrack2withthemovetool.` UsetheAudiocontrolpanelandclickPlay

NoticethattheMeterneverreachestheredareaofthedisplay.Thisisaprofessional recording. ExplaintheMixerToolbar TrainerNote: Themixertoolbarallowsforcontrollingtheoutputofthemicrophone.Ifyouwatchthe Metertoolbarwhenyourecordyoucantellifyouarerecordingwithinthe6and3 decibelrange.Ifnot,adjustthemixer.Encouragestudentstowatchthemeterswhen theycreatetheirnarrativeandadjustthemicrophonewiththemixertogetthebest sound. ExplaintheStudentProject(4partstothisclassproject) Createoriginalnarrative.Seescripthandout Editoutanyumsorbloopersfromthenarrative ImportWisconsinPublicRadioaudioandeditintotwopartsandplaceappropriately Importanmp3musicfileandthenadjustthevolumeappropriately ClosetheDemoproject File|close

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BITSWorkshopLessonPlan AudioControl

Audacity

SelectionTool

MixerToolbar

TimeShiftTool Deleteatrack Muteatrack OutputLevelMeter InputLevelMeter

EditingToolbar MonoTrack

StereoTrack

TrackVolume TrackBalance TrainerNote: Sometimesduetothemonitorscreenresolution,thetoolbarwrapssothatthe commandslabeledabove,mayappearinadifferentpositionthanshown.

CreatingaBroadcast
CreateNarrationtrackDemonstration TrainerNote: Recordthe1stparagraphofthenarrationonthehandout.Addacoupleofbloopersyou caneditout,whenyouexplainhowtodeleteunwantedsectionsofanaudiotrack. Suggestionsforbloopers: Um Loudnoise(hitthedeskorsomething)andstartsentenceover Rustlepapersorbangthemikebetweensentences 1. PresstheRecordbuttonontheAudacityAudioControlpanel

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2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

RepeatTesting,testing,1,2,3,testingandwatchthemixertoolbar Adjustthemixerifnecessary Pressthestopbuttonontheaudiocontrolpanel PresstheRecordbuttonontheaudiocontrolpanelwhenyouarereadytoread thescript Readthescript.Readonlythefirstparagraph!Includeatleastoneum PressthestopbuttonontheAudacityAudioControlpanel Pointoutthatnowyouseetwotracks.Latestrecordingisontop. ExplaintheaudacityguidelineslistedbelowintheTrainerNote

TrainerNote: PleaseexplainthefollowingrulesandguidelinesofAudacity Thereisonlyoneclippertrack Audacityalwaysrecordsorimportstoanewtrack Edit/Duplicatewillnotcreateanotherfile.Thefeaturewillcopywhatis highlightedandpasteitinanewtrackmakingaduplicate. 10. Deletethebottomtrackortestingtrack.ClicktheXonthetrack. 11. ClickthePlaybuttontolistentotherecordingofParagraph1 12. AdjusttheTrackvolume OPTIONAL:Demonstratehowtodomultiplerecordingsessionstothesametrack. TrainerNote:UsethePausebuttonontheAudiocontrolpanel.Byrepeatedlypressing thepausebutton,interruptedrecordingwillbemadetothesametrack.OncetheStop buttonisclicked,anyfurtherrecordingwillappearinanewtrack. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. ClicktheRecordbutton Readsentence1inparagraph#2 ClickPause ClickPause,whenreadytocontinuereading Readsentence2inparagraph#2 ClickStop MuteyourtrackthatistherecordingofParagraph#1(bottomtrack) PlaythetrackthathasyourrecordingsofParagraph#2(exampleofonetrackfrom 2recordingtimes) 9. DeletethetrackbyclickingontheX

TrainerNote: Pleasementionthefollowingtipsformakingaqualityrecording. SpeakacrossthemicrophonetoavoidpoppingBsandPs CoverthemicrophonewithasmallpieceofclothoraKleenextoeliminate poppingBsandPs Speakinaloudclearvoice;Between6and+6decibels,Watchthemetersand adjustthemicrophone!

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Exercise1

ONYOUROWN
Createatestingtrack.Watchthemetersandadjustyourvoiceandmicrophone togetaqualityrecording. Deletethetestingtrack Createyournarrationtrack.Includeanumoratleastunwantednoiseatthe beginningandendofyourrecording.

DeletingUnwantedSegmentsofanAudioTrack
Demonstration Scenario:Recordingpersonsaidumandwantstodeletethatsection. 1. Magnifytheareawiththeum 2. Selecttheselectiontool 3. ClickonthewaveapproximatelywhereyouthinktheUmisgoingtostart 4. PressthePlaybuttonontheAudiocontrolpaneltostartlistening. 5. PressthePausebuttonwhenyouareattheendofwhatyouwanttoselect. 6. Clickanddragtheselectiontoolfromthebeginning(A)tothetriangle(B)that indicateswhereyoustopped.Seediagrambelow.Theselectiontoolturnsintoa hand.Thehandisnotshown.

Triangleindicatingendpoint (B) Startingpoint(A)

7. 8. 9.

10.
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ClicktheStopbuttonontheAudiocontrolpanel. ClickthePlayandStopbuttonsontheAudiocontrolpaneltolistentoyour selection Adjusttheselectionareabyusingthemousetopointtoanendpointofthe selectionareaandwhenahandappearsmovethemouserightorlefttoadjustthe area. PressPlaytoplayyourselection

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11. ClickEditonthemenubarandselectDeletetodeletetheselectionorselect SelectionRestoretocleartheselectionandstartover. TrainerNote: Whenanareaisselectedandyouwanttodeselectitandselectadifferentarea. DeselecttheareabyclickingonEDIT|RestoreSelectionfromthemenubar. Theeditingprocessjustdescribedshouldbeusedforanytypeofsoundorsectionthat needstobedeletedonanaudiotrack.

Exercise2

ONYOUROWN
Edityournarration.

AddingtheWisconsinPublicRadiofiletoyourAudacityproject
ImporttheWPRfileDemonstration 1. ClickonProject|ImportAudiofromthemenubar&Navigatetoyourdesktopto theAudacityCopytoDesktopfolder Selection 2. SelecttheWPR.wavfileanddoubleclickorclickOpen tool 3. Anewtrackisaddedtoyourproject.Noticethatitisastereotrackandwasadded belowyournarration. 4. Mutetrack1 5. Playtrack2andlistentotheWPRrecording TimeShifttool 6. Selectthetimeshifttool.Clickanddragtheaudiotoalignitnearthe usedtomove endofyournarrationtrack. theaudio. EditWPRtrackDemonstration TrainerNote: Notallofthespecificstepsarelistedbelow.Useyourknowledgefromusingthetime shifttoolandtheselectiontool;alongwithdeletingunwantedtracks,splittingaudio andcopyandpastetoedittheWPRfileaccordingtothegeneralinstructionslisted. Tosplitanaudiotrack,clickEdit|Split 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. HighlightthesectionoftheWPRtrackthatannouncesthenextprogramabout groundzero Edit|Split(YounowhavetwotrackswithpiecesoftheWPRaudio) Usethetimeselecttooltomovetheprogramsectionsoitplaysattheendofyour narration. Deleteanyunwantedaudiofromtheprogramsection EditthetimesectionoftheWPRaudiountilyouonlyhavethesectionthatsays: Its8minutespast8oclock

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TrainerNote: Ineditingthissectionyoumayusethezoomtooltoaccuratelyselecttheareaofthe trackthatyouwant.Youmayalsodecidetousetheselectiontooltochooseastarting point,playtheaudioandPausewhereyouwanttoendthesectionyouwant.Ifyou thenhighlightfromyourstartpointtothegreenarrow,youmustremembertothen clicktheStopbuttonontheAudiocontrolpanelorthetoolsonthetoolbarwillnot work,ifyouchoosetocutorcopyandpastetheselection. 6. ChangevolumeofthetwoWPRtrackstocomplimentyournarrationtrack.

Exercise3

ONYOUROWN
AddtheWisconsinPublicRadiofile,WPR.wav,toyourAudacityproject EdittheWPRfiletoputthepartaboutgroundzeroafteryournarration Isolatetheannouncementthatitis8oclockandputitattheendofyourproject

AddingaMusicFiletoyourAudacityProject
ImporttheMusicfileandcontourtheaudioDemonstration 1. ClickonProject|ImportAudiofromthemenubar&Navigatetoyourdesktopto theAudacityCopytoDesktopfolder 2. SelecttheromanticNights.mp3fileanddoubleclickorclickOpen 3. UsetheEnvelopetooltocontourtheaudio.(i.e.makethemusicveryfaintunder WPRannouncements,bringitupafterthetimeannouncementandthenlouderagain andfinallyfadeaway. TrainerNote: Tousetheenvelopetoolselectitandthenclickontheaudiotrackwhereyouwantto starttoadjusttheaudio.Whenyouclick,adjustmentpointsaremade.Makeasmany pointsasyouneedtoshapetheaudiothewayyouwantto.Withtheenvelopetool placedoverexistingpointsyoucanmovethepointsupordownorrightorleft.

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BITSWorkshopLessonPlan
Exercise4

Audacity

ONYOUROWN
Addthemusicfile,RomanticNights.mp3,toyourproject Adjustthevolume(envelopetool)

SavingYourBroadcastasanAudacityProjectandasanMP3File
TrainerNote: ExplainthedifferencebetweentheAudacityprojectfileandanMP3file.Theaudacity fileisasmallpointerfilethatpointstoyoureditingandcomposingdatacreatedwhile buildingyourproject.ThisdataisinaseparatefoldermadebyAudacityandisan essentialpartoftheproject.WhenyouexporttoanMP3allthedataiscompressedinto aplayablefile.Theplayablefileisalsosmall.Thedatahoweverwillbelarge.Forour classroomexerciseweusedtheDesktop.Neversaveanythingyouwillneedagain,to theDesktop.Computermaintenanceeachmorningat4amwillcleanupthecomputers harddrive.WhenyoucreateyourrealprojectbesuretousetheUWECmultimedia videoserver. Accessingthevideoserver Creatingapersonalfolderonthevideodrive Accessingagroupfolderonthevideodrive SavetheprojectDemonstration File|SaveProject TrainerNote: Savingtheprojectallowsyoutoeditanytracksifyouchoosetodoso. Exportyourfinalprojecttoanmp3fileformatDemonstration 1. File|ExportMP3 2. Browsetowhereyouwanttosavethefile TrainerNote: IftheprofessorfortheclasswillcreateaclassfolderontheW:drive,savealltheclass projectstothefolderandthenlistentosomeorallofthemtoexperiencethecreativity peopleuseinmakingabroadcast. 3. Givethefileaname 4. ClickOK Priortothenextworkshop,be suretoaddthedetailedsteps fortheseheadings.The instructionsarenotcompleteat thistime.101207

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Exercise5

ONYOUROWN
Exportyourprojecttoanmp3file.

ListentotheCompletedProjects
TrainerNote: AsktheinstructortomakeafolderfortheclassontheW:drive.Askstudentstoexport theirprojecttoanMP3intheclassfolder.Youcanthenplayeachfile.Askstudentsand instructorforcomments.

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