Syllabus

Enhancing Audio with:
Audacity

Instructor: Bryan Lane

Planning guidelines

  • Consider your content first. Audio recordings with short, focused messages are often the most effective.
  • Plan your work before you start using equipment and software. Scripting in advance will pay off in more efficient and effective use of your time during production.
  • Identify the media elements you want to include, such as narration, interviews, sound effects, and music beds from existing sources.
  • Use software that can assemble all of your components. This session will use Audacity avaiable as a free online download.
  • Consider how you will transfer your project files and what you wish to do with the finished product.
  • Choose one platform (Windows or Mac) at the outset and stick with it for an entire audio production.
  • Read more about creating high quality original audio in the multimedia planning guidelines.

The audio production process

There's over 2 hours of online training for Audacity under "Podcasts" available from lynda.com in the Student Multimedia Design Center.

Recommended: when recording audio, connect a microphone to your computer before opening Audacity.

  1. How to record audio video using Audacity. For this session, we'll use the Logitech Headset available from the front desk at the Student Multimedia Design Center. Plug the headset into your USB port on the back panel of your computer and check to see that you have levels in Audacity.

  2. How to import an audio clip. We'll use a set of sample audio clips to develop an edited audio sequence.

  3. How to edit audio clips, including sequencing and trimming. The Audacity interface is built around three main areas:
    1. the monitor window(s), each with a scrubber bar.
    2. the tool bar and the functions contained within these tools.
    3. the LED meters which show the levels of your recordings.

  4. Optional steps: adding effects, and enhancing sound quality.

  5. Share your audio.

 

How to save your audio file to be able to listen to it and share it

For this session, we wll export your audio file for playback from a CD.

Important: your Audacity project file is not the same as your audio output file. Keep track of both files!

 

Options for follow-up assistance

Find out more about "Podcast" recording and sound from the Audacity Tutorials web site, available in the Student Multimedia Design Center.
  1. Lynda.com and Audacity offer excellent self-paced online tutorials.
  2. Come to the Student Multimedia Design Center service desk.
  3. Submit a question at AskSMDC.
  4. Make an appointment with our staff by calling 831-8832.
  5. For general technology questions, contact the Help Center.
  6. For help with a class presentation, contact the Oral Communications Fellows.
  7. For faculty who need help with technology, contact PRESENT.