AIM: How do we put all of the skills we've learned on Audacity together into one great final project?
Your final audio project is to act in and record an Saturday Night Live skit. This skit will utilize sound effects, sound editing, music, and all of your Audacity skills.
The requirements listed below. You will be graded on each of these score categories.
1. At least three group members need recorded dialogue.
2. This recorded dialogue needs to be verbally acted out in order to make the skit funny and/or interesting.
3. The recording sounds levels need to make the listening experience easy and enjoyable.
4. The skit needs to include sound effect clips from the internet.
5. The skit needs to include some type of music clip.
6. The skit needs to include some sort of Audacity effects.
7. The skit needs to be edited well, with natural-sounding conversation and sounds.
Good luck! You may want to check back here daily for more updates later.
The following are the sites where you can find free mp3 effects and instrumental loops for download. Be careful not to get distracted by all of the ads on the sides, and sometimes you have to scroll to the bottom of the page to get what you are looking for:
Sound effects
http://www.flashkit.com/soundfx/
Looped musical instrumental tracks
http://www.flashkit.com/loops/
Have fun...
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Mon. 5/19/08: Commercials
AIM: How do we create legit commercials on Audacity?
These are the requirements for your commercials:
1. They must be recorded and mixed professionally so that they sound excellent.
2. They must contain two or more recorded voices on multiple tracks.
3. They must include some sort of music.
4. They must include at least one effect from the effects menu.
5. They must include at least one sound effect (you can make this yourself on the mic or find one online - see below).
6. They must use multiple tracks that overlap.
7. They must sell your product!
Here are some sites where you can find free mp3 effects and instrumental loops for download. Be careful not to get distracted by all of the ads on the sides, and sometimes you have to scroll to the bottom of the page to get what you are looking for:
Sound effects
http://www.flashkit.com/soundfx/
Looped musical instrumental tracks
http://www.flashkit.com/loops/
Good luck!
These are the requirements for your commercials:
1. They must be recorded and mixed professionally so that they sound excellent.
2. They must contain two or more recorded voices on multiple tracks.
3. They must include some sort of music.
4. They must include at least one effect from the effects menu.
5. They must include at least one sound effect (you can make this yourself on the mic or find one online - see below).
6. They must use multiple tracks that overlap.
7. They must sell your product!
Here are some sites where you can find free mp3 effects and instrumental loops for download. Be careful not to get distracted by all of the ads on the sides, and sometimes you have to scroll to the bottom of the page to get what you are looking for:
Sound effects
http://www.flashkit.com/soundfx/
Looped musical instrumental tracks
http://www.flashkit.com/loops/
Good luck!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Thurs. 5/15/08: AIM check
AIM: Are you checking the AIM each day?
The whole point of checking the AIM each day is so you know what you should be learning each day in the class. Today since I am out, you have one simple task. It is on here just to check to see if you are checking the AIM.
1. Open up Microsoft Word and put down your name, the date, and the period.
2. Copy the AIM into the Word document.
3. Save this small document into your folder using your name and the assignment name.
4. Email the document as an attachment to Mr. Power
5. Relax and enjoy the rest of the period.
Tomorrow we will be starting on making commercials using Audacity. Start thinking about who you'd like to work with on this group assignment.
The whole point of checking the AIM each day is so you know what you should be learning each day in the class. Today since I am out, you have one simple task. It is on here just to check to see if you are checking the AIM.
1. Open up Microsoft Word and put down your name, the date, and the period.
2. Copy the AIM into the Word document.
3. Save this small document into your folder using your name and the assignment name.
4. Email the document as an attachment to Mr. Power
5. Relax and enjoy the rest of the period.
Tomorrow we will be starting on making commercials using Audacity. Start thinking about who you'd like to work with on this group assignment.
Weds. 5/14/08: New seats, weird file
AIM: Where are our seats? What tricks can we pull with Audacity?
1. Sit in your assigned seat and make sure Audacity is working.
2. Use a recording of yourself or a sound file in the 'Mugic' folder and play around with the Effects menu.
3. Make sure the clip is 30 seconds long or less.
4. As always, save your project as an audacity file first (in your folder). Then export it as an MP3 and send it to Mr. Power via gmail.
5. The craziest, weirdest, or coolest sounding file gets extra credit.
1. Sit in your assigned seat and make sure Audacity is working.
2. Use a recording of yourself or a sound file in the 'Mugic' folder and play around with the Effects menu.
3. Make sure the clip is 30 seconds long or less.
4. As always, save your project as an audacity file first (in your folder). Then export it as an MP3 and send it to Mr. Power via gmail.
5. The craziest, weirdest, or coolest sounding file gets extra credit.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Fri. 5/9/08: Installing the updated Audacity
AIM: How do we get the better version of Audacity? What can we do with it?
1. Read ALL of these directions first before doing anything.
2. Log out and type in "administrator" into the login box.
3. Change the drop-down box from "Academic" to "This computer."
4. Call Mr. Power over to type in the password.
5. Get onto the internet and open up this blog again.
6. Go here in a new window: http://audacity.sourceforge.net Go down and click on where it says "Download Audacity 1.3.5 (Beta)".
7. Scroll down to where it says: "Windows 2000/XP/Vista: Audacity 1.3.5 installer (.exe file, 3.0 MB)" and click on the blue link to download the program file to the desktop.
8. Double-click on the new file and download the new version of Audacity.
9. Allow the program to put a shortcut on the desktop.
10. Ask Mr. Power if you have any questions.
11. Once Audacity 1.3.5 is finished installing, log out and log on as yourself.
12. Try recording yourself three different times on the same track. NOW you can move each of these recordings around separately! Hooray! Show Mr. Power your genius handiwork. Rejoice in technology.
1. Read ALL of these directions first before doing anything.
2. Log out and type in "administrator" into the login box.
3. Change the drop-down box from "Academic" to "This computer."
4. Call Mr. Power over to type in the password.
5. Get onto the internet and open up this blog again.
6. Go here in a new window: http://audacity.sourceforge.net Go down and click on where it says "Download Audacity 1.3.5 (Beta)".
7. Scroll down to where it says: "Windows 2000/XP/Vista: Audacity 1.3.5 installer (.exe file, 3.0 MB)" and click on the blue link to download the program file to the desktop.
8. Double-click on the new file and download the new version of Audacity.
9. Allow the program to put a shortcut on the desktop.
10. Ask Mr. Power if you have any questions.
11. Once Audacity 1.3.5 is finished installing, log out and log on as yourself.
12. Try recording yourself three different times on the same track. NOW you can move each of these recordings around separately! Hooray! Show Mr. Power your genius handiwork. Rejoice in technology.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Weds. 5/7/08: Saving & Radio #2 continued
AIM: How do we save our work?
Very important! From now on, you must follow these steps when saving:
1. Alter the ID3 tags before you save (see an earlier post how to do this).
2. Save as an Audacity Project File at the end of every class.
3. Save in your documents folder only. Do NOT save on the "transfer" drive.
4. Save with a specific filename: Your Name - The Project.
5. AFTER you have saved as an audacity project file, you can export it as an MP3 (a much smaller file).
Today we are finishing the Radio-style volume project #2. Tomorrow we will move on to the next thing.
Very important! From now on, you must follow these steps when saving:
1. Alter the ID3 tags before you save (see an earlier post how to do this).
2. Save as an Audacity Project File at the end of every class.
3. Save in your documents folder only. Do NOT save on the "transfer" drive.
4. Save with a specific filename: Your Name - The Project.
5. AFTER you have saved as an audacity project file, you can export it as an MP3 (a much smaller file).
Today we are finishing the Radio-style volume project #2. Tomorrow we will move on to the next thing.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Fri. 5/01/08: Track Volume
AIM: How do we more specifically regulate track volume in Audacity?
Today's goal is part 2 of making a radio-host-like file in Audacity.
1. Make sure you have a computer with a working microphone.
2. Choose a different song that you enjoy from the 'Mugic' folder, and import it into Audacity.
3. Come up with three reasons you like the song and write them down. If I was doing it on the Beyonce song "Crazy in Love," I might say:
The first thing I like about this song is the way the horns are recorded live and they sound punchy and fresh. The second thing I like about this song is the way Jay-Z raps about chinchilla fur. The third and final thing I like about this song is how it reminds me of the summer I moved to New York.
4. Record yourself saying these three things, but pause for at least five seconds in between each one.
5. Use the gain adjuster knob (see yesterday's post) on the vocal track only to increase the volume.
6. Now, in order to hear your words clearly while the song is playing, the song's volume needs to get softer only at the times when you say what you like about it. Here's how to do it:
7. Click on the Envelope Tool in the upper-left-hand-corner of the screen. This is the button that looks like two white arrows with a blue line between them. The Envelope Tool adjusts the sound level at specific parts in the track.
8. Click on the song track right at the beginning of where your recorded voice starts speaking on the vocal track. Then click again slightly to the right of your first click and drag towards the middle of the track. You should see the volume shrink down.
9. Click again at the part when your speaking ends. Then drag the volume back up to normal again.
10. The end result should be a song that gets quiet only at the times when you are speaking.
11. Edit the ID3 tags.
12. Export as an MP3 with the correct filename (into your computer's document folder): Your Name - Radio Project part 2.
13. Open up the file in Windows Media Player for Mr. Power to listen to.
Today's goal is part 2 of making a radio-host-like file in Audacity.
1. Make sure you have a computer with a working microphone.
2. Choose a different song that you enjoy from the 'Mugic' folder, and import it into Audacity.
3. Come up with three reasons you like the song and write them down. If I was doing it on the Beyonce song "Crazy in Love," I might say:
The first thing I like about this song is the way the horns are recorded live and they sound punchy and fresh. The second thing I like about this song is the way Jay-Z raps about chinchilla fur. The third and final thing I like about this song is how it reminds me of the summer I moved to New York.
4. Record yourself saying these three things, but pause for at least five seconds in between each one.
5. Use the gain adjuster knob (see yesterday's post) on the vocal track only to increase the volume.
6. Now, in order to hear your words clearly while the song is playing, the song's volume needs to get softer only at the times when you say what you like about it. Here's how to do it:
7. Click on the Envelope Tool in the upper-left-hand-corner of the screen. This is the button that looks like two white arrows with a blue line between them. The Envelope Tool adjusts the sound level at specific parts in the track.
8. Click on the song track right at the beginning of where your recorded voice starts speaking on the vocal track. Then click again slightly to the right of your first click and drag towards the middle of the track. You should see the volume shrink down.
9. Click again at the part when your speaking ends. Then drag the volume back up to normal again.
10. The end result should be a song that gets quiet only at the times when you are speaking.
11. Edit the ID3 tags.
12. Export as an MP3 with the correct filename (into your computer's document folder): Your Name - Radio Project part 2.
13. Open up the file in Windows Media Player for Mr. Power to listen to.
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