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!

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.

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.

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.

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.