This document provides an introduction to using the free, open source audio editing software Audacity. It discusses selecting appropriate recording devices, tips for getting a good recording, and performing basic audio editing tasks in Audacity like cutting, copying, pasting and trimming audio clips. The document then demonstrates more advanced features like working with multiple tracks, effects, and creating an audio storytelling project by integrating different audio clips. It also provides resources for free music and additional Audacity tutorials.

1. Introduction to Audacity
Duncan McHugh
UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems
CiTR’s Duncan’s Donuts
duncanmm@gmail.com

2. Introduction to Audacity
･ Know your recording devices
･ Tips on getting a good recording
･ Extremely basic audio editing
･ Somewhat complex audio storytelling

3. Introductions

4. LFS 400

5. Duncan’s Donuts

6. What do you use
for recording sound?
･ Computer’s internal mic
･ Smartphone

7. Zoom H2

8. USB microphone
and headset

9. Marantz PMD 660
solid state recorder

10. Roland Edirol

11. Tips on getting
a good recording
Editing can
only do so much

12. Tips on getting
a good recording
･ Know the space
･ Consider the room size, number
of participants and ambient noise
･ Use the appropriate equipment
･ Check equipment beforehand
･ Test your levels
･ Bring headphones

13. Audio editing
applications
Free:
Windows:
Sound Recorder
Mac:
Garage Band
Open Source:
Audacity
Pro:
Adobe Audition
Dalet
Burli

14. Using Audacity

15. To the beginning
Play
Record
Pause
Stop
To the end

16. Selection Tool: selects a segment of a track
Envelope Tool: allows quick adjustments of volume
Draw Tool: for very minute adjustments

17. Zoom Tool: allows you to shift your view
Time Shift Tool: moves clips along the timeline
Multi-Tool Mode: everything at once

18. Cut/Paste/Trim
Undo/Redo
Zoom

19. DEMO

20. Exercise I:
Basic audio editing
Step 1
･ Record 30 seconds of discussion with your
partner or of you speaking by yourself
･ Record only one track
･ Make sure to include a bunch of ohhs and
ummms, and other things you won’t want
to keep in your recording

21. Exercise I:
Basic audio editing
Step 2
･ Use the Selection Tool to edit unwanted sounds
･ Use the Envelope Tool to adjust the volume of the
recording
･ Play it back and bask in auditory joy

22. Beyond basic
･ Multiple tracks
･ Additional tools
･ Effects; some useful, some crazy

23. What is a podcast?
Podcast = Media + RSS
• Any blog will do
Feed management: Feedburner
Audio hosting: Soundcloud

24. Exercise II:
Audio storytelling
･ Create a multi-track recording with a partner
･ Clips here: http://bit.ly/CJSF_audacity_clips
･ Topic: Transit!
･ Integrate vocals, music, silence and sound effects
･ Work on the volume and transitions between tracks
･ Try out a few effects and see what affect they have
･ Please consider:
･ Your audience: who’s listening?
･ How long does this take?(!?)

25. The BEST music site
for Internet-safe audio
Free Music Archive
http://www.freemusicarchive.org/
Also Wikimedia Commons & archive.org
Creative Commons Canada:
www.creativecommons.ca

26. Online Audacity
tutorials
Lynda.com’s Audacity tutorial:
http://www.lynda.com/Audacity-tutorials/Up-Running-
Audacity/111697-2.html
Educause’s screencast tutorial:
http://www.educause.edu/Screencasts/Audacity/Untitled.html
Daniel James’s tutorial:
http://quicktoots.linuxaudio.org/toots/audacity/

27. Everything you
wanted to know…
The Audacity wiki:
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/

28. Thanks!
Duncan McHugh
duncansdonuts.wordpress.com
www.landfood.ubc.ca/learningcentre
duncanmm@gmail.com
@duncanmm