Working with Sound

Exercise Three

For this exercise.... The intent of this exercise is to introduce you to some basic editing techniques and how to execute those techniques in Audacity. The purpose of reading a text as opposed to doing something more free flowing like a podcast is mainly because the exercise as structure will challenge you a bit more and introduce you to...

Step One:
Listen to the sound you recorded at the begining of this workshop and consider its quality and how it can be improved. Should you record in a different space? Are their ways you can reduce ambient noise? Can you use a different mic or put it in a more stratigic place? Try to make those improvements as well as you can and rerecord the text you orgininally read.

Step Two:
Rerecord your reading of the text. Whether you say it perfectly or imperfectly, record it at least twice so you can practice splicing different audio takes together. Remember to check your audio levels before you begin and remember to record room tone! [Make the record video more substantial and don't include a video here.]

Editing in Audacity "Rough Draft":

For the sake of simplicity and clarity we are going to approach the sound editing process on this particular exercise by putting it in a drafting framework. First, there will be the first draft in which you will assemble the best takes of the text you have recorded and then do some basic clean up work like remove easy to deal with clicks and pops.

Editing in Audacity "Second Draft":
Second, you are going to be smoothing out the sound by adding cross fades and in and out fades, adjusting the timing between the clips (the pacing of the reading), and cleaning up more difficult click and pops when possible.  


Editing in Audacity "Finaly Draft":
Finally, you are going to add effects and adjust the volume levels to inhance or improve the audio quality.

 

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