Audio Activities

5.1 Download and Configure Audacity

Download and install Audacity

Go to the Audacity page and select the to download link for the current release (ie. in February 2014 it was 2.0.5). Install the software, following the instructions presented.

Download the LAME MP3 Encoder

In order for your Audacity software to export files in the (propietary) MP3 format, you will need to download the encoder file separately. You will find a link to download the appropriate LAME file on the specific Windows or Mac Audacity download page.

5.2 Record some Audio

Plan your audio piece

Find or write a learning objective statement for a topic you teach and then consider a piece of audio that you could create (either voice or capturing environmental sound) to support this learning objective. Be sure to consider your resources in selecting a prospective audio project. Your time equipment and availability of audio sources should be easily within reach.

If you are doing a voice audio piece, write a script for you or anyone else speaking for your clip. If you are recording environmental sound, make a list of the different sounds and/or voice components you need to record.

Record your audio using Audacity or one of the online audio recording apps. Save or convert the file in the MP3 format, upload it to your blog’s Media Library and then embed it on a blog post using the code example shown at the bottom of the ‘Introduction to Producing Audio‘ page. Add your post to the ‘EDDL 5131’ category

5.3 Edit an Audio File

Download an Audio File

Go to the Internet Archive or some other audio repository and download an audio file with Creative Commons licensing or a file that is in the public domain.

Edit your Audio File

Using Audacity, select a clip from this audio file that might be useful for an online course and remove the rest of the audio.

1. From the ‘File’ menu in Audacity, select ‘Open’, then navigate to the file you want to edit, select it and click ‘Open’.
2. Under ‘File’ select ‘Save Project as…’ and save your project.
3. Listen to your file and find portions you want to delete. Select these portions by clicking within the waveform and then dragging your mouse to the end of the selection, then press ‘Delete’ on your keyboard.
4. When you have your audio piece appropriately edited, go to ‘File’ and select ‘Export…’ to save a working copy of your audio (don’t forget to select the MP3 format for your audio).
5. Alternatively, if your piece of audio is one continuous segment within the larger file, then select the segment in the waveform with your mouse, from the ‘File’ menu select ‘Export Selection…’ and save your working copy of audio in the MP3 audio format.