What you’ll be doing is recording your voice using a Mac Laptop and the software Audacity. Below are some detailed instructions.
Move the cursor to the bottom of the screen to see the Dock. Click on the Audacity icon – it’s the yellow waveform surrounded by a pair of headphones.
Once the window open up, look for these buttons, top left. The one on the right will be the record button – click it to start recording.
DO NOT HIT STOP to stop recording – you are supposed to have it all in one file. It’s easiest to just hit the PAUSE button – the one on the left. Click it again to start recording again.
To Export your recording as an MP3 select File menu –> Export Audio……
The AP Exam instructions will give you the exact filename to use.
WHERE: Select DESKTOP
FORMAT: Select “MP3 Files”
Click the OPTIONS button
These are the settings you’ll want to use:
Bit Rate Mode: Preset
Quality: Standard
Variable Speed: Standard
Channel mode: Joint Stereo
Click OK button
Once you hit save you MAY see the metadata dialog. I suggest putting your AP ID number here.
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IF you want to go ahead and burn the CD:
Place the blank CD in the drive.
Doubleclick the CD icon to open a window.
Drag the MP3 file into the CD window.
You should see a “burn” icon next to the CD name on the left side of the window. Click it.
LISTEN – REAL closely. Close your eyes to see if that’s a sound you can use.
Close vs Far – Putting mic close to the sound results in a recording that is very different than when it is far away. A difference of a few inches can be huge.
Levels – AVOID DISTORTION. -6 on the VU meter is a good target.
Use highest quality gear you can get. Lower quality equipmnet does not reproduce everything – you might not be hearing everything that’s in the recording. iPad earbuds are NOT that good.
Multiple takes are a good idea. Don’t record ONE handclap – record 6 or 7, and pick the best one.
PROCESS: Record –> Edit–> Export
RECORD
Settings – advanced
Format – always a tradeoff!
MP3 –> smaller file, but lossy compression = not as good audio [but is it good enough?]
WAV –> better quality, bigger files
Sample Rate –>bigger number = better sound quality
Bit Depth –> bigger number = better sound quality
Bit Rate [MP3 only] –> bigger number = better sound quality
CD quality = 16 bits @ 44100 sample rate WAV
Channels = built-in mic is MONO
I suggest after recording you change the filename AND change the title to something that makes sense.
if recording several SFX, start with a number.
1 snap
2 crackle
3 pop
………………Makes it easier to access in order on playback.
EDIT
Trim unneeded material at beginning and end – see picts below
Change filename, title, add tags if needed.
Can also duplicate a file
[ALWAYS WORK ON A DUPLICATE in case something goes awry]
Can also combine files
EXPORT – where do you want it to go?
email – not possible with very large files, though.
photo album
Google Drive
WiFi Download – screen gives an IP address. On the other device you surf to that address, and can download the file.
open w/ other apps
Bluetooth – can send directly to another Bluetooth device if it’s appropriate
