Amazing Audacity Online Course

About this course

Amazingly easy recording, editing, sound stories & backing track creation using the free audio editing program Audacity.

This online course assumes no prior knowledge and will look at some of the great ways that Audacity can be utilised in the music, dance and language classes as well as for amateur and professional musicians.

For more information about the course content, see the full Course Outline below.

Who is this course for?

• anyone that would like to make quick changes to audio tracks (fade-outs, delete a chorus, remove vocals)
• teachers, students, conductors and performers that want to create their own backing tracks
• anyone wanting to make fantastic sound effects and create their own stories with students

Pre-requisites

No previous Audacity experience required. This course is designed for complete beginners

Course length and delivery

• 4 x 75 minute sessions
• This is a live, online course. (read more about how online courses work)
• There will be Q & A opportunities in each session
• “Homework” tasks in between sessions which will help you get the most out of the course (nothing too heavy!)

Course dates

Next course starts 4 March 2013. Please see dates below.

Note: all times are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC+11). Check your local time by using this time zone converter.

• Monday 4 March, 2013, 8pm-9.15pm
• Monday 11 March, 2013, 8pm-9.15pm
• Monday 18 March, 2013, 8pm-9.15pm
• Monday 25 March, 2013, 8pm-9.15pm

What you will need

• A computer with internet access
• Headphones
• The latest version of Audacity (Version 2). Download version 2 for Windows or Mac from here.

Provided materials

• Step-by-step course notes
• Audacity Cheat Sheet (Quick reference guide)
• Scores and other files required for homework tasks
• Full 6-month access to video recordings of each session. Watch them at your own pace, whenever you like
• Professional development certificate of attendance provided

Cost and Payment Terms

Cost: AUD$200. Payment options as follows:

• EFT (Electronic funds transfer) [Australian residents only]
• Credit card (via the Paypal website. No Paypal account necessary. Will incur a transaction fee of $6)
• Paypal
• Invoice option available for schools and businesses [Australian residents only]

NB: course participants outside Australia must pay via Paypal or credit card (credit card transaction takes place via the Paypal website)

Payment must be received before the first course date. Please also note the course cancellation policy.

If you wish to sign up for the course, but do not yet have approval from your school, please email me.

Places

Limited to 20 places only.

The Amazing Audacity Online course will cover a range of skills, including the following:

Session 1: Basic Audio Editing With Instant Results

• Audacity screen tour
• Importing an existing audio track into Audacity
• Playback controls
• Zooming in and out
• A few playback shortcuts
• Removing vocals from song
• Recording new vocals over the top of a backing
• Changing the pitch of a song without changing tempo
• Changing tempo of a song without changing pitch
• Selecting audio
• Applying changes to a section of a song
• Understanding audio file formats
• Identify which formats can be imported and which can’t
• What to do about audio files that can’t be imported
• Saving Audacity files (including tips for teachers)
• Tips for keeping track of different versions of audio files
• Exporting audio to a CD
• Exporting audio for MP3 players
• Participant Q&A

Session 2: Intermediate Editing Techniques

• Selecting the beginning or end section of a track
• “Chopping up” audio
• Cutting off the end of a song
• Creating a fade-out or a fade-in
• Selecting a precise portion of a track
• Selecting part of a track during playback
• Adjusting a selection without using the mouse
• Deleting a chorus or verse of a song
• Previewing a cut
• Splitting a track into separate portions
• Creating short musical examples for presentations or assessments
• Embedding audio files into Powerpoint, Keynote or interactive whiteboard software
• Exporting sections of an audio track as separate flies
• Participant Q&A

Session 3: Live Recording for Absolute Beginners

• Recording equipment for all budget levels
• Basics of equipment setup
• Ways of getting recordings into Audacity
• Using Audacity for student rehearsal and performance assessment
• Recording conditions
• Setting levels in Audacity
• Coping with recording in a classroom setting
• Recording instruments and vocals
• Setting up a click track
• The importance of headphones
• Applying effects: concert hall, small space, equalisation, compression, reverb, normalisation
• Participant Q&A

Session 4: Sound Effects and Digital Storytelling

• Make your own sound effects from scratch (earthquake, lion’s roar, waves and more)
• Write and plan a story
• Record the story
• Change your voice: robot, chipmunk, monster, telephone voice, Darth Vader, alien
• Cut up audio tracks
• Move the audio around on the timeline
• Easy ways to view multiple tracks
• Using positioning guides
• Importing sound effects
• Altering the length and volume of sound effects
• Adjusting track levels (basic mixing)
• Exporting and sharing stories
• Incorporating images and video with other software tools
• Participant Q&A

*Midnight Music reserves the right to alter course content when necessary.

Presenter

All sessions will be presented by Katie Wardrobe. You can read more about Katie here.

Bookings

What happens once I’ve paid?

Once your course registration and payment have been received, you can sit back and wait for the first scheduled session.

A reminder email will be sent ahead of session 1 which will include login details and a link which allows you to access the online course.

Questions about this course?

Contact Katie.