Amazing Audacity

About this workshop

Amazingly easy recording, editing, sound stories & backing tracks: this all-day workshop will look at some of the easy ways that free recording and audio-editing software program Audacity can be utilised in the music classes as well as in the instrumental teaching studio.

Who is this workshop for?

This course is for music teachers but would also suit dance, drama and language teachers.

Pre-requisites

There are no pre-requisites for this workshop.

Workshop length and delivery

This workshop is available in a full-day (6-hour) or half-day (3-hour) format. It can also be adapted and delivered lecture-style.

Preferred full-day format is as follows (the start time is negotiable and breaks can be adapted to your school day timetable):

• 9am-10.30am Session 1
• Morning tea
• 11am-12.30pm Session 2
• Lunch
• 1.30-3pm Session 3

The half-day workshop is a 3-hour session with a 15-20 minute break in the middle. Workshop content will be reduced to allow for the shorter time.

Workshop Requirements

• Hands-on workshops: computer lab or laptops – preferably one per person
• Software required: Audacity version 2.0
• For the presenter: data projector and speakers, a table, access to a powerpoint, wireless internet access if possible

Workshop Outline

The full-day workshop will be broken into 3 parts:

Session 1: Backing tracks and basic editing

Discover how to edit songs from your CD collection or iTunes library. Learn how to import a song, remove the vocal part, change the tempo (with or without altering pitch), or change the key (without changing tempo). We’ll cover playback tips, quick ways to navigate the screen, how to zoom in and out and how to export the recording as an MP3 or WAV file. Discover the basics of recording student performances and discuss the equipment options to build a simple recording kit on a shoestring.

Session 2: Intermediate editing techniques

Learn how to edit audio files to create musical examples that include only the part you want to show your students: shorten a lengthy recording by chopping of the end or the beginning or take an example from the middle of a track. Create professional-sounding fade-ins and fade-outs and and then embed the examples in your Powerpoint/Keynote presentations or interactive whiteboard software. We’ll cover some more advanced editing techniques: cleanly remove a verse or chorus from a song or rearrange the song sections. We’ll also discuss other classroom uses for Audacity – as a tool for creating oral reports or providing verbal feedback or student reflection.

Session 3: Storytelling, mood music, sound effects and funny voices

Create your own sound stories: make your voice sound like a chipmunk, Darth Vader, a ghost, a robot, or sound like you’re in a concert hall. Learn to create a range of sound effects from scratch – a lion’s roar, an earthquake, rain – and then use them in your own digital story.

Provided Materials

• Full workshop notes provided in a digital format (PDF)
• Useful links to follow-up reading and videos where applicable
• Professional development certificates for all attendees (provided upon request)

I’m interested in this workshop. What’s next?

1. Check the Upcoming Events page for scheduled public workshops.

2. Book a workshop for your school (minimum booking 3 hours). Contact Katie to arrange a time.

Online Course Version

You may also be interested in the online course version of this workshop. Online courses take place after-hours from the comfort of your home and all you need is a computer with an internet connection. You can find more information here.