MODULE 4: Introduction to Audacity & WMM

INTRODUCTION

Credit to Anthony Oetzmann

Audacity is a program that manipulates digital audio waveforms. In addition to recording

sounds directly from within the program, it imports many sound file formats, including
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) such as WAV and AIFF, MP3, and Ogg Vorbis. PCM
formats of 8, 16, 24 and 32-bits can be imported and exported.

Audacity was started in the fall of 1999 by Dominic Mazzoni while he was a graduate
student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. He was working on a
research project with his advisor, Professor Roger Dannenberg, and they needed a tool
that would let them visualize audio analysis algorithms. Over time, this program
developed into a general audio editor, and other people started helping out.

Audacity is free and the source code is available under the GNU General Public License.
Audacity is cross-platform - it runs on Windows (98 through XP), Mac OS X, and many
Unix platforms, including Linux. Previous versions worked with Mac OS 9. No limits on
the number of tracks or the length of any track, except the size of your hard disk.

Audacity is distributed under the terms of the General Public License (GPL). You are
free to use this program for personal or commercial purposes. The source code to this
program is freely available on the web, and you are free to modify it for your own use;
however any changes you make must also be distributed under the GPL.

Audacity works with tracks, which contain one audio file. This file is editable and all
actions are undoable Audacity acts like a non-destructive editor, providing multiple levels
of undo, but it also writes changes made to the audio to disk, eliminating the need for
complicated real-time processing.

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MAIN AUDIO TRACK

TOOLBAR MENUS I/O SLIDERS &
INPUT SELECTOR EDIT TOOLBAR

Figure 1.0: Audacity Interface

MENUS - Contains command to launch certain task desired
MAIN TOOLBAR - A quick access/jump to launch selected task desired
EDIT TOOLBAR - A quick access/jump to launch selected task desired. All these tools perform the exact same function, as those
accessible through the Menus.
I/O SLIDERS & INPUT SELECTOR - These sliders control the mixer settings of the soundcard in your system.

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Table 1.0: Main Toolbar

Buttons Function
Cursor to Start
Places the cursor at the start of the project. SHIFT + click expands the
selection to the start of the project.

Play Button
Press the play button to listen to the audio in your project.

Record Button
Press the record button to record a new track from your computer's sound
input device.

Pause Button
Will pause during playback, or during recording. Press again to unpause.

Stop Button
Press the stop button or hit the spacebar to stop playback immediately.

Cursor to End
Places the cursor at the end of the project. SHIFT + click expand the
selection to the end of the project.

Selection Tool
This is the main tool you use to select audio.

Envelope Tool
The envelope tool gives you detailed control over how tracks fade in and
out, right in the main track window.

Time Shift Tool

This tool allows you to change the relative positioning of tracks relative to
one another in time.

Zooms Tool
This tool allows you to zoom in or out of a specific part of the audio.

Draw Tool
Enables the user to draw in to the actual waveforms. This is especially
useful to eliminate small pops and clicks from material. ALT + click
smoothes a area of audio CTRL + click & hold edits only one sample, no
matter whether you move the mouse left or right.
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Table 2.0: Edit Toolbar

Buttons Function
Cut
Removes the selected audio data and places it on the clipboard. Only one
"thing" can be on the clipboard at a time, but it may contain multiple tracks.

Copy
Copies the selected audio data to the clipboard without removing it from the
project.

Paste
Inserts whatever is on the clipboard at the position of the selection cursor in
the project, replacing whatever audio data is currently selected, if any.

Trim
Deletes everything but the selection.

Silence
Erases the audio data currently selected, replacing it with silence instead of
removing it completely.

Undo
This will undo the last editing operation you performed to your project.
Audacity currently supports full unlimited undo - meaning you can undo
every editing operation back to the last time the document was saved.

Redo
This will redo any editing operations that were just undone. After you
perform a new editing operation, including simply resizing a track, you
can no longer redo the operations that were undone.

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Zoom to Selection

Zoom to entire Project

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HOW TO…..
Select audio on one track?

• Place the cursor on the waveform of a track, hold down the mouse button, drag
the mouse and release the mouse button.
• You can select audio with the keyboard as well, but may need to place the cursor
with the mouse first. You need to hold down the SHIFT and use the left/right
cursor keys to expand the selection. Combine the former with the CTRL key to
shrink the selection.

Expand/shrink my selection?

• Hold the SHIFT key, then click and hold the mouse button.
• If you clicked to the left of the center of the current selection, you will now be able
to move the left selection boundary with your mouse. The same goes for the right
hand side of the selection center. Release the mouse button when you’re
satisfied.
• You can use the cursor keys as well. It works the same way as described in the
previous item.

Select from the cursor to the start of the track?

• Use the Start to Cursor (Selects all the audio from the start of the timeline to the
current cursor) function in the Edit menu.

Select from the cursor to the end of the track?

• Use the Cursor to End (Selects all the audio from the cursor to the end of project,
which is as far as audio exists in the project) function in the Edit menu.

Select from the cursor to the start of the project?

• Hold the SHIFT key and click on the Skip to Start button.

Select all the audio of a track?

• Click on the track panel. The resulting selection will be confined to the contents
of that track.

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Select all the audio of two or more tracks?

• It cannot be done precisely right now, if one track isn't within the range of the
other. It actually doesn't have to be, because of the group functions in the Align
menu, but more of that later.
• If the start and end of one track is within the start and end of the other, simply
select the longer track, then SHIFT + click the second track panel.
• If the start and end of one track is not within the start and end of the other, select
the one track, then expand the selection by SHIFT + clicking in to the second
track until the selection encompasses all the desired material.

Select all the audio of the project?

• Use the Select All function in the Edit menu, or hit CTRL+A.

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TRY THIS:

TASK 1
Splitting an MP3 into two separate files

• Open the MP3 file.

• Select the part of it that you want to be the first file. Listen to it by clicking
the Play button.
• While this part is selected, choose Export Selection as MP3... from the File
menu.
• Now select the part you want to be the other song and Export again.

TASK 2
Mixing background music with a voiceover

Audacity makes it very easy to mix two different sounds together.

• Open one sound (for example, the background music).

• Select Import Audio... from the Project menu and open the other sound (for
example, the voiceover).
• Listen to your sound using the Play button. Audacity automatically mixes them
together.
• Choose the Time Shift tool and adjust the position of one track or the other
until they're synchronized the way you want them. You can even move tracks
around while they're playing. If you hear clipping which wasn't present in
either of the original files, it means that the combined volume of the two
tracks is too loud. Select one or both of the tracks and then use the Amplify...
effect to reduce the volumes until you don't hear clipping anymore.
• Export as a WAV or MP3 file.

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TASK 3
Recording harmonies with yourself

• Open the Preferences, click on the Audio I/O tab, and check the box marked
"Play other tracks while recording new one".
• Click the Record button. Record yourself singing. Click Stop.
• Click the Record button again. The first track you recorded will play,
but Audacity will also record a new track at the same time, allowing you to
sing harmony with yourself.
• When you play the two tracks you recorded together, they probably won't be
synchronized. This is normal and is not the fault of Audacity. To fix it, you will
need to grab the Time Shift tool and slide one of the tracks around until it
sounds right.

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Windows Movie Maker

Step 1: Open Movie Maker Program

Collection Media
Frame Preview
Frame
Task
Frame

Storyboard /
Timeline Frame

Storyboard Frame

Timeline Frame

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Step 2: Create a new project

The first step is to create a new project. This will create a Windows Movie Maker file.
1. Launch the Windows Movie Maker program
2. Choose File > New Project
3. Choose File > Save Project As
4. Browse to MyDocuments / MyVideos folder.
5. Create a new folder and give it name
6. Give the project a name and click Save.

Step 3: Importing Video/Pictures/Audio

To capture from video device:

1. Plug-in the Battery Pack or AC Power Adaptor to the camcorder.
2. Connect the camcorder and the computer with a FireWire cable.
3. Set the camcorder to VCR or VTR mode.
4. Double-click on Windows Movie Maker.
5. Click on File and select Capture Video. The Video Capture Wizard dialog box
appears.
6. Type a file name for the captured video file in the Enter a file name for your
captured video text box.
7. In Choose a Place to Save Your Captured Video, select a location where you
want the video to be saved or click on Browse to select a location. Click Next.
8. In the Video Setting page, select the video setting to capture the video and/or
audio.

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9. In Capture Method page, click Capture the entire tape automatically. (NOTE:
The tape in the DV camera rewinds. The capturing of the tape starts
automatically and ends when the video tape ends).
10. Click Finish to close the Video Capture Wizard. The captured content is
imported into a new collection.

To Import Video:
1. Click the button next to “1. Capture Video” in the task window, this will bring
down a menu.
2. Click Import Video.
3. Navigate to the folder your video file is stored in, click the file you want to add
and click the Import button.

To Import Pictures:
1. Click the button next to “1. Capture Video” in the task window, this will bring
down a menu.
2. Click Import Pictures.
3. Navigate to the folder photos are stored in, click the file you want to add and click
the Import button.

To Import Audio:
1. Click the button next to “1. Capture Video” in the task window, this will bring
down a menu.
2. Click Import Audio.
3. Navigate to the folder your audio file is stored in, click the file you want to add
and click the Import button.

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All imported file should appear in the Collection Frame.

Examples of Picture/Video/Audio files

If you click on the images on the Collection Frame, they will appear in the Media
Preview Frame.

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Step 4: Add video to the Storyboard

Before you begin, make sure that you can see the storyboard in the bottom frame. If you

see the timeline click the button. Once you have done this you are ready
to start adding clips to your movie.
1. Click and drag the video clip or photo that you want to add into the first frame of
the storyboard. You will see the first frame of the video in the box.
2. Repeat this for all of the clips you want to add to your video.

Step 5: Add picture to the Storyboard

1. Click and drag the photo that you want to add from the collections frame into the
first frame of the storyboard. You will see the first frame of the video in the box.
2. Repeat this for each of the photos you want to add.

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Step 6: Trim the clips

In order to trim your video clips you need to see the timeline in the bottom frame. Click

the button to switch to this view.

1. In the timeline, click on the clip you want to edit.
2. Move the cursor to the beginning of the clip you want to edit. You will see a trim
icon appear.
3. Click and drag the cursor to the right, as you do this you will see the first frame of
the trimmed clip in the media preview window change.
4. You can also click and drag from the right to trip the end of the video clip.
The advantage of this method is that the trimmed portion of the clip, the part you do not
want, is still there and can be changed later.

Step 7: Add audio

To add music to your movie you need to have the timeline visible. If you see the

storyboard at the bottom of your Windows Movie Maker window click the
button.
1. Click and drag the audio file you want to add to the Audio portion of the timeline.
2. Once your file is in the time line you can click and drag it to any point of the
movie you would like. It will snap to the beginning of a movie clip or the end of
any previously added audio files.

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Step 8: Add effects

While it is not necessary, it is easiest if you work with effects and transitions in the

storyboard mode. If you see the timeline, click the button. Once you
have done this you can easily add effects and transitions to your movie using the
directions below.

1. Click the button next to “2. Edit Movie” in the task window pane if the submenu is
not already displayed
2. Click View video effects, the different effects will appear in the middle window
pane
3. Click and drag the effect, “Fade in, from black”, on to the first clip in the
storyboard. You will notice the grey star in the bottom right corner turn blue.

Examples of effects on the Collection Frame

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Effect has been inserted

Step 9: Add transitions

1. If you do not already see the edit movie submenu, click the button to the right of
“2.Edit Movie”.
2. Click “View Video Transitions”, the different transitions will appear in the middle
panes

3. Click and drag the transition “eye” to the box between the first and second
clips.

Examples of transitions on the Collection Frame

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Transition has been inserted

Step 10: Add a title at the beginning

1. If you do not already see the edit movie submenu, click the button to the right of
“2.Edit Movie”.
2. Click Make titles or credits, you will see a window asking you “Where do you
want to add the title?”

3. Click Add title at the beginning of the movie.

4. To change the title animation, click Change the Title Animation. Choose one
you like by clicking the name and previewing in the media player.

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5. Click edit the title text and type the title that you want to appear on the screen.

6. Click change the text font and color, you can now choose the font and color of
you title as well as the background color.

7. Click, “Done Add Title to movie”

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Step 11: Add a title at the middle

1. Switch to the timeline view by clicking the Show Timeline button

2. Move the blue slider to the point in your movie you want to add text
3. Click Make titles and credits (under the edit movie heading)
4. When the window appears, click Add title on the selected clip.
5. Now you need to change the title animation, click “Change the Title Animation”.
Choose one you like by clicking the name and previewing in the media player.
6. Click, Edit the title text and type the title that you want to appear on the screen.
7. Click Change the text font and color, you can now choose the font and color of
you title as well as the background color.
8. Click, Done add title to movie.

Step 12: Add credits

1. Click Make titles and credits (in the “2. Edit movie” submenu)
2. Click Add credits to end
3. Now you need to change the title animation, click Change the Title Animation.
Choose one you like by clicking the name and previewing it in the media player.
4. Click Edit the title text and type the title that you want to appear on the screen.
5. Click Change the text font and color, you can now choose the font and color of
you title as well as the background color.
6. Click, Done Add Title to movie

Step 13: Previewing clips

Once the movie is assembled you can preview it, this is fairly easy and can be done with
two clicks of a button.
1. In the Media Preview frame, click the stop button, this will “rewind” your movie to
the beginning.
2. Click the Play button on the media preview frame and your movie will play all the
way through.

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Step 14: Save the movie

1. First, click the button next to “3.Finish Movie”. This will bring down a menu. Click
“Save to my Computer”. The Save Movie wizard will appear.
2. On the first screen enter a name for your movie and browse to the folder you
want your movie to be saved in. Click Next.
3. The next screen only gives you one option, Best quality for playback on my
Computer. Click Next.
4. The file is now being saved as a windows movie (.wmv) and can be played with
Windows Media Player. When the file has been created, Click Finish.

Your completed movie file is now available in the folder you specified on the first screen
of the Save Movie wizard.