The audacious program Audacity Audacity might be worth a look. Suggest... Audacity is an easy to use audio production and mixing program, which enables students to record, import, edit, and add effects to sound files.

Audacity can be used for pure audio production or for integrating sound files into movies, animations or PowerPoint presentations. Features include the ability to save an audio creation into the required file format and accessibility to additional downloadable resources like sound effects. The main benefit of using this software is the improved quality compared to other basic sound recorders. Audacity is suitable for upper primary through to secondary.

Transport buttons Volume Input volume Curser tool Envelope toolOutput meter Input meter Getting started with Audacity Notes from teachers for teachers…

Editing tools are similar to many other programs. Pressing the spacebar will start and stop play, and shift-spacebar (or typing L) will loop-play a selected region. The selector tool allows you to click and drag over a range of audio in order to act on that section. Moving the cursor over the edges of the highlighted region allows grabbing and extending the length.

Highlight the part of the wave form you want to work on (e.g. Cut) Waveform Track controls Mute/Solo

Digital effects can be added at the appropriate place. This next Screen shot shows 'echo' or 'reverb' being added to the sound effects tracks. Each wave form (track) is able to be edited using cut, copy, and paste - as in a word processor. Adding 'echo' to the sound effects track

Exporting a WAV file The completed recording can then be exported (saved) as a WAV file and used in MovieMaker along with accompanying images.

Use ‘Import Audio’ to add audio to extra tracks Silence can be added to a new track to allow you to paste audio in different time positions

Use the Effects (EFX) menu to change the audio Change the effect settings and use preview to hear the result

Completed work needs to exported (converted to a suitable format) for sharing or use in other programmes such as Movie Maker or PPT. Use the ‘Envelope’ tool to create fades and volume changes between tracks

The envelope tool allows you to write volume envelopes, effectively automating a mix. Click on the envelope tool, then click on a point along the track to create a node, then click again to make another node and drag the node up or down to adjust the level. Dragging a node up and off the track will delete it. This technique can add a small amount of gain to the track as well as reducing it. Making only one node and dragging it up or down is a fast way to adjust the gain of the entire clip.

One way to work is to record or import your narration into the first track, then go through the track, and when you find audio that you might use: select it and use the "split" command which will drop that section out to a new track. Name that track so you can recall what that clip is. Repeat until you have all your potential clips in separate tracks. You can then go in and fine-tune your edits on each clip, and then drag them around in time to put them in order. You can then delete the original track by clicking the X in the upper left corner of the track, because it only has the audio you didn't use.

If you'd like to separate a region and move it to another track, use the "split" command under the edit menu. Select the audio you'd like to move, and select "split." Audacity will make a new track with the selected audio in it at its original time.

Once you have your elements edited and on different tracks, you can slide them around with the time shift tool, and adjust their relative volumes with the volume slider at the left of the track window, or with the "amplify" command under the "effects" menu. If you need to fade a track up and down, such as ducking music under a voice, use the envelope tool and click on the waveform to make nodes, then drag the nodes up and down to create a volume envelope.

Some common audio file formats (there are more!) WAV files = Windows Audio files (uncompressed – big files!) They come in different bit (quality) rates. WMA files = Windows Media Audio. Native to Windows Media Player. Not always backwards compatible with older software. Different compression ratios give different qualities. Media Player makes audio in this format. Make sure you turn off copy protection or you will not be able to use the audio outside Media Player. Smaller than WAV and MP3 for the same quality. MP3 = up till now the most common compressed audio format for sharing music. Smaller than WAV files.

AIFF = Apple Mac audio files equal to Windows WAV files. ACC = another audio format MID = Midi files. These are not audio files but music data files. They are very small, and can be edited. They only sound as good as the computer sound card is. Media Player will play these files but you need a midi sequencer or similar to edit them. Many are available on the web. iTunes is a free audio player that allow you to manage (and rip CDs) easily. You can choose which file format in EDIT/PREFERENCES/IMPORTING. Suggest you use MP3 for compatibility and size.

Operating system PC: Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, or later (Audacity is not supported on Windows 95 or NT 4.0.) Audacity runs best with at least 64MB RAM and a 300mHz processor.Mac: Audacity 1.2 requires Mac OS X 10.1 or later. Audacity 1.0 requires Mac OS 9.0 or later. Audacity runs best with at least 64MB RAM and a 300mHz processor PeripheralsMicrophone Pricing structure Licence Freeware: single and multi-user Cost Audacity software is open source software and is therefore free for use.