1. CD Production in Your School Some tools, some lessons, some ideas...

2. The agenda... Some thoughts about projects Recording – the first tier Converting to digital Editing your project Burning to CD Your jewel case – packaging Equipment costs Production costs

3. The projects Music events: –Performances by your music ensembles –Individual student projects –Teachers/others – enhancing the classroom Sound effects: –Drama productions –Video projects –Announcements –PowerPoint and Web The spoken word –Speech and Drama –Poetry/Prose

4. The projects (continued) Be wary of initial enthusiasm, followed by follow-through failure! –Projects tend to be abandoned if results are marginal and production isn’t fast! –Get a good example success. CD production as fund raiser –The potential mark-up is wonderful, but... –Don’t depend on student sales –If at all possible, market directly to parents – sell at open houses, PTSA meetings

5. Recording – First Tier Microphones: –Use dictates quality and design –For music: buy first quality, and don’t tell anyone! –Consider lavalieres for speech Sound Mixers –Necessary if you ever want to use more than one mike! –Serves as a level matcher for recording devices

6. Converting to Digital (in reverse order of preference) Recording to tape, and re-recording to computer –Tape is noisy, computer sound is second-generation – you’ll not be very happy with music recorded this way... Recording direct to computer: –Fine for speech, OK for music, but you’ll need a mixer if you want to use a decent microphone! The real-time CD-R recorder –Excellent for convenience, CDs can be used instantly, good digital conversion. Digital converters for your computer: –The best for quality, but the least convenient for use – another piece of hardware!

7. Converting to Digital (continued... ) Use the highest quality your recording medium (real-time burner, computer) offers –44,100 Hz Stereo at 16 bits is standard for CD quality –It’s always possible to “dumb down” a recording, but you can’t add back quality and fidelity that has been lost! –Don’t assume the default settings will cover you! Check them!

8. Converting to Digital (continued... )

9. Editing your project It’s all about software! –Get one that converts CD sound files - especially if you’re using a CD-R real-time burner. –Should convert file formats (MP3/WAV/CD) –Should provide some elementary effects Some suggestions: –Cool Edit – shareware version is free! –MusicMatch – gives elementary recording and file conversion, but very little else. –Cakewalk – full MIDI support as well as sound recording, but effects are not as high-quality as Cool Edit.

10. Editing your project What to do: –Chop beginning and ending noise and blank space. –Check for clips (volume going beyond acceptable range)... Compress if the levels are too extreme –Don’t overdo the “sweetening” (reverb)! –Normalize! –Listen! Undo if it doesn’t sound good! Experiment!

11. Burning to CD Again – you’ll need software! Use only CD-R disks, not CD-RW’s – the latter won’t play on your CD player! WAV’s and MP3’s also will not play on CD players. Burn a music CD – your software will tell you how. If your project won’t end up on CD – choose your format for your end product: –MP3’s for the Web and PowerPoint –WAVs for on-computer use of short clips.

12. The Package Software comes with jewel case insert and label blanks (not refills). You’ll need digital pictures! The more the merrier! Make sure you purchase blanks for your printer: Ink-jet (glossy) blanks will not work in laser printers, and laser blanks will not print well in ink-jets. Include your group name, a list of the CD contents, a list of “Thanks to...,” contact information including your school phone number and email address.

13. Costs - Hardware Microphones: –From $20 to $2,000. Expect to pay $100 for a mike that records music reasonably well. Mixers: –From $250. If you’re using a mixer remotely, the smaller the better! Cheap is fine here, since mixers are rarely the limiting factor. Real-time CD-R Recorders: –Between $350 and $600 for a decent CD-R. Digital Converters for your computer: –$200 up for internal cards –$400 up for external converters (preferred) –Sound Blaster Live ($99) will do reasonably well, but will not handle balanced inputs (better mikes)

14. Costs - Production CD-R’s: –Blank spindles are $0.25/CD or less –Blanks with jewel cases cost $0.80 or less Labels: –Label and jewel case insert blanks run $1.00 each or less. –Printing costs for labels and inserts will vary widely – expect $0.20 total for a color laser you have, triple that for an ink-jet (the labels will drink ink), and up to $3.00 per CD if you out- source your color printing costs. Total cost of production: –Between $1.50 and $4.00 per CD,depending on printing costs. –Remember you will be burning each CD separately, which is a time-consuming process. The pros: –Professional duplication and packaging will cost between $4.00 and $7.00 per CD, depending on how many you order. Most have a minimum 1000 units, though some will do short runs.

15. Do it! Your students, parents, CATS humanities scores, Arts programs, music and drama teachers will thank you!