Digital Audio Agenda

Digital Audio Concepts What’s it all about

Creating Audio Equipment

Demos and practice time Best way to learn = explore Guides on class web site!

Audio — The Underused MM Asset

What uses??

Audio — The Underused MM Asset

Analog or Digital Analog

Means? Digital

Means?

Analog AudioAnalog Audio LPsLPs Cassette / reel / 8 track tapesCassette / reel / 8 track tapes

Advantages of eachAdvantages of each

Disadvantages of eachDisadvantages of each

Analog AudioAnalog Audio Advantages (LP, tape)Advantages (LP, tape)

FamiliarityFamiliarity Availability (hardware)Availability (hardware) Easy recording (tape)Easy recording (tape) Relative Durability (tape)Relative Durability (tape) TransportabilityTransportability Other?Other?

Analog AudioAnalog Audio DisadvantagesDisadvantages

QualityQuality InitialInitial Dubs (tape)Dubs (tape)

Durability (especially LPs)Durability (especially LPs) Format stabilityFormat stability

Exception (so far) = cassetteException (so far) = cassette Duration (playing time)Duration (playing time)

Remember changers?Remember changers? ??

Digital Audio CDs

Advantages?Disadvantages?

Computer sound files Advantages? Disadvantages?

Digital Audio - CDsDigital Audio - CDs Advantages of CDsAdvantages of CDs

QualityQualityOriginalOriginalDubsDubs

Create own combosCreate own combos Playing time Playing time

(max = ?? min) (max = ?? min) TransportableTransportable DurableDurable

Digital Audio - CDsDigital Audio - CDs Disadvantages of CDsDisadvantages of CDs

Playing time (capacity) ?Playing time (capacity) ? Dubbing requirementsDubbing requirements

Most newer PCs canMost newer PCs can Special copiers unnecessarySpecial copiers unnecessary

Price of commercialPrice of commercial Are you being ripped off??Are you being ripped off?? Music downloadsMusic downloads

Other?Other?

Digital Audio – Computer FilesDigital Audio – Computer Files Advantages of Computer SoundAdvantages of Computer Sound

Editable – use only what you needEditable – use only what you need Distributable (= files)Distributable (= files) ConvertibleConvertible

Match format to applicationMatch format to application Quality choicesQuality choices

Affect Affect file sizefile size Significance?Significance?

Other?Other?

Digital Audio – Computer FilesDigital Audio – Computer Files

Disadvantages of Computer SoundDisadvantages of Computer Sound Lack of familiarity / experienceLack of familiarity / experience Play requires computer Play requires computer

(or (or conversionconversion to another format) to another format) File sizeFile size

Can be huge! Can be huge!

DA Concepts - 1DA Concepts - 1 Digital Audio File Types +/- of Each Type

CDAWAVMP3 & WMAAU / AIFFMIDIProprietaryOthers?

Digital Audio FilesDigital Audio FilesTypes & their Characteristics CDA WAV (CD quality or less) MP3 (= mpeg layer 3) WMA AU / AIFF Proprietary Streaming (Real, et al) MIDI (totally different)

Finding and Finding and Downloading AudioDownloading Audio

The bounty of the Web

Sample Audio Resources wavcentral.com (nice variety)(nice variety) allwavs.com (some very BAD stuff, too)(some very BAD stuff, too) The Daily Wav (movie & TV clips, some nasty) (movie & TV clips, some nasty) Search for audio files (wav, mp3)Search for audio files (wav, mp3)

Audio Software CompaniesAudio Software Companies Adobe (Audition) (Audition) Goldwave (Goldwave) (Goldwave) Sony (Sound Forge) (Sound Forge) Sonicdesktop (Smart Sound) (Smart Sound)

DA Concepts - 2DA Concepts - 2Factors you control Recording Volume

Too little = ? Too much = ?

Audio file type Choices vary by software

DA Concepts - 3DA Concepts - 3Factors you control Quality via Sampling Rate

CD = 44kHz (stereo)Radio (FM) = 22kHz (stereo)Telephone = 11kHz (mono)

Quality via “Format” = Codec Compression / decompressionVarying possibilities within typesExperiment!

DA Concepts - 4aDA Concepts - 4a Hardware needs

“Card” standard; add mic, cables

Typical PCs Internal

Optical drive wired to sound card

DA Concepts – 4bDA Concepts – 4b Hardware needs

“Card” standard; add mic, cables Typical PCs

Interchangeable Card

Integrated

DA Concepts – 4cDA Concepts – 4c Hardware needs

“Card” standard; add mic, cables iMac Example

G3 example

DA Concepts - 5DA Concepts - 5 Software to record / edit

Sound Recorder is standard (Win) Limitations

Media Player (std, limits)MusicMatch Jukebox (free)Sound Forge, et al.

More sophisticated, flexible; buy Software / Hardware to create

SmartSound (buy) MIDI devices

Setting Up to Record - DemoSetting Up to Record - Demo Volume ControlVolume Control

System Tray icon?System Tray icon? Start > Programs > Accessories > Start > Programs > Accessories >

EntertainmentEntertainment Start > Programs > Multimedia in labStart > Programs > Multimedia in lab

Shows PLAYBACK only at firstShows PLAYBACK only at first Watch for “mute” checksWatch for “mute” checks

Options > Properties > RecordingOptions > Properties > Recording Choose inputs to displayChoose inputs to display Select Select oneone to be used to be used

Sound RecorderSound Recorder Demo Demo

Mixer controls & problemsMixer controls & problemsKnown?Known?Multiple?Multiple?

RecordRecord

Options that affect qualityOptions that affect quality

EditEdit

Getting what you wantGetting what you want

““Special effects”Special effects”

Music Match JukeboxMusic Match JukeboxDemoDemo

For Producing Longer For Producing Longer WAVs, MP3s, & Limited WAVs, MP3s, & Limited Format ConversionFormat Conversion

Sound ForgeSound ForgeDemoDemo

For most flexibility For most flexibility and controland control

SmartSoundSmartSoundDemoDemo

Create your very Create your very own music for any own music for any needneed - no - no copyright issuescopyright issues

Inserting Audio into Inserting Audio into PowerPoint — DemoPowerPoint — Demo

Principle: Principle:

EverythingEverything in in oneone singlesingle folder!folder!