Audio Production ABCs â€“ Application, Background, and Constraints

Audio Production ABCs

– Application, Background,

and Constraints David Gordon & Jake Heaton

DocuMedia Learning Group, Inc.

March 23, 2006

Produced by

101

New Media Tools for Developing High-end e-LearningMarch 23, 2006

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Session 101 - AUDIO ABCs – Application, Background, and Constraints -Dr. David Gordon, Jake Heaton: DocuMedia Learning Group

Audio Production ABCsApplication, Background, and Constraints

Sponsor: DocuMedia Learning Group, Inc.Presenters: Dr. David Gordon

Jake Heaton

Experience Survey

Enter your audio production experience level in the Poll pod

Scale 1 to 51 - Brand new—I am just getting started with audio production basics2 - Experimented a little but still a beginner3 - Some understanding about production but I need tools to do it4 - More experienced—I am looking for references and ideas5 - Expert—I frequently use self-produced audio content


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Storyboard

Resource Available

Equipment Basics

Computer IO (In/Out Sound Card)MicrophoneCables and AdaptersMixer or PreampsSound Conditioning (Booth, Foam, FXs)Recording Software


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Computer IO (In/Out)

Sound Card Connection TypesPCI PCMCIAUSBFirewire

The first crucial component is the computer’s sound input capabilities or soundcard quality.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/rechttp://www.americanmusical.com

This example sound card is an ECHO DIGITAL AUDIO IO. It cost approximately $200.00.

Sound Recording – Mics

Consider your final output:

Computer speakers HeadsetCDsDVDsLive/concert


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Microphone – Names, Types, Uses

Shotgun – long barrel, narrow pickup acceptance, condenser Lavalier – clip-on (wired/wireless)

Omnidirectional – all directions, sphericalCardioid – heart-shapedUnidirectional - small ball

Cardioid or Hyper-cardioid – commonly used as vocal or speech microphones.

Reference: Wikipedia

Microphone

Marshall MXL Studio Condenserwith shock mount and Wind Foam cover $150.00


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Speakers and Headphones

Anchor Audio Monitor AN-100

$150.00

Wal-Mart Computer Speakers

$20.00

Cables and Adapters

XLR cable¼” cableRCA cableRCA stereo to 1/8”RCA to ¼”RCA splitter


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Mixers

Mackie 1402 VLZ Pro Mixer(14 Channels) $400.00

Behringer EurorackUB802 Mixer(8 Inputs) $50.00

Mixer - How to Use

1

2

34

5IN OUT


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Sound Conditioning Sound Isolation Booth and Options (closet)

Foam – Aurlex, Mattress PadAuralex Wedgie, 1' squares of 2"-thick, 24 pieces. $99.99

Auralex2” Wedgie 1' square

$4.95 (American Musical supply)

EggCrate Mattress Pad (painted black) $8-$12 (www.target.com)$1-$3 Spray paint


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Sound Conditioning – Wind Shield

Wind ShieldsPop Screens

Prevent Pops • T’s, P’s, • B’s, S’s • C’s, K’s• H’s, F’s

PC Production – Softwarehttp://audacity.sourceforge.net/


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Software for PC

Demonstration of Audacity

Audacity examples:

Normalize & AmplifyRecord Tracks 1 & 2Mixing Track 2 into Track 1Applying reverb effects


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Popular Audio formats

WAV – Common PC & MacintoshMP3 – MPEG layer 3, Multipurpose (patented)AIFF – Common Macintosh Ogg Vorbis – Free, unpatented Open Source compression MP3 competitor

http://www.sonicspot.com/guide/fileformatlist.html

PC Production MP3http://www.free-codecs.com/download_soft.php?d=50&s=22


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Sample Rate (Hz) & BitsWhat is a sample rate?

A sample rate is the number of samples per second. A sample rate of 44,100 Hz means the digital file will contain 44,100 samples per second. The higher the sample rate, the closer the digital sample will match the analog waveform.

Common sample rates

22,050 Hz – radio44,100 Hz – audio CD48,000 Hz – digital TV, DVD96,000 – DVD-Audio

Comparison Data

----861 KB11.025 kHz, 8-bit, mono

----1.68 MB11.025 kHz, 16-bit, mono

----1.68 MB11.025 kHz, 8-bit, stereo

----3.36 MB11.025 kHz, 16-bit, stereo

----1.60 MB22.05 kHz, 8-bit, mono

----2.94 MB22.05 kHz, 16-bit, mono

----2.94 MB22.05 kHz, 8-bit, stereo

----5.88 MB22.05 kHz, 16-bit, stereo

----2.52 MB44.1 kHz, 8-bit, mono

----5.04 MB44.1 kHz, 16-bit, mono

469 KB938 KB5.04 MB44.1 kHz, 8-bit, stereo

469 KB938 KB10.0 MB44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo

MP3 – 64 KbpsMP3 – 128 KbpsWAV

WAV Audio Format Comparison For a 60 second music clip


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Audio Examples per Format

Comparison audio playback of the different formats. Play Files.

Remember the compression, transmission, and your headphones will also effect the quality of what is heard.

Text-to-Speech

Computer generated audio from text.

Voice Fontshttp://www.cepstral.com/downloads


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Text-to-Speech – Audio Capture

TTS Experiment

Using the Chat feature, a few of you please chat a couple sentences for playback in Swift-Talker using the David or Diane voice font.

Cepstral Swift-Talker Application Launch – Breeze audio (upload separately)


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Quality Survey

Enter the acceptability level of using TTS for Audio Production in the Poll Tool window based on the Chat text.

Scale 1 to 51 - Not acceptable at all2 - It is getting better, but not yet3 - Maybe in special circumstances4 - I can imagine several ways this could work5 - Exactly what I am looking for

Audio Physics

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/soucon.htmlhttp:// hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/audio/audiocon.html#c1http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/sprop.html#c1

ReflectionRefractionDiffraction


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Conclusion

With the audio production capabilities discussed, you can use the audio files produced for audio delivery for web, Flash, CD, DVD, and Podcasting.

Questions.

New Media Tools for Developing High-end e-Learning March 23, 2006

Session 101 - AUDIO ABCs – Application, Background, and Constraints - Dr. David Gordon, Jake Heaton: DocuMedia Learning Group

Audio Production ABCs Application, Background, and Constraints

Additional Resources Low Cost Shotgun Microphone Comparison http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/review_shotgun_mics.html

A Review of Seven Microphones http://blog.case.edu/aaron.shaffer/2006/02/17/a_review_of_seven_microphones_the_heart_of_all_podcasting

Sound Audio Physics (HyperPhysics) http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/audio/audiocon.html#c1

Microphone (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microphone

Music Technology and Home Recording (101 Tips) http://www.keithgemmell.com/music-technology.htm

SAE Reference Material Center (Audio Studies) http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/index.html

Recording Studio Design Forum http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/index.php

Acoustics 101 (Acoustic Room Design) http://www.acoustics101.com/

Free Sound FX Library http://www.grsites.com/sounds/

A Digital Audio Primer http://www.teamcombooks.com/mp3handbook/11.htm

Audio File Formats http://www.sonicspot.com/guide/fileformatlist.html

Ogg Vorbis FAQ http://www.vorbis.com/faq/

Audio Software Summary Recording & Editing Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Free PC/Mac VST

Fasoft N-Track Studio http://www.ntrack.com/

$50 PC MIDI, DirectX, VST

Power Tracks Pro Audio http://www.pgmusic.com/

$50 PC MIDI, DirectX

Cakewalk Home Studio 4 http://cakewalk.com/Products/HomeStudio/

$100 PC MIDI, DirectX, VST

Cakewalk Sonar 5 Studio http://cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/

$300

PC MIDI, DirectX, VST

Adobe Audition 2.0 http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/

$350 PC DirectX, Video

Ableton Live 5 http://www.ableton.com/index.php?main=live

$400 PC/Mac MIDI, DirectX

Sony Sound Forge 8 http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/Products/ShowProduct.asp?PID=961

$250 PC DirectX, VST, Video

Steinberg Cubase SE http://www.steinberg.de/ProductPage_sb_se3_eu.html

$300

PC/Mac MIDI, VST

MP3 Conversion LAME http://lame.sourceforge.net/

Free PC/Mac MP3 encoder (back end only, no interface)

winLAME http://winlame.sourceforge.net/

Free PC Front-end interface for the LAME encoder.

Audio Production ABCs â€“ Application, Background, and Constraints

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