LSCI 110: DIGITAL
ORAL RESEARCH PROJECT
Directions for creating audio files for the segments you select
If
working at school, you need to use a USB flash drive to save your files.
If
working at home, you need to download and install the Audacity program from the following
site: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ (Click on the “Download” tab and follow
directions.)
1.
Before you begin using Audacity to export audio to MP3 files, you need to save
the LAME file (“lame_enc.dll” for
Windows or “LameLib” for Mac). To do this: Click
here and follow the instructions for Windows or Mac
2.
If your audio file is on CD, put your CD in the CD drive.
3.
If working on a school computer, put your USB flash drive in the USB slot.
Identify a folder you will use to save all files for your project.
4.
Start Audacity.
5.
After the Audacity program starts, select Open
from the File pull-down menu and
browse to find your file.
6.
Click on your file and click OPEN.
Loading may take a minute or so.
When it’s loaded, you will see a waveform display of the audio for the entire
interview.
Important Note: If your audio is
saved as music quality, it will be in stereo (two wave forms will be shown) and
the “Project Rate” (shown at the
bottom left of the Audacity window) will be set at 44100 Hz.
You
should change your file from stereo to mono
and to a Project Rate of 11025 Hz. To do this:
· Click on the
pull-down arrow to the right of the file name on the left side of the
waveform(s). (See highlighted arrow in
Audacity image below.)
· Select: “Split stereo to mono”
· Click on the X in the upper-left-hand corner of the
second track to close that track. (See
highlighted X in Audacity image
below.)
· Change the Project
Rate to 11025 Hz as shown below:
From: To:
7.
Listen to your interview and create your audio log (if you have not already
done so.)
8.
Select audio segments to save as separate files by doing the following steps
9.
Change the file name from your name, to either a segment number or something that
would briefly identify what the segment is about, with no spaces,
e.g. segment1.mp3 or whycame.mp3 . Always end the file name with .mp3
10.
In the “Save as type” pull-down
menu, make sure to select: MP3 files
11.
Click on the “Save In” pull-down menu
(at the top of the “Export File” dialog box) and select the folder for your
audio files
12.
Click Save.
13.
The first time you export a file as MP3, a dialog box might be displayed that
says:
“Audacity
does not export MP3 files directly…. Would
you like to locate lame_enc.dll now?”,
click YES.
14.
Then browse to find the file name: lame_enc.dll
(Windows) or libmp3lame.dylib (Mac) and double-click on it.
(You should not have to repeat steps 12 and 13 again.)
15.
A dialog box to “Edit Metadata” for
the file will usually be displayed. Just
click OK. (You do not need to fill in any of the
Artist, Track, Album, Year or Genre information)
Your segment should be saved.
Repeat
the above steps for each segment you want to include in your project.
If
you want to cut some audio from the beginning or the end of this new file, you
can open this file with Audacity, cut the part(s) that you want and then select
Export from the File pull-down menu and save the exported file with the same name
as previously used. You will be asked if
you want to replace the previous version of the file. Click YES.
Repeat
steps from #8 – 15 for all additional audio segments.
14. When you finish exporting segments, click the X in the upper right corner
to Exit Audacity.
You will be asked if you want to: “Save
changes before closing?” Click: NO
For more help with
Audacity see the Audacity online manual and tutorials at: http://manual.audacityteam.org/help/manual/index.html
If
you have any problems or questions, please contact Eric Brenner at: brenner@smccd.edu
II SKYLINE COLLEGE LIBRARY II SKYLINE COLLEGE HOME II
Last revised: 4-30-12 by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA
These
materials may be used for educational purposes if you inform and credit the
author and cite the source as: LSCI 110: DIGITAL ORALRESEARCH PROJECT.
All commercial rights are reserved. Send comments or suggestions to: Eric
Brenner at brenner@smccd.edu