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

 

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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