tips and tricks for editing audio tracks adapted from benjamin miller, itf, fall 2012
TRANSCRIPT
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR EDITING AUDIO TRACKSAdapted from Benjamin Miller, ITF, Fall 2012
Editing audio
You learned how to edit in GarageBand way back at the Tech Fair: it’s a lot of drag-and-drop, plus ⌘T to split and ⌘J to join.
To create the illusion of seamless conversation, overlap clips: avoid having any moments in the project where *no* audio track exists. Then you can adjust the timing of fade in / fade out until it sounds awesome. To do this, hover your mouse over an audio clip until
the cursor turns to a hand, then drag one clip to the other; it should automatically create a new “row” of audio.
But there’s more! GarageBand comes preloaded with instrumental tracks that you can use for background music or as “fills” to cover over awkward transitions.
Just click this button in the lower rightto open a pane with Jingles.
Did you say “drag in” audio? Click the button in the lower right
to open a pane with Jingles.
Did you say “drag in” audio? Then just drag from the preview section
into your tracks.
Did you say “drag in” audio? Or click the other button to browse your
iLife libraries. Just be sure to follow Fair Use guidelines.
Fair Use what now?
In general, you’re allowed to use small amounts of copyrighted material, as long as it’s…
1. for commentary or critique2. for illustration or example3. captured accidentally or incidentally4. memorializing an experience5. launching a discussion6. making a new work out of remixed
relationships
Fair Use what now?
In general, you’re allowed to use small amounts of copyrighted material.
Read more (or watch the short video) at http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/fair-use/related-materials/codes/code-best-practices-fair-use-online-video
(You’re generally safe if you stay under 30 seconds… and always cite your sources!)
Bonus slide: Ducking
You can set one track to automatically get quieter whenever it overlaps another track – e.g. background music can fade when speech starts.
This is called ducking – in other words this is an audio version of “send image to back”: it’ll automatically lower the volume of ongoing background music when another audio track (e.g. a speaker) comes in simultaneously, and restore the volume when the speaker finishes.
GarageBand makes it pretty easy.
Bonus slide: Ducking
The ducking controls are here.
Bonus slide: Ducking
Click the down-arrow (blue) to set a track as background.
Bonus slide: Ducking
Click the up-arrow (yellow) to set a track as foreground.
Bonus slide: Ducking
The volume of background tracks will drop whenever they overlap with foreground tracks.
Bonus slide: Ducking
If you don’t see these buttons, turn on Ducking in the Control menu.
Anything else we should know? Always, but of course there’s no time.
Email me at [email protected] with any questions.
I look forward to hearing from you, and to hearing your audio tours!