Audacity Bootcamp

I've been contemplating the future of this show and whether to shut it down for several months now and I've decided to do just that. So much of what I do depends on video that doing an audio-only show gets a little challenging. If I was doing interviews it would be different but that's not what I do. So this podcast will soon disappear completely from the podcast universe but as I mention in this episode, I'll still be carrying on in my other venues. Here are some links to those projects in case you're interested:Learn Audacity WebsiteLearn Audacity YouTubeAudacity Bootcamp: Beginner to AdvancedACX Audiobook Production Using AudacityZoom H6 Audio Recording EssentialsA History of Glen Canyon Dam and Page Arizona (YouTube)Navajo Generating Station Remembered (YouTube)The UnSunday Show Podcast-Mike

Computers can't do anything with analog audio. In order for your computer to do anything with the audio you record, that audio has to first be converted into a digital format. Some sort of device has to be connected between your microphone (if that's what you're using to record) and your computer that converts the analog sound waves from your voice into a digital version of those same sound waves. If you're using a USB mic to record, that conversion takes place inside the mic. The USB mic itself has analog-to-digital conversion electronics built in to it that convert your voice to a digital version and then sends that version to your computer where Audacity (or any DAW) recognizes it and knows what to do with it.If you're using an analog microphone (any XLR-connected mic is an analog mic) you'll need to plug it into an audio interface unit (like a Scarlett Solo or something similar) and that audio interface unit converts the analog audio from your XLR mic into a digital equivalent and sends that digitally sampled audio into your computer where Audacity displays it back to you as a digital representation of your recorded audio. From there, you can manipulate it in post production to add effects, etc.In this podcast, I talk about 3 things related to digital audio:Sample RatesBit DepthBit RatesHere's the link to the video on this topic that I mention in this episode:VIDEO: Audacity Sample Rates and Bit Depth My setup for this episode:Audacity version 3.1.32017 MacBook ProZoom H6 Audio Recorder/InterfaceSYNCO D2 Hyper Cardioid Directional Condenser Shotgun Mic Find me online at https://learnaudacity.com/

About a year and half ago, I stumbled into my first experience at making instructional videos. A friend had suggested I make a couple of videos on using Audacity. I knew next to nothing about making videos but I decided to jump in and see what it was like. Now, a year and a half later, I've published over 200 instructional videos, most of them teaching Audacity. Based on the response I've received, instructional and tutorial videos have emerged as a strength of mine I didn't know I had until after taking that initial video plunge.That being said, I've decided to put this podcast on hiatus for the time being to give more attention to the video side of things and develop that further. Videos are where I'm getting the traffic and traction so I need to turn my attention fully in that direction for now. While this podcast will still be there, I won't be adding any new episodes to it for the time being. I have a few ideas for it but now isn't the right time for me. I am still online at the following places:Learn Audacity Website  Learn Audacity YouTube ChannelThe 3 courses I teach can be found at:Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced ACX Audiobook Production Using Audacity Zoom H6 Audio Recording EssentialsI recorded this episode in my Zoom H6 recorder using my Audio-Technica AT2040 microphone and I edited it in Audacity version 3.1.3 Beta 1.-Mike

Audacity has announced plans to create a new online manual to replace the current one. The new manual will have a cleaner look and (it looks like) easier navigation. In addition, it can include video tutorials. I believe this would be a huge step forward in the betterment of Audacity. The link below will take you to Audacity's public announcement regarding the new online manual.Audacity version 3.1.2 is out and includes a fix to the loop function that I mentioned in an earlier video. I created a video showing that fix and other functions of the new loop feature including the Play-at-Speed tool and the Effects Preview button. The link to that video is below as well. Check it out when you can.Links:Audacity's new manual announcement: https://www.audacityteam.org/rethinking-the-manual/Audacity 3.1.2 loop function fix, Play-at-Speed, and Effects preview. https://youtu.be/OIdsfdvzULM-Enjoy!

I think I’ve uncovered a problem in Audacity version 3.1.0 regarding sync-lock tracks and the new way of moving audio clips. I use sync-lock tracks on every podcast I do to keep the intro/outro music and narration synched together but separate from the host and guest(s), who are also in sync with each other. When Audacity announced the new way of moving audio clips, beginning in version 3.1.0, my first thought was how that was going to work with sync-lock tracks enabled. It’s different now and you need to know about it if you use sync-lock tracks like I do. The video I mentioned showing these changes can be found here: https://firstpersonaudio.com/2021/11/17/sync-lock-tracks-unexpected-behavior-in-audacity-3-1-0/My recording setup for this episode. NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases. This does not affect pricing:AT2040 Dynamic Microphone: https://amzn.to/3clg4YJZoom H6 Recorder: https://amzn.to/30ADjfbOther places you'll find me:First Person Audio: https://firstpersonaudio.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/FirstPersonAudioThe on-demand video courses I teach:Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced: https://learnaudacity.com/ACX Audiobook Production Using Audacity: https://bit.ly/30GIjyNZoom H6 Audio Recording Essentials: https://bit.ly/30sv3xoFYI: Audacity version 3.1.1 is out with some minor bug fixes.-Mike

The loop function in Audacity 3.1.0 has changed significantly. This episode is a deeper dive into those changes and the new attributes of the loop function which are far more complicated than in previous versions.Here's the link to the video I mentioned in this episode:What's New in Audacity Version 3.1.0?-Enjoy!

It's been about a week since I launched my latest course at Udemy called ACX Audiobook Production Using Audacity. It's an Audacity-only course for creating exceptional audiobooks for ACX using Audacity and only Audacity. And the reviews from those enrolled are starting to surface. In this episode I share a few of them with you so you can hear what others are saying about this brand new course.Here's the 1/2 off link I promised in this episode. Keep in mind that this link is only good until November 27, 2021.ACX Audiobook Production Using Audacity: https://www.udemy.com/course/acx-audiobook-production-using-audacity/?couponCode=EB9CBF74636B235268B7 Here's the second link I promised to my best-selling course at Udemy called Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced - https://www.udemy.com/course/audacity-bootcamp-beginner-to-advanced/?referralCode=2929789AFB4340922D9A-Mike

I have been buried these last couple of months with creating a new online, on-demand video course called ACX Audiobook Production Using Audacity. I'm happy to say that this shiny new course has been rolled out onto the showroom floor as of this morning and it's ready for public consumption. Here's a feel for some of the topics in this new course:The ACX Requirement for Room ToneThe ACX Standard for Noise FloorThe ACX Standard for File SizeThe ACX Standard for RMS LoudnessThe ACX Standard for Sample RateHow to set Audacity Preferences for ACX audiobook recordingSimple definitions of Noise Floor, Sample Rate, RMS Loudness, and Bit RateHow to fix narration mistakes as they happen using Punch and Roll RecordHow to apply Equalization and whenHow to apply CompressionHow to level your audio using RMS Loudness to meet ACX requirements for RMSHow to apply the Limiter effect to meet ACX standardsHow to apply the De-Clicker effect to reduce/remove mouth soundsThe importance of running Audacity's ACX Check PluginHow to build and run a Macro to automate our processHow to clean up breath sounds using Punch Copy/PasteHow to clean up breath sounds using AttenuationContent editing and final MP3 exportHow to meet the ACX requirements for MP3 file size and bit rateThe course consists of 19 videos, 8 practice assignments, 9 downloadable resources, and 5 quizzes to track your progress. We don't cover things like mic technique, mic placement, vocal technique or inflection, or room conditioning like soundproofing, etc. There are unlimited resources for those important subjects out there and I supply you with the links to several in the last lecture. Instead, we stay fixed on Audacity and how to make it work for us in producing great audiobooks that will pass ACX's requirements. We don't venture into 3rd party software or 3rd party plugins or effects. Instead, I show you how to create exceptional audiobooks for free, using Audacity. Here's the 50% off link to the course I mention in this episode. That's only $12.99 and the link is good for 30 days!ACX Audiobook Production Using AudacityHere are the links to my two other courses I mentioned:Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to AdvancedZoom H6 Audio Recording Essentials-Enjoy!

Are you thinking about starting a podcast? What kind of hardware and software will you need and how much is it going to cost? Do I need to sink hundreds of dollars into microphones and other hardware? Do I need to spend thousands of dollars on a studio quality room? How about software training? Am I facing a huge expenditure for software training? These are great questions that need to be asked when taking on any new project and podcasting is no exception. It's also the subject of this podcast episode. Links to things I talk about in this episode (NOTE: The Amazon links above are affiliate links meaning that there is no additional charge to you but if you purchase an item from these links, I'll receive a couple of dollars.)RODE NT USB Mini Microphone: https://amzn.to/3l4fKS1AT2040 XLR Dynamic Mic: https://amzn.to/3hbec7AAT2020USB+ Microphone: https://amzn.to/3ncmEHUShure SM58 Microphone: https://amzn.to/38LkyWO Audacity Audio Editing Software: https://www.audacityteam.org/Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced - https://learnaudacity.com/Zoom H6 Recorder: https://amzn.to/3BSvYEW You'll find me online at First Person Audio: https://firstpersonaudio.com/

Here's some techy stuff for you: I recorded this episode using my Rode NT1 condenser mic recording into my Zoom H6. I did the editing and post production in GarageBand using the Waves NS1 Noise Supressor Plugin, along with Graphic EQ and a Limiter set to -1dB. I exported it from there as a WAV file and leveled the audio to -19 LUFS with a true peak of -2dB in my Auphonic Desktop App. From there I exported it as a mono MP3 to my audio host.I've been giving a lot of thought to why I podcast and that's the topic in today's episode. I'm an introvert (sometimes extremely so) and as of this recording I have 3, count 'em, THREE podcasts. if you are into the enneagram, you should know that I am a 9. Not only that, but I'm a social 9. That means that even though I am an introvert who is sometimes happiest in a quiet room with no one around, I also have something in me that makes me want to be around people. It's like a cruel joke at times.I'm a bit of an anomaly to some and maybe just plain weird to others because I seldom do the things that I'm told I need to be doing in order to be successful as a podcaster or video producer. But I'm ok with not doing those things or not being that person because I don't podcast in order to be a huge success that everyone is talking about. I podcast because I find it therapeutic and calming to be alone in a quiet, mostly dark room (except when I'm recording a video - then the room is well lit) talking into a microphone with no one else there. It's good therapy for me. It's my therapy session for the day. I love doing that, even if no one listens or follows. I'm thankful that I have an income that's not tied to my podcasting or video production because if that weren't the case I would have to monetize myself and what I do and I know that I wouldn't be any good at that. Here are some links I talk about in this episode.Typology: An Enneagram Podcast - https://typology.libsyn.com/ First Person Audio Website: https://firstpersonaudio.com/ First Person Audio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/FirstPersonAudio Rode NT1 Condenser Mic Kit (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/3xXyeYR  Zoom H6 Recorder (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/3yYx2G2 -Enjoy!

I'm back from a month long road trip and while I was gone, I started hearing and reading concerns over Audacity becoming spyware under its new ownership. Also today, April 26, 2021, a new version of Audacity (3.0.3) was released. Coincidence? Let's talk.Here are the links I mention in this episode:Steve Stewart in The Podcast Editors Club on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/groups/podcasteditors/posts/4509499399138772The Audacity Desktop Privacy Notice https://www.audacityteam.org/about/desktop-privacy-notice/What's New in Version 3.0.3? https://www.audacityteam.org/audacity-3-0-3-is-out-now/NOTE: As I was editing this episode, Audacity crashed and I was given the option to send the crash report or not send it, just as the privacy notice stated would happen.-Mike

This episode is a shameless plug for my online, on-demand video course, Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced. If you're interested in diving deep into Audacity and learning things about Audacity that will give you advanced editing skills and techniques, in addition to greater confidence with Audacity, consider enrolling in my course. It's 6+ hours of video instruction that, like the title suggests, will take you from beginning concepts to advanced topics that can be hard to find elsewhere. Plus, I've priced it incredibly low on purpose to fit any budget.Want to know more? Push Play and listen in. You'll find the course by visiting:https://learnaudacity.com/ There's a complete outline of the course there as well as several of the videos you can preview so you can make an informed decision.You'll also find me online at First Person Audio and there are links there to every resource I have on Audacity.-Enjoy!

"We’re scared and excited. We hope you are too."Those are the closing words on the Audacity Team's announcement of the recent acquisition of Audacity by the newly-formed Muse Group. The deal to purchase Audacity was announced on April 30th. The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed. With this acquisition, changes on the horizon for Audacity include:Non-destructive editing via stackable Virtual Studio Technology (VST) effects.An updated user interface that includes a non-Windows 95 appearance and feel.As part of this announcement, Muse Group (https://mu.se) vows to keep Audacity open source and free.In this episode, I share with you a couple of online articles concerning this purchase. One thing is certain; the future of Audacity means change. Here's hoping it's change in the right direction for us podcasters.Links in this episode:The Register announcement: https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/04/audacity_muse_group/MusicTech announcement:  https://www.musictech.net/news/industry/audacity-acquired-muse-group-ultimate-guitar-musescore/AudacityTeam announcement: https://www.audacityteam.org/audacity-musescore-announcement/ You can find me online at First Person Audio with links there to the Audacity courses I teach, Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced, and ACX Audiobook Production Using Audacity. You'll also find links there to my YouTube channel and this podcast.-Enjoy!

One of the bad raps Audacity gets is that editing in Audacity is destructive. That simply means that once you edit and/or put an effect on your Audacity project and then save and close the project, the edits you just did, along with the effects you just put on it, are permanent and can't be removed. This is referred to as destructive editing. But did you know that non-destructive editing can be done in Audacity? Version 3.0.0 of Audacity introduced a new feature called Project Backup. In this episode, I explain how I use Project Backup as a way to eliminate destructive editing in Audacity. It's easy and it works!Links I mention in this episode:Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to AdvancedAudacity Bootcamp WebsiteAudacity Bootcamp YouTube Channel-Enjoy and happy podcasting!

What's Apple doing with our podcasts? I've had some weird experiences with Apple on my podcasts these last few days. I updated my iPhone to iOS 14.5 (I probably should have waited) and weird things started happening. The latest episode of another show I do never showed up in my Apple Podcast app. But it did appear other places including my wife's Apple Podcast app. Weird. Push Play to hear more weird stuff. The links I mention in this episode:The Audacity Bootcamp - https://audacitybootcamp.com/ Audacity Bootcamp: Beginning to Advanced -  https://www.udemy.com/course/audacity-bootcamp-beginner-to-advanced/?referralCode=2929789AFB4340922D9A -Enjoy!

In this short episode, I point you to an interview I had the privilege of being a part of, on the Red Podcast - The Marketing Podcast for Experts, hosted by David Hooper. David asked me to come on his show and talk about my philosophy of podcasting and what's important to me in the audio podcasts I do, as well as my videos. We talked about a number of topics including my on demand video course, Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced. In addition to the Red Podcast, David also hosts the Build a Big Podcast. Check them out when you get a chance. Links to both are below.My Conversation with David Hooper on the Red PodcastThe Build a Big Podcast, hosted by David Hooper-Enjoy!

I'm always curious about what others use for their podcast setup. I've watched countless videos and listened to a lot of podcasts by podcasters who've taken the time to talk about the recording hardware and software they use to record and edit their show. It's like peeking inside their recording environment and I always benefit from hearing about what others are doing. So I thought I would make one of those episodes too.My recording setup has changed a lot over the years to the simple and uncomplicated setup I use today. I started with a laptop and builtin microphone and then I went from there to buying various USB and XLR mics, mixers, and pre-amps that I used for a while but ended up selling most of them because I couldn't find that one magic configuration that seemed to fit me. Then a few years ago, I purchased my Zoom H6 and started building my recording environment around it.Today, my Zoom H6 is at the center of my podcast recording and Audacity is my software of choice for post production editing. It's a simple, uncomplicated setup that produces great audio consistently. Here are the links to what I talk about in this episode:Zoom H6 RecorderZoom H6 Dual XLR/TRS Mic AdapterShure SM58 MicrophoneAuphonic Desktop LevelerAudacity Bootcamp: Beginner to AdvancedThe Audacity Bootcamp WebsiteThanks for listening!

I teach podcast courses on Audacity and a question that comes up frequently has to do with the difference between loudness (LUFS) and volume. It can be a challenge to wrap our brains around, but there is a difference.The bottom line is that loudness is digitally embedded in the waveform as part of our editing. When I level a piece of audio to a LUFS level, I'm manipulating the waveform to adjust it to a consistent loudness end-to-end, eliminating extreme peaks and valleys in the loudness and creating a more consistent listening experience. This reduces or eliminates the need for the listener to chase the volume up or down while listening because the loudness has been leveled. The listener can't adjust the loudness because they can't get to the waveform to manipulate it. But you and I can as editors. Let's talk...Other places you'll find me:Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to AdvancedYouTubeWebsiteFacebook

Welcome to this 5th episode of the recently launched Audacity Bootcamp Podcast. Today, let's talk about the new macro features in Audacity 3.0.0. I've started using macros to run repetitive commands within Audacity and it's a real time saver. Unlike Office programs like Word or Excel, where you can record mouse clicks to create a macro, you have to build macros manually in Audacity. But once they're built, it's a pretty sweet feature.Audacity macros aren't new to this version of Audacity but the ability to import and export them is. This means that macros can now be easily shared. In addition, you can now put comments inside a macro to explain a step or describe the macro. These are great features if you use macros like I do. Let's talk.My macro video I mention in this episode-Enjoy!

Welcome to the Audacity Bootcamp Podcast. Let's talk about 2 new features in Audacity 3.0.0. The first one I talk about is project backups. This is a powerful tool that's new in version 3.0.0. At any point while working on a project we can now save a backup copy of it. The backup copy is a snapshot of the entire project at that moment in time. This gives me a quick and easy way to retrieve the last saved version of my project should something go wrong, like my program crashing. It also gives me a quick way to share my project with someone else while continuing to work on the original file. This is a great feature! Another new feature in Audacity 3.0.0 is in the file structure and naming convention. The old file folder that carried all the information about my project is no more! Now Audacity saves my project as one file with a .aup3 file name extension. All of the project information is in that one file, eliminating the need for that file folder that previous versions of Audacity always saved, along with my project file. This has resulted in Audacity running faster (at least on my computer) and it makes sharing or moving projects much simpler. Links I talk about in this episode:Video: Project BackupsVideo: File Names/StructureAudacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced is my on-demand video lecture series on Audacity for podcasters. It consists of 6+ hours of video instruction aimed at podcasters who use Audacity.Audacity Bootcamp YouTube Channel is another resource I've created for podcasters using AudacityThe Audacity Bootcamp Facebook page. This page is fairly new but in many ways it's a mirror of what I'm doing elsewhere.The Audacity Bootcamp Website. This is the centerpiece of the Audacity Bootcamp where information, resources, and links to everything Audacity Bootcamp reside.Thanks for joining me on this new podcast venture!