LibGuides: EOS15 Mass Extinction Podcast Project: Editing audio

Project Files vs Media Files

It can be very confusing understanding the differences between media files and project files and knowing what files you need to share with a project collaborator online.

- Project File - Project files are usually a small (kb or mb in size) file that saves information about how your organizing your audio in a timeline, transitions, effects, project settings and other editing parameters.

- Media File - Media files are the raw materials you are creating your audio project with, e.g., field recordings, interviews, voice overs.

When you select "Import" in most editing applications, your media files are linked to the project file. The project files knows where your media files are saved and references them every time you open the project. This is why media management is so important - if you move your media files midway through the editing process you may open your project to file that all your media is offline.

To successfully share your editing project with a teammate, they must have access to all the media files on their computer as well as the project file and even despite this it may require they manually show the application where these files are located on their machine.

Applications like Garageband will your duplicate media and wrap it inside the project file. This takes up more space on your computer but when sharing your edit with a team member, you can simply share the project file and it will contain all the media files as well.

Project Timeline and Settings

Prior to editing, review all of your media. Check the format, sample rate and bit depth of your media. In applications that require you to set your project and timeline settings, ensure that these settings match the settings of your media. If you aren't sure what these settings are, right-click on your media to get more information. Some applications like Garageband, will automatically set your project settings for you.

Format, sample rate and bit depth - In most cases, your media will dictate your project and timeline settings. The ideal settings are a wav file 4800Hz at 24 bit . Settings lower than these can result in poor quality audio and files stored as mp3's are mored compressed and may have unwanted artifacts.

Space - If you are using an robust editing application and working on an older machine, make sure you have enough space available on your machine to edit. If not, either clear space on your computer or try working on a web based editing application. If your internet connection is weak and unreliable, try downloading a free application listed above so you can edit confidently offline.

Editing Techniques

Paying attention to your surroundings and monitoring the volume of your recording are important factors in creating an audio piece regardless of device or application. Below are some techniques to consider when editing.

Transitions: Fades and cross dissolves are a great way to smoothly transition your listener from one clip to another. For example, if you are cutting between two interviews recorded in different locations, adding a fade at the end and beginning of each clip can help blend disparate background room tone.

Room Tone: Room tone is a recording of a location, e.g., the space where an interview is occurring, without dialog. Recording at least 30 seconds of the space without dialog allows you to continue the presence of the space between edits in an interview without having the track drop to silence.

Layering: Sound effects or field recordings can help give your piece specificity and can orient your audience to their location in a particular space. Adding audio with a range of textures and perspectives can help create depth, e.g. recording of a bee vs recording of the ambience of a field that includes distant birds, wind, leaves.

Montage: A montage is a sequence of clips that allows you to condense time and space by editing the clips in a relational way, e.g. a series of audio news clips about the same topic over time. This can help tell your story in a format that supports advances your argument while providing a break from strict dialog.

Structure: Prior to editing it can help to establish the structure in which you will organize your clips, e.g. Introduction, montage of audio samples from the news, main argument, interview with subject expert, ending with call to action.

Clean-up - Clean up any unnecessary blips or pops in your audio that your audience may find distracting. Make sure you listen to your edit through speakers and headphone to catch any issues that may be accentuated through these different playback methods.

Strategies for creating structure

There are a number of strategies for organizing and structuring your podcast in the editing stage. A few strategies you might consider are:

Transcribe your audio files with major themes or word for word and include time stamps. You can use a transcription application to help with this if you have a lot of files but don't skip listening to all your raw audio! Once you have a transcript you can start editing on paper, scratching out sections that are redundant and even cutting/pasting elements into other sections.
Create notes or comments within the editing application. Some editing applications like Audacity and Audition allow you to add comments onto audio tracks. This can help with visualizing where content is located in an audio file.
Use a three act structure. While it's not necessary to follow a three act structure, if you are struggling with finding a way to organize your material consider setting up the problem, sharing confrontations or obstacles and then ending with the resolution.
Use music to help cue your audience that you are switching from one subject or segment to another.
Record narration to help connect a segment that is missing larger context.