Book Description

Using the Audacity software as the starting off point, we discuss what the software is, what it can do, how you can use it, and where you go to get started installing it. All of this information is grounded in some basic audio editing terminology and background for those that aren’t so technology inclined.

Then we’ll start digging into a sample project! You’ll learn about how to set up a project, create a voice track, record an interview with Skype, and basic audio editing techniques. All of this done in an easy to follow, task based approach with lots of examples. Here, we plan to go a step further, we teach how to wrap all of these steps together and create a podcast that can be posted on your own website or blog.

There’s always more you can do with Audacity! The last portion of the book is dedicated to just that – discussing more advanced editing and mixing techniques, using affects, adding music, adding additional plug-ins to the software. All still incorporating examples and easy to follow tasks you can try on your own audio projects.

Create your own podcasts, edit music, and more with this open source audio editor

• Teaches basic techniques for using Audacity to record and edit audio tracks – like podcasts and interviews
• Combines learning to use software program with the simple theories behind digital audio and common audio terms Download Now »

Book Description

Free Software now offers a creative platform with world-class programs. Just ask the people who have completed high quality projects using open source desktop applications, or developed popular multimedia Web 2.0 sites using Free Software libraries. This phenomenon is no longer underground, or restricted to techies – there have been more than 61 million downloads of the Audacity audio editor, and more than 60 million downloads of the GIMP for Windows photographic tool, from SourceForge.net alone.

It used to be that creative software had a high barrier to entry, not least because of the complexity and cost of the programs. Even among those who could afford a Mac, many creative people have resorted to crackware in order to access the software tools that they need. Thanks to the generosity and expertise of Free Software creators, shady downloads and bootleg CD-ROMs are no longer required. With Free Software you can be a digital artist without paying an entrance fee, and almost any computer will do – but you still have to learn how to use your tools.

Free Software for Creative People is your foundation course in photographic manipulation, illustration, animation, 3D modelling, publishing, recording audio and making music, DJ’ing, mixing and mastering audio CDs, video editing and web content delivery. Every technique described in the book can be achieved on GNU/Linux, but many of the applications covered run on Windows and Mac OS X as well. New to GNU/Linux, and a little daunted? Don’t worry, there is a step-by-step tutorial on Ubuntu, for either temporary use or permanent installation. Download Now »