LAB SIX IN AUDITION

RECORDING AUDIO: AUDITION

Recording sounds into the computer can be done using an audio
editor or Audition. Because Audition can function as both an audio
editor and multi-track program, recording is straightforward.
Recording audio information on a PC is done via the sound
card. This sound card will likely handle not only external audio
input but all audio data for your computer. Because one device is
handling all the audio, not only will all input sources (CD, software
synthesizers, external audio devices) be active, but you will also
need to adjust the levels for these various inputs.

SELECTING AN AUDIO SOURCE

To record into Audition, you will need to set up the sound card.
Within Windows, locate and open the Windows Volume Control
window. It can be found in Start > Programs > Accessories >
Entertainment.

Windows Volume Control window

Next, select, from the Options menu, Properties.

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The Properties window for the volume control

Select the Recording radio button, and click OK.
The recording Control window opens:

The Recording Control window

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The input sources will vary between sound cards, and your
Record Control panel may look different from the one displayed
above.
If your microphone is connected directly to your sound card
(not recommended, unless you have an XLR transformer
converting your microphone level to line level), adjust the
Microphone Volume. If your microphone is connected to a mixer
and the mixer is connected to the line level input on your sound
card, adjust the Line-In Volume.
Because all audio inputs may potentially be active all at once,
it is a good idea to turn off any input that you are not currently
using for recording. You use the Select box at the bottom of each
input strip (highlighted in a broken-line box in the diagram above)
to make these changes.

CREATING A NEW DOCUMENT

Once the levels are correctly set and you have chosen which input
to use (by deselecting those that you are not using), you need to
create a new document into which to record.
From the File menu, select New. The New Waveform dialogue
box will be presented:

Auditions New Waveform dialogue box.

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This dialogue box allows you to choose the settings for your
new document. Select a sampling rate of 44100, mono for the
number of channels, and a resolution of 16-bit. Although this
particular sound card offers higher resolutions, it will be best, for
the time being, to retain a standard file format.

BEGINNING TO RECORD
When you are ready to begin recording, click on the red Record
button on the Transport Controls on the bottom left of the main
window.

Auditions Transport Controls.

Audition is now recording an audio signal. When you are
finished recording, click on the Stop button in the Transport
Controls. Audition will draw the waveform you have just recorded.
You can listen to it by clicking on the Play button.

NORMALIZING IN AUDITION
All the considerations that apply to amplifying audio files in
Amadeus and ProTools apply equally to Audition. The only
difference is in the procedure used to normalize the audio files.
Normalizing audio files in Audition is very similar to the procedure
in Amadeus.
With an audio file open, select Normalize from the Amplitude
submenu within the Effects menu.

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The Normalize dialogue box will appear. Select the normalization

percentage (which can extend beyond 100 per cent, and thus cause
distortion!), then click on the OK button.

Auditions Normalize dialogue box.

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