Lesson 2: Recording sound

Year 4 – Creating media – Audio editing

​

Save a copy

Lesson 2: Recording sound

Objectives

To use a digital device to record sound

• I can use a device to record audio and play back sound

​

• I can suggest ways to improve my recording

​

• I can discuss what other people include when recording sound for a podcast

2

Introduction to Audacity

Activity 1

Audacity allows us to record sound and play and edit audio.

​

​

3

Pause

Record

Play

Stop

Skip to start

Skip to end

What makes a good audio recording?

Activity 1

• Having a clear voice
• Avoiding filler words such as ‘um’ and ‘ah’
• Not coughing or sneezing
• One person speaking at a time
• No background noise
• Not playing or fiddling with the microphone or digital device

​

​

4

What did we discuss in the last lesson?

Practise recording your voice

Activity 1

If you press Stop then press Record again, Audacity begins recording at the end of the current recording.

Only the person who just made their recording should delete their work.

Take turns at recording your voices. After each recording, play it back and listen to it. Once you have listened to your recording, delete it and swap with your partner.

5

Delete

Listening to your recordings

Activity 1

What went well?

What did you find challenging?

6

Waveforms

Activity 1

Audacity displays the recorded sound as a waveform.

What does a peak in the waveform show? What about a flat line?

​

​

​

​

​

We should aim to have our recordings peak at around +0.5/-0.5.

​

​

7

First steps with podcasts

Activity 2

A podcast is a recording that is made available over the internet and can be downloaded and played on a digital device.

​

Have you heard any podcasts before?

​

Do people you live with listen to podcasts?

​

Have you heard or seen any podcasts being advertised?

8

Features of podcasts

Activity 2

1. Brains On! kids science podcast 2. Stories Podcast 3. Six Minutes

​

​

What sounds do you hear?

What information is included?

9

Features of podcasts

Activity 2

10

What sounds do you hear?

​

• Voices
• Jingles
• Sound effects
• Background music

What information is included?

​

• Presenters’ names
• Podcast name
• Introduction

Which of these things did you come up with?

How confident are you? (1–3)

Assessment

• I can use a device to record audio and play back sound

​

• I can suggest how to improve my recording

​

• I can discuss what other people include when recording sound for a podcast

11

3 – Very confident

1 – Not confident

2 – Unsure

Next lesson

Summary

In this lesson, you…

• Recorded sound and played back the recorded audio
• Listened to some podcasts and discussed their main features

​

Next lesson, you will…

• Begin creating your own podcast, including saving your digital recordings to a file

12