You can record up to 16 channels – using the internal microphone on your computer, an external mic, line input (electric guitar), etc. It’s easy to casually make your own multitrack recordings.

Import and Export WAV, AIFF, AU, and Ogg Vorbis files. You can also use MP3 files.

Audacity allows you to very easily edit sound files by cutting and pasting, and it makes some basic effects and processing very easy to handle.  Normalize your tracks to an appropriate volume, remove noise and hiss, create aesthetic fades, or indulge in reversing the sounds and performing more bizarre transformations.

________________________________________________________

You can download Audacity here:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ 

________________________________________________________

To see any image larger, click on it to go the image’s unique page. Click on the image a second time for a full resolution image.

After downloading and installing Audacity, open the program.

From the menu bar at the top of the screen, select Project > Import Audio.

________________________________________________________

 Select the audio file you would like to edit, and click on “OPEN.”

** Music purchased through the iTunes store or other places may have Digital Rights Management that will prevent you from editing the file in Audacity. 

________________________________________________________

This is the waveform, a visual representation of your recording. This waveform is Bizet’s Suite No. 1 from Carmen.  This is a very quiet piece, and you can see this in how small the waveform is. Above the blue waveform, running along the horizontal axis, is a series of numbers – this marks the time. The decibel level runs vertically to the left of the waveform. By looking at the waveform, you can see that the piece grows louder between 1:45 and 2:00 minutes before quietly fading away.

To listen to the music, press the space bar, or click the graphical play button to play the music. Hit the space bar again to pause the music.

 ________________________________________________________

You can zoom in to view the waveform in more detail. Click the cursor on the part of the waveform you would like to see closer. This will keep the portion that you want to see anchored in the center of the screen as you zoom.

Click on the magnifying glass with a “+” to zoom in, and the magnifying glass with “-” to zoom out.
These are highlighted in yellow:

After zooming in, the Suite No. 1 looks like this:

 ________________________________________________________

If you would like to mix several recordings together to make one track, now it is time to insert the next recording.  Today, I am making a mix of relaxing music to use during a modified progressive muscle relaxation session, so I will use Ennio Morricone’s song Brothers, from the movie The Mission.

From the menu bar at the top of the screen, select Project > Import Audio.

Select your second track from your computer’s harddrive.

 Select the audio file you would like to edit, and click on “OPEN.”

Initially, your screen will look like the image below, and if you try to listen to the music both pieces will play at once.

DO NOT PANIC!

  ________________________________________________________

 In order to move the second track to play after the first track, you need to add silence to the beginning of the second track.

Click the cursor on any spot of the second track’s waveform, and hit the two purple arrows (near the play button) to move the cursor to the very beginning of the track. In the image below, the arrows are highlighted in yellow.

Notice how long the first piece is. In this example, the Carmen Suite is around 2 minutes and 40 seconds long, or 160 seconds.

From the menu bar, select Generate > Silence. Type in the approximate number of seconds of the first piece, and click on “Generate Silence.”

  ________________________________________________________

After generating silence, it will look something like the image below. Now, when you play the music, one piece will follow the other instead of both playing at the same time. You can do this for up to 16 tracks!

You may need to insert additional silence or remove silence in order to time the transition between pieces in an aesthetic fashion.  To do this, zoom in or out as needed on the moment of transition between the two tracks.  Remove silence by using the cursor to highlight a portion of the second track’s silence (click and drag), then press “Delete.” Add additional silence by repeating the step above.

________________________________________________________

When mixing several recordings from different sources, normalizing each track will maintain a more steady decibel level throughout the entire piece. To normalize a track, press Apple-A, or Edit > Select All.

Then select Effects > Normalize as shown in the image below.

You can preview what this will sound like by clicking on PREVIEW. You will generally be fine to click OK, and let the default settings, but feel free to experiment with your options.

Now you may notice below that the size of the waveforms seems to ave changed, while retaining the characteristics of its original shape. If you listen to your project now, the sounds in each track should sit at approximately the same volume, allowing each track to lead to the next in a pleasing way.

Also notice below that in the first track, Bizet’s Carmen Suite No. 1, there are two wave forms (the top two), and in Ennio Morricone’s Brother, there is only one (the bottom waveform only). This is because the Bizet track is in STEREO - there are separate and different LEFT and RIGHT portions to the audio. Morricone’s Brother is in MONO – the same thing plays in every speaker, even if you have a nice 8.1 surround sound system. If you have nice speakers, or even just headphones, most people anecdotally prefer stereo.  Please do not angst and worry if you have preferred music that is mono.

________________________________________________________

Next, you may like to create a fade in or out before exporting your finished audio track. Highlight the portion of the audio you would like to create a fade in, then select Effect > Fade In, or Effect > Fade Out

________________________________________________________

When you  are ready to export your project, go to File > Export As, and choose your preferred file type. You can adjust the file types available here in the Preferences portion of the menu. Save your file, listen to it to make sure it sounds the way you want, then do a little happy dance! You have mastered the basics of audio editing with audacity!

I. Bryant Williams (President)

• No drum circle for October 28

• Trunk or Treat is October 27
o We’ll be in charge of crafts
o Bring instruments for some music time
o Room 110
o 5:30-8 PM
o Bring friends and kids

• T-shirts are ready!
o Will pick them up Tuesday and deliver it to most people this week.
o Find Bryant for your t-shirt if you ordered one.

• Conference
o TWU will have a booth!
o Those who are going:
- Two meetings we would like you to attend:
1.) Friday 6:15-6:45 PM
2.) Saturday 5:30-6:30 PM

II. Sarah Folkening (President Elect)

• Awesome looking board!

• Volunteering around Christmas time
o Final decision: Friday, December 2, afternoon around 1 or 2
o Fair Oaks of Denton or Lake Forest Village
o Any conflicts?

IV. Anastasia (Treasurer)

• Fundraiser November 1, 5-9 PM at Chili’s!

• Please invite people, we are not allowed to solicit at the restaurant.

• Dues!!! If you have not paid, please do! Silent members have to pay
dues as well!

• Current balance

V. Nancy Watson (Secretary)

• Voted in new silent members: Charlotte Clark, Kelsey Brady, Kyejin Gong, Stephanie Inmon.

Meeting ended at 4:20 PM

The American Music Therapy Association will hold their annual conference

Wed, Nov 16 – Sun, Nov 20, 2011

at the

Hilton Atlanta
255 Courtland Street, NE
Atlanta, GA , 30308

****
Learn the story behind Sing You Home with author Jodi Picoult and MT-BC  Suanne B. Hanser.
****

****
Grateful Dead percussionist and friend of music therapy Mickey Hart will facilitate a drum circle like no other and share his passion in a special conference session.
****

****
Join Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer for a ukulele love fest!
**** 

Concurrent Sessions on:

Music therapy in hospice and bereavement, thanatology, in rural communities, special education, community-based MT, neurologic MT, with expressive and dramatic arts, movement, biofeedback, imagery, Patterned Sensory Enhancement (PSE), cognitive-behavioral therapy, and aromatherapy.

Music therapy and dementia, developmental disabilities, autism, oncology, stress management, substance abuse, PTSD, Parkinson’s, chronic pain, hospitalized children, heart disease, & LGBTQ best practices.

Music therapy with across the lifespan – with infants, children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.

Jazz, rock, Mexican corrido, Arabic, music videos, Orff, & multicultural music in music therapy.

Music therapy business skills, ethics, self-care, research, and education topics.

http://www.swamta.com/RRV%2010-10-2011.pdf

I attended my first music therapy conference in St. Louis in 2000 as a junior in college and second-year music therapy major. And that’s all it took. After that conference, I was hooked. The energy, the excitement, the learning, the people–since then I have only missed two national conferences and only because I had week-old infants at home.

As a student, I was fortunate to have professors who stressed the importance of joining AMTA and attending conferences. And I feel I have benefited greatly from making it a priority, both when I was a student and now as a professional. But that’s just me…what about you?

Music therapy students were recently invited to fill out a survey that asked them to list the top benefits of attending conference. Here are the top 5 as mentioned by you:

#5 I can learn from interns and other professionals.

#4 I love the networking opportunities.

#3 I am introduced to new intervention ideas and techniques.

#2 I get to meet and listen to leaders in the profession.

#1 I feel inspired about being a music therapist.

All of these benefits are things that help you not only as a student, but later as an intern and a professional. Learning new intervention ideas, networking with other students and professionals, and being inspired by the leaders in the field…those benefits stay with you, even if you’re only able to attend one conference as a student.

I feel that attending the national AMTA conference opened up a new world for me and it was inspiring to see all the different facets of music therapy. It was also great to see there are so many different approaches, perspectives, and people that are very successful with what they do, even when they are all so different.

Originally published in the MusicTherapyENews letter.
To subscribe to the newsletter or find out more about this group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MusicTherapyEnews/

SAMT Meeting 9/26/11

Meeting called to order at 4:02 PM

I. Bryant Williams (President)

• T-shirt orders
  • Left over shirts are mostly the black Rorschach and maroon TWU shirts.
  • If we can get all the orders and checks in by this Friday.
  • This round is $10.
  • If we have to order another round, the price will be bumped up to $15.
  • For the maroon TWU shirt, we do not have to order form. Go ahead and put that on the back of the form we hand out if you want one.
  • Bracelets, picks, and stickers included for $1 each. Bryant will bring them to every meeting.
• Drum circle during the fall
  • Days that work best?

-       Thursday, November 4^th or Thursday, October 28^th?

-       Not around Thanksgiving.

-       Possible fundraiser with Beth Marie’s that night.

• National Conference
  • Flights and hotels
  • Thread on facebook possibly starting today about coordinating room placement if you do not have a roommate and are planning on going to conference.
  • Reimbursement- check on TWU website.

II. Sarah Folkening (President Elect)

• SAMT bulletin board
  • Would anyone be interested in helping decorate?
  • If anyone has pictures of events we’ve done, e-mail us or let us know personally.
• Volunteer opportunities
  • President of Student Association of Social Work contacted about volunteering close to the holidays.
  • Deaf Ed partnership tutoring- sign language tutoring for us.

III. Anastasia Canfield (Treasurer)

• Dues are due today. If there are issues due to payment, contact Anastasia.
• Current balance is $1,570.06.
• Reminder: dues are $10 per semester.
• Point system
  • Points for going to MT or SAMT activities.
  • Member who gets the most points get a grand prize at the end of the semester.
  • The three runners up get taken out to dinner.
  • Fundraiser next Thursday

• 5-9 PM at Pizza Inn
• We can solicit about SAMT.
• We get %15.
• I’ll send out e-mails to remind everyone.
  • My Edu fundraiser
  • Social network, free.
  • We get $1 per person you get to sign up.

IV. Nancy Watson (Secretary)

• Silent Membership

V. Robert Aguilar (Parliamentarian)

• Fundraisers- what nights work for everyone?
• Mentorship- if you know someone who needs a mentor, let us know.

Meeting ended at 4:26 PM

Called to order 4:00 PM

I. Bryant Williams (President)

• Welcome announcements and introduction of all five officers.
• Discuss AMTA membership
  • $80 for a year of membership

-Benefits of membership

• November 17-19^th National Conference
• T-shirt orders
  • $10 for first round of shirt orders, go up to $15 after first order
  • Order forms
  • Hold off two weeks till next meeting to finalize orders
  • Possible new t-shirt design

II. Sarah Folkening (President Elect)

• Publicity and music therapy in the community
  • Drum circle, etc.
  • Sign up sheet for Publicity Committee
• Stephanie Inmon- music therapy bulletin board
  • Work on it sometime next week
• SAMT Facebook page and Twitter account
• SAMT Website

III. Anastasia Canfield (Treasurer)

• Dues for this organization
  • Due next meeting, September 26^th
  • $10 per semester
• Silent membership- please tell any officers or contact us by e-mail if you plan on being a silent member.
• Fundraiser Thursday, October 6^th 5-9 PM at Pizza Inn
• More fundraiser ideas welcome

IV. Nancy Watson (Secretary)

• MT Advisees section under Blackboard
• If anyone isn’t getting SAMT e-mails, please let us know.
• Sympathy card for Melanie- pass around and sign

V. Robert Aguilar (Parliamentarian)

• Mentorship
• Social Committee
  • Movie nights- “The Music Never Stopped” at the BSM?

Meeting ended at 4:25 PM

Monday, April 11, 2011

Meeting called to order at 4:05 pm.

President

MT Awareness week went well.  Thanks to everyone who helped out and came.  We had a piece in the Lasso and on NBC news.

There are bracelets and stickers left.  We will sell them until school is out and next year.  We will also sell them on our website as soon as it is set up.  They are $2 each.

We might have a talent show or open mic in a couple of weeks for a social night.  Nancy and Robert will get together to work out a place, and we’ll announce it at the next meeting.  It will be before dead week.

If enough people want more TWU SAMT t-shirts we’ll put in another order.  We are placing another order for the tie die shirts and the Rorschach shirts.  If you want more, get an order from Bryant.  They will be $10.  Get your order to Bryant by the end of the week.  Bryant will get with Jessica to work out a pay pal account and sell merchandise on our website.

If you took pictures at conference or Music Therapy Awareness Week, email them to twusamt@gmail.com or print them out and give them to Bryant by the end of the week for the bulletin board.  You will be reimbursed you for printing.

Vice President

Thanks everyone so much for helping out at Music Therapy Awareness Week.  Some people signed up to help at events and didn’t show up.  Only five people came out for the mini conference.  That was kind of embarrassing.  Next year please participate more.  If we ask for support from the community we need to show them that it is important to us.  The purpose of mini conference is to give people who are not able to go to conference the opportunity to learn and network.  Please remember that we have these events for your benefit.

There was a lot of good publicity.  Local music therapists are very proud of us.

Audrey Lackey will let us know when Channel 5 will show a piece about Music Therapy Awareness Week.

Treasurer

We have $1,444.56 in the bank.

There is a fundraiser tonight at Pizza Inn.  We will be allowed to solicit, and we’ll receive 15% of the check for everyone who says they support SAMT.  Everyone come out, and tell your friends to come too.  It is located at University and Carol next to the new Jupiter House.

The I-HOP fundraiser only includes the breakfast items, but we will get 20%.  You have to have a flyer to get credit.  Anastasia will make a bunch of copies and hand them out.  If we do it, it will be April 21st all day.  It’s the same night as the choir concert.

You will get points for Music Therapy Awareness Week, meeting attendance, and for helping out with NATS.  If you did not show up at Music Therapy Awareness Week and you were signed up to, do not sign up for points.

If you are interested in running for an office, please get with the current officer to find out what the job entails.

We will open up nominations for officers today.  Offices are :

President

VP/President Elect (two year commitment):  Responsible for coordinating MT Awareness Week, attending house of representatives meetings, and filling in for the president in case of absence.

Secretary:  Responsible for taking meeting minutes, correspondence, and paperwork.

Treasurer:  Responsible for taking care of the money and fundraising.

Parliamentarian:  Responsible for keeping order in meetings and coordinating social events.

Nominations

Katie nominated Janice for secretary, Janice accepted.

Stephanie nominated Sarah Folkening for VP/President Elect, Sarah accepted.

If you have any other nominations email twusamt@gmail.com.

Parliamentarian

Christina may be putting together a dinner for Friday night.

Next meeting will be our last meeting for the semester.

Meeting adjourned at 4:31 pm.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Meeting called to order at 4:05pm

President

Make sure to sign the attendance sheet for points.

Around 25 students attended conference!  Jessica and Ming presented at Passages and were amazing.  The booth was a success.  The “Peace, Love and Music Therapy” stickers came in and look great.  The bracelets will come in this week.  We will sell them at Music Therapy Awareness Week at all information tables and at Art 6.  There are still some t-shirts left.  We may place another order after MT Awareness Week.

If you go to TWU.edu and search for “student travel,” you will find the form for the student travel fund.  You must submit the form with receipts to receive reimbursement for conference registration, lodging, gas, and food.  The deadline is April 8^th.  You must submit 24 copies of the form, the original receipts, and two copies of each receipt.  More information will be sent out from the gmail account.

NATS is April 9^th from 9am to 1pm.  More people are needed to help monitor.  The signup sheet is on the bulletin board.

If you took any pictures at conference please submit them to Bryant for the SAMT bulletin board.  Please take pictures at MT Awareness Week.

There is an AMTA scholarship posted on the Blackboard.

If you are interested in being involved at the regional level in SWAMTA, talk to Bryant.

Two meetings from now will be officer nominations.  Please be thinking about whether or not you would like to hold an office.

Vice President

MT Awareness Week starts next Monday.  The schedule of events is posted at www.twusam.org. Please sign up to help out at the different events.  If you are signed up to help at the jam session on Monday, be at the resource room at 11am to help move instruments to the student union.

The open mic is on Thursday from 9pm to 11pm at Art 6.  Bryant will post directions on Blackboard and the website.  We’ll ask Lori to send out an email inviting people to sign up for the open mic.

The Mini Conference will be Friday from 1pm to 5pm.  The Drum Circle will be Friday at The Square from 7pm to 9pm.

The more events you come to the more points you get.

There is a Special Projects Committee meeting after practicum from 5:30pm to 6pm.  Come if you can.

Treasurer

If you went to three different sessions at conference show Anastasia, and you will get points.

There will be a fundraiser at Chili’s April 11^th from 5pm to 9pm.

Secretary

If you aren’t receiving minutes let Priscilla know or email twusamt@gmail.com.

Parliamentarian

Robert is looking for a place for our movie night, possibly Hubbard Hall.  We’d like to have a fun end of year party.

Meeting adjourned at 4:31pm.