How to Use a Digital Audio Workstation

First course, First grading period, Week 6

Students need to learn the basic operation of the digital audio workstation. It is a knowledge and
skill they will refine throughout the four courses in Radio Broadcasting.

Enduring Understanding

The digital audio workstation is a mainstay of the radio world. Without it, the radio professional can-
not produce radio work quickly and efficiently in our digitally driven environment.

Essential Questions

What is the purpose of a digital audio workstation and how does one use it? What terminology does
one need to communicate with clarity?

Objectives and Outcome

Students will acquire a basic vocabulary in order to discuss the parts of digital audio workstations us-
ing a common language. Students will learn the barebones basics of the digital audio workstation.

Suggested Time

Five days

Resources and Materials

The classroom teacher should have chosen which digital audio workstation editing system to use
prior to the beginning of the semester and should be familiar with it. This lesson will be based on
the basic principles of all workstations, but it will be necessary for the teacher to demonstrate how
the particular classroom’s workstation works and the teacher needs to be very familiar with that
particular system.

Obtain suggestions for which system to choose and specific operations instructions from the manu-
facturer. It is suggested that a handout that contains the specific visuals of that system be provided
to students. For the purposes of this lesson plan, and not by way of endorsement, we have selected
Protocols manufactured by Digidesign (http://www.digidesign.com/). Protools is a very popular in-
dustry standard and can do both complex and simple audio functions well.

Some of the best sources for operating information on Protools can be found on the Web. They in-
clude:
• http://www.radiocollege.org/
• http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/StudentWork/radio/help/index.asp
• http://www.transom.org/tools/editing_mixing/200111.voiceediting.jtown.html

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.10.0 “How to Use a Digital Audio Workstation”
Teachers may wish to refer to the basic manual first. See the first few chapters which explain the
basics with pictures.

“Digital audio workstation,” Radio Production, pages 27-30

“Radio Reporting Equipment,” Announcing, pages 172-177

Procedure

1. Teachers should start with the basics of

• What is a digital workstation?
• What does a digital workstation do?
• What are its advantages?
• How does one open the operating system?

2. It would be a good idea to use visuals immediately. To prepare, teachers should have already
loaded copies of the free Protools software (or other preferred operating digital audio system) on
each classroom computer. Load an audio sample also. (A detailed discussion of the basics of mono
and stereo is not necessary here, but mono and stereo should be mentioned.)

It is also suggested that there be several files with progressive examples that demonstrate voice
tracks only; voice and audio clips; voice and music; and voice, audio clips and music. By playing each
in class and showing that process of adding more audio tracks — projected on a screen that all can
see — it will be easier to discuss how and why each audio example looks different on the displayed
screen. Students can immediately see how the system displays and combines sounds.

3. Next, using the most basic example of voice only, teachers should go step by step through the
different options on the screen. Go through the selection of tools in the session and what they do.
It is essential to teach students to create their own files and to learn to import pre-selected audio.

4. After about 30 minutes of basic discussion with visuals, students should break into small groups
and at the digital workstations create and name their own individual files. Both import a CD and
dub in pre-selected audio from the minidisc. During this activity, teachers want to get across that
different audio sources can be put into the session. This activity should take 10 to 15 minutes per
person.

While students are waiting for their turns, they can be studying diagrams of the workstation with
parts identified and learning any vocabulary you might have compiled for this lesson.

5. After their files are created in a folder labeled “First Session,” each group of students should be
given “Introduction to the Digital Audio Workstation,” an in-class assignment. They should rotate
watching each other complete each item, unless the classroom has enough computers for each stu-
dent to work individually.

6. At the end of class, if not already provided, give each student a copy of “Digital Audio Worksta-
tion Vocabulary” that you have developed. Within a week, there should be a pop quiz. If students pay
attention and work actively for the several days that audio workstations are taught, studying these
10 to 15 terms after class will not be a chore.

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.10.0 “How to Use a Digital Audio Workstation”
As all digital audio programs use different terminology and do slightly different things, the teacher
MUST compile a list to suit the individual program the class is using.

7. For a week, students should be given progressively harder tasks. Cover editing in detail and have
them isolate cuts of audio (“top and tail”) and learn to make clean internal edits keeping a regular
rhythm of breaths.

There is no such thing as too much practice, but usually today’s students grasp this technology very
quickly. Don’t be fooled. Concentrate on the editing subtleties. Students who begin to master the
basics can go on to adjusting the audio and volume levels. Anyone who gets it all right away should
be a designated mixer of future more advanced projects as needed by the class.

8. A word of caution: Students MUST get in the habit of making a back-up of their audio material
on a personal data disc. When they have more projects, only the most recent files should be on the
mainframe of the classroom computer. All of their work should be backed up on a CD.

Some teachers encourage students to have two CDs for their work; one that never leaves the class-
room (a data disc of session files), one that they may use at home (an audio CD of selected material).
They should understand why they are making different kinds of files and the advantages of each. The
point here is whatever your requirements, back-up all work.

Teachers should consider getting expert advice on how to back-up all data on their particular work-
station to a separate tower. If your computer should crash, you do not want to lose all files. Too much
audio stored in the system can crash it.

9. Students should create an audio portfolio with work representing all stages of their development
and projects in Radio Broadcasting I-IV. At the minimum, students’ portfolios should include their
first work and term projects.

Homework

Give students a copy of “Digital Audio Workstation Vocabulary.” Review the vocabulary list of terms
and insist that students always use them when talking about the workstation. Let students know that
you expect these terms to become part of their personal vocabulary. They are for daily communica-
tion, not just for a vocabulary quiz grade.

Have students check out and read the Web sites listed above, the manual, a handout from the manual,
and learn the vocabulary for a quiz.

Assessment

Do not grade the student’s ability to operate the system immediately. Experience and learning will
ONLY come with hands-on practice.

Do grade and record the vocabulary quiz. All students must master the vocabulary before they go on
to harder lessons in the use of protocols. It is essential that all students know and use the common
language required. For example, all students call the grabber “the grabber,” not “that hand.”

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.10.0 “How to Use a Digital Audio Workstation”
Over the next several days as this lesson progresses there will be a chance to evaluate each student’s
understanding of the digital audio workstation more fully. On the first day and the second day, they
are becoming familiar with the equipment by using the software and mastering the skills listed on
“Getting to Know the Digital Audio Workstation.”

Academic Content Standards

National
Understand the principles, processes, and products associated with arts and communication media
(McREL, Standard 1, Arts & Communication Career)

National Benchmark
Know skills used in electronic communications (e.g., producing audio recordings and broadcasts, pro-
ducing video recordings and motion pictures). (McREL, Arts & Communication Career, Grades 9-12)

Industry Standards and Expectations

Examine equipment and its function. (Performance Element, Pathway KS Statement: Demonstrate
knowledge and understanding of technical support related to broadcasting, States’ Career Clusters,
National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium)

Identify the basic functions and resources for editing. (Performance Element, Pathway KS Statement:
Exhibit knowledge of editing audio and video productions, States’ Career Clusters, National Associa-
tion of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium)

The SkillsUSA Championships Technical Committee selected the following competencies as essential
and to be demonstrated through their radio competition project:
• Demonstrate knowledge of audio production technology, safety procedures and trade termi-
nology,
• Plan radio/audio production,
• Perform audio recordings and editing operations,
• Perform audio mixing, and
• Complete script.

The National Certification Committee of the Society of Broadcast Engineers suggests knowledge of
the following in preparation for the engineering SBE certification examinations: NAB Engineering
Handbook; FCC Rules, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47 (Telecommunications), Parts 0-19, 70-79;
and equipment manufacturers’ instruction manuals. (www.sbe.org/Ref_Engineer.php)

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.10.0 “How to Use a Digital Audio Workstation”
 Getting to Know the Digital Audio Workstation

Name Date / /

The Digital Audio Workstation is a mainstay of the radio world. Without it, the radio professional can-
not produce radio work quickly and efficiently in our digitally driven environment.

After you have finished each assignment, save it on your CD.

Check off each accomplishment in the boxes below.

  Create your own file folders

  Create a session
  Create mono track
  Input audio from the minidisc. Watch your levels closely.
  Create a set of stereo tracks and sum them
  Input a CD
  Go down the row of tools, practice each one
  Save the session
  Bounce the session audio
 Burn the audio to a CD
List below the tools that you practiced. Briefly explain the function of each one — what does it do?
You may use the manual to help you to understand these tools. Do not hesitate to ask your teacher
questions when you are practicing the tools.

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.10.1 “Getting to Know the Digital Audio Workstation”
 The Nature of Sound
First course, First grading period, Week 6

Sound waves are something that we physically cannot see with our own eyes alone. They have to be
heard. Sound is vibrations of air pressure, and it is this vibration that we are actually hearing. If you
think of it as holding a piece of string with both hands, and having a friend pull it down and let it
go, this is much like the same principle. You can see the string vibrating. The stronger the pull, the
more the vibrations.

In the current world of audio and broadcasting, we have digital computer systems that let us see the
waveform of the sounds we have recorded. Instead of cutting tape, as in the old analogue days, we
can now edit right in the computer, using not only our ears, but our eyes as well. In this lesson, we
will break down the basic components of what is in sound and how it applies to our understanding
of broadcasting.

Brian Jarboe, NPR engineer, provided this lesson. Sohn Butts, McKinley Technology H.S. (Washington,
D.C.), contributed to this lesson’s development.

Enduring Understanding

In this lesson, students will learn that sound is not just something that we hear, but also something
we can “see.” This understanding of the different elements of sound will help students as they learn
more about broadcasting, radio and production.

Essential Questions

What are the different components of sound? How are these elements combined to produce a sound
we hear and a waveform that we can see on a computer editing system? How will this knowledge help
students in a career in broadcasting?

Objectives and Outcome

• Students will be introduced to basic properties of sound.

• Students will be able to identify and give a basic explanation of the different elements of
sound.
• Students will be able to look at a waveform and identify these elements.
• Students will be able to do rudimentary editing of these waveforms on an editing system

Suggested Time

Two to three days

Resources and Materials

Piece of string for each student, to visually witness the vibration

Chart with a basic waveform, highlighting each element

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.11.0 “The Nature of Sound”
Fear of Physics: Physics. Explained. Finally.
(http://fearofphysics.com/Sound/dist.html)
The Physics of Sound (http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/Physics3.html)

AM, FM Waves and Sound (http://www.cybercollege.com/frtv/frtv019.htm)

Waves Types
(http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/feschools/waves/wavetypes.htm#introd)

Procedure

1. The day before the first class session on sound, ask students to write a description of sound found
in their world. If sufficient field kits will allow for it, students could be asked to record the sound
as well as describe it in words. At the beginning of class have students read their descriptions, then
have other students guess what is being described. Emphasize the importance of words that convey
the five senses, similes and metaphors, loudness and pitch.

Example: The approaching sound is continuous, mournful, and annoying. All too quickly it builds in
volume. It brings stressful thoughts and almost automatic concern. It begins on a low frequency and
builds to a higher one with continuous changes in pitch. [It is a siren of an ambulance.]

Example: There is a metallic creak before the primary sound begins loudly as it hits a hard object.
Gradually, while the original sound is still there, another muffled sound is added. This is not a sound
you can allow to go on too long. Although this sound results in pleasure and reminds one of a cas-
cading waterfall, without paying attention to this sound you could become stressed out. Something
might happen. [It is a tub filling with water.]

If recording the sound was assigned, after students guess what the sound being described is, the
tape recording could be played. How close did each student come to describing the sound and how
many students were able to identify the sound from the verbal description and/or the tape? (As an
alternative, instructors could play sounds that they recorded and ask students to describe it and
guess what it is.)

Use this activity to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of verbal description versus recorded sound.
When does each have its place in radio broadcasts?

2. Discuss just how important sound is in broadcasting. Radio is our physical eye plus the mind’s
eye. Since radio is an aural medium, sound is crucial in conveying the reporter’s vision to the listener.
The instructor should also note that the description of objects and scenes that do not make sound
and cannot be seen on the radio are just as important.

Items such as a mailbox (empty), birdhouse (broken) or a piece of cheese (moldy and yellowish blue)
need adjectives and descriptors from the reporter to get the idea across – to set the details of a
scene. Have each student make a list of 10 items in the classroom that need verbal detail to com-
municate them to a listener within the classroom setting.

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.11.0 “The Nature of Sound”
Have students select one of these items to describe and then bring it to life through verbal details.
Use color, size, shape, analogy and very specific descriptive language to tell listeners what is seen.
Share them as a class.

Try describing the view from the classroom window in detail.

3. After the introductory activities, teachers should proceed with the basics of sound. Students
should be able to answer the following questions by the end of the lesson:
• What is the definition of sound? Sound is a form of energy, just like electricity and light.
Sound is made when air molecules vibrate and move in a pattern called waves or sound waves.
Chapters in your textbook(s) may assist in this portion of the lesson. At the end of this day’s
lesson, give students “Sound Vocabulary.”
• What is a sound wave?
• What are the attributes of a sound wave?
• How does one manipulate a sound wave?

4. Use the piece of string (or a rubber band) to give a visual representation of how the vibrating
string/rubber band changes air pressure and creates sound. Have one student hold the string and
another pull it. Make special note of how it moves back and forth rapidly. This is a very basic example
of what a sound wave looks like in the real world.

5. Share with students a chart that displays a basic sound wave.

Introduce students to some of the basic vocabulary. The big elements of a sound wave are amplitude,
frequency and wavelength. Review “Sound Vocabulary,” terms with which students should become
familiar.
• Amplitude – Measure of the amount of energy in a sound wave
• Frequency – Number of cycles per second
• Wavelength – Distance from one peak of a wave form to the next

Students should be able to identify and explain amplitude, frequency and wavelength using the
chart.

6. Explain that at its core sound is measured in cycles per second, also known as “Hertz” (Hz). So a
sound with a frequency of 440Hz would have 440 cycles per second. People with exceptional hearing
can hear sounds from 20-20,000 Hz. Most naturally occurring sounds are in the 50-15,000 range.

7. The instructor should emphasize how sound is crucial in a radio story. Then move on to explain
that with current technology, we now have the ability to visualize and manipulate those sounds on
a computer. Refer students to the waveforms on the monitor of the digital audio workstation.

8. After discussion, have students see the waveforms on a workstation. Record different sounds and
watch the resulting specific waveforms as they enter the file in the workstation. Take special notice
of how the waves from different sources look different from each other:
• How does music look different from street ambience?
• How does a voice look different from a snare drum?
• How does a student’s bass voice look different from another student’s high-pitched voice?

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.11.0 “The Nature of Sound”
 • How does dropping a book on the floor create a specific shape you can see as distinctive?
• What does a popped “p” into the mic look like and why is it hard to cut around?
• What do breaths look like? Can you distinguish whole phrases and sentences by looking for
the breaths between words?

Homework

Give students handouts of a waveform basic diagram. Take the time to understand the different ele-
ments of the waveform.

Each student should write a description of sound found in his or her world.

Students should be asked to record different sounds in their lives. Be sure to include some loud and
some soft sounds. Distinguish between loud and soft sounds, and how they will translate to their
story. For example, if the source is soft, will a student have to get closer to the source?

Students should be able to spend some time at a workstation, looking at the waveforms they have
recorded. After this lesson and the introduction to the digital audio workstation lesson, students
could be asked write about why they think some waves look different than others. They should con-
sider how their understanding of how sound works will be helpful in getting their sounds accurately
to tape?

Assessment

We don’t want to burden students with too many technical aspects of sound, since we are not training
engineers; however, a working knowledge of the properties of sound is extremely helpful in creating
well-rounded radio journalists. Each student should be able to identify and explain the three main
aspects of sound: amplitude, frequency, and wavelength. Assess students’ ideas on how best to cap-
ture the sounds they want for their stories.

Test their knowledge of manipulating these sounds digitally on a workstation.

Academic Content Standards

National
Understand the principles, processes, and products associated with arts and communication media
(McREL, Standard 1, Arts & Communication Career)

Understands the sources and properties of energy (Science Standard 9, McRel)

Knows that sound is produced by vibrating objects (Science, Standard 9, Grade K-2, Benchmark 4,
McRel)

Knows that the pitch of a sound depends on the frequency of the vibration producing it (Science,
Standard 9, Grade 3-5, Benchmark 5, McRel)

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.11.0 “The Nature of Sound”
Knows that vibrations (e.g., sounds, earthquakes) move at different speeds in different materials,
have different wavelengths, and set up wave-like disturbances that spread away from the source (Sci-
ence, Standard 9, Grade 6-8, Benchmark 7, McRel)

Industry Standards and Expectations

Apply knowledge of equipment and skills related to audio production. (Pathway KS Statement: Audio
and Video Technology and Film, States’ Career Clusters, National Association of State Directors of
Career Technical Education Consortium)

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.11.0 “The Nature of Sound”
 Sound Vocabulary

Sound is crucial in a radio story. Often actuality, ambience, music and the reporter’s words are all that
is need for the listener to get the whole story. It will be helpful for you to know the vocabulary to
communicate what is happening among the speaker-microphone-recorder-workstation-listener. While
most of you will not become engineers, a working knowledge of the properties of sound is extremely
helpful in creating well-rounded radio journalists.

Amplitude Measure of the amount of energy in a sound wave; power of a signal; sound lev-
el.

Compression Pushing together of air molecules closest to the sound source

Cycle Interval of time in which a repeated pattern is completed

Frequency Number of cycles (oscillations) per second; times per second that a wave pushes
on the ear drum. Frequency relates to the pitch of a sound. A frequency of 20 Hz
is a very low-pitched note; a 20,000 Hz frequency is a very high-pitched note.

Hertz (Hz) Cycles per second

Pitch How high or low a sound seems

Rarefaction The lowest point of a sound wave between two separate crests or peaks; the pull-
ing apart of air molecules

Sound A mechanical wave that moves through air, liquids and solids

Volume The amplitude or loudness of a sound

Waveform The visual depiction of sound as seen on the screen of the workstation; the shape
of a wave.

Wavelength Distance from one point of a waveform to the next at precisely the same phase;
horizontal length of one cycle of the wave.

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Radio Curriculum — First Course:
1.11.1 “Sound Vocabulary”