How to download and use the recording software, Audacity, on a Macbook

I am spending some time getting to know my MacBook, and today I decided to download Audacity.  Audacity is a tool you cannot do without to make audio podcasts personally or in the classroom. It is a free, easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, and other operating systems. The interface is translated into many languages. You can use Audacity to record live audio. I love this application. I use it constantly on my Windows laptop. Here are the steps I took:

Step 1: Download Audacity 

I asked Google for 'Audacity for Macbooks and it took me to this website: 

http://www.audacityteam.org/download/mac/ . 

I selected the download link to Audacity 2.1.2 .dmg file (33.1 MB, includes help files) and started the download process of downloading the disk image into Downloads on the Mac.

Step 2: Download Lame
Lame enables one to save Audacity recordigs as MP3sso further down the page under Optional Downloads, Plug-ins and Libraries there is a download button for Lame:

LAME MP3 encoder – Allows Audacity to export MP3 files.
This disk image also downloads into Downloads

Step 3: Install Audacity
Ooops, I discovered that my Macbook wouldn't oinstal Audacity because it was downloaded from an unkown source! Fortunately i found the solution on the Internet: 'Change Gatekeeper Settings: Open the System Preferences. Open the Security & Privacy pane by clicking Security & Privacy. Make sure that the General tab is selected. Enter your username and password into the prompt that appears and click Unlock.' It worked! I could continue!

Under the Finder in the dock find the disk images in Downloads and click on both to open a window for each one. Start with Audacity. Make a folder called Audacity in Applications and drag the disk image across. Then eject the disk image from the Finder menu.

Step 4: Install Lame
Click on Lame to open it. You'll need to open Preferences to enable the recording to be saved as a MP3 file. 

Once everything is installed you'll find that Audacity works like a charm. The recordings are saved in the Audacity folder in Application

Step 5: Watch this fantastic videoI came across a really helpful video called How to install Audacity on your Mac and Save Your Recordings as MP3s that explains the process from start to finish https://goo.gl/uoVlq4

Podcasting #2: 10 ways to use Audacity for podcasting in your classroom

The free PC application, Audacity, has so much potential for students who have access to it on a desktop or laptop. In a previous post we showed how to download the free application 'Download and use Audacity on your desktop or laptop for audio podcasting'

These are just a few ideas on ways of using it.

1.  Make speaking avatars for your students’ blogs
   Voki.com is a great site for making speaking avatars. With Voki.com you create an avatar and one of the voice alternatives is to the students to record themselves talking using Audacity – and then upload those to their Vokis. 
2. Use Audacity for all types of podcasts. Make  book reviews, reports, poetry readings, music tracks, Let your students create music tracks for their video podcasts. 
3. Make an audio advertisementWith audacity you can:
• Insert sound clips, and background music
• Save audio clips from websites
• Create an audio voice over to ‘sell’ product.
• Export the final advertisement so it can be played elsewhere.
4. Students can practise their orals using Audacity
5. Students an record themselves reading their books and do a sel- assessment on their reading
6. Record class singing to share with parents via a blog or website
7. The Slideshare ‘Áudacity in the classroom’ shown below gives more ideas.

Audacity in the classroom from cassafrass01

8. ‘Flip your classroom with Audacity’

This video was made using PowToon and it gives more very good ideas for using Audacity

  

'
9. Use Audacity successfully with Photostory 3, another free download from Microsoft. Here is a Slideshare showing how Audacity and Photostory 3 can be used together.

Audacity And Photo Story In The Classroom from lisashusband

10. Jon Carl talks about using Audacity in a History Classroom http://goo.gl/roNJ3S 
Using Audacity in a US History Class to Create Radio News Broadcasts on WWII’