Let’s look at how Media Creation Kitchen metaphor works in an audio project in Audacity. If you haven’t read the Media Creation Kitchen page yet, do that and then come back.

This process will guide you from gathering Ingredients (Source Files) to working in the Kitchen (Project File) and serving the final Dish (Output File).

---

1. Set up the Kitchen: Project File

Your project file in Audacity is like the workspace in a kitchen with the oven and all of the tools. This is where you prepare and combine your ingredients.

In Audacity, your project file is saved in its native format with the extension .aup3. This file keeps all your tracks, edits, and settings intact so you can revisit and modify your work later.

If you don’t have Audacity yet on your computer, go to the Tools page to find out how to get it.

2.Gather Ingredients: Source Files

Source files are the raw materials for your audio project. You can create or collect them in various ways:

• Record Directly in Audacity: Use your computer’s microphone or an external mic to record audio directly into the software.
• Record with an External Device: Use a recording device (e.g., a digital recorder or smartphone) and import the audio files into Audacity. Common file types include .wav or .mp3.
• Download Source Files: Find Creative Commons or other open-license audio clips from free online libraries. These can include music, sound effects, or spoken word recordings. The post Where to Find Freely Licensed Sound Files has links to these sites.

Once imported, Audacity organizes source files into tracks, which allow you to layer and mix multiple audio elements. Each track represents a distinct audio source (e.g., voiceover, music, sound effects).

---

3. Work in the Kitchen: Project File

Once you have your source files in place, you can combine and edit them to get ready for your final dish.

• Tracks as Workspaces: Audacity’s tracks let you edit, adjust, and align each audio element independently. You can apply effects, trim sections, or adjust volume levels for each track.
• Editing: Clean up your audio by removing background noise, cutting unnecessary sections, or adding effects (e.g., fade-ins, equalization, or reverb).
• Mixing: Combine tracks to ensure they blend well and achieve the desired result.

In Audacity, your project file is saved in its native format with the extension .aup3. This file keeps all your tracks, edits, and settings intact so you can revisit and modify your work later.

---

3. Cook and Serve the Dish: Output Files

Once your audio project is complete, it’s time to export the finished audio into shareable formats. In Audacity, the action of creating export files is called Exporting Audio. This step finalizes your work:

• Export Options: Audacity allows you to export your project as various file types, including:
  • .mp3: A compressed format suitable for online sharing, podcasting, or casual listening.
  • .wav: A high-quality, uncompressed format ideal for professional use or archival purposes.
• During the export, tracks are mixed down into a single audio file. Once exported, these files are no longer editable unless you re-import them into a new project.

---

Summary Table: File Types in the Media Creation Kitchen

Area	File Types	Description
Ingredients	.wav, .mp3, other downloaded files, or recorded raw audio	Source files imported into Audacity. These are the building blocks for your project.
Kitchen	.aup3 (Audacity Project File)	The editable project file in Audacity that organizes tracks and retains your edits and settings.
Finished Dish	.mp3, .wav	Exported, finalized audio files ready for sharing or publication.

---

By following this process, you’ll will be able to go from an idea to gathering or creating source audio files to producing polished, shareable audio content. Hopefully the Media Creation Kitchen metaphor will help you keep track of everything. We will use this metaphor in the other projects in class as well.