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On the Dance Floor
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Listening to NPR’s “Pulling Back the Curtain” opened my ears to a new experience. I enjoy listening to NPR, but I had never thought about the process which goes into editing a radio program. I thought that all of the radio personalities were polished and very eloquent speakers. Little did I know that I was listening to segmented bits of audio which had been carefully pieced together. This was a revelation.
Finding a Story
It took me a while to think of a story for the audio project. I wanted to talk about trying out for Jeopardy, but the person I needed for additional commentary lives in Boston. After pondering over a few more ideas, I landed on my ballroom dancing experience and my first spotlight dance which I used for a dance competition.
I was scheduled to meet my friend/dance instructor/dance partner/studio owner for coffee the following week, so the timing was perfect. When we met, I didn’t have an angle or storyline, so in the interview I simply asked about the Argentine Tango and the elements for which the dance is judged at a competition. Later, while I was editing his interview, I developed the storyline.
Putting the Pieces Together
I remembered that I had videoed a group dance class at the dance studio. The instructor was teaching a new dance pattern. There was no music playing and the steps of the students can be heard, so I extracted the audio and looped it. Even though the instructor’s voice is bright, the repetitive instruction and the sounds of marching convey a mundane feeling. It’s militant and very structured. My dance was about feeling and expression. After recording and editing my narration, I put it all together with Audacity.
Most of the edits made were in regards to pacing. I talk fast, but I slowed down my speech for the recording. More pauses were necessary, though, for both speaking parts in order to help make the point. Segments of the narration were also eliminated because they were not needed. In my first draft of the audio project, I used too much of the song. It was only intended to support the story, so I cut back on how much it was used. With the final edit, all of the pieces complement each other.
Thoughts
I really enjoyed working on the audio project because I got to do something new. I learned a new program and learned a new way to tell a story. As a graphic designer, I’m always focused on the visual elements, so I never work with audio elements. NPR’s “Pulling Back the Curtain” served as a blueprint for my own audio piece. I became more aware of how much auditory senses help to create a visual.