Re: [Audacity-manual] {manual} Your First recording tutorial

[Gale A. <ga...@au...>]

To my mind, "Audacity Setup and Configuration" as it is being 
envisaged in: 
http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/User:Billw58/Audacity_Setup_and_Configuration 

isn't part of "Understanding Audacity" except for the first brief sections 
"Temporary Files", "Project Sample Rate" and "Setting up for playback".
And those don't really say much that it isn't already in the Reference. 

Almost all the rest (except for recording computer playback) is about
identifying and making hardware connections and seems like "Tutorial"
to me. "Tutorial" may encourage uptake/reading (though of course 
"TLDR;" is a problem).  

So I feel that the original motivation in integrating "Setup and 
Configuration" into YFR was probably correct. If needed at all, an item 
in "Understanding Audacity" would provide an overview (probably an
image of the Audacity project window with arrows) pointing to the 
relevant parts of the Audacity interface and describing what they do 
- Mixer, Meter and Device Toolbars, Transport Menu, Devices and
Recording Preferences, Project Rate, Temporary Folder. It will only 
be useful for those who don't need hand-holding.  

My feeling is that we need a separate, strongly targeted tutorial 
(with an OS-based structure) about "Recording Computer Playback", 
even if some of its content duplicates YFR. People who need help 
recording playback don't want complications thrown with huge 
images of computer ports or to see descriptions of largely irrelevant 
options in Device Toolbar. Such a tutorial would complement the 
existing ones for recording pre-recorded media and for creating new 
material (whether by mic, keyboard, guitar or whatever).  

YFR and a new tutorial for recording computer playback would have 
subsections like Bill has been developing in: 
http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/User:Billw58/Audacity_Setup_and_Configuration

The subsections should have a "Tutorial" name. YFR should I think 
have subsections much as envisaged by Peter like "Connecting Up" 
and "Selecting Your Input" (except that possibly "Selecting Your
Input"needs subsections too). 

As regards "Total Recorder", my feeling is that it is a good option 
especially as it solves Skype recording too, but from the feedback I 
get, it's far too complex for the technically challenged. 

Freecorder 3 (browser based) is a much simpler option for those
whose main interest is only in recording something playing in the
web browser. Of course you get a toolbar as well, but a small price 
to pay. I think Freecorder 3 should be recommended as a "free" 
alternative to TotalRecorder, unless someone knows something of 
comparable functionality that's free.   





Gale 



| From Peter Sampson <pet...@ya...> 
| Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:13:30 -0700 (PDT)
| Subject: [Audacity-manual] {manual} Your First recording tutorial
> Hi Bill,
> 
> <<This assumes that the new Setup pages get the green light. They need  
> attention from Windows and Linux users for content of those sections,  and a 
> decision from James, Gale and others on overall appropriateness.  I don't think 
> the Setup pages are a tutorial.>>
> 
> The problem is that the existing Setup page is not up-to date -for a start the 
> image of the mixer toolbar is now stale.
> 
> Yes I agree that the Setup pages are not a tutorial - and indeed belong 
> correctly where they are now on the front page in understanding Audacity.
> 
> And yes I agree that if your new Setup pages are greenlighted to go - then we 
> can shorten the YFR tutorial by providing links to the Setup pages.  And since 
> it would then only contain steps 3-7 it would probably then be short enough 
> without breaking it up.  So I will hold fire for now on YFR until your new pages 
> get greenlighted/redlighted.
> 
> <<the new Setup pages ... need  attention from Windows ... users for content 
> ...>>
> 
> My main comment is that for Windows users who cannot record streaming audio  we 
> normally recommend the TotalRecorderpackage - see: http://www.highcriteria.com/
> It costs a liitle at $17.95, but it works well - my wife uses it on her new W7 
> laptop.
> I added an editornote to your page.
> 
> 
> 
> Peter
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Bill Wharrie <bi...@go...>
> To: For discussion of Audacity Manual <aud...@li...>
> Sent: Fri, June 17, 2011 3:10:58 PM
> Subject: Re: [Audacity-manual] {manual} Your First recording tutorial
> 
> http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/User:Billw58/Audacity_Setup_and_Configuration
> 
> grew out of the discussion on this wiki page
> 
> http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/User:BillWharrie/Device_and_Input_selection_on_Mac
> 
> (scroll down past the discussion of the Device/Mixer toolbar to the  
> discussion of how and where to advise users how to deal with "sound  
> card" issues).
> 
> In short, we were leaning at that time to pulling the essential  
> information from the wiki about setting up your computer's sound card  
> (now confusingly placed on the "Mixer Toolbar Issues" page) and adding  
> it to the manual.
> 
> I would start the YFR tutorial with "If you have successfully  
> connected the device you want to record from, to your computer and are  
> getting sound into Audacity, you are ready to begin. If you are having  
> problems getting sound into Audacity, please read the Audacity Setup  
> and Configuration pages." The end of the new AS&C pages link to YFR  
> and Editing an Existing File tutorials. This way people who find that  
> Audacity works "out of the box" can proceed with the test recording,  
> etc., while those that need help can divert to the setup pages.
> 
> This assumes that the new Setup pages get the green light. They need  
> attention from Windows and Linux users for content of those sections,  
> and a decision from James, Gale and others on overall appropriateness.  
> I don't think the Setup pages are a tutorial.
> 
> On 17-Jun-11, at 9:47 AM, Peter Sampson wrote:
> 
> > Hi Bill,
> >
> > to be honest, yes I had forgotten that you had been working on that  
> > page.  That
> > work was back in early May I see and I thought that momentum had  
> > been lost and
> > your work on that had been kicked, by you, into the long grass.
> >
> > I was responding to the ToDo-2 note that you placed on the Your  
> > First Recording
> > Tutorial (deeply conscious that a ToDo-2 blocks a stable release -  
> > and thus
> > trying to prepare the path for 2.0 - and even for the 1.3.14 release  
> > it is
> > currently a very unwieldy read, leading to TLDR).
> >
> > I still think it is worth breaking apart the existing tutorial and  
> > then
> > reviewing it in the light of your new proposed Setup and  
> > Configuration pages.
> > It is possible that your new stuff could replace items 1 & 2 in my  
> > proposed list
> > of contents, linked to from the master tutorial page - but  
> > personally I prefer
> > the flow h/w setup followed by Audacity s/w setup - it flows better  
> > that way for
> > me.
> 
> I have no problem with breaking up the tutorial. But note that the new  
> Setup pages have the hardware -> software flow as well.
> 
> >
> >
> > Or maybe we should ditch the whole "Your First Recording" Tutorial  
> > in favour of
> > your new pages (which would need the "Tutorial - ..." labelling as  
> > Martyn
> > pointed out).  The downside to doing this is that an awful lot of  
> > pages link to
> > the "Your First Recording" tutorial - so a lot of links to fix too  
> > (many of the
> > other tutorials link back to YFR).
> 
> Not a good idea IMO. YFR is a tutorial, Setup is help.
> 
> >
> > There is possibly room for both sets of tutorials - but there is  
> > such a big
> > overlap that it would lead to parallel maintenance and so best  
> > avoided.
> 
> Overlap is the issue, which is why I'd link to the Setup pages from  
> the YFR tutorial.
> -- Bill