CD Production in Your School

1
CD Production in Your School

• Some tools, some lessons, some ideas . . .

2
The agenda . . .

• Some thoughts about projects
• Recording the first tier
• Converting to digital
• Editing your project
• Burning to CD
• Your jewel case packaging
• Equipment costs
• Production costs

3
The projects

• Music events
• Performances by your music ensembles
• Individual student projects
• Teachers/others enhancing the classroom
• Sound effects
• Drama productions
• Video projects
• Announcements
• PowerPoint and Web
• The spoken word
• Speech and Drama
• Poetry/Prose

4
The projects (continued)

• Be wary of initial enthusiasm, followed by
  follow-through failure!
• Projects tend to be abandoned if results are
  marginal and production isnt fast!
• Get a good example success.
• CD production as fund raiser
• The potential mark-up is wonderful, but . . .
• Dont depend on student sales
• If at all possible, market directly to parents
  sell at open houses, PTSA meetings

5
Recording First Tier

• Microphones
• Use dictates quality and design
• For music buy first quality, and dont tell
  anyone!
• Consider lavalieres for speech
• Sound Mixers
• Necessary if you ever want to use more than one
  mike!
• Serves as a level matcher for recording devices

6
Converting to Digital (in reverse order of
preference)

• Recording to tape, and re-recording to computer
• Tape is noisy, computer sound is
  second-generation youll not be very happy with
  music recorded this way . . .
• Recording direct to computer
• Fine for speech, OK for music, but youll need a
  mixer if you want to use a decent microphone!
• The real-time CD-R recorder
• Excellent for convenience, CDs can be used
  instantly, good digital conversion.
• Digital converters for your computer
• The best for quality, but the least convenient
  for use another piece of hardware!

7
Converting to Digital (continued . . . )

• Use the highest quality your recording medium
  (real-time burner, computer) offers
• 44,100 Hz Stereo at 16 bits is standard for CD
  quality
• Its always possible to dumb down a recording,
  but you cant add back quality and fidelity that
  has been lost!
• Dont assume the default settings will cover you!
  Check them!

8
Converting to Digital (continued . . . )
9
Editing your project

• Its all about software!
• Get one that converts CD sound files - especially
  if youre using a CD-R real-time burner.
• Should convert file formats (MP3/WAV/CD)
• Should provide some elementary effects
• Some suggestions
• Cool Edit shareware version is free!
• MusicMatch gives elementary recording and file
  conversion, but very little else.
• Cakewalk full MIDI support as well as sound
  recording, but effects are not as high-quality as
  Cool Edit.

10
Editing your project

• What to do
• Chop beginning and ending noise and blank space.
• Check for clips (volume going beyond acceptable
  range) . . . Compress if the levels are too
  extreme
• Dont overdo the sweetening (reverb)!
• Normalize!
• Listen! Undo if it doesnt sound good!
  Experiment!

11
Burning to CD

• Again youll need software!
• Use only CD-R disks, not CD-RWs the latter
  wont play on your CD player!
• WAVs and MP3s also will not play on CD players.
  Burn a music CD your software will tell you
  how.
• If your project wont end up on CD choose your
  format for your end product
• MP3s for the Web and PowerPoint
• WAVs for on-computer use of short clips.

12
The Package

• Software comes with jewel case insert and label
  blanks (not refills).
• Youll need digital pictures! The more the
  merrier!
• Make sure you purchase blanks for your printer
  Ink-jet (glossy) blanks will not work in laser
  printers, and laser blanks will not print well in
  ink-jets.
• Include your group name, a list of the CD
  contents, a list of Thanks to . . ., contact
  information including your school phone number
  and email address.

13
Costs - Hardware

• Microphones
• From 20 to 2,000. Expect to pay 100 for a
  mike that records music reasonably well.
• Mixers
• From 250. If youre using a mixer remotely, the
  smaller the better! Cheap is fine here, since
  mixers are rarely the limiting factor.
• Real-time CD-R Recorders
• Between 350 and 600 for a decent CD-R.
• Digital Converters for your computer
• 200 up for internal cards
• 400 up for external converters (preferred)
• Sound Blaster Live (99) will do reasonably well,
  but will not handle balanced inputs (better
  mikes)

14
Costs - Production

• CD-Rs
• Blank spindles are 0.25/CD or less
• Blanks with jewel cases cost 0.80 or less
• Labels
• Label and jewel case insert blanks run 1.00 each
  or less.
• Printing costs for labels and inserts will vary
  widely expect 0.20 total for a color laser you
  have, triple that for an ink-jet (the labels will
  drink ink), and up to 3.00 per CD if you
  out-source your color printing costs.
• Total cost of production
• Between 1.50 and 4.00 per CD,depending on
  printing costs.
• Remember you will be burning each CD separately,
  which is a time-consuming process.
• The pros
• Professional duplication and packaging will cost
  between 4.00 and 7.00 per CD, depending on how
  many you order. Most have a minimum 1000 units,
  though some will do short runs.

15
Do it!

• Your students, parents, CATS humanities scores,
  Arts programs, music and drama teachers will
  thank you!