Design Idea
My first idea is to create a podcast that introduces pre-school and elementary children to instruments. The podcast would describe each instrument family and provide individual instrument sounds as well as song in which the instruments are being played.
After listening to my podcast, subscribers will be able to identify instruments of the orchestra by sight and sound. Listeners will be able to discriminate between instruments within a family of instruments. Not only will listeners be able to identify an instrument by its individual sound, they will also be able to distinguish the sound of instruments played in collectively within songs. By the end of the four part series, listeners will be able to differentiate between orchestra instruments and non-orchestra instruments.
In today’s difficult economic times, school districts are struggling to provide the basics to their students. Offering music appreciation via podcasting allows districts to spend less money yet offer the same learning experience. For example, a district could employ fewer music teachers who would rotate throughout the school district. The podcast series could be offered as part of the student’s computer time when a music teacher is not able to provide live instruction.
The San Francisco Symphony Education Department created a website for children called SFS Kid’s site (http://www.sfskids.org) where children can interactively learn about the instruments of the orchestra. As shown in the figure below, Lesson’s Portal, LLC is also offering “Children’s String Instrument Sounds” for $0.99 on iTunes.
Ideally, learners would benefit most from an enhanced podcast, however for my first episode I plan to create an audio only podcast.
Audience
The show is called "Do You Hear What I Hear" and the target audience is children from 3 years old to adults of any age. According to data published by the Bureau in October of 2007, there were approximately 41 million children within this target age group. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2006, there was a total of 2.2 million pre-school, kindergarten, and elementary school teachers employed in the United States.
Ideally, the students’ teachers would use the podcasts to supplement their music education curriculums. A parent looking to start music lessons for her child may also listen to the podcast along with the child in order to gauge interest in a specific type of instrument.
In the initial episodes, listeners will be introduced to the Strings Section of a symphonic orchestra. The intent is that they will gain an appreciation for the various instruments by listening to the sounds that they make and a description of how the instrument is played. Pre-school and kindergarten teachers may lead discussions about the instruments during circle time while teachers of older students may incorporate the lesson into their creative writing or journaling lessons.
After listening to the descriptions of how the instruments are played, audience members will be able to visually categorize the instruments into the proper family upon sight. More importantly, after listening to the sounds that the instrument makes, audience members will be able to state the name of the instrument being played. Some audience members may also be able to distinguish the sound of individual instruments within a song.
Students would listen to the podcast in small or large group settings during the course of the school day. However, teachers needing to prepare a lesson plan, could listen to the podcast while driving or riding in a car or while preparing dinner at home.
Teachers would subscribe in order to provide their students with educational opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. While some students may receive music lesson at home, the podcasts offers each student the chance to explore a variety of wide variety of instruments. Teachers may not subscribe if the podcasts they feel the podcasts is not age appropriate for their students, if the podcast is too long, or if the podcast is not does not hold the students attention.
Content
Podcast 1 1. Series Introduction – Instruments of the Orchestra (15 seconds; vocal recording with music background) 2. Introduction for The Strings Section (15 seconds; vocal recording) 2.1. Violin 2.1.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording) 2.1.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 2.2. Viola 2.2.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording) 2.2.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 2.3. Cello 2.3.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording) 2.3.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 2.4. Double Bass 2.4.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording) 2.4.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 2.5. Musical Selection (25 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 2.6. Thank you’s, Acknowledgements, and Please Join Me Again (10 seconds; vocal recording with music background)
Podcast 2 3. Series Introduction – Instruments of the Orchestra (15 seconds; vocal recording with music background) 4. Introduction for The Brass Section (15 seconds; vocal recording) 4.1. Trumpet 4.1.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording) 4.1.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 4.2. French horn 4.2.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording) 4.2.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 4.3. Trombone 4.3.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording) 4.3.2. Solo sound clips (5 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 4.4. Tuba 4.4.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording) 4.4.2. Solo sound clips (5 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 4.5. Musical Selection (15 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file) 4.6. Thank you’s, Acknowledgements, and Please Join Me Again (10 seconds; vocal recording with music background) Future Podcasts 5. Series Introduction – Instruments of the Orchestra (15 seconds; vocal recording with music background)
6. Introduction for the Percussions Section 6.1. Definite Pitch Instruments 6.1.1. Timpani 6.1.2. Marimba 6.1.3. Xylophone 6.1.4. Bells 6.2. Indefinite Pitch Instruments 6.2.1. Snare Drum 6.2.2. Bass Drum 6.2.3. Cymbals 6.2.4. Gong 6.2.5. Auxiliary 7. Series Introduction – Instruments of the Orchestra (15 seconds; vocal recording with music background) 8. Introduction for The Woodwinds Section8.1.1. Flute 8.1.2. Piccolo 8.1.3. Oboe 8.1.4. English Horn 8.1.5. Clarinet 8.1.6. Bass Clarinet 8.1.7. Bassoon 8.1.8. Contrabassoon Format Describe the style and format of your podcasts. By format I mean the structural organization of elements that make up the podcast (and may recur) including their duration and any special effects applied. If you script the first episode, you can include an outline of the script. I was trying to emulate NPR’s Diane Rehm in my podcast by keeping the program conservative yet upbeat. In additional to being scripted, I used a good deal of enveloping to give the impression of a planned, professional recording.
Podcast Episode 1 Script [Intro Music]
[Introduction] Welcome to another edition of Do You Hear What I Hear. I am your host Kitty Williams. Today we are pleased to bring you a new series called Instruments of the Orchestra. Instruments of the Orchestra is a five part series that was created to enrich lives by fostering music appreciation. Personally, I must admit that the production of this series has renewed my childhood fascination classical music. I even discovered a new favorite instrument during the course of these recordings. But I don’t want to bias you, so I will keep my opinions to myself . . . for now. The focus of today’s episode is the Strings Section. Instruments in this category typically have four strings that produce vibrations when they strummed or plucked. A bow is typically used to produce the sounds. The four instruments in this section of the orchestra are - the violin, the viola, the cello, and the double bass. Let’s examine each instrument individually, shall we? Violin Informally, the violin is also known as a fiddle. The violin is the smallest instrument in the strings family. A standard violin is 24 inches long and during play, it is held between the violinist’s chin and shoulder. Violins may be played while standing or sitting. Because the violin is so versatile, it can be heard in a wide variety of genres including classical music, jazz, folk, and rock and roll. The violin makes high, bright sounds and contributes melody to songs.
If you aren’t driving, close your eyes and listen as violinist Howard Geisel plays a short melody from Luigi Boccherini's minuet String Quintet in E, Opus13, Number 6.
That was delightful. In a symphonic or philharmonic orchestra there are about 100 musicians. Although the exact quantity varies, a symphonic orchestra will have about 30 violins. Viola The next instrument in the string family is the viola. The viola is 27 inches long and is very similar in size and sound to the violin. The viola’s thicker strings and heavier bow create sounds that are lower in pitch and warmer than those of the violin. Like the violin, the viola can be played while standing or sitting. The viola adds melody to music. Here’s what a viola sound like. Solo viola sound clip: //http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=25481//
Cello The cello is the third largest instrument in the Strings family. The number of cellos in a symphonic orchestra varies from 8 to 12. A standard cello measures a full 4 feet in length which means a cello is twice as long as a standard violin. Due to the size of the instrument, the cello is played while sitting with the body of the cello between the cellists’ knees and with the neck of the instrument resting on his or her left shoulder. The cello itself rests on the floor and uses a kick-stand like peg for support. At 29 inches, the cello’s bow is a full inch longer than the ones used to play the violin and the viola. Its thicker strings and larger body produce lower, richer sounds. Mere words cannot convey how warm and inviting the cello’s sounds are. Cellist Tom Kersey will close out this segment with his rendition of the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby. Solo cello sound clip: //www.tomkersey.com/Eleanor%20Rigby.mp3// Double Bass At 6 feet in length the Double Bass is the largest instrument in the strings family. In fact, the cello is so large that a Bassist must stand up or sit on a stool in order to play it. A double bass bow is 27 inches long and not surprisingly, its strings are very thick and heavy. The double bass produces very low sounds and adds rhythm to music. Solo cello sound clip Now that we have familiarized ourselves with the individual sounds of each instrument, we are ready to go to the next level. As you listen to the Oberon String Quartet performing the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby, listening closely for the distinctive sounds of the violin, viola, cello, and bass. [Play Oberon String Quartet’s Eleanor Rigby] [Extro] This concludes this episode of Do You Hear What I Hear. We will continue our Instrument of the Orchestra series next week when we tune our ears on the Brass section of the Orchestra. Won’t you join me? Until next time . . . I’m Kitty Williams. [Music fade]
Course:EDIT 526 Podcasting Term: Summer 2009 Assignment: Episode 2 Podcast Show Title: Do You Hear What I Hear Podcast Series Title: Instruments of the Orchestra Podcast Episode Title: The Brass Section [Intro Music] [Introduction] Welcome to another edition of Do You Hear What I Hear. I am your host Kitty Williams. This is the second edition of our five part series called Instruments of the Orchestra.Our goal is to enrich lives by fostering music appreciation. The focus of today’s episode is the Brass Section.As the section name states, the four instruments in this section of the orchestra are actually made of brass. They are the trumpet, the trombone, the French horn, and the tuba.Instruments in this category make sound when the musician buzzes his or her lips against the mouthpiece. [Play transition tone] Trumpet The trumpet is played by holding it horizontally, buzzing into the mouthpiece, and pressing the three valves in various combinations to divert air down the tubes. Here’s what a trumpet sounds like . . . [Play trumpet sound clip] A standard trumpet is bent into a paper clip shape. If you stretched it out, it would be 6 1/2 feet long.The trumpet plays the highest pitches of the brass family. There are 2-4 trumpets in an orchestra. [Play transition tone] Trombone The next instrument in the brass family is the trombone.Instead of having valves like the trumpet, the trombone has a sliding member that causes the instrument to change sounds when it is moved. Here’s what a trombone sounds like . . . [Play trombone sound clip] Like the trumpet, a standard trombone is made of long slender metal tubes that form a shape similar to the letter "S." The length of tubing used to make a standard trombone is about 9 feet. There are usually three trombones in an orchestra and they often play together as a trio. [Play transition tone] French horn As its name implies, the French horn originated in France. The French horn is easy to recognize because of its circular shape. It is played by holding it with the bell curving downward, but for a louder sound it can be played with the bell up.Like the trumpet, musicians press the French horn’s three valves to change its sound. Here’s what a French Horn sounds like . . . [Play French horn sound clip] If unwound, the metal tubing in a standard French Horn would measures 17 feet long. There are usually 4 French horns in an orchestra, but there can be as few as 2 and as many as 8. [Play transition tone] Tuba Saving the biggest for last, brings us to the tuba which is the largest of the brass instruments.With its huge bell, the tuba’s shape resembles a double paper clip. Tubas come in a variety of sizes and the longer the tubing, the lower the pitch. Here’s what a tuba sounds like . . . [Play tuba sound clip] Tubas have four valves, one more than the trumpet and the French horn. Although the amount of tubing ranges from 9 to 18 feet, a standard tuba contains about 16 feet of tubing. There is usually one tuba in an orchestra. [Play transition tone] [Extro] This concludes this edition of Do You Hear What I Hear.We will continue our Instrument of the Orchestra series next week when we tune our ears on the Woodwinds section of the Orchestra.Won’t you join me? Until next time . . . I’m Kitty Williams. [Transition Music] Interview Kitty:I’m Kitty Williams. The host of Do You Hear What I Hear.Today, I’m talking with students at Jefferson Elementary School.With me now is Amanda Jones who is a second grader.Hello, Amanda. Amanda: Hi Kitty: You were telling me that you enjoy listening to Instruments of the Orchestra. Amanda: Yes!I really like trumpets.They make me think of queens and castles.I’m going to tell my mommy that I want a trumpet for my birthday. Kitty: That’s wonderful, Amanda. Tell me - when did you listen to the program? Amanda:My teacher, Mrs. Stoffield, let’s us listen to it on the computer in our classroom. Kitty: I’m glad you enjoy it, Amanda.I hope you will keep listening. Amanda:I will!I have to go now. Kitty:Okay, Amanda.Thank you for your feedback. [Music fade] What is your reasoning behind the type or style of educational podcast you chose? What stylistic approach will you take for each episode? Since my podcast was teaching music appreciation, I chose the format of a monologue with sound clips. The music was the second person or voice. I felt that any additional presences would distract the listener from the intention of the podcast.
Discuss your plans for the format you intend to use for each podcast? The format of host with sound clips will remain the same for the entire series. I am looking to emulate a classroom environment. I think the music clips compensate for not having an interviewee or panel discussion, so additional variety is not required. What is the length of each episode? On what schedule will episodes be made available? The first episode was 5 minutes long, although a great deal of content was cut in order to meet the time limit. Ideally, each podcast would be 15 minutes long and provide additional detail on the instruments and additional sound clips so that the listener is able to get a good feel for the range of each instrument. I created a 6 minutes screencast using Camtasia for the second episode.Ideally, the series would continue weekly until all five sections of the orchestra were covered. Describe any recurring elements in each episode, for example:
The Intro and Extro background music stayed the same for the entire series. Also, the styles of signing on and off are intended to be a brand or style, so those stayed the same as well. I also tried to use a variety of genres so that the younger audience does not shy away.
Will you need to make any special arrangements to record your podcasts? No special arrangements were required for recording, although locating music clips with creative commons and royalty free licenses took a significant amount of time.
What are the standard settings for optimal quality of the media format you chose? I tried to use .wav files for all of my music clips, but that was not always possible. I used several .mp3 music clips and I was not able to notice a difference in the sound quality.
For Episode 1, I recorded in stereo with an audio sample rate of 44 kHz. My podcast 5:01 minutes long and 4.59MB. The sound quality was acceptable using my equipment. Providing that the feedback from other users is consistent, I will maintain the sample rate as not to increase the file size. For Episode 2, I also created stereo audio at 44 kHz.I created the video portion in Microsoft Powerpoint 2007 and used Camtasia to create a .mp4 video. The final product was 6:19 minutes long and 7.9 MB.
Evaluate & Refine Design self-evaluation: Students will document a self-evaluation of the initial recording. The sound quality was just average.Because I used several music clips, the level of the audio varied at times.The fade ins and fade outs were well done, but in the extro for Episode 1 the music over powered my voice. What types of edits did you make to your audio files? I trimmed out a lot of pauses between sentences and took snippets of music in order to meet the time requirements for Episode 1.I did a better job during the actual production of Episode 2, plus it was longer, so I did not have to edit as much. How might you improve on future recordings? My transitions were still noticeable when listening on earphones.Getting rid of the clicks and pops would be nice.
Design Idea
My first idea is to create a podcast that introduces pre-school and elementary children to instruments. The podcast would describe each instrument family and provide individual instrument sounds as well as song in which the instruments are being played.
After listening to my podcast, subscribers will be able to identify instruments of the orchestra by sight and sound. Listeners will be able to discriminate between instruments within a family of instruments. Not only will listeners be able to identify an instrument by its individual sound, they will also be able to distinguish the sound of instruments played in collectively within songs. By the end of the four part series, listeners will be able to differentiate between orchestra instruments and non-orchestra instruments.
In today’s difficult economic times, school districts are struggling to provide the basics to their students. Offering music appreciation via podcasting allows districts to spend less money yet offer the same learning experience. For example, a district could employ fewer music teachers who would rotate throughout the school district. The podcast series could be offered as part of the student’s computer time when a music teacher is not able to provide live instruction.
The San Francisco Symphony Education Department created a website for children called SFS Kid’s site (http://www.sfskids.org) where children can interactively learn about the instruments of the orchestra. As shown in the figure below, Lesson’s Portal, LLC is also offering “Children’s String Instrument Sounds” for $0.99 on iTunes.
Ideally, learners would benefit most from an enhanced podcast, however for my first episode I plan to create an audio only podcast.
Audience
The show is called "Do You Hear What I Hear" and the target audience is children from 3 years old to adults of any age. According to data published by the Bureau in October of 2007, there were approximately 41 million children within this target age group. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2006, there was a total of 2.2 million pre-school, kindergarten, and elementary school teachers employed in the United States.
Ideally, the students’ teachers would use the podcasts to supplement their music education curriculums. A parent looking to start music lessons for her child may also listen to the podcast along with the child in order to gauge interest in a specific type of instrument.
In the initial episodes, listeners will be introduced to the Strings Section of a symphonic orchestra. The intent is that they will gain an appreciation for the various instruments by listening to the sounds that they make and a description of how the instrument is played. Pre-school and kindergarten teachers may lead discussions about the instruments during circle time while teachers of older students may incorporate the lesson into their creative writing or journaling lessons.
After listening to the descriptions of how the instruments are played, audience members will be able to visually categorize the instruments into the proper family upon sight. More importantly, after listening to the sounds that the instrument makes, audience members will be able to state the name of the instrument being played. Some audience members may also be able to distinguish the sound of individual instruments within a song.
Students would listen to the podcast in small or large group settings during the course of the school day. However, teachers needing to prepare a lesson plan, could listen to the podcast while driving or riding in a car or while preparing dinner at home.
Teachers would subscribe in order to provide their students with educational opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. While some students may receive music lesson at home, the podcasts offers each student the chance to explore a variety of wide variety of instruments. Teachers may not subscribe if the podcasts they feel the podcasts is not age appropriate for their students, if the podcast is too long, or if the podcast is not does not hold the students attention.
Content
Podcast 1
1. Series Introduction – Instruments of the Orchestra (15 seconds; vocal recording with music background)
2. Introduction for The Strings Section (15 seconds; vocal recording)
2.1. Violin
2.1.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording)
2.1.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
2.2. Viola
2.2.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording)
2.2.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
2.3. Cello
2.3.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording)
2.3.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
2.4. Double Bass
2.4.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording)
2.4.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
2.5. Musical Selection (25 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
2.6. Thank you’s, Acknowledgements, and Please Join Me Again (10 seconds; vocal recording with music background)
Podcast 2
3. Series Introduction – Instruments of the Orchestra (15 seconds; vocal recording with music background)
4. Introduction for The Brass Section (15 seconds; vocal recording)
4.1. Trumpet
4.1.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording)
4.1.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
4.2. French horn
4.2.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording)
4.2.2. Solo sound clips (10 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
4.3. Trombone
4.3.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording)
4.3.2. Solo sound clips (5 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
4.4. Tuba
4.4.1. Instrument description (25 seconds; voice recording)
4.4.2. Solo sound clips (5 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
4.5. Musical Selection (15 seconds; pre-recorded .wav or .mp3 file)
4.6. Thank you’s, Acknowledgements, and Please Join Me Again (10 seconds; vocal recording with music background)
Future Podcasts
5. Series Introduction – Instruments of the Orchestra (15 seconds; vocal recording with music background)
6. Introduction for the Percussions Section
6.1. Definite Pitch Instruments 6.1.1. Timpani 6.1.2. Marimba 6.1.3. Xylophone 6.1.4. Bells 6.2. Indefinite Pitch Instruments 6.2.1. Snare Drum 6.2.2. Bass Drum 6.2.3. Cymbals 6.2.4. Gong 6.2.5. Auxiliary
7. Series Introduction – Instruments of the Orchestra (15 seconds; vocal recording with music background)
8. Introduction for The Woodwinds Section 8.1.1. Flute 8.1.2. Piccolo 8.1.3. Oboe 8.1.4. English Horn 8.1.5. Clarinet 8.1.6. Bass Clarinet 8.1.7. Bassoon 8.1.8. Contrabassoon
Format
Describe the style and format of your podcasts. By format I mean the structural organization of elements that make up the podcast (and may recur) including their duration and any special effects applied. If you script the first episode, you can include an outline of the script.
I was trying to emulate NPR’s Diane Rehm in my podcast by keeping the program conservative yet upbeat. In additional to being scripted, I used a good deal of enveloping to give the impression of a planned, professional recording.
Podcast Episode 1 Script
[Intro Music]
[Introduction]
Welcome to another edition of Do You Hear What I Hear.
I am your host Kitty Williams.
Today we are pleased to bring you a new series called Instruments of the Orchestra. Instruments of the Orchestra is a five part series that was created to enrich lives by fostering music appreciation. Personally, I must admit that the production of this series has renewed my childhood fascination classical music. I even discovered a new favorite instrument during the course of these recordings. But I don’t want to bias you, so I will keep my opinions to myself . . . for now.
The focus of today’s episode is the Strings Section. Instruments in this category typically have four strings that produce vibrations when they strummed or plucked. A bow is typically used to produce the sounds. The four instruments in this section of the orchestra are - the violin, the viola, the cello, and the double bass.
Let’s examine each instrument individually, shall we?
Violin
Informally, the violin is also known as a fiddle. The violin is the smallest instrument in the strings family. A standard violin is 24 inches long and during play, it is held between the violinist’s chin and shoulder. Violins may be played while standing or sitting. Because the violin is so versatile, it can be heard in a wide variety of genres including classical music, jazz, folk, and rock and roll. The violin makes high, bright sounds and contributes melody to songs.
If you aren’t driving, close your eyes and listen as violinist Howard Geisel plays a short melody from Luigi Boccherini's minuet String Quintet in E, Opus13, Number 6.
Solo violin sound clip: //http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=25481//
That was delightful. In a symphonic or philharmonic orchestra there are about 100 musicians. Although the exact quantity varies, a symphonic orchestra will have about 30 violins.
Viola
The next instrument in the string family is the viola. The viola is 27 inches long and is very similar in size and sound to the violin. The viola’s thicker strings and heavier bow create sounds that are lower in pitch and warmer than those of the violin. Like the violin, the viola can be played while standing or sitting. The viola adds melody to music. Here’s what a viola sound like.
Solo viola sound clip: //http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=25481//
Cello
The cello is the third largest instrument in the Strings family. The number of cellos in a symphonic orchestra varies from 8 to 12. A standard cello measures a full 4 feet in length which means a cello is twice as long as a standard violin. Due to the size of the instrument, the cello is played while sitting with the body of the cello between the cellists’ knees and with the neck of the instrument resting on his or her left shoulder. The cello itself rests on the floor and uses a kick-stand like peg for support. At 29 inches, the cello’s bow is a full inch longer than the ones used to play the violin and the viola. Its thicker strings and larger body produce lower, richer sounds. Mere words cannot convey how warm and inviting the cello’s sounds are. Cellist Tom Kersey will close out this segment with his rendition of the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby.
Solo cello sound clip: //www.tomkersey.com/Eleanor%20Rigby.mp3//
Double Bass
At 6 feet in length the Double Bass is the largest instrument in the strings family. In fact, the cello is so large that a Bassist must stand up or sit on a stool in order to play it. A double bass bow is 27 inches long and not surprisingly, its strings are very thick and heavy. The double bass produces very low sounds and adds rhythm to music.
Solo cello sound clip
Now that we have familiarized ourselves with the individual sounds of each instrument, we are ready to go to the next level. As you listen to the Oberon String Quartet performing the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby, listening closely for the distinctive sounds of the violin, viola, cello, and bass.
[Play Oberon String Quartet’s Eleanor Rigby]
[Extro]
This concludes this episode of Do You Hear What I Hear. We will continue our Instrument of the Orchestra series next week when we tune our ears on the Brass section of the Orchestra. Won’t you join me?
Until next time . . . I’m Kitty Williams.
[Music fade]
Course: EDIT 526 Podcasting
Term: Summer 2009
Assignment: Episode 2
Podcast Show Title: Do You Hear What I Hear
Podcast Series Title: Instruments of the Orchestra
Podcast Episode Title: The Brass Section
[Intro Music]
[Introduction]
Welcome to another edition of Do You Hear What I Hear.
I am your host Kitty Williams.
This is the second edition of our five part series called Instruments of the Orchestra. Our goal is to enrich lives by fostering music appreciation.
The focus of today’s episode is the Brass Section. As the section name states, the four instruments in this section of the orchestra are actually made of brass. They are the trumpet, the trombone, the French horn, and the tuba. Instruments in this category make sound when the musician buzzes his or her lips against the mouthpiece.
[Play transition tone]
Trumpet
The trumpet is played by holding it horizontally, buzzing into the mouthpiece, and pressing the three valves in various combinations to divert air down the tubes.
Here’s what a trumpet sounds like . . .
[Play trumpet sound clip]
A standard trumpet is bent into a paper clip shape. If you stretched it out, it would be 6 1/2 feet long. The trumpet plays the highest pitches of the brass family.
There are 2-4 trumpets in an orchestra.
[Play transition tone]
Trombone
The next instrument in the brass family is the trombone. Instead of having valves like the trumpet, the trombone has a sliding member that causes the instrument to change sounds when it is moved.
Here’s what a trombone sounds like . . .
[Play trombone sound clip]
Like the trumpet, a standard trombone is made of long slender metal tubes that form a shape similar to the letter "S." The length of tubing used to make a standard trombone is about 9 feet.
There are usually three trombones in an orchestra and they often play together as a trio.
[Play transition tone]
French horn
As its name implies, the French horn originated in France. The French horn is easy to recognize because of its circular shape. It is played by holding it with the bell curving downward, but for a louder sound it can be played with the bell up. Like the trumpet, musicians press the French horn’s three valves to change its sound.
Here’s what a French Horn sounds like . . .
[Play French horn sound clip]
If unwound, the metal tubing in a standard French Horn would measures 17 feet long.
There are usually 4 French horns in an orchestra, but there can be as few as 2 and as many as 8.
[Play transition tone]
Tuba
Saving the biggest for last, brings us to the tuba which is the largest of the brass instruments. With its huge bell, the tuba’s shape resembles a double paper clip. Tubas come in a variety of sizes and the longer the tubing, the lower the pitch.
Here’s what a tuba sounds like . . .
[Play tuba sound clip]
Tubas have four valves, one more than the trumpet and the French horn. Although the amount of tubing ranges from 9 to 18 feet, a standard tuba contains about 16 feet of tubing.
There is usually one tuba in an orchestra.
[Play transition tone]
[Extro]
This concludes this edition of Do You Hear What I Hear. We will continue our Instrument of the Orchestra series next week when we tune our ears on the Woodwinds section of the Orchestra. Won’t you join me?
Until next time . . . I’m Kitty Williams.
[Transition Music]
Interview
Kitty: I’m Kitty Williams. The host of Do You Hear What I Hear. Today, I’m talking with students at Jefferson Elementary School. With me now is Amanda Jones who is a second grader. Hello, Amanda.
Amanda: Hi
Kitty: You were telling me that you enjoy listening to Instruments of the Orchestra.
Amanda: Yes! I really like trumpets. They make me think of queens and castles. I’m going to tell my mommy that I want a trumpet for my birthday.
Kitty: That’s wonderful, Amanda. Tell me - when did you listen to the program?
Amanda: My teacher, Mrs. Stoffield, let’s us listen to it on the computer in our classroom.
Kitty: I’m glad you enjoy it, Amanda. I hope you will keep listening.
Amanda: I will! I have to go now.
Kitty: Okay, Amanda. Thank you for your feedback.
[Music fade]
What is your reasoning behind the type or style of educational podcast you chose? What stylistic approach will you take for each episode?
Since my podcast was teaching music appreciation, I chose the format of a monologue with sound clips. The music was the second person or voice. I felt that any additional presences would distract the listener from the intention of the podcast.
Discuss your plans for the format you intend to use for each podcast?
The format of host with sound clips will remain the same for the entire series. I am looking to emulate a classroom environment. I think the music clips compensate for not having an interviewee or panel discussion, so additional variety is not required.
What is the length of each episode? On what schedule will episodes be made available?
The first episode was 5 minutes long, although a great deal of content was cut in order to meet the time limit. Ideally, each podcast would be 15 minutes long and provide additional detail on the instruments and additional sound clips so that the listener is able to get a good feel for the range of each instrument.
I created a 6 minutes screencast using Camtasia for the second episode. Ideally, the series would continue weekly until all five sections of the orchestra were covered.
Describe any recurring elements in each episode, for example:
The Intro and Extro background music stayed the same for the entire series. Also, the styles of signing on and off are intended to be a brand or style, so those stayed the same as well. I also tried to use a variety of genres so that the younger audience does not shy away.
Will you need to make any special arrangements to record your podcasts?
No special arrangements were required for recording, although locating music clips with creative commons and royalty free licenses took a significant amount of time.
What are the standard settings for optimal quality of the media format you chose?
I tried to use .wav files for all of my music clips, but that was not always possible. I used several .mp3 music clips and I was not able to notice a difference in the sound quality.
For Episode 1, I recorded in stereo with an audio sample rate of 44 kHz. My podcast 5:01 minutes long and 4.59MB. The sound quality was acceptable using my equipment. Providing that the feedback from other users is consistent, I will maintain the sample rate as not to increase the file size.
For Episode 2, I also created stereo audio at 44 kHz. I created the video portion in Microsoft Powerpoint 2007 and used Camtasia to create a .mp4 video. The final product was 6:19 minutes long and 7.9 MB.
Evaluate & Refine
Design self-evaluation: Students will document a self-evaluation of the initial recording.
The sound quality was just average. Because I used several music clips, the level of the audio varied at times. The fade ins and fade outs were well done, but in the extro for Episode 1 the music over powered my voice.
What types of edits did you make to your audio files?
I trimmed out a lot of pauses between sentences and took snippets of music in order to meet the time requirements for Episode 1. I did a better job during the actual production of Episode 2, plus it was longer, so I did not have to edit as much.
How might you improve on future recordings?
My transitions were still noticeable when listening on earphones. Getting rid of the clicks and pops would be nice.