Table of Contents Table of Contents ...........................................................................................................................1 Section D1: Audio Cassette Digitization .................................................................................. 3 D1.1 Planning: Before starting an audio cassette digitization project ................................................3 How to use this manual ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Planning for the management of digital media ..................................................................................................... 6 Hardware and software ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Collections assessment ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Documenting Digital Audio Files .......................................................................................................................... 16 Metadata for Audio Digitization .......................................................................................................................... 19 D1.2 Condition Assessment ........................................................................................................... 27 Overview .............................................................................................................................................................. 27 Condition assessment templates ......................................................................................................................... 27 Container condition assessment ......................................................................................................................... 27 Audio cassette condition assessment .................................................................................................................. 29 Condition assessment summary .......................................................................................................................... 36 D1.3a System Connections Guide .................................................................................................. 37 Preparing for System Installation ........................................................................................................................ 37 Placing the components ...................................................................................................................................... 37 D1.3b System Start-up Guide ........................................................................................................ 41 Step 1. Set all power switches to “off” position. ................................................................................................. 41 Step 2. Set all volume knobs to lowest setting. ................................................................................................... 41 Step 3. Test the wall power level. ........................................................................................................................ 41 Step 4: Power up components in order ............................................................................................................... 42 Step 5: Set volume knobs to starting levels ......................................................................................................... 42 D1.3c System Shutdown Guide ...................................................................................................... 43 Step 1. Set all volume knobs to lowest setting. ................................................................................................... 43 Step 2. Power down speakers.............................................................................................................................. 43 Step 3. Shut down laptop computer and MBOX unit .......................................................................................... 44 Step 4. Turn off cassette player ........................................................................................................................... 44 Step 5. Turn off power distributor/conditioner. .................................................................................................. 44 D1.4 Digitization Guide – Cassette Audio Project Parameters ......................................................... 45 Summary .............................................................................................................................................................. 45 Preparing for digitization ..................................................................................................................................... 45 Training ................................................................................................................................................................ 45 Before digitization ............................................................................................................................................... 45 Digitizing the audio tape ...................................................................................................................................... 45 D1.5a Create Access Master Files .................................................................................................. 57 1 Step 1. Open the file in Audacity ......................................................................................................................... 57 Step 2. Adjust your viewing window to best see the waveform ......................................................................... 58 Step 3. Reduce the level of high transient noises if necessary and efficient. ...................................................... 58 Step 4. Normalize the audio (Amplify the audio signal as much as possible without clipping.).......................... 61 Step 5. Save the final Access Master ................................................................................................................... 63 Step 6. Apply appropriate metadata to the access master file. .......................................................................... 64 Step 7. Set file status to “Access Master Created.” ............................................................................................. 65 D1.5b Creating an MP3 access copy of audio files using Audacity 2.0 ............................................. 66 D1.6 Audio Cassette Special Processing Guide ............................................................................... 67 Summary .............................................................................................................................................................. 67 Replace cassette shell .......................................................................................................................................... 67 Removed damaged section of tape ..................................................................................................................... 71 Replacing metal strip with foam pad ................................................................................................................... 75 Replacing or reattaching foam pad ..................................................................................................................... 76 Appendices................................................................................................................................... 79 Appendix D1.1a: File naming: Cassette audio file examples ............................................................................... 79 Appendix D1.1b: Collection inventory template ................................................................................................. 80 Appendix D1. 1c: Emerging metadata standards for digital audio files ............................................................... 81 Appendix D1.2a: Audio Cassette Container Condition Report ............................................................................ 82 Appendix D1.2b: Audio Cassette Condition Report ............................................................................................. 83 Appendix D1.3: Audio Cassette Digitization Log .................................................................................................. 85 Appendix D1.3a: Additional Fields for Digitization Remarks ............................................................................... 87 Appendix D1.4: Special Processing Form ............................................................................................................. 88 Appendix D1.5: Glossary ...................................................................................................................................... 89 2 SECTION D1: AUDIO CASSETTE DIGITIZATION D1.1 PLANNING: BEFORE STARTING AN AUDIO CASSETTE DIGITIZATION PROJECT HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL The most important part of any digitization project is the planning work that happens before digitization begins. The advice and instructions provided in this manual should be considered in light of your specific circumstances. A set of hardware, software tools and step-by-step instructions are included; however, some aspects of the workflow