ECU SOUND EFFECTS LIBRARY & RIPPING AUDIO COMPACT DISKS

Emily Carr University has an extensive sound effects library, with clips that you can use for the sound design of your animation projects.  ECU pays an annual fee to license the effects, so you don't have to worry about obtaining copyright permission to use the sounds.

It's quite straightforward to use the effects library. 

For a list of collections available, click here for the to the URL to:

• A PDF document with a list of sound effects CDs in the ECU Library

The PDF also includes steps on how to log onto the Super Search of Sound Effects Libraries.

To connect to the external database with sound clips

First, go to the ECU Library web site at <www.eciad.ca/library> and from their front page, click on eResources > Article Indexes & Databases, which will bring you to "Searchable Indexes & Full Text Articles."  By referring to the alphabetical links at the top of that page, click on "S" (for "Sound Effects"). and choose Sound Ideas Sound Effects Library.

Alternatively, click on the following links for short cuts to the addresses:

• Sound Ideas Sound Effects Library
• Article Indexes & Databases > Searchable Indexes & Full Text Articles
• eResources
• ECU Library Page

The ECU Library also has similar paper-version catalogues, which you can borrow at the Circulation Desk.

Once you've found effects that you are interested in using, reference the PDF document to check and see if we have those particular disks in the ECU collection. You should make note of the disk names or search codes, and then ask the clerk at the Circulation Counter for the disks.  You can sign out the CDs for one day.

Using the Windows Media Player to rip the audio files

Before you rip a CD, make a temporary folder to store files on the workstation's local Scratch Disk, just as you would to save image files or any other kind of document.

Insert an audio compact disk in the computer you are using.

Referring to the computer workstation's Start Menu, open the Windows Media Player.
From the Media Player, go to the Main Menu and choose Organize > Options.

From the Options menu, click on the Rip Music tab, and choose the following selections:

• Rip music location: Click "Change" and choose the folder you created on the Scratch Disk.
  
• Rip settings: Format, use the pull-down menu to select either "WAV (Lossless)."
  
• Press OK once you've made the selections.
  

Go back to the Windows Media Player main menu, refer to the left-hand column and choose the name of the CD (e.g., Sound Effects Library).

Before you rip the CD, be sure to select only the effects that you want to use by clicking on the "check-boxes" by the file names. Otherwise you'll end up ripping the whole disk.

When you're ready go to the Main Menu click on the Rip CD. The software should then extract the selected clips from the CD and copy it to your folder in the temporary workspace.