Skillful editing does take practice. But, once you understand the basic concepts, it’s a skill that can be acquired through experimentation and practice.
Gonzo it - When an editor has screwed up an edit, or it’s jut a rough edit and there just seems no good way to fix it, there’s always the “gonzo” method. To gonzo an edit, you simply find a sound effect - in Radio often some sort of quick “whoosh” sound or electronic stab made with a synthesizer. You simply mix the sound effect in OVER the spot where the lousy edit is. The sound distracts the listeners from the bad edit. Believe me: any Radio person who does production will tell you they’ve done this more times than they can count.
Music - Everything sounds better with music underneath. Music moves any audio piece forward. Of course, the trick is to pick the correct music that moves the audio piece along, creates mood, and accentuates the production.
Sound Effects - Sound effects help to create and build lasting visuals in a listener’s mind. There is nothing more powerful than a listener’s imagination and the good use of sound effects (with music) can produce an audio presentation that will make an impact.
Quality - Always create audio presentations using the highest sample rate you can use (44,100 minimum) and at least 16 bit resolution. With digital production, you don’t have to worry about sound degrading like broadcasters used to with analog tape. Neverless, high digital quality is the way to go. The only reason you might use lesser parameters for your digital recording might be because of limited hard drive space. Otherwise, don’t skimp.
Backup - Don’t forget to create a backup of your editing and production. There’s nothing worse than putting hours into something to have it lost through an inadvertent mistake or computer failure. Be smart.
