Images: GIMP
Gimp Basics – YouTube
This tutorial, as the name implies, covers the absolute basics of using the GIMP, a free multi-platform image editing program. Topics include Layers, Colors, the Text Tool, effects such as Borders and Shadows, and several other common tasks. What’s great about this video is that the basics of GIMP are very similar to other offerings, like PhotoShop, so the necessary tools and skills should apply well. I don’t personally care for the 12 year old boy voice narrating the tutorial, however many foundations of using the software are covered effectively.
Gimp Red-eye Reduction
This tutorial covers a very common fix for any photo editor: red eye reduction. It’s a pretty straightforward tutorial, covering the various tools needed to perform this task. I like how they did not take the easy route and use an automated tool for this, although I’m not sure if that’s because GIMP does not have such a tool or that they wanted to focus on the process.
Video: Pinnacle Studio HD
Pinnacle Studio HD Tutorial
This tutorial covers many of the basic principles of video editing: importing footage, clip management/organization, timeline controls, audio synchronization, transition effects, and much more. It manages to pack a lot of the basics, as well as tips for exporting for Web use. That being said, it’s definitely an introduction and not a more advanced set of techniques.
Pinnacle Studio HD Tutorial
From Avid themselves, this Flash-based tutorial walks a first-time user through the software. Like the tutorial above, it covers many basics of time-line based media production, but limits features and topics covered until the end in the Advanced Features section. The tutorial is broken down into pretty logical groupings: Capture, Edit, and Make Movie.
Audio: Audacity
Audacity Tutorial
This tutorial walks a new user through importing and exporting a project using Audacity. It covers fundamentals such as file types (advantages/disadvantages), the importance of organization, and basic mixing principles. It does not go into great depth of usage of the program, but gives a strong foundation and understanding of the basics.
Audacity Tutorial
This tutorial briefly explains installation and preferences of Audacity before diving into more core features, which I think is a nice touch depending on the type of user reading the tutorial. It details importing audio from a variety of sources, editing of audio (both timeline-based and more effects-based editing), and exporting (including bit-rates and destination medium, etc.) Again, it doesn’t dive into advanced practices, but then again, advanced users will be using more advanced software anyway.