Apple Final Cut Express HD - Manual (Page 578)

578 Part VIII Audio Mixing
To route Mac OS X alerts and sound effects through your computer’s built-in speakers:
1 Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sound.
2 Click the Sound Effects button.
3 Choose “Built-in Audio: Internal speakers” from the “Play alerts and sound effects
through” pop-up menu.
While monitoring the audio of your program, avoid changing the volume of your
speakers unless it is absolutely necessary. A consistent monitoring level allows you to
get used to the average loudness you’re establishing for your mix, so that you can
better judge how well the louder and softer sections of your mix are working together.
To adjust the volume of your speakers, try playing a signal that represents the average
volume you want to monitor. Avoid setting speaker volume so high that it fatigues your
ears or distorts in the speakers.
Some people use the 1 kHz tone of the Bars and Tone generator to set the volume of
their speakers. However, you may find that the 1 kHz tone causes you to turn your
speakers down lower than you would for normal audio because the tone is so incessant
and your ears are particularly sensitive to this frequency. Generally, 1 kHz tones are
useful for setting levels from device to device when looking at meters, but not as
helpful for setting average listening levels.