AUDIO RECORDING
FOR THE WEB AND IPODS
Dr. Richard L.
Bowman, Director
Academic Computing, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA,
USA 22812
I. Introduction
While Apple's iPod and iTunes (the software handling
the uploading of files to an iPod) have spurred a major
upswing of interest retrieving audio file from the Internet, professors might
consider creating and using audio files simply as a means to giving
students another method of learning content whether they have a
iPod or not. The files described
below can be listened to directly from a web page using either
QuickTime Player or Windows Media Player, or they may be downloaded and
then uploaded to an iPod or other mp3 player.
Note: What is described in this tutorial is how to record
audio files and post them to the web. iPod users may then
download these files and use iTunes to upload them to their
iPods as "music" files. To do true podcasts requires having the
capability of generating RSS feeds. This is beyond the scope of this
tutorial.
II. Look at a Sample Presentation
This sample audio file explores the physics behind
flywheels [257 KB] (associated
video [2.51 MB[).
III. Locating and Installing a Sound Recorder
1. Windows Sound Recorder
Windows does come with a built-in sound recorder, but it is
limited to recording only one minute of audio and outputs only in wav
format. While wav files are readable by current iPods and by
QuickTime Player and Windows Media Player, the wav format
does not include any compression and should thus be avoided. However, if you
want to see how a particular microphone works or want to begin exploring
audio recordings, this sound recorder may be accessed by clicking on All
Programs in the Start Menu and then on Accessories. Finally choose the Entertainment
folder and click on Sound Recorder.
For longer and more advanced recordings, use one of the many audio
recording and editing
programs that are available for purchase or as freeware. Three of these
are described below.
1. StepVoice 1.0 beta
The free version of StepVoice may be accessed at
http://stepvoice.com/download.html followed by clicking on “Download
old freeware version (1.0b).” Save the file to your computer and then
double-click on the file icon to begin the installation process.
2. Audio Recorder for FREE
A somewhat more advanced program may be accessed at
http://www.downloads.com/ .
Search for the file by name, Audio Recorder for FREE. Save the
file to your computer and then double-click on the file icon to begin
the installation process.
Note: Version 8.2 was the latest one available at the time
this was written. If a newer version is available, install it but
realize the directions given below may need to be adapted slightly.
3. Audacity
For more flexibility install and use the open-source recorder and
editor, Audacity. It may be accessed at
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ . Generally the best advice is to
download the latest version and not a beta version, which may still have
bugs in it. Save the file to your computer and then double-click on the
file icon to begin the installation process.
To save an mp3 file (one of the formats used by an iPod),
Audacity needs the file, “lame_enc.dll”. Follow these instructions
for locating and installing this file
- Get it at
http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?lame_enc .
- Unzip the files, then find the “lame_enc.dll” file and copy it
into the Audacity folder on the C:/ProgramFiles/.
- Finally, in Audacity go to Edit/Preferences/File Formats
and then “MP3 Export Setup” and click on “Find Library.” In the
resulting window, browse to the location in C:/ProgramFiles/ where
the lame_enc.dll file is located.
Note: Version 1.2.6 was the latest version available at the
time this tutorial was weitten.
IV. Getting Ready to Record an Audio File
A. Setting the Recording Specs
Since normal voice recordings do not require a lot of high-fidelity
(quality), in the recorder you have installed select a recording speed
that is on the order of 28 kbps and a mono sound (not stereo). Each
recorder is somewhat different in where these options are located, but
try looking for Settings, Preferences, or Options. Below are the
procedures for the three porgams discussed here.
- StepVoice 1.0 beta: From the Options menu select
Program Options and click on the Recording tab. Set the MP3 bitrate
to 24 kbps and the Channel selection to Mono. Say OK, and you are
ready to begin recording.
- Audio Recorder for FREE: Press the Select Folders
button and locate the folder into which the output file will be
saved. Then press the Settings button and select the General Settings tab, and make sure the Output
File Type is set to Mp3 File. Then select the Output File Settings
tab. Select the Perset Quality and move the slider to the
second notch from the Low Quality end. The display should read "MPEG
2.5, 3 Layer, 24 kbps, Mono." Say OK, and you are ready to begin
recording. The same variables may be set in the older versions, but
they might be found in slightly different locations.
- Audacity: As done above to add the lame file, from
the Edit menu select Preferences. Then click on the File Formats
tab, and in the “MP3 Export Setup” set the Bit Rate to 24. Say OK
and you are ready to begin recording.
Note: The size of file that results from the differing bit
rates approximately depends upon the factor that one speed is larger or
smaller than another rate. For example, recording at 24 kbps makes a
file that is about 5 times smaller than if the same message was recorded
at 128 kbps.
B. Attaching a Microphone
If you do not have a microphone attached to your office computer,
contact the IT Center. If you are using your home computer, buy an
inexpensive microphone (the simple ones with a circular base and small
curved boom work well on most computers).
To connect the microphone, move to the back of your computer and
locate the sound card with a jack for a microphone and plug the
microphone into the jack. Presto! All is ready.
V. Recording and Saving an Audio File
Recording and saving an audio file is fairly straight-forward in each
program, but there are some significant differences.
1. StepVoice 1.0 beta
- Begin by selecting New from the File menu and typing in and
saving the file name that you will be using.
- To begin recording, press the button with the red ball on it.
- Stop the recording by pressing the same button (now with a black
square on it), and the file will be automatically saved.
2. Audio Recorder for FREE
- While this program has a more contemporary look than
StepVoice 1.0 beta, it is a bit less flexible. To begin
recording, press the button with the red circle on it. A box for
entering the file name will pop up. Notice in the bottom of this
window is the folder in which this file will be saved. To change
that folder, Cancel and go to the Settings button. Find the Output
Directory section of the General Settings tab and Change this value.
After entering the file name, recording will begin automatically.
- Press the Stop button (with a white square on it). The file
will be automatically saved.
3. Audacity
- To begin recording, press the Record button (with the red circle
on it) just below the menu identifiers and begin talking.
- Stop the file by pressing the Stop button (with the grayed
yellow square on it).
- Save the file by selecting Export As MP3... from the File menu.
Adjust the name of the file as appropriate and then Save the file. A
dialog box will show up allowing the user to edit various items in
the tag for the audio file. The Title shold be descriptive of the
content. The Artist is you name. The Album might well be a course
name and general content, for example, PHYS 110-Keplers 1st Law.
Type in Track 1 and any comment up to 30 characters in length. This
info will show up on the display of any iPod playing the
file.
VI. Publish Your Presentation On The Web
After saving your audio file, locate it and double click on it to
open it in your default player. If it sounds OK, then it can be copied
to your web directory.
Remember that this file cannot be found by students unless a link to
it has been added to an appropriate course web page.
Appendix: Resources
In addition to this tutorial, the reader will probably
find several other resources helpful.
Help Menus
Audacity has a good Help menu. Give it a try when you need
assistance.
Other Tutorials at Bridgewater
College's Academic Computing Web Site
Other Resources
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