How to create, edit and embed audio for free
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Of all the skills required of a multimedia journalist my favorite is definitely audio editing. I have been a serious audiophile since I produced my first old timey radio drama in college, so imagine my delight at this demonstration of the stereo effect (listen with headphones). The audio project replicates the feeling of sitting in a barber's chair, including the snip of the scissors and the cringeworthy sound of electric clippers.
While you're not likely to hear elaborate radio dramas anymore, the web does offer a space for providing unique audio experiences to an attentive audience. That being said here are some tips on creating better, more efficient audio projects:
When it comes to free audio editing programs, Audacity, with all its faults, seems to be the industry standard. One of the most obvious flaws is that the program will return an error message if you try to export your file as an mp3. There is, however, a simple download that will nip the problem in the bud. For more Audacity tips and tricks, check out this video tutorial.
Mac users will find that GarageBand will handle their basic audio needs. If you're using Windows, Free Audio Editor and Wavosaur are free software that are simple to download and use. Both allow for quick audio editing of mp3s and is great for chopping down field audio or podcasts when time is an issue.
Once you've got your audio pared down, you need an online player that you can embed in your site. Most major news sites have proprietary or internal audio players, but if your project requires something simple and free without building it in Flash, check out imeem. It's not exactly a YouTube for audio, but it does allow users to upload and embed audio files for free. Check out an example below.
While you're not likely to hear elaborate radio dramas anymore, the web does offer a space for providing unique audio experiences to an attentive audience. That being said here are some tips on creating better, more efficient audio projects:
When it comes to free audio editing programs, Audacity, with all its faults, seems to be the industry standard. One of the most obvious flaws is that the program will return an error message if you try to export your file as an mp3. There is, however, a simple download that will nip the problem in the bud. For more Audacity tips and tricks, check out this video tutorial.
Mac users will find that GarageBand will handle their basic audio needs. If you're using Windows, Free Audio Editor and Wavosaur are free software that are simple to download and use. Both allow for quick audio editing of mp3s and is great for chopping down field audio or podcasts when time is an issue.
Once you've got your audio pared down, you need an online player that you can embed in your site. Most major news sites have proprietary or internal audio players, but if your project requires something simple and free without building it in Flash, check out imeem. It's not exactly a YouTube for audio, but it does allow users to upload and embed audio files for free. Check out an example below.
Labels: audio
0 Comments
