Free Recording Software: Audacity Tutorial Part One
First of all, if you have come back to the blog and noticed it looks a bit different, well you’d be right. I accidentally messed up my site and had to re-install last night (thankfully I had a back-up of all my files). I took it as an opportunity to change the blog theme as I wasn’t completely happy with the previous one. I need to replace the audio files and some photos, so bear with me. Now, on with the post…
In my recent series of guest posts on Alice Seba’s blog, I talked about how easy it is to get started with Online Audio. The free recording software I suggested you use is called Audacity.
Unfortunately, in the space of a blog post it wasn’t possible to explain HOW to use Audacity, so I have created a series of short videos to show you the basics. Audacity is a cross-platform recording and editing software for audio, although I believe MAC users may have better alternatives (I’ll tell you what they are when I eventually get a MacBook Pro).
This video tutorial explains how to download Audacity and the LAME mp3 encoder:
The LAME mp3 encoder is important because mp3s are the format required by most online audio players and podcast directories. They are also smaller than .wav files, which makes them better for offering as downloads.
In the next Audacity tutorial I will show you some of the configuration options for the program and how to do some basic recording and editing.
A lot of people have been asking me recently about how to get started in creating and selling information products. I realised it’s a topic I know a helluva lot about, so I am putting together a full course on the subject.
Of course, some of you will also realise that I have joined forces with two other wonderful marketers – Allison Reynolds and Barb Sabathil – to create the Secret Women’s Business Network. This will be a community designed to help women develop their business skills, learn new skills, and network and mastermind with like-minded women. SWBN will launch in November, and the Information Marketing course will be one of the future learning modules you will receive free for being a member (i.e. I haven’t created it yet but it is in the works, and will follow on from the already essential modules that have been created).
If you are a business woman trying to make a living online, or you have a business in the “real world” and need an online presence but don’t know where to start, then please sign-up for updates from the Secret Women’s Business Network and we will keep you informed of all our progress and when the network will be open for business! Also follow SWBN on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SWBN
And, if you are a guy feeling very left out of things, then my apologies. You’ll be glad to hear that you don’t need to pretend to be a woman to get the Information Marketing course as I plan to release it as a standalone course too. Watch this space!
Oct 1st, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I like the new theme and i’ll go and have a look at audacity now. Trying to get some recording done for my blog, thanks for the guide.
Wayne
Oct 1st, 2008 at 9:46 pm
I’m a new reader .. found a reference to this blog post on twitter. Great tip .. I download audacity and tried it. Thanks for the video, it saved me a ton of time learning to use the app.
Oct 1st, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Hi Lisa! I know you from the 30DC and twitter. Wanted to stop by and say your blog looks great! Glad you got through your back-up scare. I know how that goes.
Oct 1st, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Nice work Lisa… the site looks ace.
Oct 1st, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Thanks for the great comments on the blog theme and the video. I’ll be recording some more over the next week.
Oct 1st, 2008 at 11:04 pm
New blog looks great, Lisa! I’m a lover of “white space” mixed with great content, and this has both
Only thing I miss is your smiling face on the front page…you *were* on the front of your previous blog, weren’t you? Come out of hiding
Oct 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Just for you, Barb, my ugly mug…I mean smiling face, is now on the home page
Oct 6th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Lisa, I love the new look. I’ve been using Audacity for a couple years. Great tutorials. Keep up the great work.
Jan 31st, 2009 at 1:27 am
You mentioned that recording software for Mac might be better for voice recording. If so which software? Thanks
May 6th, 2009 at 4:15 am
Hello Lisa,
I am trying to use Audacity to copy some cassetes tapes to my pc, but when I save them it cames with a voice log, for it is a non-activated version. To activate it I have to pay. Is Audacity no longer free?
I’ve tried to get into their forum but couldn’t.
Thanks in advence,
Marcia
Jul 1st, 2009 at 8:34 am
Ello Lisa,
Thank you so much for making the Audacity video.
Mom sent me to come check it out after we talked about recording blog post and such. I would really like to use this for my American Idol post, because you can’t always get your personality across when you don’t have the tone to go with it. Lolz! Also, you don’t know how many times I have went a blog and wished it would have been recorded because I was far to lazy to read it. Or maybe you do. Ha!
Yes, that’s right. I won’t be using it for REAL useful things like tutorials, I’ll be using it to be able to get my sarcasm across correctly. Nice.
It’s way better than making videos because I won’t have to get dressed, do hair OR makeup. Just need a voice. AWESOME!
Cait Hagar
Jul 3rd, 2009 at 7:20 am
Hi Cait,
Glad the site is of use to you. Yep, audio has many advantages. Having worked in radio, it’s always cool not having to put on makeup and get dressed up to do the work! Looking forward to hearing your audio posts – let me know if you need any help or advice.
Lisa