Step #3 - Hints and Tricks to Recording Your Audio

Your almost ready to record a sample audio file. To do this, you first need to make sure your computer is ready to go and your software is ready to go. If you are using the Audacity software, you need to install the Lame MP3 converter. Audacity cannot convert audio to MP3 as it doesn't own a converter. The Lame convert is a open-source program that does the converting. You need to install Lame and tell Audacity where to find it. There are instructions on how to do this on the Audacity Website.

I can't tell you everything about learning your audio software... that's up to you. Generally, this shouldn't be that hard. Audacity is pretty easy to use. Record your audio, save the project, and export as an .mp3 . What I want to do is share some of the hints and tricks I have learned about the process.

Before You Begin...

• Make sure you are in a quiet location. You will be amazed at how much background noise can be picked up by even the cheapest microphone. Take a minute, sit, and listen to the ambient noise in the area where you are recording. Is there to much traffic noise? Is the phone ringing? Creaking? Try to take care of the worst noises.
• Prepare Your Computer. You want to reboot your computer before recording. Many people don't reboot their computers during the day. This leaves a lot of garbage programming floating in the computers memory which can cause stutters and drop-outs while recording. You also want to make sure all extraneous programs are closed as well. Basically, you want your computer to be able to focus on just recording your podcast.
• Turn Your cellphone off!

Of course you also need to purchase and plug-in your microphone. I could write pages about microphones. My advice would be start with what you have and you will eventually purchase a nicer microphone depending on your needs and wants. Any microphone will let you record... it just depends on the quality you want. For just spoken word, you should be able to get a nice microphone for $50 bucks and a average one for $25. Basic podcasting just doesn't require a lot.

As you get ready to record your first podcast, keep the following things in mind:

• Turn the quality preference down. Since we are not recording singing or music, we don't need as high of quality or bitrate. If we look in the preferences/options menu of our audio program, there should be a setting for recording bitrate. By setting the bitrate lower, the sound file we create will be smaller and it will be easier to upload to the Internet and for students to download. I would set the bit rate to 96bits per second.
• Keep your podcast short. After listening to numerous podcasts, I would limit the size of your podcasts to no more than 10-15 minutes. That's seems to be the maximum you can keep excitement in your voice and your student can pay attention. If you have a long lesson to teach, break it into multiple podcasts. This will also make it easier for your students to listen to and replay as needed.
• Script your podcasts. Don't try to record your podcasts from memory. Write yourself a script. This will cut down on the awkward pauses in your audio, and the "ummmies." At the same time, don't just read the script....boring! Use the script to guide your talk. Pretend the audience is in front of you.
  
• It doesn't have to be perfect. Don't keep recording over and over. Podcasts do not have to be perfect. The point is to share information, not make 100% polished productions. Students would much rather hear you than a sanitized and perfect recording.

For more information on recording audio with Audacity, checkout there tutorial site: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/tutorials.html

Listen to my Step #3 Podcast