Outfit yourself for audio gathering
The best first step for a print reporter toward multimedia is audio. You already know how to conduct an interview, so you’re more than halfway there. Now all you need is some decent audio gathering gear and Audacity, a free audio editor that works on both Windows and Macs.
All the information you need is here: Journalists’ Toolkit: Audio.
Related posts:
- The reporter’s audio gear list
- Teach audio in your newsroom or classroom (here’s how)
- Choice for audio recorders
- First lesson in audio for journalists
- Converting audio formats, including WMA
A word about audio file formats: You want to end up with an MP3 file to put up on the Web. Most other formats can be converted to MP3. Audio editing programs can read a variety of formats and also export an MP3 file. HOWEVER — some recorders save the file in a proprietary format that CANNOT be converted. Some Sony recorders do this, and many cheap recorders from China also do it.
Some recorders are designed only for making voice memos, and with these, you have no method of getting the audio file out of the recorder and onto your computer. Most newer recorders have a USB connection, and thus you can easily copy the file to your computer for editing.
Avoid tape and MiniDisc recorders.
Categories: audio, multimedia, reporting
I work at a public radio station and can’t begin to advocate the wonderful thing that is Audacity. I use it both for work and personal projects. For the amateur audio editor, it’s a great tool and its use should be taught in every multimedia class (which sadly wasn’t taught at mine).
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Use FormatFactory to convert those proprietary formats…works with everything and is free.
Tutorial here:
http://www.mguhlin.net/archives/2008/09/entry_7849.htm
Miguel
To convert unfriendly audio files, you can also get a cord that has a headphone jack on either end. Plug one end into your recorder’s “out” and the other into your computer’s “in.” Hit “play” on your recorder and “record” on Audacity, and it will feed the file right into the program. It’s similar to recording directly from a microphone. The only setting on Audacity that you need to worry about is making sure it is set to either “line in” or “mic,” concurrent with wherever you plugged in the cord. You’ll also want to make sure the volume level is acceptable.
@Valerie Zell – Good tip, but the quality of the resulting audio might not be so great. It’s a digital-to-analog-to-digital process.