You have many options when it comes to recording audio for posting online. You will need software that can record audio to accomplish this. You can use any software you want (such as RecorderPro for Windows or GarageBand for the Mac) as long as the software can make an MP3 file of your final recording. This tutorial covers recording audio using a program called Audacity® — a simple, free program for recording and editing audio.
To begin, you should have a USB headset microphone. A USB connection looks like this:
The Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology only offers technical support for USB headset microphones. Analog microphones and built-in microphones on laptops are not supported.
Because Audacity is a free application, not everything you need is included in a single download. You must first download and install Audacity, and then install a piece of software called LAME that will let Audacity create MP3 files.
The steps below walk you through the whole process of using Audacity to record audio and export MP3 files. Please be sure to follow these steps in order to ensure that you are set up properly before beginning to record audio.
- Download and install Audacity. Mac | PC
- Download LAME. Mac | PC
- Make sure your microphone settings are correct. Mac | XP | Vista
- Make sure you can record with your microphone here. If you have any problems viewing the test, make sure you have the most recent version of Adobe Flash player here.
- Use Audacity to record your presentation. Show Me How Demo | Guide to Using Audacity (PDF)
- Set Audacity to export your mp3 using LAME. Show Me How Tutorial
- Export the audio to mp3 format. Mac | PC
Once you have successfully created an mp3 of your presentation, you can post it online.