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Module 4: Saving and sharing
audio files.
Saving our work in Audacity falls into two major
categories:
1) Saving the Audacity PROJECT
2) Saving the MP3 or WAV file.
The difference is simple:
An Audacity PROJECT file (the file name ends with ".aup") is handy for using
Audacity to manipulate and combine audio tracks, but it is completely useless
for sending audio to Web pages, Wikis, etc. To save the Audacity Project,
click on File, Save Project or File, Save Project As.
A MP3 or WAV file is what is needed to include an audio file in a Web
page, Wiki, PowerPoint or email. But in Audacity, the process for saving
an audio as a MP3 or WAV file is called "Exporting" and it is done by walking
through the File, Export dialogue as described below. It is a good idea to
save our work as a Project while we are in the editing process and then Export
the audio to deliver the final product.
Please be sure to consult with the district
Technology Department and follow their guidelines for saving and storing audio
files. Audio files can consume a lot of space on servers and illegal audio
files are frequently found on school computers. Working with the Technology
people will help assure that they will respect the value of our MP3 files that
support instruction.
What is a WAV file? This is
the audio file format that Microsoft prefers. All of the ding and
chord sounds that you hear when Windows starts up, shuts down, or thinks
you made a mistake are WAV files. But Macintosh computers can play
WAV files too.What is a MP3 file? This is
the audio file format that is the de facto standard in the world.
Which format should I choose?
That depends...
| Characteristic |
MP3 |
WAV |
| File Size |
A lot smaller |
Larger |
| Quality of Sound |
Very Good |
Better than
MP3, but not noticeably better |
| Loss of Sound Quality if
File is Resaved |
Yes, but usually not
noticeable |
Absolutely no
loss in quality no matter how often file is resaved |
| Compatible with popular
MP3 players/iPods |
Yes |
Yes |
| Compatible with CD
players in cars |
Usually but not always |
Usually but
not always |
| Compatible with Windows
and MAC computers |
Yes |
Yes |
Selecting the MP3 format is a almost
always a good
choice. However, if the recording is a valuable 'master' that will
be edited and saved, edited and saved over and over again, then WAV
might be a good choice for the master.
How to save audio as WAV or MP3 files:
Watch the video
that demonstrates the following steps |
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Click on File. |
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Select either Export MP3 or Export WAV. |
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Navigate to the desired location on the
desired drive. |
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Type the desired file name. |
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Click on Save button. |
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If this is the first Export for this
recording session, we will be prompted to provide some optional
information that will display on an MP3 player. |
How do I place a WAV or MP3 file in a
school
PowerPoint,
Web page,
Wiki or
email?
The particular steps will vary depending on where the file accessed.
Surprisingly, audio files are just regular files. So in general, if you already
know how to insert a picture into a web page or attach a file to an email, you
already know how to insert an audio file into a web page or attach an audio file
to an email.
To include a MP3 or
WAV file in a
PowerPoint:
Watch the video
that demonstrates the following steps |
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Use the Page Up or Page Dn keys to advance
or step back to the PowerPoint slide that should contain the MP3 file. |
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Click on Insert. |
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Select Movies and Sounds. |
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Select Sound from File. |
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Navigate to the folder containing the MP3
file to be added to the slide. |
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Click on the MP3 file to be added to the
slide. |
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Click on the OK button. |
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Select either Automatically or When Clicked
to determine when the sound will be played. |
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To include a MP3 or WAV file in a
Web page:
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Be sure to follow district guidelines for
authoring Web pages and saving and storing audio files.
Specific steps for including MP3 file on a Web page are not provided
here because instructions will vary widely depending on local practices,
where the Web site is hosted and what software is used to maintain the
Web pages. |
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General steps are as follows: |
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Upload or copy the MP3 file to the Web site. |
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Insert the picture or type the text that
will become the link to the MP3 file. |
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Select the picture or text and create a
hyperlink to the MP3 file. |
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Save and / or publish the Web page. |
To include a MP3 or WAV file in a
Wiki:
Watch the video
that demonstrates the following steps |
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Sign in to your Wiki and begin editing the
page. |
Click on the Insert Images and Files icon
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Click on Browse and navigate to the folder
containing the MP3 file. |
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Click on the MP3 file to be added to the
Wiki. |
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Click on Open. |
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Click on the Upload button and wait for the
file to appear on the list of file available to the Wiki. |
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Double click on the file to insert the MP3
file into the Wiki page. |
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Close the Images and Files dialogue window. |
To attach a MP3 or WAV file
to an Email:
Watch the video
that demonstrates the following steps |
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Begin a new email message in Microsoft
Outlook. |
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Click on Insert and select File. |
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Navigate to the folder containing the MP3
file to be attached and sent along with the email. |
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Click on the MP3 or WAV file to be attached
to the email. |
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Click on the Insert button. |
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Complete the email, verifying that the
correct recipients have been included, an appropriate Subject has been
provided and a message has been included. |
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Click on the Send button. |
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CONGRATULATIONS!!
You now know the basics of using Audacity to enhance
learning with audio. |
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