New Media Guides

    Learninghow to end up with good audio quality is hit or miss unless you learn a little bit about how to record and edit at a variety of levels.
    Using compression, panning (for stereo recording), equalization, amplify, effects, and pop screens give you the tools to do basic mix downs for internet audio.    
    In this section, you will find a set of basic recording and mastering tips. Let me start with asking you...what is your intended audience? There may be more than one answer to that question. Suggestion: make multiple masters! When making your original recording try for good quality as we remember the old saying - garbage in, garbage out. Keep your original master recording in tact. Make a copy to edit. Remember, codes change, reality doesn't so have an original master in case you want to do other things with it in the future.    
    On making your master for the Net, use moderate audio compression, selective EQ (get rid of extreme frequencies high or low), don't use noise reduction and don't base your editing on dynamc range. Codecs will do this job so it can be squeezed through samll pipes onver the Internet. Think of it this way...normal audio recording (called an analoq signal) at 1,411,200 bps must be converted to a digital signal at 32,000 bps to fit into a 56k modem as a worst cast scenario. Use compression (that keeps the volume up without distortion) and cut out everything else the ear can not hear like background noise.    
    So in preparing it for the Net, do you use MP3, QuickTime, Microsoft Media, Real, or what? They all get your audio squeezed but not always the best way. Free is good and there is very little that is perfect so choose one, try it and look for advice based on your hardware and intended audience. The word of the day - make a master for each use . CD, Net, stream, etc. and always include one for MP3 delivery.    
    One last word. We used to worry about signal-to-noise ratio when we had to take everything down to 8 bits because of limited bandwidth.  Now it is more about peak-to-average and how well it will stream. Also, will you want to stream or downstream a 16-bit recording for someone who wants to make a CD? Think in terms of noise-shaping and just listen to your audio.

For a Video Tutorial link, go to http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/17-audacity-tutorial.htm