Recording mp3 files

[Tomisimo]

Being able to record an mp3 file is useful to the language learner. One neat thing you can do here at Tomisimo is upload mp3 files, attach them to posts, and others can listen right from your post. You can do this to illustrate correct pronunciation for others, or you can record yourself speaking your target language and ask others to critique your pronunciation.

How to record an mp3

Note: There are many ways to record audio, this is just one example, and is a Windows-specific example as well.

1. Download and install Audacity, an open-source (free) audio recorder. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
2. Download the LAME mp3 encoder (also open-source), and extract the lame_enc.dll file (you can save it anywhere you like.) http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help...&item=lame-mp3
3. Run Audacity and adjust a couple of settings:
   1. Go to Edit => Preferences
   2. Click on File Formats on the left
   3. Near the bottom where it says "Mp3 Export Setup",
      1. Set the bitrate to 32 (smaller file size, sufficient quality for spoken language)
      2. Click on "Find Library" and browse to the lame_enc.dll file you downloaded.
   4. Click on Audio I/O on the left
      1. Near the top right, select Channels: 1 (mono). (smaller file size, sufficient quality for spoken language)
4. To record, just press R or hit the record button
5. To play what you've recorded, just press the spacebar or click the play button
6. To delete what you've recorded, click the small X in the top left corner of the track you recorded.
7. To save it as an mp3, go to File => Export as... => Mp3...

Audacity can look pretty intimidating because there are a lot of options, but it's not as bad as it looks.

After you have your mp3 files, just attach them to any post here and other members can listen to them right in the post.

[chileno]

Excellent aid!

[CrOtALiTo]

Excellent your contribution, time before, I wanted to do the same, but I wasn't able to attach any mp3 file in the post, I know about another softwares to have the same recorder application, but really I believe that this software that you've shared with us is very useful even awhile you don't know anything about computation.

Thank you again.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

I install it and it doesn´t work.

[EmpanadaRica]

I use Audacity too, it's really quite userfriendly I think.

@ Crotalito: Once you have your mp3 you can attach it to the post via ' Manage Attachments' at the bottem of the page of your post.

If you haven't exceeded the maximum size it accepts (depending on the sort of file you want to upload) you should be able to upload up to 5 files per message.

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

I installed it and it doesn´t work.

Hmm strange.. It won' t even start up, or do you get it started but it won't record? What exactly isn' t working?

[ROBINDESBOIS]

I record and it doesn´t work. I have a New computer, windows vista. it works in the old one, but I don´t use it any more because I have to format it, it full of Viruses.

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

I record and it doesn´t work. I have a New computer, windows vista. it works in the old one, but I don´t use it any more because I have to format it, it full of Viruses.

Hmmm I have a computer that' s only a few months old, also with Vista and it works fine on mine? According to the site versions 1.2.6 and 1.3.8 (beta, though!) are vista compatible. Have you tried to download one of these versions or have you perhaps used the old version on your other computer and reinstalled it on your new one?

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/?lang=en


By the way, so it is recording but not working? Is your sound working properly? I.e. have you got your microphone well attached and switched on in your sound settings e.g.? If you have skype for example, you could do a test (Skype testcall -- it records your spoken text) to see if your sound is working/ recording properly - there might be a problem there?

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Originally Posted by EmpanadaRica

Hmmm I have a computer that' s only a few months old, also with Vista and it works fine on mine? According to the site versions 1.2.6 and 1.3.8 (beta, though!) are vista compatible. Have you tried to download one of these versions or have you perhaps used the old version on your other computer and reinstalled it on your new one?

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/?lang=en


By the way, so it is recording but not working? Is your sound working properly? I.e. have you got your microphone well attached and switched on in your sound settings e.g.? If you have skype for example, you could do a test (Skype testcall -- it records your spoken text) to see if your sound is working/ recording properly - there might be a problem there?

The sound works fine, it seems it is recording but the frequency line never changes, and though it seems it records it doen´t. Ther must be a problem that I have to solve soon.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

I have the 1.2.6 version

[ROBINDESBOIS]

how do I go to the sound settings ?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

There is also the old Windows sound recorder, Goldwave, QuickTime Pro... One only has to make sure that the right encoders are also installed.

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

how do I go to the sound settings ?

Start -->> Configuration -->> Hardware and sounds >> Sound

Check settings for microphone and sound. Under properties (tab 'level') you can see whether the sound of the microphone is working and what the level of it is.

I have a laptop so not sure if the configuration on regular pc's with Vista is the same but I imagine it should be, or at least for the bigger part.

To test whether your sound is working (sometimes settings indicate so yet it doesn't...) you could use skype test e.g. If that all works most likely the problem is in the settings of Audacity.

[irmamar]

Good idea, Tomísimo! Congratulations for making the forums everytime better

I think it's able to record the voice in your mp3 and then copy the recorded in the PC.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Yes , but to record pieces of news for TV, audacity is great! My problem is in the audacity itself because I can hear perfectly every program. Well, I´ll ask somebody here in Spain.

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

Yes , but to record pieces of news for TV, audacity is great! My problem is in the audacity itself because I can hear perfectly every program. Well, I´ll ask somebody here in Spain.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/contact/

There' s a FAQ as well, maybe you can find the sollution between those or otherwise contact them by mail.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Hola de Nuevo Empanadillarica, mira mi problema es que no graba, porque acabo de comprobarlo por eso no salen las montañas de frecuencia o como se llame. Entonces me imagino que será algún botón que habrá que activar. Gracias.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

Hola de Nuevo Empanadillarica, mira mi problema es que no graba, porque acabo de comprobarlo por eso no salen las montañas de frecuencia o como se llame. Entonces me imagino que será algún botón que habrá que activar. Gracias.

Ve a "Edit" => "Preferences", click on the first item on the left "Audio I/O", y luego hasta arriba a la derecha dice "Recording" ahí debe haber un menú para escojer el dispositivo (device) de sonido. ¿Qué opciones tienes allí?

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

There is also the old Windows sound recorder, Goldwave, QuickTime Pro... One only has to make sure that the right encoders are also installed.

Yes even it exist in the Operative System.

It's named Sound Recorder, you can find it in the tool of your menu of your windows XP.

It's very easy to use already that you don't need much configuration and doesn't need to install anything more, with that program you can recorder from formats wav, and between others.

As I told you before, you can save as WAV format therefore, if you recorder something very small, I mean a sound of your voice, I believe that you will can betterment in the recorder and, I don't believe that you dissapointment its use.


I'm gladly with Microsoft, because it was a tool very useful at 90's when at most not existed the a great variety to programs to choice as today.


Get funny.

[Tomisimo]

The problem with Windows Sound Recorder is that it won't record more than 60 seconds and you still have to convert to mp3 after you save it.

[brute]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

The problem with Windows Sound Recorder is that it won't record more than 60 seconds and you still have to convert to mp3 after you save it.

You can also use audacity to slow down rapid speech. I also use an older program called cool edit which has even more useful functions.I use XP not Vista