Mp3 Vs Wma

Writen by Bradley James

There are just a few audio compression formats out there, just like there are only a few image compression formats (you may have heard of them: JPG, GIF, BMP). Two of the most popular audio formats are WMA, or Windows Media Audio, and MP3 (Short for MPEG, Moving Pictures Experts Group, Audio Layer 3). WMA is the older audio format, produced by Microsoft, to work with Microsoft's Windows media player. The WMA compression format was designed specifically for this format, and thus can not be converted to other audio formats.

The audio quality of WMA and MP3 audio formats tends to be noticeably different. WMA is a decent quality audio format when streaming at phoneline speeds (maybe 30kbps or so). At such speed WMA almost reaches an FM level of audio quality, although not quite. At 128kbps, Microsoft claims the WMA is nearly CD-quality, although many would deny this. WMA, however, is not to be completely looked over. The compression provides relatively small audio files and they require less processing power to execute. It thus retains a deminishing niche as MP3 has become more popular and widely used.

The MP3 audio compression was developed in Germany in 1991 by the Fraunhofer Institute. MP3 typically provides higher quality sound than WMA because it uses perceptual audio coding to compress CD-quality sound by a factor of 12. As a result, MP3 has become almost the universal standard among audio usage and broadcasting. It provides CD-quality sound at reasonable compression sizes and high streaming speeds. Watch out, however, at low bitrates, as MP3 quality will likely suffer.

Bradley James is a senior editor at SciNet.cc, a website containing many helpful consumer electronics review articles. For more information on MP3 and WMA audio formats, please visit our MP3 vs. WMA webpage.

Internet Streaming Media And Radio

Writen by Paul Philbeck

As with many things in the world today media is transitioning to the internet. You can now get News Casts, online movies and of course radio on the internet. As the broadband user community grows rapidly so does the use of these online services. The transition is being closely watched by many of the industries biggest players as they reap the benefits of broadband usage. Many smaller and independent broadcasters as well are also getting satisfaction from the change.

The majority of internet radio broadcasters are individuals that broadcast from their homes using SHOUTcast, a free broadcasting script developed by NULLSOFT. They are not looking to make a profit but rather share their collection of music via streaming radio and possibly gain some recognition for their efforts.

Guidelines have been set up with the agencies that monitor the music industry which makes available licensing to play copyrighted music online to the internet radio community. In this way musicians can receive royalties for their work and internet radio broadcasters remain within the legal boundaries of the industry.

Due to the availability of wireless internet connections spreading across the country there has even been mention of including internet radios within the auto industry. There have even been predictions made that internet radio will replace satelite radio within the next 10 years.

I own and operate RadioNC Online an internet radio station Located Here

The free software referenced by NULLSOFT can be obtained Here

Streaming Audio Get Creative

Writen by Douglas Taylor

Use your imagination and you will find many uses for streaming audio. There has never been a better time to get started adding streaming audio to your web site. Audio can take your website to new heights. Here are some things to get your thought process flowing.

Personal: Adding streaming audio to your personal site makes a lot of sense and can be a whole lot of fun. Image your loved one opening your blog to find audio buttons there. Upon clicking the buttons she hears happy birthday in your voice coming over her computer speakers.

Newsletter: Sending out your newsletter with links back to your web page with streaming audio on it should increase your conversion rates. This type of multimedia is pretty new and should make your subscribers orders come alive.

CD Sales: Musicians and bands now have a worldwide audience to sell their music to. No longer does a local band need to stay that way. You can sell your Cds anywhere.

Book Your Band: Adding audio buttons to your band web site is an excellent way to get more gigs. You can save a lot of money by no longer having to send out promo kits. Send the promoter that is considering hiring your band to the band website to listen to your music rather than mailing out a CD.

Products: Audio can make your products worth a lot more money. The products you create can be expanded with streaming audio. Simply getting a small recording set up and reading the book and recording it can easily add profits to the books you have written. The audio version of your product can be offered as a bonus or you can up sell your customer for added profits.

Streaming audio is a great way to make your web site different and unique. Setting yourself apart is usually a good thing to achieve.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

Why I Hate Flash Audio And What I Did About It

Writen by Sallie Goetsch

I love spoken-word audio. I've been listening to seminars, lectures, and books on tape for years.

I love downloadable audio. Missed that teleseminar you signed up for? Just download the MP3 (or Real Media, or Windows Media, or QuickTime) file and it's almost as good as being there--maybe better.

But I really dislike streaming audio of the kind you can't download, and I find the new trend to use Macromedia Flash to provide audio clips online particularly irritating.

Why? Because I don't want to have to sit in front of my computer screen to listen to something. The only time I might want to do that would be if I were taking notes, or if the recording were a set of instructions on how to do something with a computer program. When I'm at my computer, I'm usually busy doing something that requires concentration (like writing).

I want to do my listening when I'm away from my computer and doing something that occupies my hands but not my full attention. In my case, that's primarily when I'm driving and when I'm cooking. And while I could theoretically prop my laptop on the passenger seat while I drive, I can't (yet, anyway) get a connection to the Internet while going 65 miles an hour. Besides, the car stereo has much better speakers than the laptop does.

The whole point of podcasting, after all, is to allow people to download and listen at their leisure, the same way RSS news aggregators let you collect blog headlines and other news at your own convenience. These streaming-only audio clips (.ram as well as Flash) don't give you that option. And that snarks me off.

And yes, I do realize that people want to protect their intellectual property and that's one reason they use non-downloadable streaming audio. I respect that. But I don't want to sell or otherwise redistribute their material. I just want to listen to it on my time. To users of streaming audio I pose the question: would you rather I just didn't listen? Would you really prefer that I just miss your marketing message altogether?

Because that's what was happening before I thought of a way around the Flash barrier.

In May I made one of my best investments of 2005 and bought a $10 mini-stereo audio cable. I plug one end into the laptop's headphone socket and one end into the cassette recorder's microphone port. Or I plug the other end of the cable into the microphone port on the laptop and record it onto my computer to play on my new MP3 player. (My current preferred recording software is the freeware program Audacity, available at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ in versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux.)

It works like a charm. I now have access to all kinds of things I never would have listened to before, all thanks to a simple cable.

Now all I need is one of those car stereos with an MP3 player built in.

(c) 2005 Sallie Goetsch

"Author-izer" Sallie Goetsch started helping other people with their writing at the age of nine. Before going into business for herself, she translated, directed, produced, and was sometimes forced to act in Greek and Roman plays, as well as founding an electronic journal. Her FileSlinger(TM) Backup Blog (http://www.fileslinger.com/blog) was recently featured in the San Francisco Chronicle. Visit http://authorizer.fileslinger.com to learn how to become an author whether or not you can write.

How To Add Audio Elements To Your Website

Writen by Matt Bacak

Are you interested in creating a multimedia Internet marketing campaign? Have you decided that adding audio and video features to your website will help improve your sales conversion rate? If so, then congratulate yourself for taking a step forward into the future of Internet marketing. You are on the cutting edge of Internet marketing.

Now the question still remains - How do you add audio to your website? Do you picture a studio full of audio professionals that know an intricate mix of commands to create the audio files? Erase that complicated scenario from your mind. Creating audio elements is in fact very simple and you can do it from the comfort of your own home or office.

Answer these questions before we go into the specifics of creating audio files for your website.

· Do you know how to type a paragraph in Microsoft Word or other word processing program?

· Do you know how to highlight a word, sentence, or paragraph in Microsoft Word or other word processing program?

· Do you know how to "delete" a word, sentence, or paragraph in Microsoft Word or other word processing program?

If you answered "yes" to these questions then you already have what it takes to create and edit audio files. Don't worry if you answered "no" to these questions because you can acquire these skills quickly.

The first task is to fill your office or home with the proper tools for audio recording. You need to invest in a microphone (preferably of high studio quality), computer, and quiet room. These are three basic necessities you need to get started.

Next you will need to verify that you have an interface that will connect your microphone with your computer. Most new computers have audio capabilities built in. If your computer is older you can consult with a computer technician at your local computer store.

Now it is time to actually record your audio message. You can use software called "Sony Sound Forge". Sony Sound Forge enables you to create CD tracks and web audio files. You can even capture audio from an analog source and digitize it onto CDs and MP3s.

You should use the MP3 format when creating audio files. This is the accepted format in 98% of the world. Therefore you know most customers will be able to hear the audio. The basic steps to creating a MP3 audio file are to hit the record button, mark spots where you make a mistake, and edit out these mistakes through the delete option. Sony Sound Forge has a free trial offer and also provides tutorials on how to use their software.

You can also integrate music and sound effects into your audio file. Make sure, however, that you select music that is royalty free. You can search for this type of music by typing "royalty free music" and "buy out music" in Google.

Adding audio to your Internet marketing campaign has never been easier. Take a giant leap above your competition by adding audio to your website. You can create an intimate web experience for customers which can lead to immediate and future sales.

Matt Bacak became "#1 Best Selling Author" in just a few short hours. Recent Entrepreneur Magazine's e-Biz radio show host is turning Authors, Speakers, and Experts into Overnight Success Stories. Discover The Secrets To Unleash The Powerful Promoter In You! Sign up for Matt Bacak's Promoting Tips Ezine ($100 value) just visit his website at http://www.powerfulpromoter.com or http://promotingtips.com.

How Do Jay Abrahams Fundamental Truths For Increasing Your Profits And Audio Tie Together Part 2

Writen by L A Parmley

Let's recap. In part 1 of this article, we touched on the three ways to increase your profits; through your marketing, your products and your back-end. We also explained how audio could be used effectively to increase all of them.

So what's the bottom line here? Well, Jay Abraham teaches that if you can increase each of the three components we discussed by a small amount (even just 10%), you will see an exponential increase in your profit.

To really get your attention, let me ask you this. Do you think adding an entirely new dimension to your marketing, your products and your back-end has a 10% limit? What if you could really master the art of incorporating effective audio (and don't forget, once you've mastered that, there's video too) into your products and your marketing strategies?

Here, let's break it down into numbers. Suppose you have 50 new customers purchase your $47 ebook every month. That's $2,350 in average monthly sales. Not bad. You only have the one product (for now) and haven't yet implemented any back-end strategies so you know things can only get better.

Next, you learn how to make your own audio. You create an audio marketing message and see a 10% increase in sales conversion (remember that people have claimed to actually see a 300% increase so 10% is um, well, a little low). Now you sell to 55 customers every month. You also record your ebook and add in an audio interview, which you distribute along with your original ebook file for $97 (that's a very reasonable mark-up). So that's 55 x $97 = $5,335. You are now selling $5,335 of products every month. You've more than doubled your income.

Like I've mentioned before, the best part is that once you get the audio recorded and set-up on your site, there is no extra work. As you can see, the time and cost of learning how to create audio files can more than pay for itself.

In our imaginary scenario, you're selling $64,020 worth of your ebook/audio set yearly. Imagine if you got really smart and added in a back-end marketing system? Now imagine what would happen if you used an audio sales message to help market these additional products? In all likelihood, you could expect an exponential explosion of profits.

For those of you just starting out, mastering audio (even just the marketing aspect of it) could very well be the difference between failure and success.

Just imagine how you can incorporate audio into your marketing, your products and your back-end. What will that mean for your profits?

...I'd guess that your profits will only go up!

Want to learn more about audio and other multimedia techniques? Then visit Best Multimedia Tools. Get up to speed with free information and tools sure to knock your prospects socks off!

Reasons You Should Add Streaming Audio To Your Website

Writen by Douglas Taylor

There has never been a better time to add streaming audio to your website. Doing so puts you ahead of the game. Below are several reasons to add streaming audio to your website and put yourself ahead of everyone else.

Adding streaming audio to a website is simple: No longer do you have to be a technical whiz kid to add streaming audio to your pages. In the old days you had to be well versed in Flash or some other hard to learn software program. Now there is an abundance of easy to use software programs that convert your audio to a streaming format for you and the software will give you the code you need to copy into your web page.

Inexpensive: No longer are the costs of audio out of reach for the average web master. You no longer need a special server for audio. The software is very affordable and the gear it takes to record professional quality audio is at an all time low.

Ahead of the game: Adding streaming audio to your site should put you ahead of if those that are not using streaming audio. Streaming audio is cutting edge technology that is new enough that people still seem to like it.

Remember better: Most people comprehend audio better than the written page. If the percentage your customer remembers is higher when he listens to your audio it stands to reason you stand a better chance of getting your customer to take the action you want him to take.

Adds credibility: Streaming audio adds credibility to your website. People usually prefer to do business with someone they know and trust. Streaming audio helps your customer to get to know you. They will get to know your voice and that should boost your conversion rates.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

Wav Useful Applications Recording Your Tapes Or Lps To Cd

Writen by Brian Beshore

My first article about digital recording that I have had published in various places on the net for some time, talks about the two main audio formats midi. and wav.

I have decided therefore, to devote the next few articles to addressing some of the questions I have received about this first article.

Keep in mind that the wav. format is the one that is used for burning directly to CD. To do this, you just need to open your CD burning software, find your wav. file and drag or drop it into your burn list.

Also keep in mind that you can record directly to wav. and forgo the midi. format completely. Midi. has some specialized recording uses that I will cover later in subsequent articles.

For now, some useful things that you can do by recording directly to the wav. format;

For example, someone asked about recording your old L.P.s (What's that?) or tapes to CD.

To do this, you need to hook-up a tape player or record player (?) to the input of your sound card.

Most newer computers have a sound card, accessible from the back panel. If you look there, you will see the inputs to your sound card; an input for a microphone that will usually have a little microphone picture by it and another input for stereos and such. You will usually also find outputs for additional speakers.

The general input for stereos and such is where you plug the output of your player.

Next, find the software for your sound card. This can often be found in accessories. The software should include a recorder. You may have to select the proper input in your recorder's options or file menu.

Next, play your tape or L.P. while recording it with your sound card recording software. This recording can be saved directly as a wav. file and then easily burned to CD.

If your source is an older L.P. that has scratches, there is software available to clean it up.

If, by chance, you don't have a sound card, you may wish to purchase one. Go down to your local computer store and pick one up for a surprisingly low price.

I have recorded entire L.P.s to CD including some rare 45s of luminaries like Mario Lanza

Brian Beshore is a graduate of the Peabody School of music. He has played in many groups, in well known venues such as the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, where he was part of the opening act for Hunter S. Thompson. You can hear his music at http://www.dizzyobrian.com

5 Minute Guide To Setting Your Up Your Audio Recording Software

Writen by Douglas Taylor

In order to record anything on your software recording program you need to make sure everything is set up right. This can make a big difference in the quality of your finished product.

Today we will look at some of the things you need to consider before you hit the record button. Whenever you set up a new song I like to go over my options and set things up the right way.

Save as: This is absolutely the first thing you should do when recording a new audio file. I can't tell you how many times I have nearly rewrote a previous saved file that would be a disaster if lost. All of this can be avoided if you get in the habit of saving your file with the proper name first.

Where to save: Be sure and save your file in the folder you want to keep it in. It is very easy to lose your audio if you are not careful with this step. Also it is a good practice to save an edited and unedited version of your audio.

Type of file: What file type you save your audio in depends on your plans for the audio. If it is going on a Cd you should save as a wav file. For most other uses you can get by saving in the mp3 format. I always save my audio as an uncompressed wav file first then I may convert to mp3 if the situation calls for it.

Sample rate: You should save your audio at least at 44.1 kHz. This is standard CD quality, which is important if your final product will wind up on an audio CD.

Bit rate: If you have a choice between 16 bit and 24 bit choose 24.

In and out settings: make sure you're in and out routing is going to the right buss in your recording software. You don't want to record a great audio file only to have it recording over your previous file.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

Seven Ways To Warm Your Prospects Using Website Audio

Writen by Tracey Meagher

Gone are the days when putting audio on your website consisted of subjecting your visitors to gaudy musical fanfares and various clichéd sound effects. Fortunately, audio has now become a lot more sophisticated and new techniques that allow audio to be streamed have made it possible to use your own voice as a highly effective marketing tool.

Most visitors to your website will have computers with audio capabilities. Using your own voice, you can deepen the impact of your sales message and develop a stronger connection with your visitors. Many websites using streaming audio to promote and sell services claim that audio increases their conversion by as much as 300%!

Why is audio such an effective marketing tool? It's simple really. It's a well-known fact in consumer psychology that the more senses you engage, the easier it is to communicate a message and motivate a sale. Senses evoke emotion and emotions are memorable. When it comes to surfing the Internet, the sense of hearing is far more powerful than the sense of sight. Internet surfers remember only 20% of what they read, but remember an amazing 70% of what they hear. Visitors respond to your voice in way that cannot be achieved with words alone, no matter how great your copy is. Audio's power comes from its ability to reinforce your message by engaging your visitor's most powerful senses.

Listed below are some of the most powerful ways to use streaming audio on your website:

Introductions: Use streaming audio to introduce yourself, your website and some of your key products or services to your visitors. Doing this removes some of the anonymity of the web experience and helps develop trust between your and your prospect.

Testimonials: It's a proven fact that testimonials that include a photograph appear more credible to visitors that those with text only. Testimonials that include text, a photo AND an audio note are the next best thing to having satisfied customers call your visitors and tell them personally how great your products are!

Assurances: Placing audio notes at important points in your website, such as order forms, or payment links, is an excellent way to reassure visitors about common concerns. Streaming audio can be use to explain the payment process, security issues, merchant account details and any other concerns visitors may have relating to your website.

Instructions: Streaming audio buttons allow you to quickly provide instructions to visitors. A great example of this can be found at http://www.ezinearticles.com. An audio note that explains exactly what you must do to make a successful submission supports each step of the article submission process!

Tips: Over 80% of web surfers will click on link offering a tip? Why? Because they know a tip is a short piece of useful information. Reading a tip is not like reading an instruction manual. It's a chance to gain some information quickly. Provide an audio tip on your site each day and you'll find people just can't get enough of pressing that play button!

Teleconferences and Seminars : Streaming audio is a great way to provide your visitors with playback on seminars and teleconferences.

Thanks You's: Create a streaming audio message to send in emails every time a client or prospect buys your product or service. Acknowledging a purchase personally is a fantastic way to build up customer loyalty and boost repeat sales.

Finally, a brief word of caution! Audio is an effective tool when used responsibly. Don't hit your visitors with audio as soon as they arrive at your site. You never know where people are accessing from or what other sound may be running on their computers. I've read about visitors being really annoyed by audio that played without invitation because they were listening to CD's or were sitting in their workplace. It's important that visitors have control over the audio. A simple invitation to click is all it takes. You'll be surprised at how many people are driven by curiosity and will feel compelled to click the play button. Also take time to prepare your message well. Try to animate your voice and inject some personality into your message by being conversational rather than formal. Most important of all, be confident and be yourself!

This article may be reproduced in its entirety only if unaltered and the resource box is included.

Tracey Meagher is the founder of QuickandEasyAudio.com, a website that reviews all the latest resources and tools available for adding audio to your website. Visit http://www.quickandeasyaudio.com to receive free audio resources that will help you add audio to your website in less than 60 minutes!

Edit Your Streaming Audio File

Writen by Douglas Taylor

Once you have your audio created you will need to edit the file in order to get a polished finished product. This is simple to do with the secret being to follow a series of steps for each and every audio file you edit.

Fix Your Mistakes

You can cut and paste your audio files just like a word document. In your main window you can click and drag the mouse over different parts of the file to select the part you desire to edit. When you have your selection made you can cut or copy it just like you would in your word processor. To cut out a mistake you made while recording just highlight the bad part and cut it out and the two pieces of audio you have left will come together just like magic. As you become used to working with audio clips, you will be able to look at a file and see what is wrong with it. Sometimes this will be better than listening to the file.

DC Offset

If the average between the plus and minus peaks in your file is not zero, the consequence is indistinct low-frequency distortion. This is called DC offset. It can be a problem even if you can not see it in your wave file for the reason that It affects where the zero crossings appear, which will have an effect on how smooth your splices are.

Although you won't be capable of hearing it in the .wav file, it will corrupt your file, as well as bring in more distortion if you use more processing to the uncorrected wave.

The DC offset utility fixes this, and should always be the first thing you do when optimizing your audio file. Once you have your file in one piece with all the mistakes cut out get rid of the Dc offset first

Compression

Your recording will most likely have some uneven places in it with parts being too quite and some places too loud. Compression can help smooth things out by giving you a more consistent volume level. Compression is sort of like a giant volume control that works a lot faster than you can do it by hand. Compression will give your audio more punch and it will most always sound better.

Basically a compressor reduces a sounds dynamic range. When the audio goes beyond a set level (threshold) the compressor will reduce the volume of the audio by a preset amount (ratio). It will do so at a predetermined speed (attack). When the audio signal goes below the level again it returns the audio to the original level at a predetermined speed (release)

Most software compressors have very good presets built in. These presets are a great place to start. They are labeled very clearly so start with the vocal preset for instance and adjust the controls slowly or maybe not at all until you are getting a great sound you are happy with.

Normalizing

When you have finished compressing your audio file you need to raise the volume level of the entire audio file. This is called normalizing and it is used to obtain the highest volume possible without going over 0 db. Going over 0 bd causes clipping which produces nasty distortion.

Fade In And Out

The last item you need to take care of is the final editing of your now optimized audio file. You need to make sure you have no empty space before or after the end of the recording. Highlight any space with your mouse and cut it out so the audio starts playing right away

The last things you need to do is highlight the first 4 seconds and go to process and add a fade in then highlight the last 4 seconds and fade it out. This will give you a nice clean professional sound.

When you are happy with the results of your optimization you now need to save your file as a wav file. You are saving as a wav file instead of mp3 because you want to preserve the file as the highest quality possible. It is now time to convert your file to the mp3 format and get it into a format that will stream over the Internet.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

The 5minute Guide To Using Web Audio Plus

Writen by Douglas Taylor

Web Audio Plus is a software program that converts your audio files into a file that you can use on your web site that will stream. Web Audio Plus is a great little program that I like a lot and use almost every day.

This program is super simple to use and has a few easy steps to produce a finished streaming audio file complete with buttons ready to insert in your website.

Overview

Basically to use Web Audio plus you have to either use a microphone and record your audio into Web Audio Plus or load an mp3 or wav file into the program.

Upload your audio file the program creates to your web server.

Copy and paste the code Web Audio Plus generates for you into your web page.

Steps To Take For A finished Streaming Audio File

Select Recording Device: The first thing you need to do is decide whether you are going to record your audio from within the software or import an already recorded file.

If you decide to record from within click next and hit the record button and start recording. When you are happy with the recording hit stop and play back your new recording.

Choosing a file you have already recorded to upload is as simple as browsing for your file and clicking open.

Which method you choose to get your audio into the program is up to you but I have found the medium quality works well. This is a good compromise between file size and sound quality.

Choose Buttons: Your next task is to choose the buttons you would like to use. You have lots of choices in color so pick a color and style that will look good with your website design. The color chart on the left is what color the button will be and on the right is what color the background will be.

There is a preview button near the bottom to see what your choice will look like.

Review Options: This screen will let you choose where to save your finished file and what size the buttons will be. The default on the button size is 200 by 73. I usually change this to 100 by 73 as I think it looks better.

Pick the location where you want to save your finished file. The default is your desktop, which is ok with me, then copy your html code by clicking the button. Click the make button and like magic your streaming audio buttons are ready for use.

Upload your finished files to your website and change the location in your code to reflect the path where you are storing the files and you are good to go.

Copy the code Web Audio Plus provides into your web page and your website should talk or sing.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

Make Your Website Talk

Writen by Merle Stinnett

Have you noticed the latest online craze? No, it's not how to make a million dollars overnight, although that idiotic idea is still floating around... It's adding voice to your website. "Ma Bell" meets the Internet, so to speak. If you spend any amount of time online I'm sure you've seen a number of sites employing this technology.

So who's behind this phenomenon and what's the benefit of adding voice to your website? I'm so glad you asked. In the cold, impersonal world of the Net, your voice adds a touch of warmth and personalization that can increase credibility, thus raising your conversion rate. Sound good? (No pun intended.) Of course it does.

So now that you're considering adding the sweet sound of your voice to your site, where might you want to use it? Depending on your website's content and theme, there are a variety of ways to incorporate your voice into it. For example:

- You might place a welcome message on your front page, summarizing your site's highlights, informing visitors of what they'll find, and thanking them for stopping by.

- If you have an "about us" page on your site, you might want to record a brief message to accompany your background info. This will help people feel as if they're actually meeting you.

- Since testimonials are a great enhancement to any site imagine if you actually added them in your customer's own voice. If you use one of the phone recording services you could give them the number and they could easily record how they feel about your products/services.

- If your site has been featured in an online interview or radio show, imagine including this audio in our site. Just think of it as your very own live press room.

One thing to consider is the quality of your voice. If it's not all that pleasant to listen to, you may want to employ the help of a friend, or you could hire a "professional" voice-over service. Do a search at Google and you'll find plenty of options. One such service is http://www.jennifervaughn.com/

so now that you're actually thinking of recording something and adding it to your site, how do you do it? There are many different ways, some more expensive then others. Let's examine some of your choices a little more closely.

1) MP3 Sound Stream: http://mp3soundstream.com/

Creates streaming audio from MP3 or Wav files. Produces high quality output for only $39.95.

2) Audio Player Pro: http://www.audioplayerpro.com/

Starting at only $47.00. This produces a code that you can paste onto your website that will enable the viewers' default player.

3) Audio Generator: http://www.audiogenerator.com/

Streaming audio using just your browser. Easy to use, you can phone in your message or use MP3 files. Excellent sound quality. After recording your message paste some code onto your site and a button appears with your audio. $29.95 monthly.

4) SoundNails: http://www.soundnails.com/

This program converts several MP3 files into the popular Flash format. The sounds can then be played in streaming mode without the need of a player like (Windows Media Player or Real Player) in a user- friendly way. 30 day free trial is available, with two versions offered ranging from $10.00 to $65.00.

5) Sonic Memo http://www.sonicmemo.com/

Includes a step-by-step tutorial. You'll have to create your own MP3 files and upload them to your server. If you record WAV files, you'll have to first convert them to MP3 format. This software sells for $97.00.

6) Instant Audio: http://instantaudio.com/

Just record a message by phone and your website or e-mail is instantly audio-enabled. To check their sound quality call the phone number listed on the site, leave a message, then hit the play button on the site to listen. This service will cost you 29.95 a month.

Other Resources of Interest:

Free ebook that shows you how to add audio to your site at absolutely no cost to you. The book is rebrandable if you sign up for the affiliate program. http://www.novasoft-inc.com/ebook.asp

Internet Audio Guy: http://InternetAudioGuy.com

Some pretty good resources here on adding audio, and if you subscribe to the ezine, you receive a 22-page free report entitled "Web Pages with Sound and Video."

Your site has been sending non-verbal messages for years; now it's time to break free and let it send a message everyone can hear. Adding audio to your website is not only easy to do, it can help you gain the trust of your site's visitors, thus increasing your conversion rate. So stop wasting your time and money, and start getting the sales you may be missing.

Merle has been "working" the Net for over 8 years and has a Special Gift just for you. Download my FREE E-book "50 Easy Ways to Promote Your Website". Get your copy now at http://www.WebSiteTrafficPlan.com

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included.

Heres Exactly What Makes Web Audio So Powerful

Writen by Nick James

Have you ever tried to communicate with another person using just actions and sign language? It gets pretty frustrating, doesn't it? Especially when you know that if you could just SAY a few words, they'd get the picture, almost instantly.

Well, imagine if the website you've put up on show... could "speak". If it could sparkle with the spoken word. What do you think the effect could be?

You see, what the smart website marketers have realised, is that they need to move beyond just written words and striking graphics. They're looking to giving their website… a 'personality'.

BUT… in the cold hearted, faceless world of the internet, being able to reach the audience you want, with sincerity, warmth and with a 'face', doesn't come easily to most.

That is unless you happen to have the skilful knack of knowing what to write, when to write it and are able to string words together to help paint a strong emotional picture in readers minds for your product, service or idea.

Getting all the help we can via other means is crucial in giving us that slight edge.

There's possibly nothing more intimate, more convincing, more realistic for the reader, than to hear a 'voice' behind the website. What it adds, is satisfying helpings of…

LIFE and… CREDIBILITY!

Imagine being able to connect at regular intervals with your customers and clients! How do you think they'll feel when you're able to inform them that there's an exciting offer about to happen and you make sure the message reaches both their eyes, and their ears!

What about using this simple technology to help create a stampede of sales, an abundance of new subscribers, a fleet of qualified prospects, a herd of new referrals!

What about being able to tell your customers that you messed up on the last bit of information you gave them and that you're really sorry. Won't you be able to convey this message better using real live words, than by using written text?

Won't your sincerity, conviction and heartfelt emotion, reach them INSTANTLY, where it matters most… THEIR HEARTS!

Copyright 2004 Nick James

About The Author

Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product developer. During the last 3 years Nick has sold in excess of £1 Million of products and sevices. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week at: www.Nick-James.com New Product: www.FlashAudioWizard.com.

How To Create Professional Audio Books From Scratch

Writen by Alan Twigg

My name is Alan Twigg and I'm writing this article to offer advice to anyone thinking of creating their own professional audio books.

In the New Year I came up with the idea of creating professional children's stories and offering them for download on the internet. The thing was, however, while I had someone to write the stories - my mother - and someone to market the stories – me, I knew nobody who knew about how to record the stories professionally. I knew it must be reasonably easy, since I only wanted to create an audio book containing speech.

I started doing research on Google - but all the articles I found contained so much technical gobbledygook – I was soon put off. So I went to my local music store for advice on what to buy. I decided to use my computer to create the audio books and this is what I bought:

1 microphone stand

1 pop-screen (that's a piece of material that is placed just in front of the microphone to stop your "Ps" from popping)

1 studio microphone

1 software program (Wavelab)

1 USB Audio/MIDI interface (TASCAM US 122 with phantom power)

1 pair of heaphones

It all came to 650 euros (800) dollars.

I connected my Audio/MIDI interface (this is basically a really good sound card in an external case) to my computer using the USB cable provided. I then set up my microphone and attached the microphone cable to the MIDI interface. After installing the software, I was ready to go.

The results have been great and I find Wavelab software powerful and incredibly easy to use.

Some Audio Book recording tips

I first get my entire copy ready before starting the recording. I pin the sheets of paper with the text that I am going to read in front of me onto the wall. Then, at about 8 inches away from the microphone, I start to talk. The more natural you can be the more interesting you will sound to your listeners. I found that the best thing to do is to stand in front of the microphone and make gestures in the same way as you would when talking to a close friend. If you stand there stiff like a statue, you'll come across in the same way in your recording.

Another thing that I like to do before starting the recording is to get myself into a really good mood. Again, this will add to the impact of your recording. I always listen to a few uplifting songs and get enthusiastic before starting. You should also try to make sure that you keep the same distance from the microphone.

And that's it – I hope that this article will save you a little bit of time setting up your own home recording studio and I wish lots of success with your audio books.

The author of this article is Alan Twigg. My business is Playtime books, which offers new and contemporary audio books for the 3 to 10-year-old age group. You will find this site at http://www.playtime-books.com.

Audio File Formats Explained For Computer Savvy Musicians

Writen by Jason Cole

Welcome to Audio File Formats 101! If you've used a computer to listen to music you probably have had some experience dealing with MP3 and WAV files before. And if you have spent a bit of time on the computer recording or editing audio, you've probably dealt with many of the other audio file formats. Such as AIFF, WMA, OGG, etc. What's the deal with all these different forms of digital audio?

1. WAV –
Although WAV files can be compressed, most WAV files are usually consist of uncompressed audio, also know as lossless audio files. They are a variant on the RIFF bitstream format method for storing data in chunks. Since these files are usually uncompressed and of high quality, most professional audio experts use the WAV file, which is the universally accepted source audio file format recognized in all audio editing software.

2. MP3 –
MP3s are encoded digital audio files that use a lossy compression format. Lossy compression is a method that when the file is decompressed, the data retrieved may be different from the original but is close enough to be usable. With an MP3 the parts of the audio that are discarded in the compression are considered less important to human hearing, (i.e. any sounds below 20HZ, and any sounds above 20KHz). MP3 files are great for the internet because of their small size. You can think of an MP3 as an audio version of a JPEG file.

3. WMA –
WMA stand for Windows Media Audio, and is a proprietary audio file format developed by Microsoft, and was introduced as a competitor to the MP3 files format. Although it hasn't overtaken the popularity of the MP3 format, it is in second place in terms of the number of consumer products that support the playback of the WMA file. One thing that the WMA file format offers exclusively is the ability for the files to be DRM (Digital Rights Management) encoded, which is popular with both music and film corporations.

4. OGG Vorbis –
The OGG Vorbis file format is an audio codec that is both open source and free, which was developed in 1998 after word of plans to start charging licensing fees on MP3 files were spread. So, essentially the OGG Vorbis file format is very similar to the MP3 file format, which are both lossy file formats. The OGG Vorbis file format is widely used in video games, saving time and money for the developers, since it is not patented.

All of us listen to MP3s, and probably have encountered the 3 other formats discussed at one time or another. This is definitely not an exhaustive list of all audio file formats, and only covers some of the more popular formats. But this should give you a little more insight on some of the file formats that you use on a daily basis.

Jason Cole and DiskFaktory Jams offer free MP3 downloads and music lyrics. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting DFJams.com.

What Kind Of An Audio Book To Buy Free Audio Book Mp3 Cd Or Cassette Audio Book

Writen by Paton Jackson

The modern technology gives us the opportunity to "open" the existing concept of a book. Nowadays, in addition to reading a book in the old fashioned way, one can listen to audio book in one of at least 3 methods: An audio book on a cassette, an audio book on a CD or an audio book in the format of a MP3 or other audio file. In this article we will examine the different parameters that one should consider when buying a new "book":

1. Size and Weight – The smaller and lighter, the better. Carrying a big and heavy book could by a hassle. In this parameter the most modern method is certainly the best one – one can have several books on one MP3 player like an Ipod. The next audio book methods according to this parameter in a descending order are audio books on a cd and audio books on cassettes (one book can be converted into more than 20 cassettes).

2. Comfort – In this parameter the opinions are varied. Most claim that the new MP3 audio books are the most convenient ones. The disadvantage is that one can continue listening to the audio book only from the exact point he stopped at the last time. That's why some still insist that there is no real substitute to the convenience of the old fashioned books.

3. Price – The price varies according to the different titles. In general, audio books on MP3 files are the cheapest. Audio books on CD and on cassettes are more expensive. None of them clearly costs more. Comparing to the old fashioned book, we find that it usually costs the same as the audio book on a MP3 file.

4. Variety – All the bestsellers could be found on the different methods of the audio books. However, most of the books are published only on the old fashioned way – the printed one. Yet, In the past couple of years, the amount of new audio books is growing rapidly.

Each one should take into account the different parameters and make his decision. We assume that most of the people will find that the best audio book method for their need is the MP3 audio book.

911 Corp. has executed an independent research to find the best place to get audio books from. Find out the clear results and all about audio books only on the Free Audio books bible .

Why Arent You Using Audio

Writen by Ronni Rhodes

As use of the Internet continues to grow geometrically, we see an increased demand for information to be provided by a variety of media. Viewing options can range from simple text to PDF documents to video clips. Unfortunately, each option requires more and more resources and technological know-how. As convergence moves inexorably forward, we have to ask ourselves if there is a practical way to combine the best of this technology and still provide the user with a satisfying Internet experience.

The answer, at this stage of Internet evolution, is audio.

Voice, by itself, provides the means to enhance a user's enjoyment of the Internet. Voice conveys many of the intangibles underlying the written word. A voice can touch the human spirit and deliver a message on its' own merits. Audio can build community and maintain relationships.

Audio is the most mature of the streaming technologies and doesn't have the bandwidth requirements associated with video. Any Internet user connecting at 28.8k or better can enjoy FM quality sound without experiencing buffering and other annoyances that can affect video at lower bit rates.

It is common knowledge that people only retain 20% of what they read, but they do remember 70% of what they see and hear. That fact in itself increases the value of an audio message delivered from a website for the typical user. And, the implications of how audio can increase Internet enjoyment for the handicapped are overwhelming.

Streaming audio provides Internet businesses with unlimited opportunities to reach their audience and to simplify their interactions. Streaming audio broadens a product's appeal and helps to stimulate sales. People are comfortable with audio and have few qualms about using it in their day-to-day lives.

Retailers can integrate audio into their operations in several ways. Use it to enhance product descriptions and deliver product information in ways far more persuasive than plain text. Booksellers can have "special events" that offer audio excerpts from selected titles. Art dealers can use voice to give value added information on an artist or a period of history depicted by an artist's work. (Think of those audio tours that museums offer.)

Organizations that specialize in selling educational tools can use audio clips for potential clients to preview and evaluate the material being offered. The ability to sample the product is a potent and practical selling aid.

Business-to-Business sites and corporate Intranets can also harness the power of audio. The need to provide up-to-the-minute information for employees and customers can be well served with streaming audio and the telephone. Integrating audio into the corporate communications mix is a tool that is easy to use and addresses the need to communicate with a distributed work force.

In both the retail and business-to-business marketplace, audio can and should be used to maintain those all important customer relationships. Voice messages add a personal touch that intrigues the listener and encourages them to remain on the site.

Employee training is greatly enhanced with audio. Use it to orient new employees and keep the information archived on the site for easy reference. Sales training can also be archived and quickly retrieved when needed. The ability to offer customized audio training materials on a 24/7 basis makes streaming audio a very versatile and efficient learning tool.

Some words of caution are also necessary. Audio, just like any other value-added technology, has to be used judiciously. It should be employed for a specific purpose and to enhance the text based message being delivered. Think of your audience and how you'd like them to interact with your website. Keep in mind that your visitor may be coming to your site while they're at their place of business and plan accordingly.

The future of streaming audio is bright and filled with promise. More and more Internet users have become familiar with streaming audio and use it everyday. Internet radio broadcasts are extremely popular and are now being employed as effective advertising vehicles. Audio e-mail messaging is becoming widely available and is being positioned as a practical business tool. Consumers are attaching audio messages to greeting cards and experimenting with Internet telephony. Streaming audio will allow the average Internet user the ability to create content that conveys the power of voice and the emotions that it conveys.

So…why aren't you using audio?

Ronni Rhodes is the owner of WBC Imaging, an Internet company that specializes in web site enhancement utilizing streaming media technology. With her husband, Don, a digital media engineer, they work with companies to incorporate streaming as part of successful and meaningful sales and marketing programs.

Please direct all questions and comments to: Ronni@wbcimaging.com 520-742-5780 http://www.wbcimaging.com

The Trials And Tribulations Of Hiring A Ghost Writer A Guide

Writen by Bill Platt

CROSSING THE BRIDGE OF THE DECISION

For a lot of people, knowing that these two methods are as effective as they are leads to the decision to get started. Once the decision to get started has been made, the only decision left to make is to decide on a topic that will gain the webmaster the best results for his or her time. Once this marketing decision has been made, the webmaster will sit down and get to work creating articles or their newsletter.

For other people, deciding on the topic is only the beginning of the agony in the process.

DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO WRITE YOUR OWN MATERIALS?

I have heard the arguments many times before... "I am not a writer. I cannot do that. It is not an option for me."

My brother used to tell me that he could not be a writer... That was many years ago when I first started my own online business.

I always told him what I had always told everyone else. I told him that if he can have a conversation with another human being, then he could write. I told him that he should write as he speaks. And, when he was finished with his story, he should use Microsoft Word to spellcheck his work. MS Word can serve as a steady crutch for most people who don't have good grammar or spelling skills.

I have always said that most people do not lack the skills to become a decent writer. What they lack is the confidence in their own ability to communicate well with others.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

Three years down the road, I was talking to my mom on the phone and she mentioned that my brother was ghost writing for other people. Imagine my shock in learning that I could not talk him into writing for profit, and then he came to do it on his own. In fact, it turns out that he used ghost writing to pay for his living expenses while he went back to college to finish his master's degree.

DECIDING ON A GHOST WRITER

For those people who just cannot believe in their own skills, or those who simply do not have the time to write for themselves, many look to a ghost writer to help produce materials for the promotion of their businesses.

Many challenges face those who make the decision to pursue employing a ghost writer.

* Price of Service

Too many clients lose the battle of selecting a good ghost writer by putting too much emphasis on the cost of the service being provided.

Let's face it, different writer's demand different prices. More often than not, the price of the service is a strong indicator of the value of the work being provided.

* Writing Skills and Commitment of Writer

Just because they tell you they are a professional writer, does not mean that they will do professional work when you pay for them to do so.

Even I have hired other writers to help me to fill client orders. And from personal experience, I can share with you that getting "writing samples" from writers is not always a good indicator of the skills or commitment of the writer who wants your job.

When I hire a writer to do a job because I don't have the time to do it myself, and then I spend more time editing the work than I would have spent creating the work, there is a problem. I have taken losses on several jobs because the writers I had hired to help me had done such crappy work.

* Ability of Writer to Match Client Needs

A skilled ghost writer can match the needs of any client, on any topic. A skilled ghost writer is also a skilled researcher. When they do not know the topic that they have been employed to write about, they will do the necessary research to learn the topic and to turn out a good product.

* Good Communication Between Client and Writer

The ability of both the client and writer to communicate with one another is vital. The client must clearly communicate to the writer their needs and desires for the finished product.

A skilled ghost writer is not necessarily a mind reader, and he or she should not be expected to be one.

If you want to hire a ghost writer who does not want to speak with you about what you actually want in your ghost written work, then move on to a writer who will take the time to communicate with you. The writer should know in advance what message you want to communicate with your readers and any quirks or considerations you want to use in those communications.

Your ghost writer is your mouthpiece, so your ghost writer should know as much about you as possible, and they should know how you would like to see your information communicated.

* Editing Process

Since the ghost writer you hire is your "paid mouthpiece", they should be able to communicate your message in a way that you believe they should. If you have communicated with your writer well, editing will be a quick and painless process. Your writer will send you the final edit, and you will sign off on it or ask for a couple of minor fixes.

If you have not communicated your ideas with the writer well, or you have simply selected the wrong ghost writer to handle your job, then the editing process can become very painful.

The writer's commitment to task is determined sometimes by the level of pay that you are offering to the writer, and more often, it is indicative of the writer's integrity. Keep in mind that if you have forced the writer to accept a pay level inconsistent with what they believe their skills are worth, you will pay for that decision in the quality of work you receive from them and in the process of bringing the final product to the level of professionalism you wish to convey to your readers.

If you find that you have to hire someone else to edit the final product to taste, then either you will have failed to pay your writer well, you will have failed to communicate with your writer well, or you will have done a terrible job in selecting the most appropriate writer for your job.

When all is said and done, there are literally thousands of people out there who try to pass themselves off as professional writers, and then there are thousands more who are exceptional writers who will be good for your tasks.

PRE-WRITTEN ARTICLES ARE ANOTHER GOOD OPTION

If you shop around, you can find companies that offer pre-written articles that you can purchase full- or partial- rights to use for your purposes. Some companies will sell the same pre-written article to dozens of people, and some companies will sell one article to only one person.

The primary advantage in buying a pre-written article is that you will not have to suffer the process of selecting and employing the right ghost writer for your task. With a pre-written article catalog, you can go in and look at articles that have already been written, and if you like it, you can buy it on the spot.

Most often, pre-written articles are a lower cost option than having articles custom written for you.

Copyright Bill Platt - All Rights Reserved. Reprints allowed with article and resource box unedited. If you post this article on a website, you must set the links up as hyperlinks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bill Platt is the owner of http://www.LinksAndTraffic.com

• When you are tired of the struggle of the link building process, it might be time to consider our "Links And Traffic" services.

• When you are ready to employ more Natural Linking Strategies in increasing your link popularity, "Links And Traffic" can help.

• When you are ready for your links to actually generate click-through traffic, we are here.

This is not a link rental system or a reciprocal linking scam. We Guarantee our results.

What Do I Need To Add Streaming Audio To My Site

Writen by Douglas Taylor

You may be wondering what it takes to add audio to your site. You may be surprised to find out how little it takes to get started. You probably have some of what you need and the rest can be acquired for little or no cost. Here is a setup designed to get you going without a whole lot of costs.

Computer: Most any computer made in the last few years should be sufficient to get you started recording streaming audio.

Microphone: The mike that came with your computer will be enough to start with. As you get more experienced you will most certainly want to upgrade to a better mike.

Software: You will need to get several different kinds of software to put streaming audio on your website each serving a different purpose.

Recording Software: This ranges from the free recording software Audacity to programs that cost hundreds of dollars.

Editing Software: After you are done recording you will need to edit your recording. This can be done in your recording software but you may be happier with dedicated editing software.

Mp3 Conversion: Your software above may save your file in the MP3 format depending on what program you choose. If not you need to get something to convert your wav file into MP3. I use DB Power Amp, which is a powerful converter well worth its small cost.

Flash Converter: To stream your audio you will need a program to convert your MP3 into the flash format, which is called SWF. This is a simple process with the likes of Web Audio Plus, Sonic Memo and others.

Html Stuff: You will have to put your code from your flash converter into a web page if you want to see and hear your buttons. This is easier than it sounds.

Web Hosting: You need to be careful when choosing a hosting service. Make sure they provide enough storage space and bandwidth.

All of the above may seem confusing but we will go over the things you need to know to be successful. Create Streaming Audio ezine will help you each step of the way. Next time we meet you will get a basic tutorial on how to record your audio into your computer.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

Recording Tips Computer Recording

Writen by Douglas Taylor

Recording your audio is just about like using a cassette tape recorder. There should be a red record button and play, forward, and rewind buttons like you have been used too seeing for years.

Most of the software recording programs works about the same way. The look may be slightly different in each program but most of the basic functions should be similar.

If you are using Audacity there are tutorials all over the Internet. Go to your search engine of choice and type in free Audacity tutorials and you should find an abundance of tutorials to help you along.

Here are some tips to help you create a professional recording.

Try not to get too nervous, it is natural to be somewhat uptight but be as calm as you possibly can.

If you make a mistake don't stop, you can edit out your mistakes when you edit your recording.

Focus your speaking on getting your listeners attention; you have one shot to get your message across.

Print and read your copy before you hit the record button

Make a test recording, don't worry about any mistakes

Listen to your recording and decide what sounds good and what does not. Rewrite your copy using your test recording as a guide.

Rerecord your audio using your improved copy.

Listen to the recording and make sure it has the feel you are looking for.

Recording your own audio on your computer is not nearly as hard as you may think. The main thing is to take action. As long as you are moving forward toward your recording goal it will happen.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

The Ten Commandments To Creating Amazing Audio Products

Writen by John Kiel

1.Thou shall create audio products as the fastest way to come out with a product.

Forget about e-books. They take to long to create especially if you're a slooooow typist. You can create an audio product in a day instead of weeks or months with an e-book. If you must create an e-book, do the audio first and have someone transcribe the audio into a word file. You than clean it up and add some chapter heads and an index and Bam! You have an instant e-book

2.Thou shall use a headset microphone for your recordings.

I find that using a headset mic is a lot more versatile than a standard microphone. A headset mic gives you the freedom to move your head around and you don't feel restricted as far as being positioned in front of a table top mic.

3.Thou shall not be afraid to record your voice.

Many people hate the way they sound on tape (me included) and feel that they cannot put together a "Professional" product. The first time you hear yourself on tape you are just going to die. It takes practice to actually speak properly. You get struck by the dreaded Uh and Um syndrome and the monotone voice virus but take heart …you can do this. Slow down and concentrate on what you're saying and interject some emphasis and pitch changes to your voice. Bottom line…add some personality.

I'll admit I'm no professional speaker myself… It takes practice and you will get better.

Here are a couple books you might want to check out: The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking by Dale Carnegie Secrets of Successful Speakers: How You Can Motivate, Captivate, and Persuade by Lilly Walters

4.Thou shall add intro and outro music to your audios

If you really want to add a professional polish to your products you must add the intro and outro music. You know that cool music you hear at the beginning of the audio just before someone starts the introduction.

You could give this site a try: frontandbackmusic.com for some demos.

5.Thou shall use different formats for your audio info product

A couple of ways to create an audio product is to interview someone over the phone and record it or just do a straight forward gab session on your own. To keep it simple when I'm recording on my own, I write down some bullet points to use as memory joggers to keep me on track during the recording sessions. Also, when using the computer software it allows you to pause so you can get your thoughts together and then just restart the recording process without a skip.

6.Thou shall use different listening formats for your audio product.

When distributing your audios you have different formats to choose from. You can use .wav, .mp3, .ram files. Wave files take up the most space and are megabyte hogs. Mp3 and ram (real player files) take up the least amount of space and are good for streaming audio on the web. If you are distributing your audio on CD it is best to use wav. That way you will be able to listen to them in any CD player. Here is a little warning when recording your audio projects. Be aware of the space you have on your hard drive. A two hour recording session will take up to 1.3 gigabytes of space in wav. I like to record and edit in smaller intervals and burn them to a CD-RW just to get them off my hard drive.

7.Thou shall use cheap resources for your audio.

I get all my bubble pack shippers and CD cases off of Ebay. They have some great deals. I get my CD's duplicated at Diskfaktory.com because they can run small quantities of 50. I wouldn't get any more made until you know you have a winner.

8.Thou shall have fun when creating your audio products

I have to say I really enjoy the creation process and it's really neat when you go to record a product and can play it back and listen to it on the fly. You get a sense that this thing is really coming together. And when you add the music you really get a sense of satisfaction. Creating audio is really instant gratification when it comes to creating info products. I love it…

As of this writing, I'm working with my wife on a product and I'm interviewing her and we are having a blast. She makes mistakes and I make them and we just sit there and laugh. My wife has the UH and UM syndrome so we are trying to get cured of that… But the point is that we are having a good time.

Quick Tip: I use a splitter to add two microphones to my computer. You need to raise the volume to get it normalized.

9.Thou shall build a audio information empire

If you really want to get a jump start in the information product business this is the easiest and funniest way to do it. As fast as you can record and edit these things the faster you can crank them out and start making some money. Also audio CD and tapes have a higher perceived value and you can get more for them then by just selling an e-book.

10.Thou shall learn what software to use for your audios.

Software can be expensive. Many of the gurus recommend Sounforge but I prefer a program from Cakewalk called Plasma. This software is half the price of Soundforge and is very versatile.

Well there you have it. Some good tips to get you started on building your audio empire.

Happy Recording,

John Kiel

(c)2005 John Kiel

If you're looking to take a shortcut and you would like me to take you by the hand and show you all the tricks to record audio products, add audio to the web, and record telephone conversations then my new video and audio tutorial course is for you. I even throw in 5 software programs to launch your audio business and at a price you will not believe.Go now to http://www.audioproductsmadeeasy.com

Internet Broadcasting A More Professional Approach

Writen by Paul Philbeck

As mentioned in a previous article there are free tools available to broadcast on the internet. In this article we will address some other available tools that will produce a more automated and professional broadcast as well as some basics you need to offer an online radio station.

My research has shown that Sam Broadcaster, an internet broadcasting software, appears to be the favored way to to broadcast internet radio. Another widely used software is Icecast. There are many other software solutions available but I will reference Sam broadcaster.

The first and most important thing you need is legally obtained music. A minimum of 48 hours of music is recommended so your listeners don't hear the same music over and over everyday. Legal music consists of music ripped from cd's you own or purchased and downloaded from sites like Itunes. If you intend on having a lot of listeners you will need to get stream hosting as well.

Assuming you have the referenced software you can now stream like a professional radio station. The set up is very straight forward. Your station can auto dj, it automatically mixes and plays your music with no interaction from you. It fades your music in and out at the beginning and end of each song. You can add freely available scripts that play your station id, jingles, or commercials at intervals you select. Additionally you can choose to dj manually and play the songs of your choice in the order you want as long as you adhere to licensing guidelines.

The use of the microphone is available in both instances. It will lower the music volume and raise the microphone volume allowing you to talk even when the music is playing. This is useful if you have a brief message to say between songs. Use of a high quality microphone is recommended for truly professional sounding results.

I own and operate RadioNC Online an internet radio station Located Here

In depth information on Sam Broadcaster can be found Here

Understanding Compressionthe Key To Professional Sounding Recordings

Writen by Douglas Taylor

So many people have a hard time understanding what compression does. If the compressor is doing its job the way it should you do not know it is there. It is when someone is using his or her compressor wrong that it starts to stand out.

A compressor reduces the dynamic range of your audio file. This means it reduces how loud some notes are and it also shrinks the difference between the loudest and softest notes in your audio.

This will even out your performance. Image a rock singer dancing around on stage. He is swinging the microphone wildly as he dances around sometimes singing right into the microphone and other times the mike may be a foot away.

Compression is the perfect tool for this job lowering the singing when he is right into the mike and raising it when the mike is far away.

We will look at common settings to help your understanding of the correct way to use compressors.

Threshold: When your signal rises above a preset point the compressor begins to work. When the signal goes below this point the compressor stops working. The compressor only compresses when the signal goes above this preset point. The rest of the time it just sits there doing nothing.

Hard Knee/Soft knee: If the compressor kicks in suddenly as soon as the threshold is met it is known as hard knee compression. If the compressor starts gradually you have soft knee compression. Most compressors will have a switch to let you choose which type you want. Most of the time soft knee will sound more natural.

Ratio: This setting will show you how much effect the compressor has on your signal. Your ratio choice means that for every decibel your audio goes over the threshold it will be reduced by a certain amount. If your audio goes 4 decibels over your threshold setting your output from the compressor will only be 2 decibels louder. This would be a 2:1 ratio.

This only works when your signal goes above the threshold setting. If you are below this setting the compressor will just sit there.

Attack: The attack setting controls how fast the compressor starts working when the signal goes above the threshold.

Release: This setting controls how fast the compressor will let go when you go below the threshold.

Compression is one the most misused tools in your recording tool kit. Most software compressors have great presets. I almost always start at one of the presets and adjust slowly and listen the whole time to what the changes are doing to the sound of the audio.

Less is better when it comes to compression. Avoid changing those settings too much. Get a handle on compression and your audio files will sound more professional than they ever have.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

The 5 Minute Guide To Mastering Your Recording

Writen by Douglas Taylor

Mastering your finished audio product is considered somewhat of an art. There are mastering engineers that charge an awful lot of money to master your project for you. Depending on your situation this may be money well spent.

With the equipment available today you can do a decent job of mastering your project yourself if you are careful. Here are some things to consider when tackling the mastering stage yourself.

Dynamics: This is a very important step. Your music needs to breath and flow. You do not want to compress it so hard that it roars back at you. Find a good medium where your music has that fine line between volume and dynamics.

Eq: Your songs were probably recorded over a period of time therefore they most likely will have a slightly different feel to them. You need the songs to sound enough alike that they feel like they belong on the same CD. You don't want the bass pumping loudly in one song and the next track finds the listener turning up the bass knob on his stereo. Try to get an even feel for the whole CD.

Same volume: The volume of each song needs to be similar. The general thought on this is you don't want the person listening to your CD to have to turn the volume up or down. Your listener should be able to listen to your Cd at whatever volume they are comfortable with.

Order of songs: the order you choose for your songs is important. You need to be aware of the feel of each song. You want to take your listener on an emotional roller coaster and the order of the songs has everything to do with this ride.

Burn to Cd: The final and very important step is to burn your master to a Cd and listen to it on as many different types players as you can. Listen to it on everything from a cheap boom box to a high dollar stereo. Make sure it sounds good as it can on each one. The bass is especially troublesome to get right.

Be careful and take it a step at a time and you can come out with a decent master.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

What The Muscle Power Of Audio Can Do For Your Site

Writen by Brian Holte

How Audio can Influence Sales

Audio can enhance your website by letting your visitor listen to your voice, which is the next closest form of marketing besides a face to face meeting.

Who can use Audio?

Anyone can use audio, it all depends how knowledgeable you are when it comes to designing your site. For those that need help there are plenty of tutorials on how to place audio on your site all over the internet.

Audio and Affiliate Programs-Cause a ripple effect.

One commonly used strategy is to have audio reviews of the different affiliate programs you are associated with.

Find a product that pays a decent commission, write up a review of the product that you are promoting, use your written review as a script. Record the script in either .mp3 or .wav file. Upload the sound file, the website, and your done!

Audio can Increase Conversion Rates

If you are going to use audio clips for the affiliate programs you've chosen to promote, you may very well find that using audio can definitely increase your conversion ratio.

Keep your Audio file as small as possible. One important part for you to keep in mind is the size of your sound file, if the file is to large it will take "forever" to download and the majority of web surfers are impatient. Try and keep your audio review to 60 seconds or under. This should allow your webpage and sound file to download at the same time.

Keep in mind that you can place an audio clip on your site or inside an ebook, some people like audio some don't.

How Audio helps the visually impaired.

It all depends on your preferences, one benefit of using audio on your site is to accomodate the visually impaired.

Audio-Learn one step at a time.

Granted, creating an audio clip may seem a little confusing at first because you have to get familiar with the software you've chosen to use. But like most other tasks in life, practice makes perfect.

Audio-How is the file activated?

There are a couple of ways in which your visitor can activate the audio on your site. One is by clicking on a link, the other involves placing a small amount of code on your site that automatically downloads everytime you get a visitor to the page you've placed the audio clip on.

Audio-How about pop-up's and popunders?

You can also create pop-up's or pop-unders with an audio clip that downloads as the pop-up or pop-under window activates when your visitor goes to exit your site. An example of this would be to use your clip to encourage sign-up's for your ezine.

Audio-Where can you get tutored on this subject?

There are many tutorials on the net that teach people how to create pop-up's or pop-under's, there are also software programs that make the creation process a whole lot easier. There are also plenty of audio recording software programs out there, some are fr**, others cost money.

Final Comments:

By no means am I encouraging you to place audio on every page of your site, leave some pages as just plain text, others with text and a picture, and then text, picture and audio. What works for me may not necessarily work for you, but it never hurts to test. You won't know until you try.

Good luck,

Brian.

About The Author

Brian Holte is a freelance writer who owns www.theebookking.com He publishes a monthly ezine covering topics related to creating ebooks, he shows you what works for him in hopes of helping you.

publish1@telus.net

The World Is Waiting To Hear From You Create Your Own Streaming Internet Radio Station And Enjoy

Writen by Lopa Bhattacharya

Whether you just want to provide your friends with a personalized stream of music or you want to share with the world a genre of music you love and have expertise in, it is easy and somewhat inexpensive to start up your own Internet Radio station that sounds as good as the "big boys".

Today, with flexible personal broadcasting using your own computer, along with independent web-based streams, you can enjoy distinct privileges those were once limited to a small percentage of people. Thanks to the Internet and the latest technologies, today a die-hard music aficionado can well become a broadcaster, a DJ, or a Program Director, playing his/her broadcast to the world! On the other hand, if you are truly inspired to begin a Internet-based Radio station that operates for the purpose of profit and generating revenue, you can chose from a number of Internet broadcasting products which allows you to quickly start your own Internet-based radio station, only with a computer and a dial-up connection. To sum it up, the Internet today provides you with several approaches to web casting. Whether you are an amateur simply interested in sharing your CD collection with friends or intend to set up a professional broadcast, your choosing one particular approach of an Internet radio station depends on your objectives.

There are excellent options for the novice which require very little technical knowledge, and the most common and user-friendly among those being Live365. The premiere provider of independent web-based streams, Live365 (otherwise known as web Radio or webcasting) lets you flirt around with your music, while it makes easy for listeners across the globe to hear your broadcast. Acting as your "transmitter", allowing infrastructure for thousands of audio streams, Live365 lets you gather your MP3 files, upload them to your space, decide how they will play and then start your broadcast. Available in a host of price packages, Live365 lets you arrange a live broadcast in addition to the "On Demand Audio" option. Besides, Live365.com also offers several more upgrades for "Serious Personal Broadcasters" including more storage space and the ability for more listeners to listen at the same time in both "On Demand" and "Live/Relay" mode. If you intend to immerse yourself in the peacefulness and power of the greatest composers of the western world, or simply want to blow your mind with a whole new world of music, with Live365, your music is archived and available at any time for listeners.

On the other hand, for those who are serious about generating revenue from their Internet radio station, there is the "Pro Broadcasting" option from Live365, along with a special "tuner" or pop-up Player Window, that gives a more customized "look and feel" to your broadcast.

What about other Cheap Personal Broadcasting options? It's a fact that not everyone can pay the fees for Live365, though it is the most revolutionary tool over the net to create your own broadcast. However, for the budget-conscious music-buffs, there are a handful of cost-effective options, the most popular among those being the "Pirate radio". The epitome of user-friendly and inexpensive Internet broadcasting, it puts online radio stations into the palm of the common person. Whether you are a 16-year-old teenager wishing to stream your favorite songs to your near and dear ones or a senior citizen wishing to upload a recorded show, you'll enjoy a "never-before" simplicity with this amazing broadcasting tool.

Remember, the Internet and software technologies have revolutionized the concept of what broadcasting is evolving into. Today, for very little money, almost anyone with a reason or message can broadcast it to the world. As a result, people intending to start up their own streaming Internet Radio station are multiplying each single day. Apart from aspiring DJs of local Radio-clubs with a dream to make it big on a real broadcast service, streaming Internet Radio station is the passion with college student desirous to make extra money by programming to the students at their college or University. While an online Radio station has the ability to serve a very specific purpose, even a school district or a state may want to provide a stream with consolidated listings for school "Snow Closings" in a particular area or for the whole state. What more, if you want to spread a word about a political candidate or political agenda using recordings of the candidate's speeches or your own recorded analysis and commentary, you can even do that with a streaming radio station in the World Wide Web! True, never before have so many people been so empowered with communication possibilities before its invention!

Lopa Bhattacharya is a content writer/developer working on websites for overseas/Indian clientele. Has worked for various corporate website projects, CD-Rom presentations, brochures, flyers and other communication materials on varied themes ranging from travel, hotel industry, photography, web design and software development to US-based clubs and network communities. Was previously an editorial associate for a news, culture and entertainment portal based on the life and times of Kolkata.

Get Personal By Adding Your Voice To Your Site

Writen by Jeffrey Abbott

Many customers in today's online business world are shopping around online for a reason; either they are too lazy to go to stores, do not like the masses of people, or they might just want to shop in the comfort of their home. What ever the reason might be, we can conclude that they are not in a store, but rather they are on your site. Just because your businesses is online doesn't mean that you can't conduct your business like that of a normal store. Compare your site to a clothing store in a mall for example. When the customer comes in, a sales representative normally comes to the door and asks if they need help. A web site doesn't normally do this, but you can if you want to. Record an audio clip that not only includes a sales pitch and introduction but also a site map that includes the important parts of the site. Not only are you getting personal with your customer, you are also pointing them in the direction of your product. Here are a few tips to keep in mind about audio clips:

#1 - Make Sure They can Turn it Off

There is nothing worse than listening to someone drone on on how they made massive amounts of money, and so can you! If you do include audio with your site, make sure you include a stop button. You might think you sales pitch is interesting and informative, but the customer might not. They might also want to play it over again to catch a part they missed, so make sure to include a play button as well.

#2 - Include a Picture

Maybe is just cause we watch TV alot but when we hear audio, we want something to look at. Take a picture of yourself and put it above your new stop and play buttons. It will add to the personal touch and also give the people something to look at while they listen to you.

#3 - Don't Take too Long

People have short attention spans so introduce yourself and your site, make your pitch, point them in the right direction, and then stop. You can always include more audio files with success stories elsewhere on your site.

#4 - Don't be too Loud

It is hard to know how loud to make your clip but it is better to be soft than to be loud. The user can always turn up the volume if they are interested. Adding a volume "slider" next to your play and stop buttons and below your picture will round off the audio clip look.

So there you have it, four great pieces of advice when looking to add an audio file to your site. If you can do it yourself, put one up there, but if you can't, get someone to help you. It is relatively easy and so it should not be too expensive. Good luck and be creative!

Jeffrey Abbott is a respected author and editor of eMoneyReport.com

Visit the site at http://www.emoneyreport.com and read reviews on programs that help you to make money from your own home. eMoneyReport offers a simple and easy format to find articles relating to all types of online business and website promotion.

Why Add Streaming Audio To Your Website

Writen by Douglas Taylor

If you have a message you need to get across streaming audio may be just what the doctor ordered. Your website will almost always convert better with audio buttons. Some of the more common use of audio on your website are as follows.

Speaker: Someone who needs to get their speeches or sermons heard would be advised to use the power of the Internet to get their message across.

Musician: A local band does not have to stay local in this day and age. You can have fans from all over with the power of the Internet.

Businessman: Local Businessmen can share their product and sales pitch from their own office any time day or night.

Internet marketer: The guys selling products on the web can increase their conversion rate with streaming audio.

You want to go to the trouble of learning to add audio to your website because you will soon be recognized as someone who knows what is going on in your chosen field. When the person visiting your site hits the play button you will be an expert in their eyes and treated with respect as an expert in your field Some people can get a website up and running with text and a few images. It takes a little more effort to add streaming audio to your site.

How do you add streaming audio to your website you may be asking. It really is quite simple.

Record the audio you want to put on your website. Edit the audio Convert the audio into the correct format using one of the popular programs Copy and paste the code your program gives you into your web page. Upload your web page and audio buttons onto your server.

Streaming audio is not that hard to get up on your website. The software available today makes this process easy to master. Look around the Internet, pick out a good tutorial website and get your streaming audio up on your site today.

Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999. If you think that putting audio files on a website will be a lot of hard work and hassle then download a free 16 page special report Mastering Streaming Audio. Visit http://www.create-streaming-audio.com/csa_ezine.html for streaming audio tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques.

Boom How Amp Why Internet Marketers Are Discovering Msi Sonic Memo Amp How It Can Benefit You

Writen by J Mercado

"How & Why Internet Marketers Are Discovering MSI Sonic Memo & How This Featured Program Has Been Proven To Make Your Audio & Video Streaming Media Made Easy & Fun."

Are you craving for a new way to increasing your conversion ratio and build up credibility like a booming blast on the Internet as a result?

It's unbelievable how technology changes rapidly from one moment to the next. Listen, I breathe the same oxygen as you and there is no difference between you and me besides our characters and beliefs.

I also feel there is no reason why you should not be able to find hidden treasure boxes of information the way I do. "X" marks the spot, remember that.

It's unbelievable when you're looking for reliable audio or video streaming media tools and you just can't seem to find the right one or somehow it disappeared from the tool shed.

Like anything else in this world, things are based on theory and personal preference. I've recently made a wild discovery and in this article I'm going to tell it to you.

Don't you think about when people are visiting your web site what they notice first and wonder why people buy from you? It's because people are tired of seeing text, pictures, links, banners and flashy stuff which just gets them dizzy. It becomes too mind boggling.

You might as well put your head through a concrete wall and forget about the Tylenol. Since urban technology is growing so fast each day, more and more people are jumping onto the Internet playing with different forms of software.

Here's what I mean in a nut shell;

Your web site should have some type of audio or video streaming method letting people know who you are, how you sound, and what type of tonality you speak with when presenting your products. This is usually done through your sales campaigns.

It's those unique visitors you want to know you exist. There are millions of computer users all over the world. You should take advantage of those computers. As a result, your credibility is either a dead duck with no quack or a live chicken wing with fluttering feathers.

After all the time and money you've invested into your website attempting to increase your conversion ratio, its peak has not yet set.

You must have patience grasshopper. No worries, MSI Sonic Memo have been a GIANT plus (+) when it comes to spicing up the livelihood of your site. This tool will increase traffic which then leads into sales.

Let me explain something; every little tool you come across isn't necessarily the tool you need to build your brick house. Although, certain tools combined together can be quite helpful.

You'd be in trouble if it weren't for bricks and cement. Web sites on the Internet would look like a straw house. Oh wait, there still are a few straw houses on the net, but remember it's never too late unless you make it late for yourself.

When was the last time you made any changes to your web site and brought your ideas to a whole other level? There are portals throughout the nets misty fogs which lead you into new marketing dimensions.

And so on…

You have to be hungry in order to fill your stomach, otherwise you can forget about being healthy on the Internet.

There are some neat things you can do with either video or audio streaming.

Video streaming allows you promote yourself as if you're on your very own infomercial. Now you can act as if you're on T.V. and promote your goods live.

Audio streaming constructs your radio like sub-station for others to hear and listen to you speak. I recommend these methods as a thrust of super force to your business.

Just imagine if you put those ideas into sixth (6th) gear, how profitable would that be? How good would that velocity feel? This would be an idea zapped from inside the brainstorming box. There's nothing like marketing yourself throughout the many forms of exposure that lay out there in the outer space of marketing.

Now is the time to start putting these methods into motion. I strongly suggest you examine this entire matter into further detail and seek for yourself.

All I can do is recommend my personal preferences to you. The golden rod is in front of your eyes, now take it and run with it.

Joseph Mercado gives you the leverage to launch your streaming time while you can enjoy the most fun and cherishable moments during your success. For more info, please go to:

http://www.streamingmadeeasy.com