Producing sound recording with Audacity

In this article from the Autumn 2008 issue of Directions Caroline Coles (De Montfort University) looks at the use of Audacity software to record – and re-record – lectures.

Many tutors are experimenting with making sound recordings of lectures, freeing up valuable contact time for higher level activities and bringing the advantages of portability and repeatability. (The largest number of my students report listening to my sound files three or four times.) However, one of the challenges of producing recorded lectures is the ever changing nature of the law. For a law lecturer, being able to edit a sound recording over the months and years as the law changes is vital. Sound files of the MP3 type, as produced by popular systems such as Articulate, cannot be edited and thus can only be updated by re-recording.

To get over this I have been experimenting with recording using Audacity. Audacity, free, open source software, records sound directly onto your computer in its own accessible format, without the use of a proprietary library such as Windows Media Player. (Proprietary libraries often prohibit file conversion, storing the sound as an MP3 file which cannot then be edited.) The resulting file can then be converted to MP3 format via cheap additional software accessed through the Audacity site. (An MP3 file is smaller, saving space on your VLE, and is the format used by iPods and other MP3 players.)

Audacity is very easy to use, opening automatically to a blank file – by simply pressing a yellow on-screen button you can record your sound. The resulting file appears as a sound wave – a WAV file – on your computer, giving you a visible representation of your file contents – simply cut and paste to edit your sound file, deleting recording fluffs, adding an update to the law or a sound track for interest.

Sound files give students the ultimate flexibility of listening to a lecture when and where convenient for them. They allow students to gain a greater understanding of a subject and thus prepare more effectively for contact time. Virtual attendance, and understanding, can be checked by the use of sets of online multiple choice questions via a VLE. Some tutors also run discussion boards or wikis to provide a forum for discussion of issues raised by recorded lectures.

Practical tips

• create a folder for your Audacity files, whether purchased as pre-recorded sound or your own, on your computer’s hard drive (using a central server can cause delays in retrieving the sound, and a memory stick may be too small) – avoiding the use of proprietary libraries which your VLE may not be able to access
• use a headset plugged into your computer for the best reproduction, minimising unwanted ambient noise
• add additional interest to your speaking voice via low cost, royalty free sounds or music, for example a courtroom gavel (files cost typically £5 for unlimited subsequent use from royalty free music websites)
• use Audacity’s wiki as your tutorial

Last Modified: 9 July 2010