Service Alert
Hege Library & Learning Technologies
Hege Library & Learning Technologies
Digital Files
Digital voice recorders record in different file types including, among others, .wma files (Window’s Media Audio), and .wav files. Be aware of the file type used by your recording device, as it may be necessary to convert your file from one type to another for use in programs such as PowerPoint, Audacity or Stories Matter.
Using Audacity to edit sound
Audacity is an open-source program available on the Web which allows users to open an audio file in Audacity to edit sound, isolate sound clips for use in programs like PowerPoint, and export sound files. Some file types cannot be played in Audacity. For example, our Olympus digital recorders save audio as .wma files, which do not play in Audacity. Use a free Website like Zamzar to convert your file to a .mp3 file, for example (see Using Zamzar to convert audio files).
For one audio project, isolated sound clips from the audio file using Audacity, exported the files and saved them to our share space, and inserted the . wav files into a PowerPoint presentation.
Open Audacity
Go to File – Open and chose the file you want to edit
A pop up might appear asking “How do you want to import the current files(s)?”
Select “Make copy of the files before editing” (the safest option) and press Okay
To copy a selection from a larger sound clip
Open another Audacity window by clicking File – New
Click back to the first window, select the section you want from the original file by clicking and dragging the mouse, a gray area will appear over the selected area. Extend or shorten that area by hovering over the end of selected section with your cursor until it turns into a hand and drag to desired length
Press the STOP button (a yellow square)
File - Copy
Click to the other Audacity window to paste the clip by selecting File – Paste
The sound clip will appear in the window
To delete, select the section you don’t want
Press the STOP button
Press DELETE on the keyboard
To undo, be sure the audio is stopped (by pressing the STOP button) and press the undo button at the top right (an arrow pointing to the left), or CTRL-Z
To generate silence in between clips, click where you want the silence
Be sure the audio is stopped by pressing the STOP button
Go to the top and select GENERATE – SILENCE
Choose the amount of silence (one second is usually enough to separate clips)
To amplify a section (due to low recording volume), select the section by clicking and dragging so the area becomes gray
Press the STOP button
Go to the top and select EFFECT – AMPLIFY
Drag the arrow on the sliding bar to desired volume
Click PREVIEW to test
Select OKAY
To match amplification in another part, select the section and go to the top and select EFFECT – REPEAT AMPLIFY
To export, go to the top and select FILE – EXPORT
Choose where you’d like to save the file, name it, and end the file name in .wav
Note: always export to save, do not save as audacity file
When closing your Audacity window, it will ask if you want to save
Click NO
To insert into PowerPoint
In PowerPoint, go to the top and select INSERT – SOUND – SOUND FROM FILE
Select the clip you created
Choose when you want the clip to start playing (either automatically or when clicked)
Drag the speaker to desired spot
To test, play the presentation and listen
Using Zamzar to convert audio files
Zamzar is a free program for converting digital files from one file type to another. There is a file-size limit, over which one must set up an account and pay to have the file converted. You should not have trouble converting an audio file under 80 minutes for free. The process involves submitting the audio file at the Zamzar Website and receiving the converted file in your email about 30 minutes later.