You want easy? I got easy.
I’ve written a simple tutorial showing how to record audio using my favorite free audio editor, WavePad (no affiliate links here, btw).You may have heard of Audacity, the well-known, open-source sound editor. Most people who create audio online use it and recommend it, but I’ve found it to be less than user-friendly. For one thing, you have to download and install a special file that allows you to convert your original .WAV recording to MP3, the format most used for listening to online audio. For a non-techie, that’s a barrier right there. After that, learning how to use Audacity is daunting for beginners.
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That’s why I rave about WavePad, and urge you to try it instead. There’s no special file to install – MP3 conversion is built-in. You can choose from one of the pro versions that cost upwards of fifty bucks, but you don’t need all those bells and whistles to record your podcasts and interviews. The free version will do just fine. And it’s much easier to learn than Audacity.
Wavepad For Chromebook
So let’s give it a spin, shall we?
Recording Audio with WavePad
- First, download and install the free version of WavePad, then start the program. This is what it will look like (sort of – I have the Advanced version):
Click to enlarge
- Click “New File”in the upper left corner. Click OK to the box that pops up (no need for stereo.) Now you have an empty file, ready for recording:
- Click the red Record button in the lower left corner. A Record Control window will pop up:
Click to enlarge
- A. Leave this as Untitled.
- B. Check to make sure the Device listed is the microphone you are using.
- C. Make sure the Input has Master Volume selected.
- D. Adjust the volume with the Volume Control bar, if necessary.
- Make sure your microphone is on, click the Record button inside the Record Control window, and say a few words.
Notice the Recording Volume bar moving as you speak. Don’t worry if it peaks in the red zone, but keep it mostly in the green. (You can adjust this with the Volume Control bar (D):
- Click the square Stop button to see the visual depiction of your voice waves. Pretty cool, huh?
Click to enlarge
Note: See what I did here? It’s too loud. The Volume bar is all the way in the red, and some of my voice waves are jammed flat against the top and bottom of the window. It’s okay if a few of them hit the top and bottom, but not this many. If it’s too loud, your voice will sound distorted and icky.
Here’s what your voice waves should look like (note that the Volume bar is set to 0DB (zero decibels):
Don’t worry if the sound waves are smaller than you see here, even after you’ve set the volume as loud as it will go. I’ll show you how to adjust that in the next tutorial.
- Stop recording and close the Record Control window. Your recorded file will transfer to the Editing window – it’s magic!
- Save File As and give the file a name. Click OK.
- Now, Save File As again and Save As Type – choose .mp3. Click OK.
Et voila – done!
That wasn’t so bad, was it?
But if you just want someone to do it for you, I’m your woman!
Sign up here and I’ll get in touch.
Coming up in the next few posts, I’ll show you how to normalize the volume, record interviews on Skype, edit your sound files – and even add music.
See you soon!
Wavepad Free is a very well-designed and extremely flexible sound editor for the Windows operating system. It functions both as an audio recording AND an advanced mixer which functions perfectly if you're wishing to convert those old record LPs and tapes to a digital format like MP3 or OGG.
Like the professional version, this program can capture audio from various devices. Pretty much anything that Windows can hear, Wavepad Free can hear. With the tracks that you've recorded, you can easily add certain audio effects, fade tracks, merge tracks, split tracks and many other functions that are included with the free version by NCH Software.
Though the features included in the professional version certainly do turn eyes, the freeware version is a little bit reduced in terms of functionality. Although one can certainly say that the freeware version is light years ahead of anything that has been included on default Windows installations over the years.
If you're looking for something simple and don't require all of the features, say, a DJ might require to get a party happening, Wavepad Free is the perfect lightweight addition and runs perfect on all modern versions of Windows.
Wavepad Free can edit audio, convert audio and record audio.
Features and highlights
- Sound editing functions include cut, copy, paste, delete, insert, silence, auto-trim and more
- Audio effects include amplify, normalize, equalizer, envelope, reverb, echo, reverse and many more
- Integrated VST plugin support gives professionals access to thousands of additional tools and effects
- Supports almost all audio and music file formats including mp3, wav, vox, gsm, wma, au, aif, flac, real audio, ogg, aac, m4a, mid, amr, and many more
- Batch processing allows you to apply effects and/or convert thousands of files as a single function
- Scrub, search and bookmark audio for precise editing
- Create bookmarks and regions to easily find, recall and assemble segments of long audio files
Wavepad Free 12.44 on 32-bit and 64-bit PCs
This download is licensed as freeware for the Windows (32-bit and 64-bit) operating system on a laptop or desktop PC from sound/audio recorders without restrictions. Wavepad Free 12.44 is available to all software users as a free download for Windows.
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- Wavepad Free Download
- Freeware Sound/Audio Recorders