SolveYourProblem Article Series: Audio & Video Streaming
Streaming FAQ and Tutorials

How To Create Your Own Audio Studio Cheaply

If you are looking into creating your own audio studio, chances are you may have a little sticker shock from the prices. However, you do not have to break the bank to get started with audio streaming. Here are some penny-pinching ways you can do it on a small budget for a fraction of the price.

There is some basic hardware that you need to get started. If you are working with website design, there is a good chance that you have a newer computer with the proper hardware. To begin, all you really need is a basic sound card with a mike and a line in jack. These are generally included in newer computers, so you may not need to buy anything to start. Sound cards, if you do not have one, are inexpensive to buy from your local computer store. Mikes run a whole gambit of prices. For a beginner, stick with a basic desktop one. You can always upgrade later on when the profits start rolling in. You are also going to need some cables to connect your recorder and other audio equipment to your computer. The salesperson will be able to direct you to what will be best for your usage.

Once you have all of the hardware figured out, the next thing to consider is the type of software you will need. The most important part is the software that you will use for your recording. These programs can cost nothing up to thousands of dollars, so for the beginner you might want to look into downloading a free copy. There are many excellent programs out there that are free to download and will allow you to record from your microphone or other equipment. Look for one that provides editing capabilities and has the capacity to edit and combine multiple tracks.

Next you will need to consider the software that you will need to concert your audio into different formats. Like recording software, you can find programs that do this for free up to ones that will cost you the big bucks. Again, look for a free program that can convert nearly every file to any other file format. The main audio types that you will possibly want to use are mp3, mp4, Windows Media Audio, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Monkeys Audio, and FLAC. If there is another type that you prefer, make sure that the program you choose can support it.

Another thing to consider is the size of your file, particularly if you plan to stream an mp3 directly. You will want an MP3 encoder that is fast, produces high-quality files, and has advanced features to create the sound that you want. While you can download these for free, some can be rather complicated to learn, so there are often support programs that offer easy user-interfaces that can walk you through the entire process. When you are reducing your file, you may want to try it in several different formats. That way you can compare the final product size against the final product quality. You may find that you get better sound from a slightly larger format, or vice versa.

Next you have to decide how you would like to stream your files. Often, using a third party program will help reduce your costs significantly. For example, mp3 Sound Stream is simple software that will convert mp3 or wave audio files into an swf file with a button that viewers can use to listen without downloading extra software. This is perfect for those people who do not want to get into the technical side of streaming audio, and the program does the reducing for you. Another option is to use MSIJukebox, which organizes your mp3s into an XML file. Since it streams the actual mp3 you get a higher quality playback.

In summary, the best way to create your own audio studio is to take advantage of all of the free and low cost software that you can download from the Internet. You can use these programs to create the exact audio sound that you desire, and then add that to your website. Not only are you able to save some of your hard-earned profits, adding audio can make your website stand out above the rest and generate increased revenue.

My favorite software program for creating audio streams is Audacity (it's free too).

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SolveYourProblem.com : 2008

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