Audacity Audio Editor

Audacity Audio Editor 1.2.6 for Windows is available free from the website at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. Audacity is a wonderful Windows based tool for developing the audio portion of a webcast, podcast, or audio link. In my on-ground classes I use a Philips GoGear MP3 player/recorder to capture my lecture or assignment instructions. My voice is no thrill - so by using free background music I found on the web and using the tools in Audacity - I sound almost interesting at times. My students tell me they like to be able to re-hear what I said and re-listen to the assignment instructions at will.

I use the Windows version with no trouble and no I did not read the instructions - it is that easy to use. There is also a Mac and Solaris verison available. What I did was have a simple web page for the classes and posted my 'podcast' there the next day each time. I learned how to make a podcast by reading and studying Podcast for Dummies and listening to Podcast for Dummies on Itunes.

I recently used Audacity to clean up a recording I made of cloistered nuns singing atop the mountain in Salzburg. Again I used my Philips GoGear to record them and Audacity to clean it up and make it presentable.

Audacity allows for simple multiple channel recording and mixing. You can cut and paste to your hearts content. It is free. It is easy. It works.