Is Sound Recorder Part of Your Marketing Arsenal?

Many of us have invested in fancy technological gadgets to create CDs and online recordings, but the one item that continues to work well for me is Sound Recorder, which is part of Windows XP.

I use Sound Recorder and an external microphone, purchased from any office supply store, to record several minutes of text that’s included on a Web page. Here’s how I access it on a PC computer.

Start - All Programs - Accessories - Communications - Sound Recorder

Before recording, it’s important to set Sound Recorder to record at CD quality. This setting ensures that you hear no feedback and other external noises within the recording. To set the quality, open the Sound Recorder program, and click on:

1. File - Properties. Look for the “Format Conversion” box, which will have the “all formats” option highlighted.

2. Click on the dropdown box to change “all formats” to “recording formats.”

3. Then click the “Convert Now” box next to it. Another box appears that says “sound selection” at the top.

4. Under “Name,” click the dropdown box. Find “CD Quality.” Choose “CD Quality,” and click the “okay” box.

Each time you start or edit the audio part of the script, you must choose CD Quality to ensure that no static is part of the recording.

When done, I save the recording in a folder I call My Recordings and copy the file to a Web page when I’m ready. Label your folder as a name you’ll easily recognize.

You’ll also need Windows Media Player or similar product to embed the recording on a Web site.

Sound Recorder is easily controlled by you to distribute an audio message worldwide.