by: Tracey Meagher
NUMBER 1 : INTERNET USERS REMEMBER WHAT THEY HEAR
Did you know that Internet users remember only 20% of what they read while remembering an amazing 70% of what they hear? Audio on your website will help your message stay with fresh your visitors for longer.
NUMBER 2 : AUDIO INCREASES SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Using audio to convey a personal message to entice visitors to subscribe to your newsletter will result in up to 400% more subscribers than using traditional subscription marketing methods.
NUMBER 3 : AUDIO WILL KEEP VISITORS ON YOUR SITE FOR LONGER
Using audio on your website helps to keep visitors on your site for longer. The longer visitors stay the more informed they are about your product and services and the more likely they are to purchase your product or service.
NUMBER 4 : AUDIO ADDS CREDIBILITY TO YOUR WEBSITE
Adding your own voice to your website helps prospects identify with you personally, warming them to your products and services in a way that cannot be achieved by any other existing marketing technique and converting more prospects to purchaseers.
NUMBER 5 : AUDIO PUTS YOU MILES AHEAD OF YOUR COMPETITORS
While your competitors still hang around in the dark ages of Internet marketing, placing audio on your website gives you an enormous competitive advantage. Visitors will trust you more than your competitors and trust is the number one vital ingredient for making visitors part with plastic.
NUMBER 6 : AUDIO EHANCES EMAIL AND NEWSLETTER COMMUNICATIONS
Used in emails and ezines, audio allows you to communicate personally with your clients and subscribers, creating rapport and warming your market in a way not possible with text and graphics.
NUMBER 7 : AUDIO IS CHEAP
Basic streaming audio buttons can be put on your website for as little as $19.95. Even the most advanced solutions cost aroundr the $97 mark! Considering the uumph these little audio buttons give your site, a once off payment of 97 bucks is not a lot to part with!
NUMBER 8 : AUDIO IS SIMPLE TO USE
You don't have to be a techie geek to put audio on your website. Most of the solutions out there require no html or flash know how at all. They are designed to be user friendly so even the technophobe should have no problem getting the job done quickly and easily!
About The Author
Tracey Meagher is the founder of QuickandEasy Audio, a website that reviews all the latest resources and tools available for adding audio to your website. Visit www.quickandeasyaudio.com to receive free audio resources that will help you add audio to your website in less than 60 minutes!
This article may be reproduced in its entirety only if unaltered and the resource box is included.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Don't Use Web Audio The Wrong Way
by: Nick James
Have you ever wrestled with a set of instructions, but then got so frustrated with it all that you threw them aside in a fluster and tried to figure out how to do it… yourself?
Resulting in…Making a great big mess of it all?
Similarly, if you really want to use Web Audio the right way, the way that WORKS, then you need to know what DOESN'T work.
Here's what many people do, pretty systematically… to hinder their marketing and audio responses:
1. Speaking into the microphone without a care for what they're saying, how they're saying it and, without any regard to who's listening! That's pretty scary. Mumbling along without paying any attention to the small details. It's what could sink the hopes of many… FAST!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - Write out a little script. Then, rehearse it. After that, record it several times. Finally, choose the best of the lot and use it. See, I told you it was pretty simple.
2. Some feel that hiring a 'PROFESSIONAL' or 'DJ', to record the voice audio, is the way to go. Now, for some, that may seem a reasonable way out, but what's likely to happen is that the websites' PERSONALITY loses its authenticity. Somehow, most of us can detect when things seem out of sync. When things seem a little too… SLICK!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - If you really want to get someone else to do the voice audio for you, then make sure they've got a warm, natural personality that shines through in their voice. It'll win people over.
3. Sending the recorded audio message to your website, and then… FORGETTING ABOUT IT! Have you ever dialled a phone number, got an answer machine message that was either way out of date or just plain irrelevant? What an unprofessional image to portray. Well, that's why NOT attending to what's on your messages, could cripple you more than you'd know!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - Keep your audio updated! I'm not saying that you have to micro-manage it and change it every other day. But, keeping your messages fresh, alive and full of valuable, useful and usable information that addresses the needs of your audience… is what'll keep them loyal, attentive and eager to receive your future messages!
4. Leaving your audience mentally floating, not knowing what to do next. Have you ever experienced a scenario similar to this one: Whilst waiting on a train platform, an announcement is made to the waiting passengers as follows,
"due to a fault on the line, please expect further delays".
I'm in no doubt at all that this announcement would have left the passengers feeling concerned, confused and wondering what to do next. What the announcer should have taken the time to add is as follows,
"as we have not received any information from our control centre indicating the expected length of delay, you may like to consider hopping on bus number 19, leaving the bus stop adjacent to the station entrance in 7 minutes time. Otherwise, please continue to listen for further announcements, which we will endeavour to make every five minutes. Please also accept our sincere apologies for the delay and any inconvenience this may have caused you".
SIMPLE SOLUTION: People are silently begging to be told what to do next. If you can lead them to a specific outcome, they'll be putty in your hands! Whether it's instructions to go to a specific toll free number to get more information, or something they have to activate, like a membership number, whatever it is… tell them PRECISELY how to do it.
Web Audio, used correctly, will have a dramatic impact on the way in which your customers respond to you. They'll be so 'stuck' on your website and addicted to your audio messages, that you'll soon be sending out birthday cards to them!
FLASH AUDIO WIZARD has a simple in-built technology that'll give you the website personality you've always dreamed of. It's simple to use. It's easy to get started. Why not get your website 'speaking', today? Just visit www.FlashAudioWizard.com
Copyright 2004 Nick James
About The Author
Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product developer. During the last 3 years Nick has sold in excess of ?1 Million of products and services. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week at: www.Nick-James.com New Product: www.FlashAudioWizard.com.
Have you ever wrestled with a set of instructions, but then got so frustrated with it all that you threw them aside in a fluster and tried to figure out how to do it… yourself?
Resulting in…Making a great big mess of it all?
Similarly, if you really want to use Web Audio the right way, the way that WORKS, then you need to know what DOESN'T work.
Here's what many people do, pretty systematically… to hinder their marketing and audio responses:
1. Speaking into the microphone without a care for what they're saying, how they're saying it and, without any regard to who's listening! That's pretty scary. Mumbling along without paying any attention to the small details. It's what could sink the hopes of many… FAST!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - Write out a little script. Then, rehearse it. After that, record it several times. Finally, choose the best of the lot and use it. See, I told you it was pretty simple.
2. Some feel that hiring a 'PROFESSIONAL' or 'DJ', to record the voice audio, is the way to go. Now, for some, that may seem a reasonable way out, but what's likely to happen is that the websites' PERSONALITY loses its authenticity. Somehow, most of us can detect when things seem out of sync. When things seem a little too… SLICK!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - If you really want to get someone else to do the voice audio for you, then make sure they've got a warm, natural personality that shines through in their voice. It'll win people over.
3. Sending the recorded audio message to your website, and then… FORGETTING ABOUT IT! Have you ever dialled a phone number, got an answer machine message that was either way out of date or just plain irrelevant? What an unprofessional image to portray. Well, that's why NOT attending to what's on your messages, could cripple you more than you'd know!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - Keep your audio updated! I'm not saying that you have to micro-manage it and change it every other day. But, keeping your messages fresh, alive and full of valuable, useful and usable information that addresses the needs of your audience… is what'll keep them loyal, attentive and eager to receive your future messages!
4. Leaving your audience mentally floating, not knowing what to do next. Have you ever experienced a scenario similar to this one: Whilst waiting on a train platform, an announcement is made to the waiting passengers as follows,
"due to a fault on the line, please expect further delays".
I'm in no doubt at all that this announcement would have left the passengers feeling concerned, confused and wondering what to do next. What the announcer should have taken the time to add is as follows,
"as we have not received any information from our control centre indicating the expected length of delay, you may like to consider hopping on bus number 19, leaving the bus stop adjacent to the station entrance in 7 minutes time. Otherwise, please continue to listen for further announcements, which we will endeavour to make every five minutes. Please also accept our sincere apologies for the delay and any inconvenience this may have caused you".
SIMPLE SOLUTION: People are silently begging to be told what to do next. If you can lead them to a specific outcome, they'll be putty in your hands! Whether it's instructions to go to a specific toll free number to get more information, or something they have to activate, like a membership number, whatever it is… tell them PRECISELY how to do it.
Web Audio, used correctly, will have a dramatic impact on the way in which your customers respond to you. They'll be so 'stuck' on your website and addicted to your audio messages, that you'll soon be sending out birthday cards to them!
FLASH AUDIO WIZARD has a simple in-built technology that'll give you the website personality you've always dreamed of. It's simple to use. It's easy to get started. Why not get your website 'speaking', today? Just visit www.FlashAudioWizard.com
Copyright 2004 Nick James
About The Author
Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product developer. During the last 3 years Nick has sold in excess of ?1 Million of products and services. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week at: www.Nick-James.com New Product: www.FlashAudioWizard.com.
Don't Use Web Audio The Wrong Way
by: Nick James
Have you ever wrestled with a set of instructions, but then got so frustrated with it all that you threw them aside in a fluster and tried to figure out how to do it… yourself?
Resulting in…Making a great big mess of it all?
Similarly, if you really want to use Web Audio the right way, the way that WORKS, then you need to know what DOESN'T work.
Here's what many people do, pretty systematically… to hinder their marketing and audio responses:
1. Speaking into the microphone without a care for what they're saying, how they're saying it and, without any regard to who's listening! That's pretty scary. Mumbling along without paying any attention to the small details. It's what could sink the hopes of many… FAST!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - Write out a little script. Then, rehearse it. After that, record it several times. Finally, choose the best of the lot and use it. See, I told you it was pretty simple.
2. Some feel that hiring a 'PROFESSIONAL' or 'DJ', to record the voice audio, is the way to go. Now, for some, that may seem a reasonable way out, but what's likely to happen is that the websites' PERSONALITY loses its authenticity. Somehow, most of us can detect when things seem out of sync. When things seem a little too… SLICK!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - If you really want to get someone else to do the voice audio for you, then make sure they've got a warm, natural personality that shines through in their voice. It'll win people over.
3. Sending the recorded audio message to your website, and then… FORGETTING ABOUT IT! Have you ever dialled a phone number, got an answer machine message that was either way out of date or just plain irrelevant? What an unprofessional image to portray. Well, that's why NOT attending to what's on your messages, could cripple you more than you'd know!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - Keep your audio updated! I'm not saying that you have to micro-manage it and change it every other day. But, keeping your messages fresh, alive and full of valuable, useful and usable information that addresses the needs of your audience… is what'll keep them loyal, attentive and eager to receive your future messages!
4. Leaving your audience mentally floating, not knowing what to do next. Have you ever experienced a scenario similar to this one: Whilst waiting on a train platform, an announcement is made to the waiting passengers as follows,
"due to a fault on the line, please expect further delays".
I'm in no doubt at all that this announcement would have left the passengers feeling concerned, confused and wondering what to do next. What the announcer should have taken the time to add is as follows,
"as we have not received any information from our control centre indicating the expected length of delay, you may like to consider hopping on bus number 19, leaving the bus stop adjacent to the station entrance in 7 minutes time. Otherwise, please continue to listen for further announcements, which we will endeavour to make every five minutes. Please also accept our sincere apologies for the delay and any inconvenience this may have caused you".
SIMPLE SOLUTION: People are silently begging to be told what to do next. If you can lead them to a specific outcome, they'll be putty in your hands! Whether it's instructions to go to a specific toll free number to get more information, or something they have to activate, like a membership number, whatever it is… tell them PRECISELY how to do it.
Web Audio, used correctly, will have a dramatic impact on the way in which your customers respond to you. They'll be so 'stuck' on your website and addicted to your audio messages, that you'll soon be sending out birthday cards to them!
FLASH AUDIO WIZARD has a simple in-built technology that'll give you the website personality you've always dreamed of. It's simple to use. It's easy to get started. Why not get your website 'speaking', today? Just visit www.FlashAudioWizard.com
Copyright 2004 Nick James
Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product developer. During the last 3 years Nick has sold in excess of ?1 Million of products and services. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week at: www.Nick-James.com New Product: www.FlashAudioWizard.com.
Have you ever wrestled with a set of instructions, but then got so frustrated with it all that you threw them aside in a fluster and tried to figure out how to do it… yourself?
Resulting in…Making a great big mess of it all?
Similarly, if you really want to use Web Audio the right way, the way that WORKS, then you need to know what DOESN'T work.
Here's what many people do, pretty systematically… to hinder their marketing and audio responses:
1. Speaking into the microphone without a care for what they're saying, how they're saying it and, without any regard to who's listening! That's pretty scary. Mumbling along without paying any attention to the small details. It's what could sink the hopes of many… FAST!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - Write out a little script. Then, rehearse it. After that, record it several times. Finally, choose the best of the lot and use it. See, I told you it was pretty simple.
2. Some feel that hiring a 'PROFESSIONAL' or 'DJ', to record the voice audio, is the way to go. Now, for some, that may seem a reasonable way out, but what's likely to happen is that the websites' PERSONALITY loses its authenticity. Somehow, most of us can detect when things seem out of sync. When things seem a little too… SLICK!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - If you really want to get someone else to do the voice audio for you, then make sure they've got a warm, natural personality that shines through in their voice. It'll win people over.
3. Sending the recorded audio message to your website, and then… FORGETTING ABOUT IT! Have you ever dialled a phone number, got an answer machine message that was either way out of date or just plain irrelevant? What an unprofessional image to portray. Well, that's why NOT attending to what's on your messages, could cripple you more than you'd know!
SIMPLE SOLUTION - Keep your audio updated! I'm not saying that you have to micro-manage it and change it every other day. But, keeping your messages fresh, alive and full of valuable, useful and usable information that addresses the needs of your audience… is what'll keep them loyal, attentive and eager to receive your future messages!
4. Leaving your audience mentally floating, not knowing what to do next. Have you ever experienced a scenario similar to this one: Whilst waiting on a train platform, an announcement is made to the waiting passengers as follows,
"due to a fault on the line, please expect further delays".
I'm in no doubt at all that this announcement would have left the passengers feeling concerned, confused and wondering what to do next. What the announcer should have taken the time to add is as follows,
"as we have not received any information from our control centre indicating the expected length of delay, you may like to consider hopping on bus number 19, leaving the bus stop adjacent to the station entrance in 7 minutes time. Otherwise, please continue to listen for further announcements, which we will endeavour to make every five minutes. Please also accept our sincere apologies for the delay and any inconvenience this may have caused you".
SIMPLE SOLUTION: People are silently begging to be told what to do next. If you can lead them to a specific outcome, they'll be putty in your hands! Whether it's instructions to go to a specific toll free number to get more information, or something they have to activate, like a membership number, whatever it is… tell them PRECISELY how to do it.
Web Audio, used correctly, will have a dramatic impact on the way in which your customers respond to you. They'll be so 'stuck' on your website and addicted to your audio messages, that you'll soon be sending out birthday cards to them!
FLASH AUDIO WIZARD has a simple in-built technology that'll give you the website personality you've always dreamed of. It's simple to use. It's easy to get started. Why not get your website 'speaking', today? Just visit www.FlashAudioWizard.com
Copyright 2004 Nick James
Nick James is a UK based direct marketer and product developer. During the last 3 years Nick has sold in excess of ?1 Million of products and services. Subscribe to his Free Tip Of The Week at: www.Nick-James.com New Product: www.FlashAudioWizard.com.
Create your own audio studio for under $100.
by: Quentin Brown
Creating your own audio studio has never been easier. There are so many great products around today that will allow you to produce high quality audio for a fraction of the price it used to cost.
HARDWARE
The first thing you will need is a compatible computer. Today every new computer is already set up with everything you will need. A basic sound card with a mic and line in jack. If you do not have a sound card they are very cheap and you can get a good one from any standard computer shop.
Next you will need a good mic. These come in all sizes and shapes with different configurations however a general all round mic like the Logitech Noise-canceling microphone is fine for beginners. I suggest you get a desk top one to start with as you may want to move into video later and so you wont want a headset in your videos.
Of course you could go up a stage and get a preamp with a professional mic but this will start running into dollars and the whole aim of this article ids to help you get started.
Next you will want to get some cables to connect up your tape recorder and other audio equipment. Again the computer stores now have packs that will connect up pretty well any device into your computer to digitalize your sound.
SOFTWARE - RECORDING
Recording your audio is probably one of the most critical parts of this process and again you can get software that ranges from free to many thousands of dollars. For this exercise I suggest you download the free copy of Audacity. This is an excellent software package that will allow you to record from your mic or any equipment you have.
It provides excellent editing capabilities and also will allow you to edit multiple tracks and then combine them into one single track. For a wuick overview of how to do this you can watch this video.
http://www.msincome.com.au/sound/testaudio.html
Download the software here. http://audacity.sourceforge.net
SOFTWARE - CONVERTING
The next piece of software you will need for your studio is a converting program that will allow you to convert different formats. For example you may have a real audio file and you want to convert it to mp3. dBpoweramp is like the swiss army
knife for the audio industry and will convert just about any file to any other file format.
Convert from one format to another, just about every audio type is supported: mp3, mp4, Windows Media Audio (wma), Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Monkeys Audio, FLAC and many others whilst preserving ID Tags. It will also rip CDs for you.
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm
SOFTWARE - REDUCTION
If you are going to stream an mp3 direct then you may want to recompile the file to a smaller format. RazorLame is a so-called "front-end" for use with LAME. LAME is a great MP3-Encoder: it's very fast, it produces high-quality files, has many advanced features (like Variable Bitrates and Joint-Stereo), and it's open source. Unfortunately, it is a command line utility, and that is where RazorLame comes in: It provides an easy-to-use graphical user-interface which makes MP3-encoding even easier!
The best way to use this software is to get one file and compile in a number of different formats to test the size against quality. Very similar to working with graphics.
http://www.dors.de/razorlame/download.php
SOFTWARE – STREAMING
There are a few different ways of streaming your new audio files. If you have Macromedia products you can simple organize this your self however there are some great third party programs around that will do it all for you at a fraction of the cost.
MP3 SOUND STREAM
This is a simple piece of software that takes any mp3 or wav audio and converts the whole file into a swf file and then attaches a button so that viewers can listen on a web page without needing to download any extra software. This is because the flash plugin is on 98% of computesr and if not it will automatically detect and load the small plugin. This is great for anyone not wanting to get ino all the technical aspects of streaming audio.
You will not need to reduce your files at all with this program as it doers it all for you. This is perfect for anyone wanting to stream one file at a time and wants to do it quickly and efficiently. It will stream even over most modem connections.
http://www.mp3soundstream
MSIJUKEBOX
For people wanting to stream a number of files then msijukebox is a great alternative. This software lets you choose any number of mp3 files and then organizes them using an XML file. By using the above free programs you can significantly reduce the size of these files to save on bandwidth.
Because MSIJukebox streams the actual mp3 you can also have a lot higher quality playback including stereo files. This is much better for those wanting to stream a number of very high quality mp3 audio files.
http://www.msijukebox.com
SUMMARY
So there you have it. A complete studio set up for under $100. Just download all the free software and purchase any of the streaming audio setups that you want. You can then create, edit and manipulate any audio files you like. You will also be able to add these audios to your website.
With the web surfer becoming much more "web savvy" than they were a year ago, they are expecting not only information but an entertaining web experience.
About the Author
Quentin Brown has been helping people add audio to their web sites for the past two years and provides a wealth of knowledge and expertise for those who are technically challenged but want to make use of new technology without spending a fortune. http://www.quentinbrown.com
Creating your own audio studio has never been easier. There are so many great products around today that will allow you to produce high quality audio for a fraction of the price it used to cost.
HARDWARE
The first thing you will need is a compatible computer. Today every new computer is already set up with everything you will need. A basic sound card with a mic and line in jack. If you do not have a sound card they are very cheap and you can get a good one from any standard computer shop.
Next you will need a good mic. These come in all sizes and shapes with different configurations however a general all round mic like the Logitech Noise-canceling microphone is fine for beginners. I suggest you get a desk top one to start with as you may want to move into video later and so you wont want a headset in your videos.
Of course you could go up a stage and get a preamp with a professional mic but this will start running into dollars and the whole aim of this article ids to help you get started.
Next you will want to get some cables to connect up your tape recorder and other audio equipment. Again the computer stores now have packs that will connect up pretty well any device into your computer to digitalize your sound.
SOFTWARE - RECORDING
Recording your audio is probably one of the most critical parts of this process and again you can get software that ranges from free to many thousands of dollars. For this exercise I suggest you download the free copy of Audacity. This is an excellent software package that will allow you to record from your mic or any equipment you have.
It provides excellent editing capabilities and also will allow you to edit multiple tracks and then combine them into one single track. For a wuick overview of how to do this you can watch this video.
http://www.msincome.com.au/sound/testaudio.html
Download the software here. http://audacity.sourceforge.net
SOFTWARE - CONVERTING
The next piece of software you will need for your studio is a converting program that will allow you to convert different formats. For example you may have a real audio file and you want to convert it to mp3. dBpoweramp is like the swiss army
knife for the audio industry and will convert just about any file to any other file format.
Convert from one format to another, just about every audio type is supported: mp3, mp4, Windows Media Audio (wma), Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Monkeys Audio, FLAC and many others whilst preserving ID Tags. It will also rip CDs for you.
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm
SOFTWARE - REDUCTION
If you are going to stream an mp3 direct then you may want to recompile the file to a smaller format. RazorLame is a so-called "front-end" for use with LAME. LAME is a great MP3-Encoder: it's very fast, it produces high-quality files, has many advanced features (like Variable Bitrates and Joint-Stereo), and it's open source. Unfortunately, it is a command line utility, and that is where RazorLame comes in: It provides an easy-to-use graphical user-interface which makes MP3-encoding even easier!
The best way to use this software is to get one file and compile in a number of different formats to test the size against quality. Very similar to working with graphics.
http://www.dors.de/razorlame/download.php
SOFTWARE – STREAMING
There are a few different ways of streaming your new audio files. If you have Macromedia products you can simple organize this your self however there are some great third party programs around that will do it all for you at a fraction of the cost.
MP3 SOUND STREAM
This is a simple piece of software that takes any mp3 or wav audio and converts the whole file into a swf file and then attaches a button so that viewers can listen on a web page without needing to download any extra software. This is because the flash plugin is on 98% of computesr and if not it will automatically detect and load the small plugin. This is great for anyone not wanting to get ino all the technical aspects of streaming audio.
You will not need to reduce your files at all with this program as it doers it all for you. This is perfect for anyone wanting to stream one file at a time and wants to do it quickly and efficiently. It will stream even over most modem connections.
http://www.mp3soundstream
MSIJUKEBOX
For people wanting to stream a number of files then msijukebox is a great alternative. This software lets you choose any number of mp3 files and then organizes them using an XML file. By using the above free programs you can significantly reduce the size of these files to save on bandwidth.
Because MSIJukebox streams the actual mp3 you can also have a lot higher quality playback including stereo files. This is much better for those wanting to stream a number of very high quality mp3 audio files.
http://www.msijukebox.com
SUMMARY
So there you have it. A complete studio set up for under $100. Just download all the free software and purchase any of the streaming audio setups that you want. You can then create, edit and manipulate any audio files you like. You will also be able to add these audios to your website.
With the web surfer becoming much more "web savvy" than they were a year ago, they are expecting not only information but an entertaining web experience.
About the Author
Quentin Brown has been helping people add audio to their web sites for the past two years and provides a wealth of knowledge and expertise for those who are technically challenged but want to make use of new technology without spending a fortune. http://www.quentinbrown.com
Classic Montrose Debut Released on Audio Fidelity’s 24 Karat
by: Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marshall Blonstein
Audio Fidelity
870 East Front Street, #4
Ventura, CA 93001
Telephone: (866) 203-0647
Fax:(805) 648-7552
E-mail: info@audiofidelity.net
Website: www.audiofidelity.net
Ventura, CA--07/12/05--In late 2001, after fifteen years as the main force behind DCC's success, Marshall Blonstein resigned as President and Chairman of The Board of DCC Compact Classics to form Audio Fidelity. He has continued his tremendous success with the label and started his own series of gold disc releases.
Collectors around the world covet the 24 Karat gold discs and there is one available now, that will have rock fans and audiophiles alike licking their chops. The classic rock-metal self-titled Montrose album. Preceding the Montrose release the series kicked off with the Doobie Brothers Minute By Minute and the Faces A Nod Is As Good As A Wink.
The buzz has already started in rock circles. Once people hear the meaty Montrose power chords pounding through their speakers and Sammy Hagar singing lines from “Rock Candy” like “You’re rock candy baby, hot sweet and sticky” again, this classic rock album will most certainly relive all the success it experienced when it was released in 1973.
The lyrics are still smoldering after all these years and so is Ronnie Montrose’s guitar. His legacy holds a lot of weight 32 years later and it is evident that he influenced legions of guitar players with this album.
This 24 Karat Gold discs have a clear and even sound afforded by the meticulous process of sourcing the music from the original master tapes then converting it from analog to digital. Music fans have a lot to look forward to in coming months, Audio Fidelity will be releasing the self-titled Bad Company debut and one of the best from the Deep Purple catalog Who Do We Think We Are.
For More Information on Audio Fidelity Releases: http://www.audiofidelity.net
###
About the Author
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck conducts interviews, writes reviews, biographies, press releases and articles for Independent and Major artists Worldwide. Articles are dispersed on a vast network of websites. Links to sites with great music content are provided on my Homepage and Links Page.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marshall Blonstein
Audio Fidelity
870 East Front Street, #4
Ventura, CA 93001
Telephone: (866) 203-0647
Fax:(805) 648-7552
E-mail: info@audiofidelity.net
Website: www.audiofidelity.net
Ventura, CA--07/12/05--In late 2001, after fifteen years as the main force behind DCC's success, Marshall Blonstein resigned as President and Chairman of The Board of DCC Compact Classics to form Audio Fidelity. He has continued his tremendous success with the label and started his own series of gold disc releases.
Collectors around the world covet the 24 Karat gold discs and there is one available now, that will have rock fans and audiophiles alike licking their chops. The classic rock-metal self-titled Montrose album. Preceding the Montrose release the series kicked off with the Doobie Brothers Minute By Minute and the Faces A Nod Is As Good As A Wink.
The buzz has already started in rock circles. Once people hear the meaty Montrose power chords pounding through their speakers and Sammy Hagar singing lines from “Rock Candy” like “You’re rock candy baby, hot sweet and sticky” again, this classic rock album will most certainly relive all the success it experienced when it was released in 1973.
The lyrics are still smoldering after all these years and so is Ronnie Montrose’s guitar. His legacy holds a lot of weight 32 years later and it is evident that he influenced legions of guitar players with this album.
This 24 Karat Gold discs have a clear and even sound afforded by the meticulous process of sourcing the music from the original master tapes then converting it from analog to digital. Music fans have a lot to look forward to in coming months, Audio Fidelity will be releasing the self-titled Bad Company debut and one of the best from the Deep Purple catalog Who Do We Think We Are.
For More Information on Audio Fidelity Releases: http://www.audiofidelity.net
###
About the Author
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck conducts interviews, writes reviews, biographies, press releases and articles for Independent and Major artists Worldwide. Articles are dispersed on a vast network of websites. Links to sites with great music content are provided on my Homepage and Links Page.
Broadcasting Mp3 Audio Via Computer, The Looney Tune World O
by: Sunny Hills
Podcasting Is A New Form Of Fun Stuff
To Do On The Computer.
The Ipod Was Made For Music Downloads,
But The Reality Is That It Has Created
A Launch Of Mini Shows,
That Are Uncut And Cheap To Produce.
Every Event You Can Imagine Is A
Potential Contender As A Reality Radio
Broadcast Show From Rio To Cape Cod,
And From Boston To Broadway.
CB Radio,i.e. Ham Radio, Was Developed
As Radio For The People, But
Now Another Page In The Consumer Notebook
Of Modern History Has Turned.
Any Music Concert Can Become An Mp3,
Whether It’s By Players Like Eminem
& 50cent Or Country Music And
Guitar Songs Dedicated To Andy Griffeth.
Mp3 Audio Can Include A Report From
A Reality TV Show To A Las Vegas Show,
To A Looney Tune Review,
And It Can Range From Humor To Commentaries
On The Weather, Oprah Winfrey & American Idol,
The Titanic, The Da Vinci Code,
Or Even A Live Sex Show In Harmony Hall.
They’re All Now Available As A Downloadable
Music Composition, A Video Or Even A Slide Show
On Your Computer,
And I Wouldn’t Be Surprised If
Some Of These Shows Show Up On Sirius Radio,
XM Radio Or Other Satellite Radio Shows,
Conventional Radio Or Even On TV.
The Ipod Is A Creative Way To Download
Digital Music Automatically Via Computer
Around The Clock, By Virtue Of Podcasting.
This Is Not About Downloading Online Music
Onto Your Computer Via Music File Sharing.
This Is About The Bone Thug Across The Street
Writing A Music Lyric On His Computer
Calling It A Skin Tune
By Frankie J & Lil Jon Luny Mas,
And With No Harmony Or Melody,
Having A Ball, Because Some Stranger
In Central Louisville Looking For
Cheap Music Downloads Records It
To His Mp3 Player While Waiting
For A Pizza Delivery.
The Apple Ipod Is Not A Technology
Whose Life Is Limited To A
Trade Show Display.
It’s In The Hands Of The People.
Podcasting Is Way Bigger Than
Two Way Radio Or Any Online Computer Game,
And It’s Not Limited To The
Ipod Mp3 Player Or Even The Rio Sport
Mp3 Player.
Newer Models Are Creating Competition
And Getting Cheaper, Just Like All
Computer Technology Always Does.
Just Look At The DVD Player.
Ipod Is Getting The Credit,
But Adam Curry, Former Music Video DJ
And MTV Host In The 1980’s,
Is The Central Player In RSS
(Real Simple Syndication).
A Music Download To A Mini Portable
Mp3 Player Is Not New, The Ipod Buzz Is.
Podcasting Is Going To Be Big.
I Feel Lucky To Have Gotten In On It
At An Early Stage,
With My Daily Podcast Sunny Thought Of The Day.
It Supplements My Free Affirmations By E-Mail.
So Now You Have 2 Free Ways To Get
Positive Thinking From Me.
I Was Interviewed Last Month
In The Honolulu Star Bulletin,
Who Told Me I Was The Only Daily Podcaster
In The State Of Hawaii.
Since Then I’ve Found Out I’m One
Of Only A Handful Who Podcast Daily
In The Entire World.
And My Radio Interviews – I Was Interviewed
By Positive Purpose Radio Host Kevin Mcdonald,
On KLAY AM Radio In The Seattle Area,
5 Times – 1 Hour Each – Those Shows
Were All Podcast Internationally, Too.
Welcome To The Future!
It’s Evolving One Day At A Time.
Why Not Hit The Computer Airwaves Yourself?
And Start Podcasting Today!
About The Author
Sunny Hills is The Affirmations Coach (TM). He retired from business and moved to Maui at age 47. His Free Daily Audio Mp3, Streaming Audio and Podcast: "Sunny Thought of the Day" is available at www.SunnyThoughts.com. His Free Daily Positive Thoughts by e-mail are found here -> http://www.sunnythoughts.com/newha105signup.htm
Podcasting Is A New Form Of Fun Stuff
To Do On The Computer.
The Ipod Was Made For Music Downloads,
But The Reality Is That It Has Created
A Launch Of Mini Shows,
That Are Uncut And Cheap To Produce.
Every Event You Can Imagine Is A
Potential Contender As A Reality Radio
Broadcast Show From Rio To Cape Cod,
And From Boston To Broadway.
CB Radio,i.e. Ham Radio, Was Developed
As Radio For The People, But
Now Another Page In The Consumer Notebook
Of Modern History Has Turned.
Any Music Concert Can Become An Mp3,
Whether It’s By Players Like Eminem
& 50cent Or Country Music And
Guitar Songs Dedicated To Andy Griffeth.
Mp3 Audio Can Include A Report From
A Reality TV Show To A Las Vegas Show,
To A Looney Tune Review,
And It Can Range From Humor To Commentaries
On The Weather, Oprah Winfrey & American Idol,
The Titanic, The Da Vinci Code,
Or Even A Live Sex Show In Harmony Hall.
They’re All Now Available As A Downloadable
Music Composition, A Video Or Even A Slide Show
On Your Computer,
And I Wouldn’t Be Surprised If
Some Of These Shows Show Up On Sirius Radio,
XM Radio Or Other Satellite Radio Shows,
Conventional Radio Or Even On TV.
The Ipod Is A Creative Way To Download
Digital Music Automatically Via Computer
Around The Clock, By Virtue Of Podcasting.
This Is Not About Downloading Online Music
Onto Your Computer Via Music File Sharing.
This Is About The Bone Thug Across The Street
Writing A Music Lyric On His Computer
Calling It A Skin Tune
By Frankie J & Lil Jon Luny Mas,
And With No Harmony Or Melody,
Having A Ball, Because Some Stranger
In Central Louisville Looking For
Cheap Music Downloads Records It
To His Mp3 Player While Waiting
For A Pizza Delivery.
The Apple Ipod Is Not A Technology
Whose Life Is Limited To A
Trade Show Display.
It’s In The Hands Of The People.
Podcasting Is Way Bigger Than
Two Way Radio Or Any Online Computer Game,
And It’s Not Limited To The
Ipod Mp3 Player Or Even The Rio Sport
Mp3 Player.
Newer Models Are Creating Competition
And Getting Cheaper, Just Like All
Computer Technology Always Does.
Just Look At The DVD Player.
Ipod Is Getting The Credit,
But Adam Curry, Former Music Video DJ
And MTV Host In The 1980’s,
Is The Central Player In RSS
(Real Simple Syndication).
A Music Download To A Mini Portable
Mp3 Player Is Not New, The Ipod Buzz Is.
Podcasting Is Going To Be Big.
I Feel Lucky To Have Gotten In On It
At An Early Stage,
With My Daily Podcast Sunny Thought Of The Day.
It Supplements My Free Affirmations By E-Mail.
So Now You Have 2 Free Ways To Get
Positive Thinking From Me.
I Was Interviewed Last Month
In The Honolulu Star Bulletin,
Who Told Me I Was The Only Daily Podcaster
In The State Of Hawaii.
Since Then I’ve Found Out I’m One
Of Only A Handful Who Podcast Daily
In The Entire World.
And My Radio Interviews – I Was Interviewed
By Positive Purpose Radio Host Kevin Mcdonald,
On KLAY AM Radio In The Seattle Area,
5 Times – 1 Hour Each – Those Shows
Were All Podcast Internationally, Too.
Welcome To The Future!
It’s Evolving One Day At A Time.
Why Not Hit The Computer Airwaves Yourself?
And Start Podcasting Today!
About The Author
Sunny Hills is The Affirmations Coach (TM). He retired from business and moved to Maui at age 47. His Free Daily Audio Mp3, Streaming Audio and Podcast: "Sunny Thought of the Day" is available at www.SunnyThoughts.com. His Free Daily Positive Thoughts by e-mail are found here -> http://www.sunnythoughts.com/newha105signup.htm
BREAK THROUGH THE CLUTTER WITH AUDIO BANNERS
by: Ronni Rhodes
"A horse is a horse, of course, of course, his name is
Mister Ed!" Do any of you remember that silly jingle
from the television show?
That's not really important anyway. What IS important
is that Ed, the talking horse, was quite a phenomenon
back in the 60's. Ed talked, reasoned and displayed
traits unlike any of his animal brethren.
There is a lesson here, of course. Millions of people
watched Mr. Ed every week just because he WAS
different. And that leads us right smack-dab into a
discussion about your banner advertising campaigns.
Those poor maligned banners. Once the darlings of
Internet advertisers, they've really been getting
bad-rapped lately due to their failure to lure web
surfers into clicking-thru and creating sales. But is
it the fault of the banners or have they become so
ubiquitous that the surfer hardly notices them? Why
don't we make those banners so inviting and
entertaining that users won't be able to click fast
enough?
I think that content providers are too focused on
consumers as "sets of eyeballs." We need to look at
these people first as users and, secondly, as members
of our online audience. And audiences have come to
expect advertising wrapped in a very entertaining
package. An essential part of that package is
streaming audio.
Streaming audio has become a whole new industry for
the Web. As more and more people listen to music
online and web-based radio, advertisers are taking
notice. These listeners, fondly called "streamies,"
are devoted Internet users and active online
shoppers. They are a valuable audience as they're 70
percent more likely to have made an online purchase
than a non-streamie. Arbitron Internet Information
Services says that streamies are quite ready to accept
web advertising in exchange for free programming, and
they're more receptive and influential targets.
How can we begin to use these statistics to leverage
the effectiveness of banner ads?
Java based audio presentations can be fully integrated
into your banner advertising. Why Java based, you
ask? Most important is the fact that no plug-in or
complicated player installation is required on the
part of the viewer. (The "impulse to click" is not
thwarted by the user having to take additional
actions.) The size of Java files are relatively small
as well thereby minimizing the page load issue. And,
because Java is cross platform, you can be comfortable
knowing that the majority of visitors will be able to
enjoy the presentation. Java is versatile and works
well with almost any application.
What can be done with these banners? Audio can be
synchronized with your banner images and text to
deliver eye and ear pleasing messages. Slide shows
can be placed within the banner. Relevant product
information can be imparted quickly and effectively
before the visitor is ever asked to click through to
the website. Special offers and promotions can be
referenced to entice the shopper. No longer are
viewers merely spectators; they are active
participants.
Interactive audio banners provide the consumer with
the ability to listen to more detailed information and
even to initiate the purchaseing function directly from the
banner itself. This really helps to capture that
"impulse" purchaseer right at the time he's most anxious to
purchase. Because it's interactive, a web visitor can
directly respond to it.
The power of audio should not be underestimated.
People would still rather hear about something than
spend time reading or sorting out passing images.
Keep in mind that museums and other institutions have
offered tours for years that are accompanied by audio
scripts designed to educate the visitor yet allowing
the eye to roam freely and absorb the creative on an
individual basis.
Audio banners can also add a personal appeal to the
visitor. Use the banner to tell a story about the
product or service that invokes an emotional
response. Talk about the product's benefits to the
consumer and how the product will improve his
life/work/relationships. Use the banner to whet
people's appetites for additional information. Never
lose sight of the fact that people make purchaseing
decisions based on emotional reasons and design your
banner presentation accordingly.
It is far too early for any of us to dismiss the
banner ad as an idea whose time has past. We have to
step back, take an objective view, and start thinking
about how we can make them more than just billboards.
As the Internet leaves its infancy and enters the
"toddler" stage, we need to remind ourselves that
we're still dealing with a new medium. And that this
new medium is still largely unexplored.
About the Author
Ronni Rhodes is the owner of WBC Imaging, an Internet
company that specializes in web site enhancement
utilizing streaming media technology. With her
husband, Don, a broadcast engineer, they work with
companies to incorporate streaming as part of
successful and meaningful sales and marketing
programs.
Please direct all questions and comments to:
Ronni@wbcimaging.com
520-742-5780
http://www.wbcimaging.com
"A horse is a horse, of course, of course, his name is
Mister Ed!" Do any of you remember that silly jingle
from the television show?
That's not really important anyway. What IS important
is that Ed, the talking horse, was quite a phenomenon
back in the 60's. Ed talked, reasoned and displayed
traits unlike any of his animal brethren.
There is a lesson here, of course. Millions of people
watched Mr. Ed every week just because he WAS
different. And that leads us right smack-dab into a
discussion about your banner advertising campaigns.
Those poor maligned banners. Once the darlings of
Internet advertisers, they've really been getting
bad-rapped lately due to their failure to lure web
surfers into clicking-thru and creating sales. But is
it the fault of the banners or have they become so
ubiquitous that the surfer hardly notices them? Why
don't we make those banners so inviting and
entertaining that users won't be able to click fast
enough?
I think that content providers are too focused on
consumers as "sets of eyeballs." We need to look at
these people first as users and, secondly, as members
of our online audience. And audiences have come to
expect advertising wrapped in a very entertaining
package. An essential part of that package is
streaming audio.
Streaming audio has become a whole new industry for
the Web. As more and more people listen to music
online and web-based radio, advertisers are taking
notice. These listeners, fondly called "streamies,"
are devoted Internet users and active online
shoppers. They are a valuable audience as they're 70
percent more likely to have made an online purchase
than a non-streamie. Arbitron Internet Information
Services says that streamies are quite ready to accept
web advertising in exchange for free programming, and
they're more receptive and influential targets.
How can we begin to use these statistics to leverage
the effectiveness of banner ads?
Java based audio presentations can be fully integrated
into your banner advertising. Why Java based, you
ask? Most important is the fact that no plug-in or
complicated player installation is required on the
part of the viewer. (The "impulse to click" is not
thwarted by the user having to take additional
actions.) The size of Java files are relatively small
as well thereby minimizing the page load issue. And,
because Java is cross platform, you can be comfortable
knowing that the majority of visitors will be able to
enjoy the presentation. Java is versatile and works
well with almost any application.
What can be done with these banners? Audio can be
synchronized with your banner images and text to
deliver eye and ear pleasing messages. Slide shows
can be placed within the banner. Relevant product
information can be imparted quickly and effectively
before the visitor is ever asked to click through to
the website. Special offers and promotions can be
referenced to entice the shopper. No longer are
viewers merely spectators; they are active
participants.
Interactive audio banners provide the consumer with
the ability to listen to more detailed information and
even to initiate the purchaseing function directly from the
banner itself. This really helps to capture that
"impulse" purchaseer right at the time he's most anxious to
purchase. Because it's interactive, a web visitor can
directly respond to it.
The power of audio should not be underestimated.
People would still rather hear about something than
spend time reading or sorting out passing images.
Keep in mind that museums and other institutions have
offered tours for years that are accompanied by audio
scripts designed to educate the visitor yet allowing
the eye to roam freely and absorb the creative on an
individual basis.
Audio banners can also add a personal appeal to the
visitor. Use the banner to tell a story about the
product or service that invokes an emotional
response. Talk about the product's benefits to the
consumer and how the product will improve his
life/work/relationships. Use the banner to whet
people's appetites for additional information. Never
lose sight of the fact that people make purchaseing
decisions based on emotional reasons and design your
banner presentation accordingly.
It is far too early for any of us to dismiss the
banner ad as an idea whose time has past. We have to
step back, take an objective view, and start thinking
about how we can make them more than just billboards.
As the Internet leaves its infancy and enters the
"toddler" stage, we need to remind ourselves that
we're still dealing with a new medium. And that this
new medium is still largely unexplored.
About the Author
Ronni Rhodes is the owner of WBC Imaging, an Internet
company that specializes in web site enhancement
utilizing streaming media technology. With her
husband, Don, a broadcast engineer, they work with
companies to incorporate streaming as part of
successful and meaningful sales and marketing
programs.
Please direct all questions and comments to:
Ronni@wbcimaging.com
520-742-5780
http://www.wbcimaging.com
Boosting Your eBay Auction Profits: Just Add Audio
by: Mike Nalbone
Are You Getting The Highest Possible Profits From Your Ebay Auctions? Here's a tip: Add audio to your auctions.
According to a recent report, adding audio to your eBay auctions could increase bids by as much as 22% over auctions without audio.
A recent trend showing up on a lot of websites is the addition of an audio clip. The clip is a personal message by the author or the website owner encouraging you to take advantage of what they offer.
The psychology behind this technique is really Marketing 101. It's called personalization. An audio clip added to your eBay auction allows you to personally tell the potential bidder about the product. Using your own voice allows you to make contact with the bidder on a personal level that written words cannot. Because, that's what your eBay auction really is...It's just a long written classified ad asking the bidder to make an offer to purchase your item.
Prior to the advent of the telephone the only reliable way to communicate long distance was by writing letters. It was not unusual back then for lovers to write each other daily or weekly. The decline of letter writing is a well documented event that coincides with the advent of the telephone.
With audio you can describe the item, tell the bidder why you are selling it or even communicate with them about your refund policy or provide your contact information. The possibilities are almost unlimited as a way to establish a rapport with the bidder.
But, the most important reason to add audio clips is that it makes it easy to convey excitement and invoke emotion, giving you a really powerful selling-edge.
How to add audio to a web site:
The simplest way is to upload a .wav or Mp3 file to a website and provide a link to the file. When the bidder clicks on the link his or her computer will automatically recognize the file and play it with the audio player on the bidders computer.
There are some drawbacks to this method. If the bidder's computer doesn't recognize the file it won't play. The overall effect is not as professional as it could be and it distracts the bidder. If you are a reasonably tech savvy type you can easily deal with the drawbacks of this approach.
For the rest of us, there are a number of software solutions and websites that will simplify the task of adding audio to our eBay auctions.
Here are two:
Audio Maker Pro - http://audiomaker.thynke.com - (The one I use and recommend)
Sound Streamer - http://soundstreamer.thynke.com - (Less expensive)
Different programs and websites range from charging a one time fee to monthly fees for the use of the program. The good news is that many will let you test them for as little as $1 for a trial basis or let you download a demo version to see how well it will work for you.
Mike Nalbone is an author, editor, publisher and webmaster who earns a living full-time on the Net. For more, exclusive eBay profit tips like this one, visit: http://auction-tips.thynke.com
About the Author
Mike Nalbone is an author, editor, publisher and webmaster who earns a living full-time on the Net. For more, exclusive eBay profit tips like this one, visit: http://auction-tips.thynke.com
Are You Getting The Highest Possible Profits From Your Ebay Auctions? Here's a tip: Add audio to your auctions.
According to a recent report, adding audio to your eBay auctions could increase bids by as much as 22% over auctions without audio.
A recent trend showing up on a lot of websites is the addition of an audio clip. The clip is a personal message by the author or the website owner encouraging you to take advantage of what they offer.
The psychology behind this technique is really Marketing 101. It's called personalization. An audio clip added to your eBay auction allows you to personally tell the potential bidder about the product. Using your own voice allows you to make contact with the bidder on a personal level that written words cannot. Because, that's what your eBay auction really is...It's just a long written classified ad asking the bidder to make an offer to purchase your item.
Prior to the advent of the telephone the only reliable way to communicate long distance was by writing letters. It was not unusual back then for lovers to write each other daily or weekly. The decline of letter writing is a well documented event that coincides with the advent of the telephone.
With audio you can describe the item, tell the bidder why you are selling it or even communicate with them about your refund policy or provide your contact information. The possibilities are almost unlimited as a way to establish a rapport with the bidder.
But, the most important reason to add audio clips is that it makes it easy to convey excitement and invoke emotion, giving you a really powerful selling-edge.
How to add audio to a web site:
The simplest way is to upload a .wav or Mp3 file to a website and provide a link to the file. When the bidder clicks on the link his or her computer will automatically recognize the file and play it with the audio player on the bidders computer.
There are some drawbacks to this method. If the bidder's computer doesn't recognize the file it won't play. The overall effect is not as professional as it could be and it distracts the bidder. If you are a reasonably tech savvy type you can easily deal with the drawbacks of this approach.
For the rest of us, there are a number of software solutions and websites that will simplify the task of adding audio to our eBay auctions.
Here are two:
Audio Maker Pro - http://audiomaker.thynke.com - (The one I use and recommend)
Sound Streamer - http://soundstreamer.thynke.com - (Less expensive)
Different programs and websites range from charging a one time fee to monthly fees for the use of the program. The good news is that many will let you test them for as little as $1 for a trial basis or let you download a demo version to see how well it will work for you.
Mike Nalbone is an author, editor, publisher and webmaster who earns a living full-time on the Net. For more, exclusive eBay profit tips like this one, visit: http://auction-tips.thynke.com
About the Author
Mike Nalbone is an author, editor, publisher and webmaster who earns a living full-time on the Net. For more, exclusive eBay profit tips like this one, visit: http://auction-tips.thynke.com
Boost your web sales with streaming audio
by: Steve Nichols
What do you do with your intranet or internet site once you’ve added words and pictures? How about adding audio as well?
Audio is friendly, direct and ideally suited to getting complex messages across in a short space of time.
It's now getting easier to add audio to the net, thanks to increasing bandwidths and innovative new ways of compressing data.
The problem has been that CD-quality audio has traditionally been the preserve of ISDN- and ADSL-equipped users. Basically, there has been too much data to fit down the pipe.
But, borrowing on the same techniques that are used to compress digital photographic images, it is now possible to compress sound to make it fit down a standard dial-up 56KBps modem line.
The trick is to compress the audio in a way that doesn’t sound offensive to the ear, but can still pass along the line at about 3 kilobytes per second, given that a dial-up modem downloads at about 4-ish kilobytes per second.
The next trick is to use streaming technology that can start to play the audio while it is still downloading. As a long as it is downloads fast enough you don’t get annoying stops and starts. You should also end up with a "buffer". In many cases, the whole audio file will have downloaded long before the user has finished listening to it.
The volume of online streaming audio grew by 118 per cent last year, according to market researchers US-based AccuStream iMedia Research and the top ten internet radio stations received an average of 137.5m tuning hours in the same period, up from 63m in 2003.
Typical audio formats are Real’s Radio Player (as chosen by the BBC), the ubiquitous MP3 (as featured on thousands of youngster’s personal hi-fis) and Macromedia Flash.
MP3SoundStream (http://www.mp3soundstream.com/cgi-bin/cppro/go.cgi?snichols1) uses Flash and works well as 98% of computers already have the Flash plug-in and the rest can easily download it. Flash takes the MP3 file, combines it with an audio controller button and streams it for you off any server, which means low-cost and ease of use.
So once you have the technology in place, what can you record? The answer is anything. Adding audio to an intranet lets you record a weekly message from the CEO or a sales message. Or why not have a weekly news round-up?
The audio can either be recorded straight into your PC via a microphone and soundcard, or recorded on a Minidisc recorder and then digitised into the computer. Once there you can add music, voiceovers, cuts and fades with a program like Adobe Audition or Sony Soundforge. Music can be bought online for just a few pounds and you can even use free audio editing programmes, like Audacity.
What was once the preserve of the BBC and other high-end radio studios is now available on a desktop computer near you - but only if you have the skills to match.
FAQs (291 words)
Q. What is streaming audio?
A. It is audio delivered to your computer that can be listened to while it is still downloading.
Q. What’s the advantage over other audio formats?
A. You don’t get an annoying delay while the whole file downloads.
Q. What do listeners need to have on their computer?
A. A soundcard and speaker(s) or headphones, their normal browser software and a so-called plug-in – a small piece of software that converts the data into sound.
Q. This all sounds expensive. Is it?
A. Not really. You can get free programs to record your sound, a computer microphone costs less than a tenner and there are free audio editing programs available on the net. You then need to convert the audio file to a streaming format, but there is an increasing amount of software available to do that too. You also need to think about a MiniDisc recorder as these have superseded cassette tape for most applications. Royalty-free background and intro music is available on CD and via the web for a small fee.
I recommend MP3SoundStream (http://www.mp3soundstream.com/cgi-bin/cppro/go.cgi?snichols1). Its great, very easy to use and only costs $39.95. Another alternative is Sound Streamer at $34.95 (http://hop.clickbank.net/?snichols/soundstrmr).
Q. What is the quality like?
A. Judge for yourself - visit www.infotechcomms.co.uk/info10.htm and listen to the demonstration programmes. The trick is to get the quality as high as you can, but still make it playable on an average modem-equipped home computer. Once everyone has broadband it will be CD-quality for all.
Q. How do I find out more?
A. There is a great ebook available called Audio C4 (http://hop.clickbank.net/?snichols/audioc4). It only costs $29.95 and is worth its weight in gold. There is a list of useful links at http://www.infotechcomms.co.uk/info11.htm
ENDS
Q. This all sounds expensive - is it?
A. Not really. You can get free programs to record your sound, a computer microphone costs virtually nothing and there are free audio editing programs available on the net. You then need to convert the audio file to a streaming format, but there is an increasing amount of software available to do that too
I recommend MP3SoundStream (http://www.mp3soundstream.com/cgi-bin/cppro/go.cgi?snichols1). Its great, very easy to use and only costs $39.95. Another alternative is Sound Streamer at $34.95 (http://hop.clickbank.net/?snichols/soundstrmr) or Audio Maker Pro (http://hop.clickbank.net/?snichols/audiomkr).
You also need to think about a MiniDisc recorder as these have superseded cassette tape for most applications. Royalty-free background and intro music is available on CD and via the web for a small fee.
Q. How do I find out more?
A. There is a great ebook available called Audio C4. It only costs $29.95 and is worth its weight in gold.
Q. What is the quality like?
A. Judge for yourself - visit www.infotechcomms.co.uk/info10.htm and listen to the demonstration programmes. The trick is to get the quality as high as you can, but still make it playable on an average modem-equipped home computer. Once everyone has broadband it will be CD-quality for all.
About the Author
Steve Nichols is a freelance journalist who runs InfoTech Communications (www.infotechcomms.co.uk). A background in radio means that Steve was ideally placed to take advantage of the arrival of streaming audio via the web.
What do you do with your intranet or internet site once you’ve added words and pictures? How about adding audio as well?
Audio is friendly, direct and ideally suited to getting complex messages across in a short space of time.
It's now getting easier to add audio to the net, thanks to increasing bandwidths and innovative new ways of compressing data.
The problem has been that CD-quality audio has traditionally been the preserve of ISDN- and ADSL-equipped users. Basically, there has been too much data to fit down the pipe.
But, borrowing on the same techniques that are used to compress digital photographic images, it is now possible to compress sound to make it fit down a standard dial-up 56KBps modem line.
The trick is to compress the audio in a way that doesn’t sound offensive to the ear, but can still pass along the line at about 3 kilobytes per second, given that a dial-up modem downloads at about 4-ish kilobytes per second.
The next trick is to use streaming technology that can start to play the audio while it is still downloading. As a long as it is downloads fast enough you don’t get annoying stops and starts. You should also end up with a "buffer". In many cases, the whole audio file will have downloaded long before the user has finished listening to it.
The volume of online streaming audio grew by 118 per cent last year, according to market researchers US-based AccuStream iMedia Research and the top ten internet radio stations received an average of 137.5m tuning hours in the same period, up from 63m in 2003.
Typical audio formats are Real’s Radio Player (as chosen by the BBC), the ubiquitous MP3 (as featured on thousands of youngster’s personal hi-fis) and Macromedia Flash.
MP3SoundStream (http://www.mp3soundstream.com/cgi-bin/cppro/go.cgi?snichols1) uses Flash and works well as 98% of computers already have the Flash plug-in and the rest can easily download it. Flash takes the MP3 file, combines it with an audio controller button and streams it for you off any server, which means low-cost and ease of use.
So once you have the technology in place, what can you record? The answer is anything. Adding audio to an intranet lets you record a weekly message from the CEO or a sales message. Or why not have a weekly news round-up?
The audio can either be recorded straight into your PC via a microphone and soundcard, or recorded on a Minidisc recorder and then digitised into the computer. Once there you can add music, voiceovers, cuts and fades with a program like Adobe Audition or Sony Soundforge. Music can be bought online for just a few pounds and you can even use free audio editing programmes, like Audacity.
What was once the preserve of the BBC and other high-end radio studios is now available on a desktop computer near you - but only if you have the skills to match.
FAQs (291 words)
Q. What is streaming audio?
A. It is audio delivered to your computer that can be listened to while it is still downloading.
Q. What’s the advantage over other audio formats?
A. You don’t get an annoying delay while the whole file downloads.
Q. What do listeners need to have on their computer?
A. A soundcard and speaker(s) or headphones, their normal browser software and a so-called plug-in – a small piece of software that converts the data into sound.
Q. This all sounds expensive. Is it?
A. Not really. You can get free programs to record your sound, a computer microphone costs less than a tenner and there are free audio editing programs available on the net. You then need to convert the audio file to a streaming format, but there is an increasing amount of software available to do that too. You also need to think about a MiniDisc recorder as these have superseded cassette tape for most applications. Royalty-free background and intro music is available on CD and via the web for a small fee.
I recommend MP3SoundStream (http://www.mp3soundstream.com/cgi-bin/cppro/go.cgi?snichols1). Its great, very easy to use and only costs $39.95. Another alternative is Sound Streamer at $34.95 (http://hop.clickbank.net/?snichols/soundstrmr).
Q. What is the quality like?
A. Judge for yourself - visit www.infotechcomms.co.uk/info10.htm and listen to the demonstration programmes. The trick is to get the quality as high as you can, but still make it playable on an average modem-equipped home computer. Once everyone has broadband it will be CD-quality for all.
Q. How do I find out more?
A. There is a great ebook available called Audio C4 (http://hop.clickbank.net/?snichols/audioc4). It only costs $29.95 and is worth its weight in gold. There is a list of useful links at http://www.infotechcomms.co.uk/info11.htm
ENDS
Q. This all sounds expensive - is it?
A. Not really. You can get free programs to record your sound, a computer microphone costs virtually nothing and there are free audio editing programs available on the net. You then need to convert the audio file to a streaming format, but there is an increasing amount of software available to do that too
I recommend MP3SoundStream (http://www.mp3soundstream.com/cgi-bin/cppro/go.cgi?snichols1). Its great, very easy to use and only costs $39.95. Another alternative is Sound Streamer at $34.95 (http://hop.clickbank.net/?snichols/soundstrmr) or Audio Maker Pro (http://hop.clickbank.net/?snichols/audiomkr).
You also need to think about a MiniDisc recorder as these have superseded cassette tape for most applications. Royalty-free background and intro music is available on CD and via the web for a small fee.
Q. How do I find out more?
A. There is a great ebook available called Audio C4. It only costs $29.95 and is worth its weight in gold.
Q. What is the quality like?
A. Judge for yourself - visit www.infotechcomms.co.uk/info10.htm and listen to the demonstration programmes. The trick is to get the quality as high as you can, but still make it playable on an average modem-equipped home computer. Once everyone has broadband it will be CD-quality for all.
About the Author
Steve Nichols is a freelance journalist who runs InfoTech Communications (www.infotechcomms.co.uk). A background in radio means that Steve was ideally placed to take advantage of the arrival of streaming audio via the web.
Boost Your Online Sales with Audio and Video Support
by: Natalie Aranda
Have you ever noticed when you are shopping at most any retail store there is background music being played and if you need help understanding how a product works or need aid in purchasing the correct equipment there is always a person near by to help you?
This is what your ecommerce or online sales website needs to achieve that comfortable atmosphere where visitors to your online store will enjoy shopping. When you make your store online comfortable with audio or video your customers are apt to stay longer on your website and that means a better chance of a sale.
Using audio in the form of quiet listening music will aid in keeping your customers online and enjoying shopping at your ecommerce store. They will feel comfortable and at ease which will allow them to browse your store and purchase.
Another way in which audio on your website can aid in getting you more sales is when you can personally talk about a certain product and how it works, what it does, and just how the item can make their life easier. You will then be transforming your website into the feel of a retail store, with salesmen that offer their help to customers. Your customers will appreciate this extra feature and will also be able to learn about the products through listening instead of just seeing a product on a page.
Go the next step, add a video of how to use the product, how to install, or construct the product and show the many uses on the video of what the product can do for your customers. Now, you not only have a salesperson explaining the product, but you also have a technician showing how to use the product.
People are more apt to purchase products if they can tell that your website has real people behind the pages. Using audio and video will give your website that extra touch and your trustworthiness will go up as well. You will be providing your customers with a nice setting for shopping, a salesperson that can aid them with their purchase and a technician that guide them through the installation process.
Getting started with video editing is very simple.
The basic items you need are a video capture card, video capture software, the software to edit, your computer, storage space on your computer and a camcorder, VCR, or you can display your movie on your computer screen. You may also need MP3 Converter, MP3 Encoder, CD Ripper, and MPEG Encoder.
Using audio and video on your ecommerce website to increase sales is a must. You will be giving the consumer what they want and deserve in our high tech world and they will not have to go to a retail store to have their needs met.
Copyright @2005, 4th Media Corporation
You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines and links in the body of the article and the bylines are included
About the Author
Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. She's been experimenting with audio & video support on Online Storefront of many ecommerce websites.
Have you ever noticed when you are shopping at most any retail store there is background music being played and if you need help understanding how a product works or need aid in purchasing the correct equipment there is always a person near by to help you?
This is what your ecommerce or online sales website needs to achieve that comfortable atmosphere where visitors to your online store will enjoy shopping. When you make your store online comfortable with audio or video your customers are apt to stay longer on your website and that means a better chance of a sale.
Using audio in the form of quiet listening music will aid in keeping your customers online and enjoying shopping at your ecommerce store. They will feel comfortable and at ease which will allow them to browse your store and purchase.
Another way in which audio on your website can aid in getting you more sales is when you can personally talk about a certain product and how it works, what it does, and just how the item can make their life easier. You will then be transforming your website into the feel of a retail store, with salesmen that offer their help to customers. Your customers will appreciate this extra feature and will also be able to learn about the products through listening instead of just seeing a product on a page.
Go the next step, add a video of how to use the product, how to install, or construct the product and show the many uses on the video of what the product can do for your customers. Now, you not only have a salesperson explaining the product, but you also have a technician showing how to use the product.
People are more apt to purchase products if they can tell that your website has real people behind the pages. Using audio and video will give your website that extra touch and your trustworthiness will go up as well. You will be providing your customers with a nice setting for shopping, a salesperson that can aid them with their purchase and a technician that guide them through the installation process.
Getting started with video editing is very simple.
The basic items you need are a video capture card, video capture software, the software to edit, your computer, storage space on your computer and a camcorder, VCR, or you can display your movie on your computer screen. You may also need MP3 Converter, MP3 Encoder, CD Ripper, and MPEG Encoder.
Using audio and video on your ecommerce website to increase sales is a must. You will be giving the consumer what they want and deserve in our high tech world and they will not have to go to a retail store to have their needs met.
Copyright @2005, 4th Media Corporation
You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines and links in the body of the article and the bylines are included
About the Author
Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. She's been experimenting with audio & video support on Online Storefront of many ecommerce websites.
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