Create Streaming Audio For Your Own Website
By Douglas Taylor
Adding Streaming audio to your website is a simple step by step process. Take each step one at a time without jumping ahead or backwards and you will find your website talking or singing before you know it.
Each step is outlined below with a brief explanation, exploring the process you need to step ahead to the next step.
What Are You Going to Put On The Internet?
This is the first question you must answer. What are your reasons for wanting streaming audio in the first place? Do you need audio to help sell your product? Are you a musician trying to sell your music online? Are you trying to brand your name online to establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field? Whatever the reason spend some time thinking about it, as what happens in the following steps will depend on your answer here.
Get The Stuff You Need (equipment, software)
Depending on your answer above you can decide what is needed to get the job done. If you are recording a band you will need professional equipment that will record several tracks at a time. If your need are more modest you can start with a more simple set up.
Recording Software
The first item on our list is some kind of recording software. This can range from the free to download software Audacity to a professional package that has many pro features.
One good ideal if you are going to buy a new sound card is to look and see what kind of software comes bundled with the package. I once bought a soundcard for $99.00 that came with a light version of Sonar, Cubase and Wavelab. This same software fills my needs even today and is what I use to record with on a daily basis.
Streaming Audio Software
In order for someone to listen to your audio on the Internet the file needs to stream. This simply means the audio stars playing before the whole file is downloaded. As the audio plays the rest of the file downloads in the background. In a perfect world the audio will play without stopping. Software that will get the job done includes Web Audio Plus, Sonic Memo, MPI Sound stream, and Audio Generator to name a few.
Microphone
You will need some sort of microphone to record your audio. This can be as simple as the mike that came with your computer or you can upgrade to a professional type of microphone.
Models to look for include Shure, Audio Technicia, ADK and many others. I would suggest going to Musicians Friends or some other music supply web site and having a look around. There has never been a better time to buy a professional microphone than today.
If you go with a professional mike you will need to get a preamp to boost the signal that goes into your soundcard. These can be bought at the same place you get your microphone.
Soundcard
Your soundcard may need to be upgraded to get a professional sound. It seems most of the cards are now USB or Firewire. Either kind should be fine and will be a major upgrade to the card that came with your computer.
Stay With What You Have You don’t have to buy any of the things we have discussed. You can often get very good results using your computer as it came from the factory. If you do not feel like you want to invest a lot of money in your recording setup I would suggest buying a microphone in the 30 to 50 dollar range and download Audacity and start recording.
Doug Taylor has been creating audio online since 1999.