You're about ready to send a photo of the kids to grandpa and grandma. How about adding their favorite song to play along in the background as they are reading the message? Adding audio to your e-mail messages is easier than you think, and it can add an extra dimension that will make your recipients appreciate your messages even more.

First Things First...

To send an audio file as an attachment to your e-mail message, you must first understand which file formats are used for sound. The three most popular forms are WAV, MIDI and MP3, each with its own unique features. WAV audio files are standard for Windows computers. MIDI is generally used for recording and then editing sounds composed by a PC synthesizer. MP3 files are usually larger audio files that are compressed.

Music or a Sound Effect?

If it's basically sound effects and/or sound bites you are looking for, these files can be found in numerous places around the Internet. Are you wanting to include a great line by Barney Rubble with your e-mail message? A favorite among radio stations and other professionals for sound bites is The Daily.Wav, located at http://www.dailywav.com. Or if you are hoping to send along your friend's favorite song, you may find it at http://www.mp3.com. This site features hundreds of free, downloadable tunes in a wide variety of formats. From country to blues to spiritual, you are bound to find the type of music you're looking for here.

In addition to finding the perfect audio file on the Internet, you might also look for sounds and music on your own PC. Most of the newer PCs come with a variety of prerecorded sound effects and even a music library for you to use.

Do-It-Yourself Audio Files

If you are wanting to create your own audio files, more than likely your computer is already set up to help you do just that. With the Windows Sound Recorder that comes bundled with Windows 95/98, you can make your own WAV files and you don't have to be a computer nerd to get the job done! The Sound Recorder software is simple to use and will allow you to make short audio clips. While there is some software on the market that is a bit more powerful than Sound Recorder, for first-timers this is all you'll need. It will automatically create your sounds as a WAV file, which is the standard format for storing audio files on your computer. In fact, any sound effect that you hear on your computer is more than likely a WAV file so they are nothing new to your system.

The following tutorials will show you how to make your own WAV audio files and attach them to e-mail messages. (Note: Before downloading or e-mailing a digital audio file, be aware of the copyright info for that particular file. Make sure you are not infringing on the original artist's rights.)

Attaching an Audio File in Outlook Express Tutorial

Attaching an Audio File in Netscape Tutorial

Recording an Audio File in Sound Recorder Tutorial

 

Back to Top

Back to Table of Contents