Tools
- Your brain
- A computer
- A recording device or phone
Your brain
Access to a computer
If you are reading this you've probably already figured this step out. Once the contest starts on the 16th of April you'll use your computer to upload your audio entry to the Talent Quest website. If you've ever attached a photo to an email or uploaded a file to a website the process will be much the same. If you haven't a clue - no worries ask for help in the forums and either a Talent Quest staff member will help you out or a Talent Quest member. If you know someone who's interested in submitting an entry but is computer challenged, give them a hand, if you are the computer challenged - your local library might be able to help out.
A recording device
You can spend nada, zip, zero or hundreds of dollars. My suggestion - focus on what you want to say not the equipment. You've got a number of options to record your entry.
- FREE ROUTE: Record from your computer or over the phone. Sign up for Evoca: http://www.evoca.com - and record your entry over the phone or using your computer microphone. Evoca then allows you to download the MP3 file.
- CHEAP ROUTE: Buy a simple USB microphone. The microphones that are built into your laptop will work, but the recording will sound a bit better using an external microphone.
- $$$ ROUTE: As with any profession or passion you can spend tons of money. You don't have to but Transom.org has done a great job of putting together reviews of radio professional tools.
When recording your audio file make sure you save your recording as an MP3 file.
delicious
diggAll my life, I've wanted to be on public radio.
Ok, since the early 90's. Sheesh.
As a high school teacher, theatre director, and NPR junkie, I always dreamed of getting my chance.
Unfortunately, I missed the contest. I don't know how. I thought it was over in June. Guess I'm not that tight a listener after all.
But you'll hear from me, NPR. And magic will happen. Velvety, nerdy, delicious stream-from-the-radio magic.
In the meantime, good luck to the contestants. NPR is, simply, the most important voice in U.S. media (even if it has a smaller audience than a 'Friends' rerun.)
To better art, dialogue, and society-
For radio recorder, I don't know what the other peoples use, but I enjoy with magix eebradio recorder, it offers a broad palette of mainstream and niche stations you can record for free. it work fine for me, I like this.
PLEASE VOTE FOR ME ON THIS CONTEST FOR THE PUBLIC RADIO TALENT QUEST!!!!!!!!!!
MY ENTRY is of Me Improvising the Public Radio Talent Quest's Homepage:
Matt Warzel
www.clevelandclowns.com
I attached my audio file, had to revise my 300 word statement (too wordy) then had at attach the audio file again. How can I be sure the audio file was uploaded? Thanks much!
Hi Kestrel,
Just check your account page to see if you have a link to your entry.
(Looks like you're all set -- you can see it here: http://www.publicradioquest.com/user/3084)
I just found out about this and the judging has already started. Is it too late to even try? The judging is more than halfway over. I'd love to give it a shot but I'm not sure if I should just wait until next time. Thanks! Mary Sue
It's not too late! Please submit your entry. The deadline is 11:59pm ET on May 14th.
To clarify, public voting started on April 16th and goes through June 2nd, but that only controls the "people's choice" semifinalist.
There are 9 other semifinalists chosen by a panel of judges, and the screening for that does not begin until after the May 14th deadline.
I've noticed folks asking about recording software - my best suggestion would be Audacity, a free cross-platform application which is pretty easy to use. Once you record it, either iTunes or SoundConverter to convert your files into mp3.
Hope that helps!
-Rob
I get an error message when I try to upload my file saying: "You can only upload files that are 128 kbps or less." I made my 1:59 file on Apple's "Sound System" and converted it from AIFF to MP3 in iTunes. What gives?
How do I fix whatever's wrong?
EricMenn - I'm no expert. I just spent an hour+ figuring out how to record in Garageband and then export to iTunes and then convert to MP3. But here's something to try.
When you're in iTunes, you set the MP3 conversion by going into iTunes Preferences: Advanced: Importing. When you're in the "Importing" window you choose Import Using: MP3 Recorder. But then you have to choose the Setting. I think the default is 160kbps. So you need to choose 128. It's possible that you set up the MP3 conversion but it was set at 160 and not 128.
I say this with the (ahem) disclaimer that I'm just figuring this out myself. Good luck!
sari
Sari, thanks so much for the idea of using iTunes for converting a file to MP3. I just right clicked on my piece, which was a Wave file, in the iTunes playlist and then chose, convert to MP3. I hope this works for other people!
I found a trial version of Switch online. It will convert aaifs to mp3s as well as a bunch of other file types.
A friend of mine steered me to a site called Download.com, where I found and downloaded the Free Easy MP3 Sound Recorder by Shiyi Software.
I'm not technically qualified to give recommendations, other than recommending that people who download free stuff be very careful about it; but I was able to record some test MP3 files in short order with this software, and after ten minutes with it on my system, my hard drive shows no signs of being eaten.
Your results may differ, and I expressly deny any responsibility for them. Proceed at your own risk! :)
The program may be found and reviewed at:
http://www.download.com/Free-Easy-MP3-Sound-Recorder/3640-2170_4-1054765...
Hey, Mike, I have no idea how I uploaded my entry late last Monday night (was it only a week ago?), but however I did it, I owe a big THANKS TO YOU for pointing me to this Free-Easy-MP3-Sound-Recorder which I apparently used. Thanks for your postings (I don't seem to have noticed your second posting, "Update on free Easy MP3 Sound Recorder download" -- URL: "http://www.publicradioquest.com/node/265" -- in my "mad dash for the finish line," but luckily there was another post near your original one addressing the 128bps thing, so I was, somehow, able to record right -- well, at least that part right)!
Really appreciate the help,
~~Hilary
http://www.publicradioquest.com/node/1737
If you know as little about digital recording and transmission as I do, you may want to see a post in the Tools forum called "Update on free Easy MP3 Sound Recorder download" for an important thing I learned while using this software to record my entry.
Just created an entry on Digg for this entry- everyone should go Digg it!
http://digg.com/music/Uploading_your_audio_entry_and_tools
Unfortunately the categories on Digg are not very helpful, this was the closest I could get.
~Dani
Truth Seekers
http://www.truthseekerscast.com
206-337-1026
KWSS 106.7FM
http://kwss1067.com
The Audio Addicts
http://www.theaudioaddicts.com
http://myspace.com/theaudioaddicts
SFF Audio
http://www.sffaudio.com
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