Mac OS X Snow Leopard: The Missing Manual (Missing Manuals)

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15.2. Recording Sound

If you hope to record new sounds, you need a microphone. Your microphone situation depends on the kind of Mac you have:

  • iMac, eMac, PowerBook, white iBook . You have a built-in microphone, usually a tiny hole near the screen. This microphone couldn't be more convenient ; it's always with you, and always turned on.

  • Cube, Power Macs, Mac Mini . You can plug in an external USB microphone (the Macintosh Products Guide at www.guide.apple.com offers a list) or use an adapter (such as the iMic, www.griffintechnology.com) that accommodates a standard microphone.

Tip: No matter which model you have, an Apple iSight videoconferencing camera works well as a microphone.

The Sound pane of System Preferences lets you choose which sound source you want the Mac to listen to. Click the Input tab, and then click the sound source you want: external USB microphone, external analog microphone (that is, something plugged into the microphone or Line In jacks of Macs that have them), built-in microphone, iSight, or whatever.

15.2.1. Making the Recording

Once you've got your microphone situation taken care of, you need to get your hands on some sound-recording software. You can use shareware programs like Amadeus II, or try iMovie (which came with your Mac) or QuickTime Player Pro (see the box on Section 15.3.1.2).

15.2.1.1. The iMovie method

Although you might never suspect it, every Mac comes with a basic recording program. It's iMovie, which lurks in your Applications folder.

In a new movie project, click the Audio button shown in Figure 15-2. Click the round, red Record Voice button and begin to speak. Click Stop to complete the recording.

Figure 15-2. To summon the Record Voice controls, click the Audio button. If your microphone is correctly hooked up, the Record Voice button (indicated here by the cursor) is available. (Otherwise, it's dimmed.) Just beside the button is a live "VU" level meter. Test your setup by speaking into the microphone. If this meter twitches in response, you're ready to record. Your recording takes the form of a colored bar labeled Voice at the bottom of the screen. (Click the clock icon tab if you don't see it.)

When you're satisfied with the recording, choose File Share (or, in older versions, File Export). In the resulting dialog box, click QuickTime. From the pop-up menu, choose Expert Settings. Then click Share (or Export).

In the next dialog box, select "Sound to AIFF" from the Export pop-up menu. Make sure the file name ends in .aiff, then navigate to a Sounds folder, and click Save. You've just created a new alert sound!

15.2.1.2. The QuickTime Player Pro method

Open QuickTime Player (in your Applications) folder. Choose File New Audio Recording. Click the round, red Record button and begin to speak. Option-click what's now the square Stop button to pause the recording, or click without the Option key to end (Figure 15-3).

Tip: Don't adjust the tiny speaker (volume) slider in the Audio Recording window unless you're wearing headphones. This slider lets you monitor the sound ”and turning it up while the Mac's speakers are live risks producing the hideous shriek known as feedback.

Figure 15-3. The primary design element of QuickTime Player's new audio-recording console is a live "VU" level meter. Test your setup by speaking into the microphone. If this meter twitches in response, you're ready to record.

When you're satisfied with the recording, choose File Export. In the resulting dialog box, choose "Sound to AIFF" from the Export pop-up menu. Make sure the file name ends in .aiff, then navigate to a Sounds folder, and click Save. Your sound is ready to play.

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