In this chapter, you'll learn how to add sound to your Prezi files.
Why use sound
in Prezi?
Apart
from the reasons mentioned previously, your Prezi will really benefit from having
sound if you
decide to embed it into a website or share it on the Prezi explore
page (http://prezi.com/explore/).
Adding sound into these online Prezis will help the users exploring
them understand the content quicker and with more clarity.
You
might decide to have audio recorded from your live session and have it played at
certain points in your Prezi. Or you might just want to create some kind of
mood for
the user that fits with your Prezis message. For the latter, you can use a
music track
that loops continuously when your Prezi is viewed online.
A
great example of sound being used to its full potential in Prezi can be seen on the
Prezi Explore page at http://prezi.com/wwmfvms6dno-/the-maverickpresenter- prezihelpcom/.
Some other
benefits that using sounds can bring are:
• Provides a
bigger impact with auditory learners in your session
• Allows expert
speakers to talk to your audience without even being there
• Gives people viewing
the Prezi online a chance to feel like they were really there
at your live event
• Online Prezis
could offer translations into multiple languages to be selected and
listened to at the user's discretion
• Generally
makes a presentation more interesting, engaging, and memorable
Where's the
Insert Audio button?
Like
any piece of software, there are lots of clever little things happening beneath
the
surface that we
don't see. When you use the Image option on the web and the Google images
appear, that's because some lovely person at Prezi wrote some clever coding to
make it all happen.
It's
these clever little bits of code that mean you can insert shapes, images,
frames, movies,
drawings, and so on. But where's the insert audio button? Surely the developers
at Prezi have thought of that haven't they?
Well
actually, no, they haven't. Not yet anyway. At this moment, Prezi is still in
its
infancy and
changing all the time. One thing the Prezi team is great at is listening to their
users and introducing new features based on what users want. At this moment in
time, there is no insert audio button in Prezi, but it doesn't mean that will
be the case
forever, and if you really want audio there are ways to add it. Otherwise what would
be the point in this chapter!
How is audio
inserted?
The following
screenshot should give you a basic understanding of how this is done:
Until
inserting audio becomes part of the Prezi software, (fingers crossed it'll be soon)
you will have to convert your audio files into video format to use them on your
Prezi canvas. What
this means is that the techniques explained in the rest of this chapter are really
just a workaround to trick Prezi into thinking you're using video, which technically
you will be. It'll all become clear throughout the chapter, and trust us; it
will definitely set your Prezis apart from the rest of the crowd and get you to Prezi
Master Status.
There are two
different routes you can take to use audio in Prezi, so we'll explore them
both in detail here and hopefully your Prezis will be making lots of noise by the
end of the chapter.
Where to get
sound files from?
Knowing where to
find great sounds from will save you lots of time, and just like with
imagery there are some great online libraries to choose from:
• www.clipdealer.com
• www.sound-effects-library.com
Each
of these online libraries offers thousands of sound effects and music tracks at
very low prices. They all have very easy-to-use search facilities, and for
those of you
who are aspiring to become a Prezi DJ you can use Audio Networks beats per minute
calculator in your search to help you find really fast-paced tracks, or
relaxing slow
tracks. Of
course you can also search for sound effects and music tracks that are free to download.
In some instances, this will take a little longer, but ultimately means that you
and your company aren't spending a penny and achieving some great results.
Here's the best
of the free audio libraries:
• http://www.freesound.org
• http://www.partnersinrhyme.com
Creating your
own sounds
You
probably won't have time to sit there in the office and create your own sound effects
of babies crying, dogs barking, and a T-Rex roaring. If you do, then please don't
blame us when your boss calls you into his office because they think you're having
a breakdown!
If
you want to add narration to your Prezi, or maybe have a subject matter expert speak
to your audience without flying them in from halfway around the world, then you
can use the following
technique to record and edit your own sound files for free.
1. Go to http://audacity.sourceforge.net
and download the free audio recording software.
2. Install the
software onto your PC or laptop and then install the LAME encoder
from http://manual.audacityteam.org/help/manual/man/faq_ installation_and_plug_ins.html#lame.
This enables you to export your sounds in the .mp3 format.
3. Now open Audacity.
When you first open the software it will detect your machines
microphone.
4. Click on the Record
button to start recording your audio, and click on the Stop
button
when you're finished.
5. Click on the Play
button to review the sound and the Delete button on your keyboard
to remove it and start again.
6. Once you're
happy with your audio, click on File, Export, and select WAV from
the file type drop-down list.
7. Open your
exported WAV file to test it. Repeat steps 4-6 to create additional audio
files.
If
you do want colleagues from overseas or subject matter experts to speak in your Prezi,
then you'll need to send the preceding instructions to them unless they already have
the capabilities to record their voice. Unfortunately,
creating the sound is only the first step, and as you'll see further, there
is more that's needed to get audio working well inside Prezi.
Reference
Anderson, Russell. (2012).
Mastering Prezi for Business
Presentations. Birmingham: Packt Publishing Ltd.
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