Producing Audio/Voiceover for Web Presentation (Flash) -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Producing Audio/Voiceover for Web Presentation (Flash) Posted by: Vocalpoint Date:2/15/2005 11:27:01 AM All, I have recently been hired by a new client to produce several multimedia demo/tutorials for viewing on the web. After learning some very valuable lessons on the first demo (file size too large, gapping audio, freezing video etc) due to my penchant for producing the highest quality on screen product possible (but lousy for web viewing) - I am going to go with Macromedia Flash for this next one. Can anyone share any solid bandwidth saving tips with respect to the produced audio elements that I will be injecting into this demo. My bits include lots of voiceover, Intro and extro music, graphical elements, custom slides etc etc. The big mistake in the first project was too wide a sound field (Stereo) and too much overhead with the audio elements (mono voiceworks but 44.1KHZ 16bit sample rates.)The presentation sounded and looked incredible but needed a fairly powerful box to playback correctly. At the premiere screening at their company meeting - the presidents laptop choked on this file making for a very ugly presentation. What we want this time is clean, clear and concise without huge file overhead. So I am on a mission to define some best practices for producing clean audio without the heavy baggage. I have read some great articles on chopping the low and high end of my voiceover, reducing the sample rate to 22.0 KHZ (instead of 44.1) etc etc. Is it better to always start with the highest quality material (like 44.1KHZ 16 Bit wav files) and encode/convert down to 22.0 before inclusion into the project? Or should I just record at 22.0KHZ to begin with. Any tips or tricks would certainly be appreciated. Cheers, Cuzin B
Subject:RE: Producing Audio/Voiceover for Web Presentation (Flash) Reply by: mpd Date:2/16/2005 5:58:49 AM A little advice from someone who works in multimedia. You really have to work closely with your client to see what they want instead of giving then what you think they want. As for Flash audio, Flash works best when you import 44.1 kHz wavs and export mp3. This has more to do with the Flash player, and not the authoring tool. As for Flash graphics, there are lots of things you can do, but it really comes from experience. You may want to check Flashkit.
Subject:RE: Producing Audio/Voiceover for Web Presentation (Flash) Reply by: Vocalpoint Date:2/16/2005 7:36:19 AM mpd, I am totally convinced that my client wants a presentation that actually finishes when the president tries to play it during a quarterly company meeting. Hence the reason for tips on reducing the file overhead. The first job I did for them was assembled in Vegas and output to WMV for thr web. The result was awesome but generally unplayable across the web due to the incredible overhead. So what's the deal with importing 44.1 and "exporting" MP3? This project is being assembled in Macromedia Captivate and output to Flash from there. I do not have any means on exporting audio separately. Captivate builds a rock solid .swf file with all the elements combined (inlcuding the audio) Maybe the actual format is MP3 with the .swf file? Thanks for the insights. VP

Subject:Producing Audio/Voiceover for Web Presentation (Flash)

Posted by: Vocalpoint

Date:2/15/2005 11:27:01 AM

All,

I have recently been hired by a new client to produce several multimedia demo/tutorials for viewing on the web.

After learning some very valuable lessons on the first demo (file size too large, gapping audio, freezing video etc) due to my penchant for producing the highest quality on screen product possible (but lousy for web viewing) - I am going to go with Macromedia Flash for this next one.

Can anyone share any solid bandwidth saving tips with respect to the produced audio elements that I will be injecting into this demo. My bits include lots of voiceover, Intro and extro music, graphical elements, custom slides etc etc.

The big mistake in the first project was too wide a sound field (Stereo) and too much overhead with the audio elements (mono voiceworks but 44.1KHZ 16bit sample rates.)The presentation sounded and looked incredible but needed a fairly powerful box to playback correctly. At the premiere screening at their company meeting - the presidents laptop choked on this file making for a very ugly presentation.

What we want this time is clean, clear and concise without huge file overhead. So I am on a mission to define some best practices for producing clean audio without the heavy baggage.

I have read some great articles on chopping the low and high end of my voiceover, reducing the sample rate to 22.0 KHZ (instead of 44.1) etc etc. Is it better to always start with the highest quality material (like 44.1KHZ 16 Bit wav files) and encode/convert down to 22.0 before inclusion into the project? Or should I just record at 22.0KHZ to begin with.

Any tips or tricks would certainly be appreciated.

Cheers,

Cuzin B

Subject:RE: Producing Audio/Voiceover for Web Presentation (Flash)

Reply by: mpd

Date:2/16/2005 5:58:49 AM

A little advice from someone who works in multimedia.

You really have to work closely with your client to see what they want instead of giving then what you think they want.

As for Flash audio, Flash works best when you import 44.1 kHz wavs and export mp3. This has more to do with the Flash player, and not the authoring tool.

As for Flash graphics, there are lots of things you can do, but it really comes from experience. You may want to check Flashkit.

Subject:RE: Producing Audio/Voiceover for Web Presentation (Flash)

Reply by: Vocalpoint

Date:2/16/2005 7:36:19 AM

mpd,

I am totally convinced that my client wants a presentation that actually finishes when the president tries to play it during a quarterly company meeting. Hence the reason for tips on reducing the file overhead.

The first job I did for them was assembled in Vegas and output to WMV for thr web. The result was awesome but generally unplayable across the web due to the incredible overhead.

So what's the deal with importing 44.1 and "exporting" MP3? This project is being assembled in Macromedia Captivate and output to Flash from there. I do not have any means on exporting audio separately. Captivate builds a rock solid .swf file with all the elements combined (inlcuding the audio) Maybe the actual format is MP3 with the .swf file?

Thanks for the insights.

VP