Ministry-Friendly Software... Pt. 2 AUDIO

Yesterday I began my series on ministry-friendly software with a series of recommendations for working with video. You may have noticed that I didn't include any software that actually edits software. Here's why: I don't have my own Mac. Therefore I don't have access to Apple's free iMovie. I've seen great stuff done with it, but I can't tell you anything about it. I've used Windows Movie Maker on every platform and the best one is Vista's version of WMM, but it still pales in comparison to iMovie. If you have a suggestion for free video editing that doesn't involve piracy post it in the comments section.

Audio.
Diving into the second part of this series, we'll be answering a few basic questions.
"How do I make a compilation CD that lets people sample what we talk about in our services?"
"How do I edit a recording so my sermon sounds good and trim the parts before and after I spoke?"
"How do I podcast my messages?"

I'm currently using a Tascam DR-07 to record services, but I could just as easily switch my iPhone to airplane mode and use a line cable from the soundboard to the Voice Notes app. Some people use the Tascam CD recorders and that's okay, but it means you'll be buying a lot of CDs and you'll have to rip it before you can work with it. That's fine, but I'm a proponent of digital recording for its portability, eco-friendliness, and time saving.

1. Power Sound Editor Free
   So you want to record your message and edit out all the extra stuff around it. You want Power Sound Editor Free and you will want nothing else for projects like this. PSE allows you to work with one file at a time, so be advised you won't be doing multi-track editing or non-linear editing, but it's exceptionally powerful. Highlights include shortcuts for trimming everything before the marker and simplified fade-out-trim where the selection will fade and everything after will be deleted. It's also pretty easy to clean up audio if you want to remove a stutter, a cough, or polish up any other parts. http://www.free-sound-editor.com/features.html
2. Audacity
   Remember how Power Sound Editor doesn't do multi-track, non-linear editing? Audacity comes to the rescue. It's not intuitive for the kind of editing you'll do with PSE, but if you want to crossfade a few things together this will do the job. I've used Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, and Premiere 6.5-Pro but I didn't find it horribly disappointing to step down to this when I lost my editing computer. This is what I used to compile a 10-minute CD showcasing the various speakers we've had in the Man Cave, including fades, background music, and the ability to keep and edit the project file. http://audacity.sourceforge.net
3. Pandora vs 8tracks
   Do you want to play music before service starts to set the mood but don't have a CD library full of the latest and greatest albums that all your other pastor friends are into? You've probably heard of Pandora by now, and I've used Pandora for church for a while, but the problem is the free version has both a time limit and ads. Then I stumbled onto 8tracks.com with my StumbleUpon account and discovered a world of playlist driven, ad-free music. It won't play indefinitely like Pandora, but you don't have to worry about Pearl Jam suddenly interrupting your prayer meeting. http://www.8tracks.com
4. Podcasting
   So you want to podcast? It took me a while to figure out how to do it because of some misconceptions I had about the process. Let's clear that up first. A podcast is an audio file that you make available for download to an audience through the internet, typically using iTunes. iTunes is like a library that will make your book available for free, so there's no cost to podcasting, but you provide the shelves to store it on and that could mean you have to buy hosting space. That's where PortableSermons.com comes into the picture--they give you shelves for free as long as you only post once per week. If you want more than that you need to upgrade to a paid account which gives you unlimited space. They also guide you through the process of getting setup on iTunes. The guy who runs this, Brook Drumm, is incredibly nice and quick to respond if you have any problems. Use iTunes to convert your sound file into an mp3 under 40mb and then upload to PortableSermons.com
   Check out http://www.mancaveonline.com if you want to see it in action.

Remember, it's not all about being heard or having your sermon downloaded more than that other guy's down the block. Use your time and money to help people, not polishing your podcast to eliminate every stammer or sneeze. These tools will help you engage the ears of your audience, but remember the words of James 1:22, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." With the resources you save by using free software, make sure you pour it back into ministry that changes lives. That's why the church exists, right?

Check back soon. The next installment will address all of your graphics needs and stimulate your creativity as you find new ways to show people what you're talking about!