Questions about Audio recording settings

[ChrisGreaves]

(Unsure of correct forum, but here goes ...)
I have just d/l and installed a version of MP3-recorder.
Installation was fast and straightforward.
I recorded an MP3 file and played it back.

I am thinking of recording a dozen or so small (2 minute max) files with ideas of things to do (Neat computer tricks, Learn 300 Spanish words in 10 seconds, How to drive from Toronto to San Diego on a tank of gas, etc.)

I am unsure of the appropriate settings. This is what I see:

4.JPG

(1) I should choose MP3 because I want to make MP3 files available for download from my web site, and MP3 files are much smaller than WAV files, and can be loaded onto - duh! - MP3 players so that people can ignore other people on the bus/train.

(2) I should choose Stereo, but then I think why? It's just me; won't Mono do as well? It takes less space? It is just as clear as stereo. I am using a mono-microphone AFAIK on my little head set.

(3) I should choose 24,000 Hz because that's about the limit of human hearing, and it's only my voice anyway, and 24,000 Hz will produce a smaller MP3 than a 44,100 Hz sampling.

(4) Bitrate I should go with the default of 128 Kbps because I just don't know any better.

I could do some experiments, but since I'm recording my voice, rather than a track of a CD, I'm not sure that my voice/volume/tone/timbre or whatever might not fluctuate from one recording to the next; in other words, I have little faith, right now, in my ability to run a true parallel test.

My background is not in music/recording, so I would appreciate feedback from One Who Knows^(TM), or better yet, Two Who Know.

[HansV]

I'm not One Who Knows, but:

- Mono should be OK if you record using a mono microphone.
- See Sample Rates - Audacity Wiki for what sampling rate you could use. Note that 44.1 KHz sampling will allow a maximum frequency of 20 KHz.
- According to What is a Good Bitrate Guideline for MP3 Files?, 32 Kbps or 64 KBps should be good enough for voice recording.

[ChrisGreaves]

I'm not One Who Knows, but:

( ... I should have included the category One Who Knows More Than Me)

... Sample Rates - Audacity Wiki... What is a Good Bitrate Guideline for MP3 Files?

Thanks for these two references; I'll bone up on them.
My audience will most likely be pod-listeners in noisy environments (public transit, airport lounges etc.).
My initial guess is that since it is voice-story and there is a lot of background noise, quality doesn't matter, but then perhaps a better quality should be used to overcome problems with background noise.

Guess I'd better find me an audio freak and buy him/her/it lunch ....

Or maybe I'll type out a script and try to record it several times as faithfully as possible and review file sizes and THEN ask someone to listen to all recordings (poor beggar!) on a subway train.

[HansV]

Or record a script once in high quality, then save it with different bitrates and/or frequencies. Your sound recording program probably has this capability, otherwise you can use an audio tool such as Audacity (free).

[ChrisGreaves]

then save it with different bitrates and/or frequencies.

Oh!
Cool idea!
Thanks Hans.
Repeated re-saving of a master copy would remove the variances due to different recording sessions.
(I had this feeling that a cat-fight while I was recording, or a 'plane passing overhead might add bits to the recording over and above the bits assigned to my voice)