iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Second Edition

Recording Your Own MP3s

In addition to songs downloaded from the iTunes Music Store (Chapter 6) or ripped from CDs (Chapters 4 and 5), the iPod can play digital audio files that you’ve recorded yourself. This sort of thing can come in handy in situations where, say, you have a recital or music lesson coming up and want to record yourself for analysis later. Or perhaps you have to give a speech and want to record a sample of yourself practicing to weed out the “ums” and “you knows.”

You can take either of two approaches. First, you can record on the iPod and transfer the finished recordings to the computer. (You need one of the snap-on iPod microphones described on Section 14.4.1.)

Second, you can record on the computer and transfer the recording to the iPod. In this case, your Mac or PC needs a microphone, as described in the next sections.

Tip

If you don’t already have a microphone or a sound-in port on your computer, you can do it the USB way with the iMic from Griffin Technology. The iMic works with both Windows and Macs through the USB port, as described in Chapter 14.

Griffin Technology also makes the PowerWave (http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powerwave), a $100 device that works as both a desktop amplifier and audio input box for recording live sound on your Mac or PC.

Windows

Most new desktop systems these days include a small external microphone, and many laptops have built-in microphones. Check your manual.

You can record WAV files using the Sound Recorder program that ...