I understand that a recording is saved as a Wave file. If I want to send it as an attachment to an e-mail, I assume I’ll have to convert the Wave format to another format so the recipient can play it. How can I do that?
I understand that a recording is saved as a Wave file.
To be clear, Audacity doesn’t save sound files at all. To get a sound file, you have to File > Export one. But yes, WAV is the Audacity default.
I assume I’ll have to convert the Wave format to another format so the recipient can play it.
I don’t think that’s quite correct. Audacity picked WAV as the default sound format because all three major computing platforms have no trouble playing them. Much more likely is you need to convert so it will fit. My email service poops out at 25MB attachments. You can get to 25 MB pretty quickly with perfect quality, uncompressed WAV.
You can add the Lame software to Audacity and make an MP3.
http://www.audacityteam.org/download/windows/
Scroll down to the add-on software.
MP3 gets its small files by causing minor, carefully hidden sound damage. The higher MP3 quality values (mono at 128, stereo higher) hide the damage very well, but it never actually goes away.
If the goal is to send a file for listening, then you’re done. If the goal is to send a file for further editing and production, then WAV is strongly recommended. MP3 files continue to degenerate as you make new ones from edited work. If the work is super important, send a thumb drive overnight or employ a file posting service.
Koz
One more. Even if you do elect to make and send an MP3, your own archive should be in WAV. You can listen to a WAV and make one into anything else.
If you tell Windows to stop hiding filename extensions from you, your WAV files will feature .wav extensions. MyMusic.wav, for example.
Koz