1. Myna

Myna, the online audio editing tool from Aviary, is perfect for audio editing on the go. The editing tool doesn’t require any software installation, yet it has many of the same features as popular programs like Audacity and Adobe Audition.

To get started, just upload your audio using the tool’s import feature or record your audio directly into Myna using a computer mic. Myna allows for multi-track editing, effects such as fades and echos, and you can export the final product to your computer. Check out a video demo of Myna below:

 
There are two types of people who use Audacity, the free and popular audio editing software: those who use it and those who use it, but secretly wish they were using something else. If you want to explore other options for audio editing software, check out this list of 25 free digital audio editing tools.

2. Monle

If you have a smartphone, you likely have multimedia capabilities like the ability to shoot photos or record videos. With Monle, an iPhone app, you can add audio recording and editing to the list. The app allows you to either record or upload audio into the program and edit it on a four-track system. It has all the features you need to create polished audio, which you can send wirelessly to your computer as a wav file.

Monle, of course, isn’t your only choice for mobile audio editing. There are several apps for mobile phones, including Showcase Net from Vericorder, which can also produce audio slideshows on a mobile platform.

3. Audioboo

AudioBoo, an application available for iPhone and Android, allows the user to record audio messages from a mobile phone and publish them online in what amounts to an audio blog. The tool has a growing user base including
Sky News Radio and BBC London 94.9 FM who use AudioBoo to share journalism-related audio clips that are free from the constraints of traditional broadcasts.

AudioBoo is perfect for sharing raw audio files with a large online audience. For journalists, think audio interviews, nat sound, and other standalone elements that would be interesting to the listening audience.

 

 
In the digital age, audio production is all about collaborative gathering and editing and is no longer confined to one or two producers. There are already several online tools like Audiotool that are geared toward musicians and allow several people to collaborate on a single audio project. Newsrooms can take advantage of this technology to allow several journalists to contribute to an audio story, even if they are using different computers or are stationed at various points around the world.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your collaborative audio projects, check out the video below of a choral piece constructed from 250 individual performances. For this unique project, each person seen in the clip submitted a video of themselves voicing a part of the composition “Lux Aurumque,” composed by Eric Whitacre. The individual videos were then edited together and the stunning result was uploaded to YouTube.

Collaboration and crowdsourcing… the future of audio is here.

 

 
Also on 10,000 Words:

• 9 Tips for recording audio for the web
• Where to find free sound effects and royalty-free music
• How to record audio that doesn’t take hours to edit

A question I get asked a lot is how I built a successful personal brand. How did I build 10,000 Words from a rough-around-the-edges personal blog to a popular and well-trafficked resource?

Usually when people ask the question they lean closely in and expect me to mention social networks like Twitter, reader engagement, cross-platform integration, and all the other social media guru-isms floating around the web. While those are a part of the equation, building a strong personal brand transcends technology and tools. A successful “personal” brand requires you to be a “person” and sometimes to think outside of “thinking outside the box.”

 
Be nice

There are many talented people out there competing for work and the attention of online readers and communities. What separates the talented from the equally talented but successful, is a good, genuine, likeable personality. You don’t have to be Mr. or Ms. Smiley Face, but people appreciate kindness and humanity. Being arrogant, antisocial, cliquish, or rude will turn many people off and damage your personal brand.

Think of your favorite restaurant experience: you likely told other people about that restaurant not just because the food was great or the decor was beautiful, but because you perhaps received great service or the waiter or host was especially kind or accommodating.

You can only tell people how great you are, but the true test of a strong personal brand is what others think of you and how likely they are to sing your praises.

 
Show don’t tell

Many of those who have strong personal brands are not necessarily the most knowledgeable or the biggest experts in the field, but those who share a bit of themselves with others. Instead of just telling people what they should be doing, share your personal experiences and why certain strategies or techniques have worked for you. Make your work available online and tell other people how you did it. Be open and honest.

The reason many blogs are successful is because the blogger has shared their personality with readers and based their posts on personal experiences. My career took off when I stopped hiding behind the big orange 10,000 Words icon and started putting my face out there figuratively and literally.

 
Say Yes!!

I’m tired. Between work and 10,000 Words there are nights when I just want to crawl up next to the TV and eat Oreos in my PJs. But if I receive an invitation to an event, social gathering, or some opportunity for professional development or to meet new people and I have the time and the capacity to do so, I will attend. You never who you’re going to meet and, by doing so, when you’ll have an opportunity to share your work and yourself with others.

Not too long ago, I was at a conference and after a long day of workshops I faced the decision of either going back to the hotel room or attending a post-conference networking session. Suffice it to say I would not have my current position if I hadn’t opted to attend the session. Follow the example of Jim Carrey in the movie Yes Man and learn to say yes to new and unique opportunities… you never know where they may lead.

 
Do a favor for someone

There’s a running joke/mantra in the design community that real designers don’t do favors. This means no missing cat posters, no websites for friends, nothing that won’t put a dollar in your pocket. Despite this prevailing line of thought, it’s the occasional favor that helps people remember you and your work. If you do them a solid now, they are very likely to remember you down the line. And though the benefits may not be immediately tangible, I cannot put into words how many times a small favor has turned into a big professional reward.

I know I’ve advocated before for getting paid for what you do, but if you love what you do enough, you will be willing to share your time and expertise with others without expecting something in return. This doesn’t mean you should do every favor you’re asked to do, but often those most in need of a favor are the most likely to help you later down the line.

 
Ditch the “rules” and follow your passion

There are a million social media experts, online gurus, media mavens, and the like who have a million rules for what you should do to grow your personal brand. Forget what the experts say and follow your own plan.

Don’t tweet because you have to, do it because you want to. Start a blog because you have something to say, not because you are told to do so. You will find that your message will be stronger and you will be more passionate about your personal brand if you forge your own path.

 
Also on 10,000 Words:

• 15 Journalists’ outstanding personal portfolios
• What exactly is a social media editor/manager?
• 25 Things I’ve Learned About Journalism

Photos. Audio. Video. Blogging. Data Visualization. Web Design. Writing for the Web. All in one book. Get your copy of The Digital Journalist’s Handbook now and start the school year ahead of the class.

I am extremely excited to announce that I have just been named the new National Innovations Editor for the Washington Post. I will be responsible for helping to coordinate the online strategy for the Post’s National desk, identifying multimedia and social networking opportunities, and other web-related endeavors. The new position will also mark the end of my tenure as a producer for the Center for Investigative Reporting’s California Watch.

For the first time in my blogging career I’m actually speechless. If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you know that my career has had some highs and lows and this really is an amazing high. I’m really excited about working with one of the greatest teams of journalists in the world and helping to take the Post’s online reporting to the next level.

And if you’re reading this I thank you — to both longtime readers and recent inductees into the 10,000 Words universe — for all your support and making 10,000 Words into the big thing it has become. My feelings are best expressed by the video embedded below…Stay tuned!

You make my dreams come true!