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Web Design in a Nutshell, eMatter EditionChapter 19AudioCHAPTER 19
Audio on the Web
Simple audio files found their way onto the Web in its earliest days. The problem
with audio is that the files are generally quite large and may take a prohibitively
long time to download. The introduction of streaming audio (files that play while
they download) finally made quality audio and even live broadcasts distributed via
web pages a reality.
Obviously, audio, even specialized for the Web, is a rich and complex topic that
cannot be thoroughly treated in a single chapter of a Nutshell reference book. If
you are interested in reading about all the ins and outs of creating professional-
quality audio for a web site, there are many books that provide in-depth looks at
developing audio for the Web (see the bibliography at the end of this chapter).
There are also some fine tutorials in the multimedia section of the WebMonkey
site (http://www.webmonkey.com/).
If you need to put professional-quality audio on your site, consider outsourcing
the work to professionals, or bring in a consultant to help you get set up properly.
This chapter provides an overview of basic audio terminology and file formats as
well as an introduction to the many options for adding audio to a web site.
Copyright Issues
Like images, there are a number of sources for acquiring audio files to use on a
web site. Be aware, however, simply posting somebody else’s music or recordings
from a CD is a copyright violation. Record companies and entertainment corpora-
tions are taking measures to crack down on the illegal use of copyrighted material.
Even collections of silly sound effects that seem like they were designed for
multiple uses may be protected. Be sure to read the fine print for terms of use.