Recipe 6.10. Personalizing Your PC s Sounds

Recipe 6.10. Personalizing Your PC's Sounds

Problem

You want to personalize the sounds your PC makes for various system events, including recording new sounds of your own.

Solution

Using a graphical user interface

1. If a microphone didn't come with your PC, buy one and plug it into the microphone jack.

2. Open the Sound Recorder (Figure 6-6) by choosing Start All Programs Accessories Sound Recorder, or typing mmsys.cpl at the Run box or command line and pressing Enter.

   Figure 6-6. When you're recording with the Sound Recorder, Windows tells you how many seconds the sound will last

   
   
   

3. Click the Record button, record your sound clip, and when you're done, click the Stop button. When you record, speak in a normal tone of voice, about six inches from the microphone. Keep the clip short, because you don't want sounds to last too long. A few seconds is ideal.

4. Choose File Save and save the file to a folder. Note the location and the filename (it ends in .wav). Exit the Sound Recorder.

5. Now that you've recorded the sound, you need to tell XP to use it. Choose Start Control Panel Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices Sounds and Audio Devices. On the S ounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box that appears (Figure 6-7), click the Sounds tab. In the Program events list, select the event you want to associate with your sound.

   Figure 6-7. Choose the event you want to associate with a sound, and then click Browse to find the sound

   
   
   

6. Click Browse and locate the .wav file you just recorded (or the existing file you want to use). Select it and click OK. When the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box appears again, click OK.

7. From now on, Windows will use your sound with the associated event.

Discussion

Don't expect to record high-quality sounds with an inexpensive microphone, so if sound quality is important, buy a more expensive one. You can use any .wav sound with a Windows event, not just ones you record. Make sure when choosing a .wav sound to associate with an event that the sound only lasts a few seconds you don't want it lasting well beyond the start of the event.

Many people use sounds from TV shows, movies, or popular music to associate with Windows events. The law governing such use is murky at best. Some lawyers say such files violate copyright laws; others say that they are covered by the fair use provision of copyright laws, and so are legal. So follow your own conscience.

See Also

If you're looking for a place with a big selection of .wav files you can use to associate with Windows events, go to http://www.wavcentral.com.