Audio Essay Samples

I really liked when audio essays incorporated audio clips of people speaker other than the primary person who created the essay. I also like when the added audio somehow adds meaning beyond what is already being said.

I didn't like when audio essays put in random sounds just because they matched the word said (for example, the cat "meow" and boyfriend "huh" in the memes podcast). I also don't like the awkward pause that sometimes occurs prior to the played sound.

I like the clips such as the first one where the speaker talks clearly and with emotion because lack of emotion in the students' voice makes it less engaging. The use of audio clips enhance and add credibility to arguments as well as provide a more entertaining way of delivering the information which I enjoy. A thing I also like is more engaging sounds and less droning on about a topic. I do not like awkward pauses or the irrelevant sounds that are played throughout some. 

One thing that I think is important to the success of an audio essay is using other audio clips (like from a news site, tedtalk, etc) because it lends credibility to what you are saying. It shows the listener that what you are talking about isn't just a topic that you care about, but is something that is important enough for other people to talk about. I know a lot of people in the class didn't enjoy some of extra uses of audio in the example that we listened to, but I find that is you use sounds that actually enhance the story that it adds depth to what you're saying. I enjoy being told a story not only with words but with the sounds that were chosen to be incorporated. It is also extremely important that the speaker's voice is clear and there aren't awkward pauses. Audio is the key component to these pieces so having long pauses or fumbling over your words really detracts from the experience, especially if you had the chance to re-record your audio.   

I like how many of the audio essay samples incorporated clips of interviews and other sources. This further supports the speaker's evidence. Also, it provides another component to the audio essay which engages me more. Hearing one voice for several minutes can be boring and easier to lose focus. Some of the audio essays introduced what the source was which helped situate and contextualize why this source was being included in the audio essay. Another thing I liked was the inclusion of introduction and conclusion background music which sparked my interest on the topic. This also prepared me to know initially what the tone of the audio essay would be.

I did not like how some of the audio essays had too many sounds present. The video game audio essay included too many of the varieties of the sounds of the Mario video game. This took away from what the author was saying. Also, some of the audio essays incorporated too many interviews and other sources which also took away from what the author was saying. The audio essay on language used the same source several times and the audio for that source went on too long. I became distracted as there was not enough burst of short segments and transitions. Many of the audio essays were interesting to listen to but including more salient transitions would help the listener better follow what the speaker is saying throughout the audio essay.

I found these short audio essays to be entertaining. The thing that bothered me though was that sometimes the volume of a clip or sound was louder or softer than the voiceover, so I'd either get a blast in my headphones or I'd be straining to hear the other person speaking. That detracted from the enjoyment somewhat. However, I did really like the wide range of sounds that were provided. In the video-game essay, I loved the use of these nostalgic tunes and how even the experts were relaying the fun that the sound can add. In the essay about language, I found the orientation language of the tribe mentioned to be really fascinating, especially because it felt like a mini-story. I know these audio essays are intended to be academic pieces, but their use of sounds to break up the monotony of academic writing makes it more along the lines of a podcast. My goal when I am writing and constructing my own audio essay is that it will have that story-like quality and that I won't have any sound hiccups in terms of one clip being too soft or too loud compared to the average volume.

In the second audio essay, I really like the typing sound in the intro and might incorporate it. Though I didn't like how the speaker would stop talking over sound effects, he could keep talking over it and we'd get the message and it'd be more flued. I do like their use of other speakers to break things up, and the ambiance music is nice throughout.

In the third audio essay, it started right off the bat with a lot of speaking. There are other people speaking, but there is no background music. I don't think I'll do just straight talking in my audio essay, I'll definitely want to include some music in the background.

In the fourth audio essay, I like how it started with an iconic intro of a game and had a good hook to make me want to continue listening. He really used audio is a good way in this one, he used iconic parts to emphasis what he is talking about. I'll certainly be taking tips from this audio essay.

Matching background music to topic. The Memes one was a big offender - sounded like a funeral march. Use of other speakers/famous speeches was very good. Contextualizing the speakers helped a lot to make it more credible, like in the Language one. Having an audio "hook" was also a big plus, like the Gaming essay. 

Need to be careful to avoid audio bugs, which happened a lot in the Language essay. Since they're so short, care also needs to be taken to avoid being repetitive.

For the first thing, I would like to note is how the first audio clip's speaker did her essay. One thing I think was well-done was the speaker's ability to talk clearly and loudly. This aspect was especially important as the speaker incorporated several musical/sounds to her piece, such as the bustling traffic or the animal sounds in the wood and such. Another thing I enjoyed in her specific essay was her use of outside sounds that enhanced her audio piece. By utilizing these outside sounds, I did not have visually think about the sounds the speaker heard, I could just hear it with my own two ears and really immense myself into the audio clip. 

I enjoyed when they use clips from speakers other than themselves. I also enjoyed the conversational tones in these podcasts. I don't see the sound effects as necessary, and would probably try to limit my use of them, as some of them provided a distraction from my listening, rather than adding to the experience. I don't think prolonged introduction music is necessary either, but I think that music at the end will be helpful to not include an abrupt end. People use ending music to help symbolize to the listener when the podcast is over, however the listener will know when the podcast is beginning because they will click on the link. I think it's important, like some people have said, to avoid repetition. These podcasts aren't long, so people need to take care to establish their points and elaborate on them without using the same phrasing as before. If so, the listener will be bored. 

I enjoyed when they use clips from speakers other than themselves. I also enjoyed the conversational tones in these podcasts. I don't see the sound effects as necessary, and would probably try to limit my use of them, as some of them provided a distraction from my listening, rather than adding to the experience. I don't think prolonged introduction music is necessary either, but I think that music at the end will be helpful to not include an abrupt end. People use ending music to help symbolize to the listener when the podcast is over, however the listener will know when the podcast is beginning because they will click on the link. I think it's important, like some people have said, to avoid repetition. These podcasts aren't long, so people need to take care to establish their points and elaborate on them without using the same phrasing as before. If so, the listener will be bored. 

I enjoyed when they use clips from speakers other than themselves. I also enjoyed the conversational tones in these podcasts. I don't see the sound effects as necessary, and would probably try to limit my use of them, as some of them provided a distraction from my listening, rather than adding to the experience. I don't think prolonged introduction music is necessary either, but I think that music at the end will be helpful to not include an abrupt end. People use ending music to help symbolize to the listener when the podcast is over, however the listener will know when the podcast is beginning because they will click on the link. I think it's important, like some people have said, to avoid repetition. These podcasts aren't long, so people need to take care to establish their points and elaborate on them without using the same phrasing as before. If so, the listener will be bored. 

Audio Essays are interesting when you incorporate outside interviews, sound clips, background music, and a steady volume and clear tone for the main narrator. However, too much or too little of any of these components can negatively impact the quality of the podcast. For example, the Meme audio essay's background music was inappropriate when matched to the topic, giving off SPCA (sad dog commercial) vibes. The language podcast wove in interview clips like the interviewee was actually there, which was impressive to hear. One of my biggest take-aways from listening to these clips was not entirely in critic of the audio, but the content of the essay. It is easy to explore several avenues of a topic when discussing them out-loud in a podcast format. However, it can distract the listener from what you're actually aiming to communicate when you do this. The meme podcast had me trying to figure out what he was actually trying to say, rather than stepping in cadence to the message. A great audio essay can use several audio elements to enhance the message, but at the root needs to be clear and concise.  

An aspect of these audio essays that I would like to emulate would be when they switch to voices other than their own. This inclusion of the opinions/voices of other people keeps the listener engaged, which is extremely important in an audio essay. In the third audio essay specifically, I thoroughly enjoyed the laughter sound-effects that were used as well. This adds another aspect to the audio essay that can also be engaging to the listener. 

An aspect of these audio essays that I would avoid would be background music that does not match the tone of the essay itself. This can be confusing to the listener and even off-putting in some situations. 

I felt that these audio essays demonstrated how additional sounds could either add value or detract from their subject matter. When done well, layering in extra sounds can add texture that adds context and meaning to what is being said. I felt that there were some nice examples of this, specifically the laugh track that accompanied the third audio essay.

On the other hand, sounds can be distracting or inappropriate for the topic. As some have mentioned, when the music does not match the tone of the content, it can have a decidedly negative effect on how the essay is perceived.

Prior to this class I was unaware that audio essays were a method of conveying information but I have enjoyed listening to these clips and have learned a lot to include in my own audio essay. Including sound effects and more than one singular voice capture the listener's attention and maintain active engagement. The included sound effects mostly fit in well with the speaker's voice and do not distract from the messages being conveyed but rather promote the message and support the central ideas. As opposed to an audiobook or reading directly from an article, these audio essays provide the creativity directly to the listener and do not allow for the listener's mind to drift. A takeaway I developed, however, is the need to not overuse background noise and maintain a sound level that does not distract from the main points. 

There are many aspects of these essays that I thought were very effective; however, there were also some that I felt were unnecessary. The first aspect I liked was the fact that most of these had topics that were very focused on a specific sound. For example, the sound of crickets and the sound effects from Mario kept being played throughout. This made the medium so much more powerful and interesting to listen to. On the flip side, sometimes this was overused and lost its value. It is important to find a happy medium and make sure that each use of sound is specifically planned out. I also liked the use of interview sound clips in the middle of the essay. Splitting up the vocals kept my attention longer and I plan on doing that in my own essay.

I really liked the interjection of other voices because these views added supporting evidence and details. I felt as if the background music was off at times, but this could just be my own personal tastes. However, I did really appreciate how the first audio essay increased the prominence of the background music towards the end. This just added a nice and simple closing to the essay.

I realized how important the tone of the speaker is to whole listening experience. The first audio essay's speaker had a clear voice that was easy to understand and keep up with. She seemed interested in her topic. The second speaker was monotonous and sounded bored, and this made it hard for me to listen to what they were saying. 

The use of other sounds in addition to the background helped enhance the essay, but sometimes I felt as if the sounds were too obnoxious and detracted from the message. I liked that the second audio essay started with typing sounds. They drew me in and got my attention; I thought it was a unique way to start an essay. However, the cricket sounds were very obnoxious and loud, and this made it hard for me to focus on the essay.

In the second one, the guy uses no flection in his voice which causes me to lose attention. He uses too many examples from the outer world rather than trying to come up with an conclusion by himself and running with it. On the last one, I really like how he uses such a well-known sound in video games such as Mario cart. One thing that I realized is how a persons voice and background music could change my perception on something so simple. Weather they have a very upbeat tone, or a very boring one, I realize it changes the reader and how they feel. 

On the last one, I think the guy used too many sound effects. I couldn't help but to notice that during almost the entire presentation there were sound effects that sounded almost higher than his voice. When that is the case, it is too hard to concentrate on the message they are trying to portray. 

I realized a couple of aspects that I would try to avoid while listening to theses audio essays. One was that the background noise did not always go with the topic which the speaker was discussing. For example: on the Meme audio essay, I would have like the sound to be a little more joyful and energetic than it was. Another aspect I would try to avoid is having the background noises too loud to the point where the listeners focus on just the noise and not the actual topic at hand. I understand that the noise should be a complimentary tool to the discussion, but it should not take over the topic altogether. An aspect which I will definitely try to emulate is to incorporate other speakers into the audio essay, This gives off more of a conversational tone in the essay as opposed to feeling like you are just lecturing the audience. 

I felt these audio essays demonstrated the importance of cadence and voice inflection when it comes to communicating through audio. I also thought they illustrated the value of reducing background noises and using short, direct language to communicate an argument. I found it easy to lose interest or get distracted while listening to these, so I know it is crucial that I make my audio essay as engaging as possible through diction and inflection.