Adding atmosphere to your podcast with SoundTransit

SoundTransit is a directory of short downloadable audio files of situational background noise recorded by enthusiasts from around the world. All the mp3 files are covered by the Creative Commons license and can therefore be freely used to add ambience to your podcasts. The search engine makes it simple to find an appropriate clip and a RSS feed of new sounds will be coming soon to the site.

For MFL teachers, SoundTransit could be particularly beneficial when recording role-play situations such as ordering food in a restaurant or buying a train ticket as you could mix in an appropriate sound clip at the editing stage and thus greatly enhance the authenticity of the final conversation.

For more language teaching ideas on how to use SoundTransit, have a look at the Nik Peachey's post Soundscapes from SoundTransit.

Comments

[Liz Kolb]

Wow! This is a great resource! And it protects the privacy of students/schools. Thanks for sharing it!