Are you looking for sounds to support your next PowerPoint presentation? Depending on what you need, you may be able to find it online, or you may want to create your own. Sound archives are available on the Internet for everything from lung auscultation to babies wailing. Audio collections aren’t as common as image collections, however. (See last month’s Forum article for advice about image collections)
Sounds on the Web are like any other intellectual property – copyright laws apply. If your use is educational or scholarly, the principle of “fair use” usually allows you to play a sound, with proper attribution. Think of it as including a quotation and providing a citation. Be aware that audio files have received a lot of attention from publishers because of music downloads, so sound libraries and archives often have a commercial focus.
If your use is for pay or publication, you will need to obtain permission from the owner of the material in order to use it. Are your slides are going to be mounted on a conference Web site following your presentation? That’s a publication. Make sure you get permission in writing (email is fine) or can document that the original owner stipulates free use.
So with copyright in mind, what are some of your options for finding sounds?
Heart & Lung Sounds
The Auscultation Assistant, developed for 2nd-year medical students at UCLA, offers both heart and lung sounds accompanied by explanatory text. Sounds are in standard .au and .wav formats.
Frontiers in Bioscience provides a Heart Atlas of EKGs and sounds in .wav format.
The R.A.L.E. Repository, from Medi-Wav, Inc., is a more commercial site, focused on lung sounds. They offer sound samples as an enticement to purchase more extensive auscultation software.
The Virtual Hospital includes sounds to accompany instructional and patient education materials. Heart, lungs, and other sounds are included.
General Sounds
Sounddogs.com lets you preview all kinds of human sounds, from hiccups to snores. There are at least a dozen variations on the crying baby theme. It also includes sound effects, such as corks popping, balloons bursting, chimes, animals, and other fun. Previews of sounds are free, but purchase is required to own the sound.
Of course, the Library of Congress has a wonderful sound library, but so far it is devoted to our cultural heritage (music, speeches and broadcasts) rather than medical sounds. Similarly, the British Library Sound Archive claims to be the largest in the world; it expands the cultural catalog with sound effects and nature sounds, but still does not include medical sounds.
Make Your Own
Last, but not least, you will sometimes just need to create your own audio file. Jefferson’s Medical Media Services unit is available to record, digitize, or convert formats for audio files. Services and fees are posted online.
A Final Word of Advice...
While sounds can enrich your presentation, be sure to use them wisely. They should be relevant and serve to enhance the content being presented. Like excessive animation, the overuse of sounds and sound effects may distract or annoy your audience.
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