But what if it is too fast for us learners, struggling to follow words which, spoken more slowly, we would easily understand, but at at machine-gun speed are just too much!?!:shock:
Well, there is a way.
If you have the freeware utility Audacity (see http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) with associated lame.dll (also freely available, Audacity will tell you where to download), you can turn any MP3 podcast in a ゆっくりポド!
This tool has a Change Speed effect [under the Effects menu] which allows you to slow down the podcast speed to up to 99%. 20% reduction in speed normally works well for intermediate learners. Once you have done this, however, even the chirpiest female voice actor will sound like a chain smoker on a very bad day, so you also need to use the Change Pitch effect. You need to experiment using the preview function but for 20% usually a 4th up is OK (for example from G to C).
Export as MP3 under a new name and Voila! you have an adjusted speed podacast with no major loss of info. The quality is not as good as the original, but good enough to help you pick up the words, and, as soon as you are ready, you can listen to the original podcast again and MAGIC!
you get all the words!
Happy learning!
よろしくお願いします.
mikuji
