Recording Hints
The controls most important for what you are working with are the Master (Play) Control, Microphone and Wave.
Play - is the "Master" Volume control - moving it up and down raises the overall audio level.
Wave - is the volume associated only with that type of audio, i.e., wave files. Raising or lowering it changes the volume with respect to the Master Volume. Turning it up all the way means waves play at the level the Master is set at.
Microphone - This is the record level of the microphone. Raising it makes the microphone more sensitive.
Initial settings to record : Master and wave @ 20% (1/4 way from left) and Mic. at 50-75% (1/2-3/4 from left). Leave 1-2 second pause at the beginning and the end of each clip you record. Speak with the microphone 4-18 inches away. Having the microphone too close will introduce undesirable noises as will a lot of background noise.
RPWiz Volume Controls
This is a typical Windows Volume or Mixer Control.
You will find these are inter-related . And that if you turn the microphone up too much you will hear "feedback". That may be because the Play or Wave Volume is set too high for recording purposes. You can turn them down or even OFF by checking the Mute box under the control in Windows Mixer.
Try recording with the levels as they are set talking in a normal tone 4-12 inches from the microphone. Then play it back. Try turning off (check mute) Play during recording if you have problems with feedback. Turn the microphone up. And record again. Mute the microphone. Un-mute Play. Play your recording. Experiment in this manner until you find the levels you need to make acceptable recordings on you computer. Each is different depending on sound card, speakers, & microphone.
Windows also has a Sound Recorder. It's located in Start/Programs/Accessories. You may want to experiment with it. It includes a "level" indicator and some special effects. If you choose, you can use it or any other Audio Recording software to make the recordings for your SlideShow and then use the Choose File option. If you use an external audio program to make recordings, be sure you record them all at the same "quality".