Speechyou

Speechyou

FLAC to Text

Transcribe speech from a lossless FLAC recording. Keep the original in your audio archive and export a separate, editable text transcript.

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archive-interview.flac
Text (.txt)

Excerpt from a FLAC oral-history transcript

Download example

Archivist: Did the ferry run through winter? Narrator: Only until the ice reached the bend. After that, we went around by the bridge and opened the store an hour later. Archivist: I’ll note the bridge in the catalog description.

How it works

  1. Upload your file

    In Speechyou Notes, select Upload, choose your recording, and select Upload & transcribe.

  2. Review the transcript

    Open the finished note and check the text against the recording. Use Edit transcript to correct names, terminology, or misheard words.

  3. Export Text (.txt)

    Open Export in the transcript and choose the file type. Save the file or share it with your team.

Accepted extension .flac

Transcription guide

Transcribe the archive copy

FLAC compresses the recording without discarding audio samples. For an oral history, field recording, or other long interview, start with the FLAC file already in your archive. Play a minute from the beginning, middle, and end to check that the voices are present throughout before processing the whole recording.

Use a lossless fallback if the codec is rejected

Try MultiLingual Pro if the initial transcription fails to decode your FLAC. You can also open the source in an audio editor and export PCM WAV at the original sample rate. Keep the FLAC as your master and use the WAV copy as a transcription input.

Keep a transcript alongside the source

Use the same filename stem for the transcript and the recording so a researcher can match them later. Choose TXT for full-text search or PDF with section timestamps for a reading copy. Verify unusual names and spellings against the archive notes before you publish the transcript.

Catalog an interview without changing the preservation master

If an archive uses FLAC as its master, make transcription copies in a separate working folder. Keep the catalog identifier in the note name and in each export. In a reviewed transcript, mark where an interview is unclear instead of guessing at unfamiliar names. Retain a link or identifier for the source recording so a researcher can verify a quotation. If a WAV copy is needed for compatibility, check that its duration and the placement of the first words match the FLAC before using section times in your catalog.

Prepare a FLAC archive recording

  • Check the catalog number and whether the interview is split into parts.
  • Keep the source FLAC in its original archive location.
  • If you export WAV, preserve the source sample rate when your editor allows it.
  • Pair your TXT or timestamped PDF with the matching archive identifier.

Frequently asked questions

Will converting FLAC to MP3 make transcription easier?

Start with the FLAC file. If you need a decoding fallback, export PCM WAV from the FLAC so you preserve the captured audio. A fresh MP3 encode is unnecessary when you have a lossless source.

Does lossless audio guarantee a clean transcript?

Lossless encoding preserves the original recording, including any noise or clipping. Clear speech, microphone placement, and the amount of overlapping dialogue still affect what can be transcribed.

Which export works well for an interview archive?

TXT works well for searching and reuse. A PDF with Section timestamps enabled gives readers a document and approximate points to revisit in the audio.

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