Although sophisticated multimedia authoring applications are now available to amateur programmers, the use of audio in of these programs has been inadequate. Due to the lack of research in the use of audio in instruction, there are few resources to assist the multimedia producer in using sound effectively and efficiently. This paper addresses the problem by providing some basic understanding of the cognitive and affective effects of audio when used with visual material in a computer-mediated environment, and presents some general tips on choosing and manipulating audio elements. Topics include: foundations of multimedia; general properties of sound and perception; and audio elements in multimedia production: speech, sound effects, and music; silence; the roles of audio: picture defines sound, sound defines picture, sound parallels picture, and sound counterpoints picture. Contains 14 references. (DGM)