Audio Recording
Equipment
Get to know your equipment. Take time to read the instruction booklet.
Practise recording things. Think of the following factors:
In what situations might the recording be distorted because it is too
loud. Or when might it be too quiet? Has the machine an automatic recording
level, or can you set the level manually; if so, at what level should
it be set?
Does your machine have a Long Play feature? If you are concerned with
obtaining the highest possible quality of recording, don't use this.
Advice about what audio equipment is currently available can be found
on the East Midlands Oral History Archive website at: http://www.le.ac.uk/emoha/training/equipment.html
Positioning Equipment
Where should you position the microphone? Tie microphones should be fixed
around the lapel area. Too close to the mouth and there may be distortion,
too far away and the recording will be too quiet. Be aware of the microphone
brushing against clothes - a crocodile clip which makes the microphone
stand proud of clothing is useful - and of the interviewee playing with
the cable or crossing their arms over the microphone.
Table microphones should be placed as near to the interviewee as possible,
and are sometimes placed on a soft surface like a book or cushion to lessen
the effect of the sound reflecting off hard table tops.
If you are worried about the interviewer's voice not being loud enough
you may want to consider using two microphones with a two-in-one adaptor.
Practise all this to see what happens.
Video example (select to view):
Please note that at present this video is not online but can be viewed as part of a compilation of all this website's video clips at - http://youtu.be/jTCzxWt1RQk
Having trouble hearing the clip? Have a look at the help
page.
Recording Environment
Do your best to avoid recording in communal areas where other people
are chatting (e.g. community centres, pubs). If this has to be done, use
a tie microphone and position yourself as far from the main sources of
noise as possible.
Beware of environments with hard surfaces which produce 'cold' recordings
with lots of echo. Carpets and soft furnishings absorb echoes and produce
better recordings. However, you may find yourself in an office or room
which you know will produce a less than ideal recording. Here, a tie microphone
is preferable to a table microphone as there will be less echo on the
recording.
Interviewees who have notes they want to refer to should be discouraged
from rustling papers in front of the microphone. They should also not
play with the microphone lead or the microphone itself. Drumming fingers
and nervous tics which make a noise will come out on the recording too.
A microphone isn't nearly as selective as the human ear and brain, and
sounds you may not notice at the time will be louder on the recording
than you might expect. Clinking cups, ticking clocks, hissing fires, snoring
dogs, chirping budgies and noises from kitchens have all spoiled recordings
in the past. Passing traffic can provide an annoying background hum. Try
to remove pets (or at least keep them quiet), close windows, or find the
quietest place possible to make the recording.
Having said this, your primary concern should be the comfort of the interviewee
(and this may mean they need to sit in their 'comfy chair'). If you are
going to be talking with someone for 90 minutes or so, comfort may outweigh
considerations of background noise, although not if this makes the words
on the recording inaudible.
Audio examples
(select to hear):
Having trouble hearing the clip? Have a look at the help
page.
Starting the Recording
Start the recording by asking the interviewee to give you some basic
information. For example, their name, date of birth and place of birth;
or name, occupation, and the day's date (it is usually best not to ask
for someone's current address in case other people listen to the recording.
Keep this on a separate form). Once they have done this, stop the recording
and listen back to it. It is to be hoped that any loose connections or
failing batteries will reveal themselves at this point.
You can explain to the interviewee that you will occasionally look at
the recorder to make sure it is still working. It is easy to be carried
away in an interesting interview and miss the end of the tape/minidisk/CD,
or not notice that a connection has come loose.
Audio example
(select to hear):
Having trouble hearing the clip? Have a look at the help
page.
Again, practise using the equipment.
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