What can I use to record? You can use your phone, your computer, or you may have a recorder that you d like to use. Whichever method you plan to use to record, test it out before you start. Make sure that you know where the microphone is on your device, and that it is set to record at a high quality. See below for specific notes about different recording methods. Do a test recording and listen back to it. Is the recording level ok? If it is too low, you will hear a hum when you boost it later; if it is too high, it may distort. Adjust the recording level on your device if you need to, and make sure you are close to the microphone. Getting a clean recording We are surrounded by sounds passing cars, the hum of the fridge, the neighbour s whipper snipper. Whether you are recording with your phone or with the best gear around, you will get a better result if you record in a quiet environment. Choose a space with lots of soft surfaces carpeted floor, curtains on the windows to reduce echo. Make sure you hold the recording device still, and try not to bump it. We recommend you wear headphones while recording so that you can hear if there are any problems as you record. Atmosphere Every room or space has its own unique sound or acoustic. It is a good idea to record at least 30 seconds of silence (which is really the sound of the room) at the beginning or the end of the interview. This can be invaluable at the editing stage and even if you don t use it, we might ask you for it later if we want to broadcast your pocketdoc. Recording yourself Before you start recording, think about the things you want to talk about, and the best way to start and finish the story. Refer to the tip sheet Crafting Your Pocketdoc: Audio for help. You may want to have some notes beside you, but try not to over prepare or read your story. You can have a few goes at it, but often the first take is the best, because it is the least self-conscious. If it helps, try to imagine you are telling the story to someone else. You can record more than you plan to use, and edit the recording, but don t record too much, or editing will be difficult. Your finished story should be no longer than five minutes. Interviewing someone else If you are interviewing someone else, will you be including your questions? If you are, make sure you clearly record your own voice as well as theirs. (You may need to move the microphone between yourself and the interviewee in the course of the interview, so practice this with headphones on, so that you can move smoothly without mic noise. Make sure your interviewee is comfortable, and give them time to relax and settle into the interview. You might want to ask them a question you know you won t use in your piece (about what they had for breakfast, for example) to get them talking and 1
check that it is all running smoothly before you are into the meat of the interview. Refer to the tip sheet Crafting Your Pocketdoc for a guide to questions. It s ok to stop and start the recording, if your interviewee loses track or wants to say something again. If they have missed something that you think is important or interesting, or if you re not sure that they ve said something clearly, don t be afraid to ask your question again. Or if you feel like their answer is too long for you to be able to use it, ask them to answer the question again, more briefly. Again, you can record more than you plan to use, and edit the recording, but try not to record more than a couple of minutes over your five minute time limit. Choose an App that lets you record at a high quality (48,000 khz sample rate, bit rate 16 or higher, AIFF or WAV format), and make sure the highest quality is selected in the App settings. Make sure you know where the microphone is on your phone. For example, the microphone on an iphone is on the bottom end near the docking port. Using your smartphone to record audio There are lots of free sound recording Apps to help you record audio. Pocket WavePad is just one example of the many free, easy-to-use recording Apps for smartphones. Hold the microphone close and speak into it. If you are recording with an iphone, use itunes to get the sound off the phone and onto your computer. 1. Create a folder on your computer, and call it Pocketdocs Entry. 2. Connect your iphone to your computer using the USB cable. itunes should launch automatically. 3. In menu across the top, click on Apps. 4. You should find your sound recording App in the Apps box under File Sharing. Click on the App you used to record the sound, and you will see the audio recording files in the Documents box on the right. 5. Click on each audio recording to give it a name. From here, you can drag the files to the folder you created in Step 1. 2
Using an audio recorder There are many types of recorders, so follow the instructions that come with your recorder. If you don t see this window, go to My Computer in the Start menu and find the recorder or memory card under Devices with Removable Storage. Make sure you are recording at the highest quality possible, and that you are able to get the audio off the recorder and onto your computer. Most recorders have either a removable memory card, or a USB cord to transfer the audio files to your computer. 1. Create a folder on your computer, and call it Pocketdocs Entry. 2. Connect your audio recorder to your computer with the USB cord and turn the recorder on; or insert the memory card into a card reader. Wait for the computer to recognise the recorder or memory card. On an Apple Mac, the recorder or memory card will appear on the desktop. Double click to open it. 4. Drag the audio files to the folder you created in Step 1. Click on each audio recording to give it a name. 3. On a PC, a Removable Disk window will pop up. Select Open folder to view files and click OK. 3
Using your computer to record audio If you plug a microphone into the Line input, a window will pop up asking you what device you have connected. Select Line In and click OK. Depending on whether you have a PC or an Apple Mac computer, you can use Windows Movie Maker or GarageBand to record the audio. You will get a better result if you have an external microphone that plugs into the computer s USB or Line input. If you don t have an external microphone, many laptop computers have an internal microphone. The microphone is usually located near the webcam above the monitor, or sometimes under the left or right speaker. It can be tricky to get a good result this way, so make sure you know where the microphone is, and speak into it, and make sure you are in a very quiet space to record. For PC users If you have an external microphone, plug it into the USB port or the Line input (this should be located near the headphone input). Use Windows Movie Maker to record and edit your audio, Audacity or Reaper. If you plug a microphone into the USB port, a Found New Hardware dialogue box will pop up briefly. 4
For Mac users If you have an external microphone, plug it into the USB port or the Line input (this should be located near the headphone input). Go to the System Preferences, and under the Hardware settings, choose Sound. Use GarageBand to record and edit your audio Audacity or Reaper. Under Input, select the type of microphone you are using. If you have a microphone that goes into the Line input, select Line in. If you have a USB microphone, select it on the device list. If you don t have an external microphone, select Built-in Microphone. You can also adjust the Input volume here. 5