You Ask, We Answer: How do you record interviews?
Rachel asks: I’m moving up in the freelance world, and need to improve my interviewing equipment. I’d like something that will record my phone interviews so I can concentrate on the questions I’m asking and not note-taking. What do you recommend for phone interviews?
When I was starting out, I used a regular tape recorder and recorded every interview. Storing all those tapes was a real hassle. Now, although I don’t typically record interviews, when I do (such as when I’m interviewing someone on a complicated subject), I use an Olympus digital recorder. It is awesome! You can store the interview files on your computer, adjust the playback speed to make transcribing easier, and e-mail the files to a transcriptionist if you’re lazy like me.
To hook the recorder up to the phone, I use a mini recorder control from Radio Shack, which costs $17.99. This works with corded phones only, but there are devices that work with cordless phones as well. [lf]
I use the same system — Olympus recorder with the Radio Shack adapter and use http://www.castingwords.com for transcription. Wow, has it made me more profitable now that I’m not spending time transcribing.
What adapter works with cordless phones? When you say cordless phone, does that include cellphones?
I use the exact same set-up. Oly digital for all interviews (also great for unobtrusive note-taking) and a cheapo (I mean “cost-efficient”) radioshack mic-in-the-ear adaptor for phone interviews.
I also store a backup copy of the recordings on an external drive, as a talisman against lawsuits. Working well so far. Knock on wood.
I have just bought an Olympus digital recorder from Amazon (I’m in the UK – no Radio Shack!), and bought an in-ear mic for recording phone conversations, it works with cell phones and landlines and a more experienced journo recommended it: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000BTC8C8/?tag=therenwri-20
I also bought a microphone for in-person interviews, for a stronger signal: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000BTAH62/?tag=therenwri-20
Have yet to set them up though, so wish me luck!
I tend to record for future audio production more than as a record of what was said, but for telephone interview recording I have switched from a hardware solution to using Skype. If the other person is also on Skype, that means a free phone call, too! But Skype also allows outgoing calls to standard telephones and as many of my recorded interviews are international (for example: http://desertislandgeek.com), it means much lower cost. Recording Skype can be done with a cheap specialist application or a number of other system sound recording tools.
My backyard, I don’t know which devices let you record from cordless phones, but I know they’re out there…as well as devices that let you record from your cell. Anyone know the details?
Linda, the one I linked to above does just that
Oops…thanks, Diane!
I record them with a No 2 pencil. You can write faster with graphite
than a pen. An old reporter taught me that. Now I am an old reporter.
thank you to those who responded to my question!
Such timely information! I was just thinking about this as I am about to drag out my old mini-tape recorder for an in-depth interview this week. Thanks a lot!