Presented by Rick Glasby, Crashbang Digital, who discusses what mic to use, where to record, and how to tweak your audio setup.
Which mic to use: you want to use some sort of condensor mic:
- Samson CO1U – cardioid sensor
- Audio Technica AT2020 – phantom power, cardiod sensor
- Blue Snowball Mic (cardiod or omni directional, about $100, USB connection).
- Alesis USB podcasting mic (usb, stand, headphones)
- Tascam US-122LTNT (requires mixer, but uses a USB mixer)
USB Mics
- Easily portable
- Latency
Mixers:
- Not easily portable
- But easy to support multiple mics.
Follow the Path
- Watch how the sound transits from microphone to computer to software. Follow the signal path to make sure you’re not clipping at any point. You don’t want the sound to clip (spiking waveforms that get horribly distorted and “clipped” in the final file.
Where do your record?
- Want a place that absorbs a lot of sound — carpeted room or walk-in closet. Not in a room with a lot of echo.
Addressing the mic
- Proximity effect (closer is often better)
- Wear headphones!
- Watch your “P’s” — talk to the side of the mic or get a pop filter.
How to talk
- try standing at your microphone.
- Morganicsmethod.com for advice on speaking.