Looking for technical advice

[serai]

Can anyone make recommendations for me as to how to set up a recording system on my computer? I'd like to make mp3 files of spoken word stuff. What hardware and software would I need to make nice recordings?

Comments

[grapeofdeath.livejournal.com]

For the software part, I'd suggest Cool Edit:
http://www.threechords.com/hammerhead/cool_edit_96.shtml

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec! I've downloaded the program, and will see how it works once I get the hardware. :)

[blackbird-song.livejournal.com]

You'll need a good microphone or two, a pre-amp with a USB port that can plug into your computer is a really good idea, and my husband recommends http://versiontracker.com/ as a good site for finding software, some of it free, for making these recordings. There are unedited reviews by people who've used many of those programs, so it's a bit of a sift. (If you've a Mac, my husband recommends AudioIn, which is free and can be found at Versiontracker. It'll record to AIFF files, but you can use iTunes to convert the files to mp3 or wav formats.)

You might want to look into a condenser mike, as they record voices nicely. Røde makes a nice one that we use to record vocal concerts very succesfully, and they have doubled nicely for performance, so I can't imagine that they'd be anything but great for spoken word work. The model we have is the NT3, and I don't know whether they make it anymore or remember how much it cost.

Best of luck!

Catherine

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Catherine! I'm making a trip to Fry's tomorrow, and will see if they have that mike. And I'll check out the site you mentioned for software recs. My pooter is a PC, so the one your hub mentioned isn't for me, but thank him for the rec!