These tips will help you get the most out of your MacVoices interview by delivering the highest possible quality recording and interview.
RECORDING METHODS
There are various ways e can record your interview; I use the same options on my end, so the variables are on yours. These are the options available, in order of recording quality yield:
1. Using Skype with an external microphone and earphones
2. Using Skype with a Voice over IP (VoIP) headseat
3. Using a telephone land line
4. Using a cell phone
5. Using Skype with a built-in mic and earphones
A special note on this option: while using the internal microphone on your Mac without earphones might be fine for casual audio or video chat, it produces a poor recording. The mic often picks up internal sounds from your Mac as well as the audio coming from my side, causing a 1.5 – 2 second echo. Plugging in earphones can correct the echo but the audio quality of this tpe of recording is just not good.
Recording Quality Tips
These few things will help you deliver the best interview possible.
1. Make the room as quiet as posible
The microphone picks up sounds you often overlook – air conditioning units, computer fan hum etc. No one expects you to be a remote recording studio, but trying to elminiate some obvious noises can help improve the quality significantly.
2. Put the dogs in the garage
3. Take the phone off the hook
…if you’re using Skype.
4. Get a glass of water
5. If necessary, make any data sheets or web site screens available as a reference