SiteYou 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]
11 Responses to “You Ask, We Answer: How do you record interviews?”
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Alicia
Said this on January 28th, 2008 at 8:53am: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.
my backyard
Said this on January 28th, 2008 at 4:08pm:What adapter works with cordless phones? When you say cordless phone, does that include cellphones?
piper
Said this on January 28th, 2008 at 7:23pm: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.
diane
Said this on January 29th, 2008 at 9:55am: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/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BTC8C8
I also bought a microphone for in-person interviews, for a stronger signal: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BTAH62
Have yet to set them up though, so wish me luck!
neil...
Said this on January 29th, 2008 at 6:14pm: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.
LindaFormichelli
Said this on January 29th, 2008 at 8:28pm: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?
diane
Said this on January 30th, 2008 at 10:58am:Linda, the one I linked to above does just that
LindaFormichelli
Said this on January 30th, 2008 at 11:34am:Oops…thanks, Diane!
Star
Said this on January 30th, 2008 at 12:53pm: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.
my backyard
Said this on February 2nd, 2008 at 5:17pm:thank you to those who responded to my question!
Megan
Said this on February 3rd, 2008 at 3:50pm: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!