Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with recording and phone

How can I add phone interview audio to my existing podcasting setup?

iamisaid — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 17:28:25 -0800

I'm interested in making a new podcast/audio interview series for the web. What's the best way to integrate quality phone interview audio into my series, either using my existing podcasting equipment or with new equipment? I'm interested in making a new podcast/audio interview series for the web. The interviews would be exclusively conducted over the phone, either via Skype to Landline, or Landline to Landline. I have a bunch of audio equipment in storage from my old podcasting days, and I'd like to figure out the best way to integrate quality phone interview audio into these recordings.

I currently have an M-Audio MobilePre USB mixer along with an AudioTechnica AT2020 condenser microphone that plugs into the M-Audio device with an XLR cable. However, I am open to purchasing a new piece of hardware for phone interviews if the price isn't too excessive. On the software side, I use Adobe Audition.

I know of this related question from 2008, but it's nearly 5 years old and doesn't address my exact situation.

I have used Skype call recording programs with a USB headset for other purposes in the past, but always found the quality lacking. Also, I'd like to be able to use my condenser mic on my end for optimum and consistent sound quality.

So, what are my options for broadcast (or near-broadcast) quality recording of telephone interviews?

I want to save this moment forever

decathecting — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 06:08:50 -0800

I'm looking for phone apps that will allow me to easily and simply record sound and simultaneously back up the recording offsite (send it to email, save to a cloud server, etc.). I want to be able to hit a button on my phone that will start recording and automatically save that recording somewhere other than (or in addition to) in my phone's memory. I realize that the quality of the recording will mostly depend on the physical capabilities of the phone, but I'd like the recording to be as high-quality as possible. And I'd love to make a list of apps available for a wide variety of phones. If there is some way to do this on non-smartphones (i.e., by saving the message to voicemail or something), that would also be awesome.

I know these sorts of apps exist, because I've heard of people using them to record encounters with police, fights with significant others, etc., in which their phones ended up lost or destroyed, but the recordings were still accessible to them later. You would think I'd easily be able to find this on Google, but either it is hard to find, or I am terrible at Google. Thanks for your help!

Uninformed phone call recording by business.

mrflibble — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:59:04 -0800

Can a company record phone calls without notifying callers/customers? Are there any New York State or Federal laws prohibiting or regulating this? We've searched but can't find anything real specific. The managers at my friend's store have decided to record the operator's phone calls to determine that the employees are doing the proper sales pitch. There is no automated message informing the customers that the calls are being recorded. Her store is one of a major national retail chain but as far as she knows, only the managers at her store got the bright idea to do this.

Best way to record iPhone interviews on the cheap

letstrythis — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:47:57 -0800

Best solution for recording phone interviews. Here's my equipment: iPhone, MacBook, iPad. I'm a blogger, and I've been recording my interviews into a recording app on my iPad, or into garageband on my mac, using my iPhone on speakerphone. I'd prefer to not use speakerphone, as it cuts out and sounds like a walkie-talkie. I have an important interview coming up, and I'd like to up my game audio fidelity-wise without buying any other gear. What's my best solution?

I really wish Australia had Radio Shack.

embrangled — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 04:48:22 -0800

I need a basic landline phone recording lead like this. I might not have enough time to order one online. Can I make one myself? How would I do that? (Bonus question: Where can I buy one in Sydney?) I need to record some conversations from my home phone. (It's completely above-board - they're planned, consensual interviews for an academic paper, and everyone will know they are being recorded.)

I already have an audio recorder. I just need a lead to connect it to my landline phone. I haven't been able to find one locally and I might not have enough time to order one online. They look pretty straightforward - am I kidding myself to think that I could make one in an evening with a phone cord, an audio lead and some wire strippers? Could those of you familiar with electronics/audio give me some advice on how to do that?

Alternatively, can you tell me where I could buy a ready-made lead in Sydney? I'm pretty sure such equipment is legal in NSW, but given that it's a dual-consent state, the legal uses for it among the general public are pretty limited - perhaps enough to make it a non-viable market. I've tried the obvious places like Dick Smith, but maybe there's a secret spy shop somewhere I'm not aware of?

(I'm aware that there are other options - Skype, my mobile phone, special phone recorders etc. For various reasons, recording directly from my landline would be the most convenient in this particular situation.)

Do Androids stream my electric beeps?

sprocket87 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:11:43 -0800

[Yet another Android app question] Android music app choices look to be slim. Looking for recommendations for playback, streaming and recording apps. I'm seriously considering ditching AT&T (cursed lame data plans, ugh!) and picking up a Sprint EVO 4G. I'm a smartphone power user (WM, Symbian, iPhone, you name it) and I've been spoiled by the great app selection on other platforms, especially the iPhone.

Android looks to be sorely lacking in the multimedia arena. For instance, I'm having a hard time finding any decent audio recording apps. Yes, there are several voice note recorders, but there don't appear to be any multi-track recorders (there is an abundance for the iPhone). Similarly, digital music sequencers are few and look pretty awful.

However, since I don't yet have an Android phone it's possible there is more out there than I'm realizing. So I'm looking for suggestions for the following:

- Best local music/multimedia playback apps (DoubleTwist seems to be the rage right now, but is there anything better?)
- Best streaming audio apps (any comments on Rhapsody? What's the best webradio app between Pandora/last.fm/Slacker/etc?)
- Best music recording apps (multitrack recording would be phenomenal - this was one of my favorite capabilities on the iPhone. Bonus points for other good musician-related apps besides gStrings)
- Any good music creation apps, such as electronic sequencers or trackers?
- Is there a good reliable DLNA player (I have a Netgear ReadyNAS acting as a DLNA server; can I stream these tracks easily and reliably to an Android via WiFi?)
- Any good "remote control" apps to control playback of a music player on a PC, DLNA or otherwise?
- Decent XBMC remote/integration?

Anything else you want to share with a prospective Android user would be appreciated as well (I've done plenty of reading, but user comments - especially power users' - are helpful).

Thanks!

How to set up automatic phone recording through my computer.

jmg967 — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:22:43 -0800

I have a small business with 3 phone lines, and I would like to have our phone calls with customers recorded to the computer automatically for quality and training purposes. Is there some sort of audio card I need for each computer that can do this? I would also need a recommended software to use (doesn't have to be free). Is this feasible, especially having it start recording automatically without employee input? Everything must also be compatible with my PARTNER Telephones here.

Save me from making 60 calls

mysterious1der — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:18:16 -0800

Asking for a co-worker: Is there a service, web-based or otherwise, that will record a message from me, then call a list of phone numbers I provide and play it back to them? This is not cold calling, in fact it's not telemarketing at all. This is for our church which is hosting a summer camp next week. The recording contains last minute details and other reminders about camp (including the implicit "remember, camp is next week!" message.)

All the recipients will welcome the information and the phone call, so there's nothing even remotely "spammy" about this, it would just save me the actual labor of making 60 calls.

Yes, I've googled, but all the hits are either preventing telemarketing or selling you hardware, which I'm not interested in since this is a one-time deal. Yes, I saw this, but it's also not really applicable. This was promising, but I need voice calls, not faxes.

How should I record and transcribe phone interviews?

incandescentman — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:42:54 -0800

What's the best solution for recording and transcribing phone interviews? And what kind of digital voice recorder should I buy? This question has been addressed before, but not recently, and there have been significant advances in (1) digital voice recorders, (2) speech recognition software, and (3) Web sites that will place calls for you, record them for you, and e-mail you an MP3.

The situation: I need to record and transcribe phone interviews. Right now I'm using an old-fashioned solution: Making the calls on a land line with an inline phone-to-audio device attached, recording them onto audiotapes, then transcribing them by hand. I'll also occasionally need to record lectures.

1. Should I buy a digital voice recorder, and if so, which one? If I were going to buy a digital voice recorder, I'd need it to have slow-playback capability, so that I could transcribe as I listened. The Olympus DS-40 and WS-300 both advertise this feature.

2. Is speech recognition software at the point where it can accurately transcribe a phone interview (rather than, say, slow and clear dictation)? Some of Sony's digital voice recorders come with Dragon NaturallySpeaking, but that's only a selling point if the transcriptions are fairly accurate.

3. What about computer- or Web-based solutions, such as GrandCentral.com or Skype? Do any of these services offer accurate transcription services? It would be great if I could occasionally do interviews from my cell phone and have a third party record and transcribe them.

How dI record an mp3?

zooropa — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:53:40 -0800

Quick and easy mp3 recording? I need to record a 'bumper' for an mp3 interview I did recently. Basically, just record "This recording is copyright 2007, bla bla..."

I don't have a mic to stick into an input jack on my laptop. I'm thinking MUCH simpler than that.

Here's what I want to do: I want to be able to dial a number and then have it spit out an mp3 of what I spoke into the phone. That's it.

So no skype, or skype recorder, or what have you. I need something simpler. I want to call a number using my cell or a desk phone, speak, and then have an mp3 of what I'm saying e-mailed to me.

Do-able? Recommendations?

recording a phone interview

joshuak — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:48:17 -0800

How should I record a phone interview? I heard something about using skype but I can't figure out exactly how.

How do I save my voicemail forever?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 21:12:32 -0800

How do you get a voicemail off your cell phone and recorded for posterity? I may need to sue somebody, and I have a voicemail that might help my case, should it ever come to that. My cell phone service (Cingular) only lets me save voicemail messages for 2 weeks, and the CSR I spoke to said he couldn't provide me with an official recording. How should I save this in case it ever needs to be used as evidence? My phone does have a headphone jack.

And would a homemade recording of a voicemail hold up legally? How do I make sure its authenticity isn't questioned?

Phones with line out?

NekulturnY — Thu, 10 Mar 2005 02:22:19 -0800

Inspired by the thread about Audacity. I'm currently recording interviews on my computer through the modem, but the available software is shaky at best. Help me find a telephone with a line out jack! At work, I use an Ericsson that has a line out: this is then connected to the line in on the computer, which makes it easy to record phone conversations with just about any freeware recording software out there (at work, on Mac, this would be Coaster - works like a charm). Problem: they only make those Ericssons for use with a digital phone central, which I don't have at home.

I just know that somewhere there must be a phone that does exactly what I want and is available in Europe (!) and doesn't break the bank, but I can't seem to find it: Google and other searches turn up mostly cell phones and other collectible Mickey Mouse-phone crap that I have no use for. Thanks in advance!

internal aduido recording on cell phones?

mwhybark — Sat, 26 Feb 2005 22:02:38 -0800

Is there a current-gen cell phone that offers internal recording of conversations held on the phone, which can be activated and deactivated by the phone's owner mid conversation? I need to be highly available to conduct interviews over the next month and this would change 'impossible' to 'possible.' It would also sell me my first cell phone.

Recommend a digital recorder that can also record phone calls.

gottabefunky — Mon, 02 Aug 2004 08:32:43 -0800

Can anyone recommend a digital voice recorder that can also be hooked up to a phone to record calls/interviews?

Phone Call Recorders

inksyndicate — Thu, 01 Apr 2004 13:22:29 -0800

Bzzzzz. You know those Radio Shack devices for recording phone calls? When I hook one up to a tape recorder, it works fine. But it's the damndest thing: hooked up to my computer, it buzzes. Is this an electric grounding issue, or is there something I'm doing wrong?