My not-for-profit theatre company (run by me and grumblebee) wants to start producing audio dramas and releasing them as podcasts (and maybe on CDs). We have a limited budget (under $1000). What recording equipment should we buy for good quality sound?
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posted by Evangeline
on Jul 13, 2005 -
24 answers
Home recording question: for those with limited funds and limited equipment, what's the best method of accomplishing a big, full, warm-sounding acoustic guitar sound?
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posted by highsignal
on Jun 25, 2005 -
19 answers
Since I installed Windows XP and a new M-Audio Audiophile soundcard last week, I can no longer monitor guitar while recording. Playback is fine—I can hear playback in Soundforge & Acid and I can see the meter jumping while recording— but I cannot hear the guitar amplified while I'm recording it. It seems Acid 4.0 should support ASIO drivers, but no luck.
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posted by jenleigh
on Jun 22, 2005 -
3 answers
I'm wondering what applications (preferably free) I would use in OS X 10.4 if I want to grab and record audio on its way to my computer's speakers. A band I like has part of a song available through a flash player on their site, but I don't want to have to be online to hear it all the time. I tried playing it through the speakers and recording that, but the quality was terrible -- is there a way to record the sound directly?
posted by teem
on Jun 20, 2005 -
8 answers
I'm looking for a good recording device, and the Archos Jukebox Recorders have been suggested to me as an ideal device. I'm an opera major studying at a conservatory, and need a device to record my lessons and coachings. I don't want to spend much money. Is Archos the way to go? Are there any significant differences between the units or can I just get an old 10GB from ebay for $100?
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posted by sdis
on May 25, 2005 -
13 answers
I understand that I can transfer my home movies to DVD by using a dvd recorder. But can those dvd's then be played by my European friends on the DVD players or pc they've purchased in Europe? I know that movies have to be played in the zones they're coded for - or I should say, on a player accepting that code.
I guess what I'm asking is if CD-R's and DVD-R's are zone coded like movie dvd's are?
Thanks!
posted by LadyBonita
on May 5, 2005 -
7 answers
On what should you record something that you want to be easily playable in 20 or 30 years?
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posted by Nothing
on Apr 9, 2005 -
24 answers
I record several NPR radio programs with my
RadioSHARK and am happy with the process except for the vague background noise. What can I use to filter out the noise without the sizable investment in MY time?
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posted by phearlez
on Mar 31, 2005 -
4 answers
I am a sort-of musician (lo-fi ambient-ish- real marketable stuff) and I want to start going out into the crazy world about me and recording various sounds. I'm looking for tips on a suitable microphone for field recording and, just as importantly, a good (quality + convenience) digital sound recording device so that I can come back and transfer my sounds without losing quality.
posted by xmutex
on Mar 23, 2005 -
11 answers
I'm looking to record on my PC ( I have adequate Hardware) some music using guitars, bass, vocals, and some other instruments. I need suggestions for a good software program to use (money is not a problem) for the basic recording/tracking and a good program to create drum tracks from scratch. Please see extended explanation for more details.
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posted by derekislost
on Mar 18, 2005 -
11 answers
I have the latest PowerBook G4 and would like to set something up in my home to record spoken word. I'm looking for recommendations on preamps, microphones and maybe software. From what I have read GarageBand can record vocals just fine. Does anyone have any experience they could share on that subject as well? Cost isn't really an issue, but I don't need anything super fancy or complicated.
posted by whatevrnvrmind
on Mar 17, 2005 -
7 answers
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!
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posted by NekulturnY
on Mar 10, 2005 -
8 answers
What are the best tricks, using an audio program like Audacity, for improving a recording of a phone interview where the other guy sounds really quiet, but your voice is loud? What compression/decibal settings are typically best, and what other effects will bring the quiet voice up -- perhaps without making the loud voice much louder?
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posted by inksyndicate
on Mar 9, 2005 -
9 answers
ProAudio Filter: I'm looking to purchase the new portable
Marantz CF recorder. What's the best online retailer for this kind of gear? There are so many to choose from that it's hard to decide.
posted by aladfar
on Mar 4, 2005 -
6 answers
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.
posted by mwhybark
on Feb 26, 2005 -
11 answers
We were rearranging the shelves in my house today, and we found a bunch of old tapes from my
Dad's friends from when he lived in Spain (he was born there, as was I). His friends mixed
a bunch of bands together to make this very cool-sounding tape, and the thought struck me: Why not
rip this? (edit: also found bunch of old tapes my brother made of a punk radio station. woot!)
Of course, I lack the knowledge required.
So my question essentially is: what sort of process, programs, and materials is one required to
go through to convert these tapes to mp3? Would the machine I'd have to buy also double as a
tape-pl-ayer itself? What about records? I've been wanting a record player for a while, and I've
been wanting to rip some records as well. Are there record-rippers which double as players? Are
there record/tape player/rippers all combined into one machine? How complicated is this process?
How expensive does it have to be? I don't want to end up with really badly ripped files, but I
don't want studio equipment, either. Basically, what do I have to go through to get good
sounding, 192-320 kbps mp3s from my tapes and records that I could then distribute via
BitTorrent? Thanks.
posted by Lockeownzj00
on Feb 12, 2005 -
17 answers
I'm trying to convert cassette tapes to MP3s using MusicReplay software. This involves use of an amplifier. I don't know what an amplifier is, if my stereo has one, and if I've hooked it up right. For whatever reason, it's not working. Help, please. [MI]
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posted by duck
on Jan 23, 2005 -
12 answers
Garageband came with my computer, and I don't understand it at all. I was expecting it to be simpler than a four-track, but it's not. My computer (a G5) tells me that it has a built-in microphone, but when I play with Garageband, nothing happens. Are there any simple and detailed web tutorials about how to use this program? Caveat: I am basically computer-illiterate.
posted by interrobang
on Jan 12, 2005 -
8 answers
Around 1997 there was a website a guy made that detailed all of Led Zeppelin's recording sessions down to the most minute detail. Even pointing out that you could hear John Bonham's bass drum pedal squeaking throughout most of Physical Grafitti (like in the song Houses of the Holy)...or the sounds of tapes/edits being dubbed together, or other studio anomalies. Anyway, I can't find the site any longer and this kind of crap fascinates me. Does anybody know of other sites like this that anaylise the recordings of well known recordings??
posted by punkfloyd
on Jan 11, 2005 -
7 answers
I was inspired by
this great post to make some of my own songs, using Harry Partch's virtual instruments, and record them into ACID Pro 4.0. How do I make those Flash movies my audio source?
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posted by dhoyt
on Dec 14, 2004 -
3 answers
MusicianFilter: What should I do with my recordings? [MI]
posted by ludwig_van
on Nov 30, 2004 -
18 answers
What are some popular (both expensive and cheap) software packages for windows based multi-track recording? Also, are there any relevant and good websites/webcommunities and newsgroups? Soundcard/hardware recommendations would be nice as being limited to one input might be a drag and I really don't know how to tell the difference between a good soundcard chipset and a bad one.
posted by skallas
on Nov 17, 2004 -
12 answers
I'm a big fan of mashups, but only recently wondered what software people use to make them. Specifically things like:
A Night at the Hip Hopera,
The Grey Album and more recently
the Scummer Mix (scroll down for link)
Vocal stripping, beat matching, sampling, the ubiquitous handclap track... Help me AskMe, where do I begin?
posted by FreezBoy
on Oct 27, 2004 -
8 answers
Home-recording question, Part Deux: What is the best way to route your headphones, soundcard and mixer? (More inside)
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posted by dhoyt
on Sep 27, 2004 -
2 answers
Home Recording: my current setup is a Mackie 1402 board direct into an Audigy Platinum card. I was thinking about getting a higher-quality card--
this was recommended--though truthfully, I'm not sure what noticeable differences to expect. Also, what is the advantage to having a breakout box if I've already got a decent mixing board?
posted by dhoyt
on Sep 25, 2004 -
8 answers
My own
blue thread makes me want to know how I can record these concerts (Real media streams) to my hard drive
and then convert to MP3
and then break them up into individual tracks. I'm on OS X Panther and prefer iTunes but will download whatever.
posted by dobbs
on Sep 19, 2004 -
9 answers
Calling all
Nerds Automation masterminds. I record radio shows on a weekly basis using a hauappage WinTV card in an XP box (I use the
Axife frontend). I'm trying to automate my whole process to the point where all I have to do is plug my ipod into my powerbook. I have
scripted ftp.exe to send the resultant MP3 files from the XP box to my powerbook once daily. On the powerbook, I have a folder action set to run a script that adds any files that appear to itunes, and then delete the files. The only thing I haven't got my head around is how to automatically delete the files from the XP directory, BUT ONLY if the ftp transfer was successful. Suggestions?
posted by adamkempa
on Sep 17, 2004 -
6 answers
Laptop Music filter- Can you help me pick out a computer to make music on [mi]?
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posted by drezdn
on Aug 9, 2004 -
9 answers
Searching for a spoken word MP3. Details are sketchy. I believe it's called "Marlon Brando and James Dean Came by On Their Motorcycles" but have also heard it called "Marlon Brando and Steve McQueen Came by On Their Motorcycles". I am *positive* that it was on a cassette (pre-cd days) called "Hollyword" and was by poet Eva Brandstein. I have searched google (though I suck at that) and allmusic and can't find squat that it even exists. Anyone know where I can find this MP3 or buy Hollyword on CD or if it was even released on disc? {more}
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posted by dobbs
on Aug 3, 2004 -
8 answers
Can anyone recommend a digital voice recorder that can also be hooked up to a phone to record calls/interviews?
posted by gottabefunky
on Aug 2, 2004 -
14 answers
HomeRecordingFilter. Of course, I'm recording an album at home. I'm already using a Rode NT1A mic, but I want to get the effect of a vocal coming through and old radio. I understand that I can fiddle with the EQ controls in CoolEdit (I mean, Adobe Audition...) and emulate the desired effect, but does anyone have any more tips to get the vintage wireless sound? While I'm at it - does anyone have any home recording tips in general?
posted by armoured-ant
on Aug 1, 2004 -
9 answers
My band is looking to release a short run (100 to 500 copies for now) of our album on vinyl (12" LP format). Does anyone here have any experience doing this? Where did you go for the pressings, and approx how much did it cost?
posted by Quartermass
on Jul 8, 2004 -
4 answers
Hi-MD vs mp3? I'm looking to buy something to record DJ sets with. I've been using my somewhat trusty Creative Jukebox for a while now, but it's time to move on. So, do I get an iPod or a Hi-MD Walkman? Does Sony "own" my music if I record to Hi-MD? That is, will I be able to get music off the MD player and convert it to other formats and whatnot?
posted by badstone
on Jul 1, 2004 -
14 answers
I recorded a wav file from a MiniDisc onto my laptop - the MD player is getting crotchety and there's extended periods of silence throughout the recording. Is there any tool that can strip out these places where there's no signal recorded? Or do I need to do it by hand (using Audacity)?
posted by ao4047
on Jun 29, 2004 -
1 answer
His name is Dave Dunston. Or possibly Dunson. Or possibly some other variant that sounds similar; I've never seen it written. He is, or perhaps was, a British air traffic controller. Many years ago he gave a talk on air traffic control, and commercial aircraft in general, to a group of British bankers. Somehow it got recorded, and was broadcast on Max Ferguson's show on the CBC. It is definitely one of the funniest things I have ever heard. I managed to tape it, but the old cassette technology is dying a speedy death. I want another copy, preferably on a more dependable medium. Has anybody heard of this guy? Does anybody know how, or if, this air traffic control talk recording was released? Somehow it got into Max Ferguson's paws; I want it in mine.
posted by DrJohnEvans
on May 11, 2004 -
8 answers
Crackling MP3s/AACs. I'm encoding with iTunes, and a lot of my tracks have a noticeable crackle about three seconds in. It's regardless of choosing AAC or MP3 as my format. What's causing it and how can I fix it?
posted by bonaldi
on May 4, 2004 -
7 answers
I'm after tips for processing audio to "dirty it up" - techniques and software [more inside].
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posted by Jimbob
on Apr 22, 2004 -
8 answers
I'd like to set up a cheap "recording studio" for dialogue (not music). I'm shooting for NPR/"This American Life" audio-quality. What do I need and how much will it cost me? I'll probably have to do this in my apartment, so considerations include sound-proofing a small room in addition to recording equipment. One thing I don't need is a PC or sound-editing software. I have that. But I need recommendations for recording devices, mics, etc. This is for "audio drama" in which several people might be talking at once.
posted by grumblebee
on Apr 3, 2004 -
17 answers
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?
posted by inksyndicate
on Apr 1, 2004 -
3 answers
For a radio piece I have to record, I'd like to get a digital recording device that I can hook up to a nice microphone -- something with Flash memory or a hard drive, rather than DAT or minidisc. Can someone recommend one? Some guy at Radio Shack suggested the iPod itself, but it doesn't seem to have a mic jack.
posted by inksyndicate
on Mar 31, 2004 -
15 answers
