Week Nine: Software [Michelina Tersigni, W14]

RECORDING

• I was originally quite set on (and am still debating) ordering this Blue's Yeti USB Microphone. I'll have to make my decision soon since time is ticking and I intend to start recording next weekend, but for now, my doubts are only concerning its price (over $100) since I don't think I'd use it beyond this project. Its redeeming points are its quality, described in detail within this Wirecutter review; it's immediately branded as "fantastic for podcasters", and lets you hear what you're recording while you're recording it so you're not fooled into thinking that something actually quite flawed is a fantastic take. It "also has a master volume control which mimics a headphone amp console in a professional recording studio", and professional podcasts tend to sound similarly recorded.
• My second option comes from something a bit more immediate, i.e. something I already own: the Voice Recorder on my Android phone. I used it to record an interview with my sister (and an interview with my dad for another course), and both times, I found that the audio was clear as a bell. It's more easily portable and flexible than something that I'd have to plug into a USB; I would simply just have to go to a quieter room in my house (to avoid unnecessary background noise — my dad's interview was never meant to be heard, only transcribed, so it was fine that his recording had noises from the kitchen and television, but it wouldn't be wise to have that sort of clutter for this project). As the app description outlines, you can record for as long as you like, and you can pause for breath or a new take whenever, resuming when you're ready; you can also cut bits of the recording right on your phone into tinier increments, or delete takes entirely without even having to open an editing program. Again, as far as professionalism goes, I'd have to control it by going into an environment where sounds irrelevant to my podcast wouldn't be heard, but that's simple enough, and the rest of it just comes down to me speaking as clearly as I can. No device can do that for me!

EDITING

• If I do go the route where I use my Android, the audio files are saved as .3ga instead of .mp3; I'd use Zamzar, an online website, to convert them.
• For polished, final editing, I'm using the trial version of Vegas Pro 12 (this links to the section on audio tools). I've used multiple versions of the program in the past for video editing, and the audio was always one of the most interesting parts since it has a ton of effects to choose from (the site lists a few, like reverb and crossfades for transitions), and multiple tracks for overlaying purposes (which I'll need for intro/outro music). It allows you to import as many files as you want, and combine and render the edited audio tracks with the extension of your choosing, including .mp3.

As for how I sound, I predicted all the way back during the first week that my speaking much too fast would pose a problem. I've always naturally spoken fast, nervous or no, so for this, based on the test recordings I've already done, I'm definitely going to benefit from the fact that I can do multiple takes in the privacy of my own home, again and again and again until I calm down enough into a pace that's audible for people who don't know me and haven't yet learned to translate. I blur syllables together a lot, so I really have to concentrate on enunciation, especially since I'm tackling a fair amount of scholarly terms.