Quote:
Originally Posted by danielle_ftv
This is a cool idea. I'll have to figure out where to get a microphone (or if I can use one of my cameras as a microphone only.
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Hey Dani,
I'm surprised you don't already have a PC headset with attached mike for gaming ("trash talk"), Skype, or similar uses! Go figure...
I'm neither an audiophile nor an audio specialist, but I do have a substantial technical education. That said, I've never been displeased with any PC microphone I've used. For example, about a decade ago I was helping a poor elderly person get into computing, and easily found a $1 (sic.) desktop mike that worked out just fine for them.
Also about a decade ago I was happy to discover the "behind-the-neck"-style headset (with mike), which obviates anxiety among women concerned about mussing their hair-dos. One example of such a unit is the
Logitech PC Headset 120, under $6 at Amazon. One might prefer a slightly fancier unit which includes an audio volume control, rather than depending on making adjustments on the PC. This unit uses standard analog audio connectors. For the best electrical pickup noise immunity one could use a so-called USB mike, but I've never found it necessary.
Some people are concerned that sometimes a headset's mike boom is not long enough to allow the mike to be placed directly in front of their mouth. Actually, that is intentional, because a common beginner's mistake is to place the mike in front of the mouth, rather than at its edge, with the pernicious result that plosive sounds (like b's and p's) result in unwanted "popping" being heard in the recording.
While one might worry about discomfort in wearing a headset during a long recording session, using a headset-mounted mike helps avoid the pickup of unwanted background sounds, and also prevents the audio volume variation one could get when using a desk mike while moving around. A headset also lets you carefully listen to a sound track parallel to which you want to record your voice (e.g. a music track against which you sing.)
Before starting a long audio recording, do a short recording to check sound volume (including that you have not muted your mike one way or the other!) and verify that no background noise undermines your work. A forced-air heating/cooling system is a potential hazard, as is road noise pickup.
I've not bought a speech recognition kit in many years, but they used to bundle in special noise-cancelling mikes to make the software work better.
Any decent video editing software should let you record audio and construct audio-annotated snapshot shows. For stand-alone audio recording and editing, the free Audacity program works just great and includes many tools.
Happy audio recording!
P.S. Once again, happy birthday
