Business Instructional Recordings to CD

[jump_man72]

Please help!

I would like to record conversations of myself and another person into my computer in an attempt to eventually create instructional CDs for my employees. I have a newly purchased PC Pentium IV running on Windows XP with a standard sound card, CD burner, plenty of RAM and hard-disk space.

The folks at Guitar Center have told me that I should buy M-Audio's Omni Studio package, which I think comes with a new sound card, a pre-amp, and Cakewalk software? I know I also need a microphone.

Everyone I've asked isn't very clear on what I need, when I've explained that I only want to record conversational vocals. Do any of you home recording veterans have any suggestions on Sound Cards? Mixers? Software? Microphones? or anything else I'll need to get the job done? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. jump_man72@yahoo.com

 

[Stealthtech]

I think the suggestions from GC is overkill for just recording a vocal track only. Your current soundcard will do the job just fine. Get a half descent mic with a 1/4 connect. You will probably need an 1/8 adapter to fit in your soundcard mic port. Download a demo version of recording software and use it to record your vocals. Save the files as a 16bit wav. and write it to CD.

 

[Sangram]

As Stealthtech said, keep it simple.

Use a small 5$ desk mic from Radio Shack and plug it into your computer mic port of the standard soundcard. You don't even need the adapter. Pull a nice recording program off the 'net, lots of free ones around, which will allow you to record long conversations. Audacity is a good one, there's another called Direct recorder, these don't have the 60-second limit of the Windows Sound Recorder (which would be perfect otherwise). Find them on Google or at www.hitsquad.com/smm

What you really will need is a quiet room. That's the tough part, you may also want to think about how the two of you will work with one mic, if you need individual mics then you'll need a mixer, don't spend any more than an Audiobuddy which will be perfect for two collar mics or such.

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

....The folks at Guitar Center have told me that I should buy M-Audio's Omni Studio package,....

Forget about what the guys at GC told you (the info that Stealthech and Sangram shared with you was correct).

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

p.s. jump_man72, welcome to this BBS.

 

[jump_man72]

You All Are Great!

I had a gut feeling that them fancy music places were trying to sell me too much, but I didn't know enough. You just saved me a few hundred bucks. I'm going to use your advice and let you all know how it turned out. Thanks again.