Needing help recording plain audio

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amberoni13

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I'm looking to record some plain vocal audio - reading text, actually - and I'm a little lost as to the basic of equipments. First, I need a good microphone, but not enormously good. As a side note, I also need some advice about non-microphone equipment - hardware and software - to put down the audio onto a CD using a Linux system.

Really, I'm open to suggestions - any and all suggestions. Thanks in advance.
 
Hi,

I'll give you what I can...for a mic, a Shure 58 will be just fine; it's a world-standard tool, it's about $100; get a cast-base tabletop stand, an XLR cable, and you have that covered.

You say you have a Linux-based PC, but how new is it, and with what kind of harddrive and RAM? If it is fairly new, you shouldn't have a problem just piping voice into a soundcard.

So, a 58, a cheap pre-amp (look up Audiobuddy or M-audio) and a decent sound card for your PC should allow you to record readings. You will need an adaptor from the cable from the pre-amp when it goes into the soundcard.

Get Audacity at audacity.com. Free, stone-simple audio editor that allows you to save projects in 3 different formats.

Your PC has a CD burner I assume? If it doesn't, get Lite-On; weird name, but the fact that I can burn at 52 times normal speed on my stone-age PC without hiccups tells me this thing is stable. Best Buy has them. It comes with Nero Express which, again, is good, simple burning software for making CDs. Check nero.com for compatibility with Linux.

If you are in the US, places to buy:

ZZounds,
American Musical Supply
123Music

Generally you can get free shipping, and no tax.

Good luck, I hope this is of use,

CC
 
http://www.ardour.org/ . check that out if you're running a linux system. i have seriously thought about converting to linux for audio, but have yet to make the jump.
 
The main thing to remember is to go through a mic preamp to the line-in of your audio card and not the mic-in of the card. The mic-in is for those really cheapo dictation mics and uses the noisy on-board pramps on the card. You will not get good sound from the mic-in port.
 
Cosmic said:
You say you have a Linux-based PC, but how new is it, and with what kind of harddrive and RAM? If it is fairly new, you shouldn't have a problem just piping voice into a soundcard.
Click to expand...

*giggle* Just to clear up a little confusion. Linux is an operating system like Dos or Windows 2000 and not a make of computer. Linux is a free (as in speech) operating system and an alternative to windows that runs on most P.C's. In theory you can not run windows software such as Nero etc, under Linux, although there is a windows emulator called wine that might let you run a lot of software (probably not cd burning software however).

Linux was invented in Finland and it's mascot is a cute fat penguin. :)

Hope that helps explain a little bit!

love

Freya
 
There is an open-source basic audio redording and editing software called audacity.

audacity.sourceforge.net

There is a linux version. As to whether the other multitracking programs have a linux version I don't know. Most feel pretty open-minded just having Mac and PC versions.
 
Just to throw this in as far as covering the basics: do you have a quiet room? Will the PC be in the room where you record? There's a possibilty of picking up PC fan noise (or other environmental noises). And will you be reading for personal use or will this be a commercial venture? If for personal stuff, then if you follow what you've read here you'll be heading in the right direction.
 
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