Some general recording questions (types of mic etc.) - URGENT!

[helloworld]

Hi,
I need to record some events to put on my website. Different events are going to be held in different sized rooms. There is going to be an audience, and ideally, I would like to be able to record it from the back of the auditorium/room/hall. For each event there will be only one speaker.

I am on a limited budget, and so I need fairly inexpensive equipment that will last for a long time.

I want to be able to set up a microphone directly into a laptop and record the event using Audacity, a free, open-source recording program.

My questions are:
- Will I be able to record with one mic from the back or will I have to set up a mic near the speaker for recording?

- What type of microphone will I need?

- Will it be OK to plug straight into a laptop?

- Would there be any forseeable difficulties with using this type of mic etc.?

- Is this the best way of recording this sort of thing?

Thank you!

H

 

[tmix]

My opinion

Hi,
I need to record some events to put on my website. Different events are going to be held in different sized rooms. There is going to be an audience, and ideally, I would like to be able to record it from the back of the auditorium/room/hall. For each event there will be only one speaker. H

Why do you want to record from the back? If the room sounds bad so will your recording. Even micing from the front part of the room will give audience sound.
Is the speaker unamplified and is the rooms small?

I am on a limited budget, and so I need fairly inexpensive equipment that will last for a long time.

I want to be able to set up a microphone directly into a laptop and record the event using Audacity, a free, open-source recording program.

My questions are:
- Will I be able to record with one mic from the back or will I have to set up a mic near the speaker for recording?

- What type of microphone will I need?H

Recording into a laptop can be tricky with out a dedicated microphone preamp. You can always use a cheap computer mic which is a fixed charge electret type condensor. It already has the right connections. The downside is they can be overloaded when volumes get loud (if that is going to happen) and they dont sound really good from a long distance. Recording with the microphone preamp built into your laptop can be good if the soundcard is of any quality... but most are not.
Recording with a better condensor mic is a step up, but you need a dedicated mic preamp with phantom power and the requisite cabling, but you can place the mic wherever you need and have some flexibility where you put your computer. Dynamic mics such as a Shure sm57 can work allright , are not quite as sensitive , but dont require phantom power. I am not sure if you could adapt a mic cable to plug directly into your laptop or not... plus the laptop mic input may not have enough gain to use a dynamic mic.

- Will it be OK to plug straight into a laptop?
H

You can depending on your mic choice and the quality of the recording you are looking for.

- Would there be any forseeable difficulties with using this type of mic etc.?
- Is this the best way of recording this sort of thing?
H

Is it possible that someone else is providing a mic / mixer / soundsystem for the events and you can simply take a line level feed off their mixing console? I have done this with very good results and all you need is a cable and you are good to go.

I guess to make better suggestions you may need to say more about what exactly you are hoping for. Micing at the back of the room (if a large room) will sound boxy if the room sounds like that. if the speaker is unamplified they will sound distant. If you want the event to sound more like you are sitting close to the front, you need to mic it there or take a direct feed from a mic that is at the front of the room.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[helloworld]

Clarification...

Would this type of mic be ok?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=27483&criteria=Shure%20sm57&doy=17m2

also, with the preamplifier, is this the normal cost for them...?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=29908&doy=17m2

Thank you very much,
H

 

[tmix]

That would work ok. I think you might be happier with:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?detail=full&ModuleNo=32517&doy=17m2#more_info

It is battery powered (have to keep up with batteries) but would plug directly into your computer without the preamp. It would be ok for a room mic, it may not serve as a mic to interview someone with

 

[helloworld]

Where abouts in the room should I place it?

Thank you so much for all your help!

Where abouts in the room should I place the sort of mic you suggested - would the speaker speak right into it, or should it be some distance away from the speaker?

Thank you!

H