Recording Box
When recording for podcasts or voice overs, it is important to get a good quality recording, free from background sounds. One problem to avoid is room reverb. This is when the sound of your voice bounces off hard surfaces in the room and arrive at the microphone after your voice creating poor sound quality. There are a few options to reduce room reverb. One is a simple recording box. This is a box lined with acoustic foam but open at the front, in which you put your microphone to eliminate noise from other directions. Another is an isolation shield; a trifold of acoustic foam that reduces echo and sound reflection. Lastly, materials that are at hand, such as blankets and jackets can create temporary recording booths. Nate Dimeo of Memory Palace, NPR fame is known to use a mattress topper, and he is a Peabody Finalist.
At my school, space and storage is of chief concern. As a result, a recording box is not a practical solution, in spite of it being quite a small. The gain in sound quality would not justify the space needed to store the box. Here is a photo of a temporary set up that helps to reduce room reverb.
Microphones
I record with a Logitech USB Desktop Microphone. It sounds good and is easy to use. I have used it with students for over 12 years and it is still going strong. I noticed in my recording that my Ps pop a little, so I am interested in the Tonor PC condenser microphone, as it has a pop filter. Really, for elementary school, and the way we would use the mic, exceptional sound quality is a secondary concern to usability and durability.
I have also used gaming headsets with students. The built in mic removes problems associated with needing to face the mic. They can move their heads all over without affecting the sound recording.
Resources:
Sonics Podcast: How to make a DIY podcast recording booth https://medium.com/podcast-101/how-to-make-a-diy-podcast-recording-booth-a260f1e8a23b
https://blog.elearningbrothers.com/blog/how-to-make-your-own-sound-booth-for-better-voice-overs
https://discoverpods.com/usb-microphones-cheap-podcast-mics/
Hi Rupert,
ReplyDeleteI like your improvised sound booth and that you noted that Nate Dimeo uses one similar to this. It's a great example of how when we do not have access to materials, we can improvise and make something work with the materials on hand. I find this especially important given that everyone is trying to reduce exposure to covid by not physically going in to stores to purchase materials.
Madeleine
Thanks for the feedback Madeleine. I struggled with this, but just couldn't bring myself to buy a bunch of foam I won't use, environmentally thinking.
ReplyDelete