To Record With The Telephone

Transcript

Recording a Phone Interview There are four choices available to record a phone conversation: 1) 2) 3) 4) Landline to Zoom recorder Landline to smartphone/iPod (used as a recorder) Smartphone to Zoom recorder A phone recording app (ie: Tape-A-Call/Call Record Pro) 1) Landline to Zoom  You can sign out a Phone Patch kit from the technical staff to attach to a landline phone (with a cord attached handset). There are phones available in the Venn and RCC 223/227 (only available when class is NOT in session). You won’t need the kit for the RCC 223/227 phones since they already have adapter cables attached. Remove the cable that goes into the handset and plug into the phone patch. The phone patch phone cable end, plugs into the handset on the phone. The small mini jack at the other end of the phone patch is used to attach to the recorder you are using. You will need to dial ‘9’ on any school telephone to get an outside line. Phone Patch Mini Jack  On the back of the Zoom recorder there is an EXT MIC jack (directly above the speaker). Plug the mini end on the phone patch into the EXT MIC jack. EXT MIC jack On the front of the Zoom, press the MIC button to activate the EXT MIC jack. Mic selection buttons  Plug in your headphones to monitor recording on the Zoom.  Do a test recording to make sure everything is okay before doing your interview. Press the REC button once to put the recorder in PLAY/RECORD/PAUSE. This allows you to check your levels before recording. Press the REC button again to begin recording. Adjust the Rec Level for the interviewee’s voice. The level should peak between -12 and -6 on the VU meter.  WATCH YOUR LEVELS!!!! Sound distorts very easily over a phone line.  There is no mute button on the phone, but holding your hand over the bottom of the handset while the person is answering your question is a good idea. It will help reduce the classroom noises.  When the interview is complete listen back to make sure the interview recorded properly. 2.) Landline to Smartphone  You will need to book a telephone adaptor kit with one of the technical staff to pick up from the EDC. The kit contains a TRRS adaptor cable and a phone patch for use with your smartphone.  Connect the phone patch (as in section 1) and then connect the TRRS adaptor cable to the smartphone/iPod. Connect the mic end of the TRRS cable to the mini jack on the phone patch. The only catch with this set up is that you can’t use headphones to monitor the levels being recorded. Make sure you do a test recording to make everything is working properly. You’ll need to dial ‘9’ on the school telephones for an outside line.  TRRS cable Phone patch  Use a recommended audio recording app to start recording when ready.  WATCH YOUR LEVELS! Sound distorts very easily over a phone line. Make sure the levels are peaking between -12 and -6db.  There is no mute button on the phone, but holding your hand over the bottom of the handset while the person is answering your question is a good idea. It will help reduce room noise or your breathing.  When the interview is complete listen back to make sure the interview recorded properly. 3.) Smartphone to Zoom The Zoom recorder can be used to record a call from a mobile phone.  Connect a mini to mini cable to the headphone jack on the mobile phone.  On the back of the Zoom recorder there is an EXT MIC jack (directly above the speaker). Plug the other mini end into the EXT MIC jack. EXT MIC jack  On the front of the Zoom, press the MIC button to activate the EXT MIC jack. Mic selection buttons  Plug headphones into the headphone jack on the side of Zoom recorder.  The headphones allow you to hear the interviewee. Talk into the phone as normal. Do a test recording to make sure everything is okay before doing your interview. Press the REC button once to put the recorder in PLAY/RECORD/PAUSE. This allows you to check your levels before recording. Press the REC button again to begin recording.  Adjust the Rec Level for the interviewee’s voice. The level should peak between -12 and -6 on the VU meter. Play back the interview to make sure it recorded correctly. 4.) Recording App for Smartphone  There are several phone recording apps for Android and Apple phones. Most will only let you record 60 seconds of a phone call for free, after that you’ll need to buy minutes to record and save the phone call. There are a few apps that allow you to make unlimited recordings and download them for a one time app fee. Tape-a-call (approx. $10) and Call Record Pro ($11.99) are great apps that allow you record, save and download your files. Make sure you test the app and check the recording before conducting the interview!