4. Equipment

To get good quality sound, you will need good equipment. There is a range of field recorder equipment on the market, with prices varying between about $50.00 up to several thousand dollars.

You will not need many of the features of the more expensive devices (multiple inputs for external mics, time codes for video, colour displays) but you should avoid cheaper devices not intended for broadcast work (voice note recorders, anything with AI).

Recorders large and small

Field recorders come in many shapes and sizes. Reporter Conrad Fox gives us a tour of his collection.

How to use a recorder

Operating an audio recorder is not difficult. As we mentioned in the previous section, you will rarely, if ever, need to change the recording settings. Even the gain control, which sets the recording volume, can usually be left alone. The most important techniques in using a recorder are how you hold it and where you place it. Here's a review.

It is very important that you practice with your recorder. Learn to turn it on and off with ease. Get a feel for long it takes to be ready to record. Test it on a friend. Set the gain control to a decent level and leave it there. Walk around your house or office and record in different rooms. Are you picking up background noise or echo? Are you recording the sound of your hand moving on the recorder or cables rubbing on your leg?

Figure out how you will carry it into the field. Does it have it's own bag, or is it stuffed in a backpack under your lunch, your laptop and your gym clothes. Are the cables going to get all wrapped up as you try to fish it out? Make sure you have enough batteries and space on the memory card. You might even want to have a spare recorder, just in case your main recorder falls in the mud at an outdoor press conference!