How to Prepare to Use a Voice Recorder

A voice recorder is perfect for getting one-on-one interviews and for capturing clips of important meetings. A beat journalist relies on a voice recorder to make sure his or her quotes are correct, but using a recorder correctly will provide an essential archive to any professional.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A voice recorder
• A quiet test area
• Batteries

1. Install fresh batteries. It's surprising how many times a good piece of equipment will go on the blink due to faulty power. A voice recorder is wireless and carried in the pocket, so batteries are essential, and it doesn't hurt to keep a couple of extras on hand.
2. Review the features of your voice recorder. Does it have easy controls? Consider how any features and the "Play" and "Stop" buttons will apply to your needs.
3. Do a sound check. Record your voice a few times. Study how much distance from the microphone makes the sound unintelligible.
4. Think about acoustics. The sound in a test area might be great, but what about a conference room? Providing for a range of acoustics will ensure good recording.
5. Keep your voice recorder on hand. Put it with other resources that you use on the go. It's frustrating to find that after thoroughly checking your device, you've left it at home.

Tips & Warnings

• If your voice recorder doesn't pick up sound from a couple of meters away, you might want to try an auxiliary microphone. Some models are compatible with external microphones for far-reaching pickup.
• Utilize all of your voice recorder's features. A USB connection, for instance, allows sounds to be archived on a home computer.
• Don't assume a one-time voice test will ensure great sound quality in use. Try a variety of tests with different distances from the mic, and maybe talking at different volumes, too.

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