How to Record a Voice With an External Microphone

Recording voice with a microphone is easy if you follow a few simple rules.

Thanks to the increased power of computers today, it's now easier than ever for aspiring home recording enthusiasts to practice their craft. However, even when capturing something as simple as a voice, it can be difficult to produce a high-quality recording. Producing a recording of a voice is the by-product of several different factors---equipment, software and the environment---but with the proper preparation, keeping all these factors in harmony shouldn't be a problem.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Recording software
• Voice-capable microphone
• Microphone stand
• XLR cable
• Pop shield
• XLR to USB/FireWire audio interface

Instructions

Recording Setup

1. Place your microphone on the stand, and plug the audio input device to your computer via USB or FireWire, and connect the microphone to the device with an XLR cable.

2. Put your pop shield on the microphone stand, keeping it between the microphone and the speaker. Attach the pop shield by tightening the vice end onto the mic stand.

3. Turn on your computer, and install the appropriate hardware drivers for the audio input device, if needed. The drivers usually are bundled on a CD with your audio recording device.

4. Go to your computer's Control Panel---the location will vary, depending on your operating system---and set the audio options so that the input device can be used.

Recording

1. Open the recording program, and test out your recording levels. If they are set incorrectly and in the red, the end result will be distorted audio that is unpleasant to listen to.

2. Minimize any ambient noise, such the hum of a fan, that could be picked up by the microphone, or relocate to a quiet location.

3. Click on "Record" in your recording program, and begin recording. Once you're done, adjustments can be made through the equalizer or software to improve the recording quality.

Tips & Warnings

• If budget is a concern, going with XLR isn't mandatory---lower-quality microphone options exist, but the final recording will also be of a lower quality.

• Free options for recording software exist---Audacity and GarageBand are two popular programs---and homemade pop shields are common.

• Having a stand makes the microphone easier to handle and position. When you record while holding the microphone, any movement between the microphone and your hand will be recorded.

• Not all microphones are built for recording voice. Some are optimized for environments like live recording or instruments, so make sure that the microphone suits your needs.

References

• Sound On Sound: Pop Shields: Why You Need Them
• Recording EQ: Home Recording Primer
• Sonicspot: Voice Recording on a Computer

Resources

• Audacity Wiki: Audacity Wiki
• Hometracked: Homemade pop filters