How to Set Up a Recording Microphone

Voice recordings are useful for note-taking, and speech to text software.

Microphones are only as good as their set-ups. This is true for all microphones, as, if they are set up incorrectly, they will not provide the full benefit --- and in this case, all microphones are equal, expensive or not. Your choice of microphone is dependent on its use. If you're making speeches or announcements to the general public, you'll need a different microphone than you would for, say, speech-dictation or karaoke. The main two aspects of good microphone set-up include obtaining the correct microphone, then setting it up to perform well for its intended role.

Instructions

1. Check that your recording system recognizes the microphone. Go to "Control Panel", "Hardware and Sound" (if using Windows 7), and then "Sound." Click the "Recording" tab. If the system detects the microphone, it will say so here. If the microphone does exist, but does not seem to work, click "Properties", then "Levels" and the "Muted" check box. If this is set correctly you will need to un-check it so that the system can monitor the microphone for sound.

2. Run the Windows speech recognition software. Go to "Start," "Accessories," "Ease of Access" then "Speech Recognition." If the microphone has been connected and detected correctly the speech recognition program will display a gadget (a button) designed for interactions with the speech-recognition software. If not, the speech-recognition program will say that it could not start. Usually this indicates a microphone problem.

3. Set up the microphone. Right click on the speech recognition gadget and then click "Configuration" followed by "Set up my microphone." The system will then request that you speak a few times into the microphone so that it can set the microphone volume to the correct level.

4. Train the speech recognition program if required for speech-to-text. If you are planning to use the microphone for text-to-speech recognition, you can use the training capability provided with the software. This enables you to train the speech-recognition system to understand your voice. The more this is done, the better the speech recognition will be. This can be done by right-clicking on the speech-recognition gadget, choosing "Configuration" and then the "Improve Voice Recognition" option.

Tips & Warnings

• Ensure the microphone is plugged in and you have the correct drivers installed by using the installation CD, if you have been provided with one.

References

• Microsoft Accessibility: Set up microphone