Lovely @larkral asked me about my podfic set up. Here is a quick run through for you, and to any who are curious, especially those working on @caught-on-tape-fest.
But remember, every person already has the most important tool for a good recording. Your breath. No matter what tools you use to record a podfic, be in a place where you are sitting comfortably. Raise your shoulders and engage your core muscles. When you slump, your diaphragm is compressed and your voice will be thin. Take some deep breaths before you begin.
Okay, back to me. I work at my dining room table. I have my mic, amp, laptop, headphones and a glass of water. My next additions will be a pop shield and a boom to hold the mic. I've been pondering setting up a more permanent place, but this is good for now. It's bright and stable and mostly quiet.
Well, quiet except for the fishtank, my cat (who yowls to get kibble and thinks that yowling at chipmunks out the window will equally as effective) and a stupid watch that beeps on the hour. So, yeah, maybe a better spot.
I was looking to purchase a used microphone off of kijiji, but @cutestkilla let me borrow her spare. She's an extremely talented musician and would be a good person to ask if you want to discuss hardware set up.
If you are lucky enough to use this kind of microphone, remember to hang ten, using the spacing of your hand to position your face before it. Also, you want the microphone to be stable.
When you press record, wait for a couple of seconds without speaking. That will give the software a baseline of the room's ambient noise to allow you to use its noise reduction tools.
