Quick Start (5 minutes)
- Pick a quiet room with soft surfaces (curtains, couch, closet).
- Hold the phone or mic 10–15 cm from the mouth, slightly off-axis to reduce plosives.
- Speak at a natural volume. If meters clip (turn red), move the mic back.
- Record a 1-minute test, listen back on headphones, adjust, then start the full session.
Recommended Gear
- Good: Modern smartphone (Voice Memos / Recorder) on “High quality”.
- Better: Phone + simple lavalier mic (TRRS for phones or USB-C/Lightning).
- Best: USB mic (e.g., condenser) into laptop with a pop filter.
Room & Setup
- Choose a small room; turn off fans/AC; close windows.
- Soften hard reflections: sit near curtains, clothes, or bookshelves.
- Reduce handling noise: use a stand, or rest the phone on a soft surface.
Mic Technique
- Distance 10–15 cm; keep it consistent across takes.
- Angle the mic slightly (20–30°) to avoid breath pops.
- Pause briefly between sentences—easier to edit later.
What to Record
We’re aiming for natural speech with variety. Suggested prompts:
- Introduce yourself (name, birth year, where you grew up).
- Tell one family story (who, where, when, what happened).
- Describe a place (home, school, neighborhood) and the people there.
- Read a few dates and names clearly (useful for evaluation).
- Free talk for 2–3 minutes about anything that matters to you.
Length & Formats
- Length: 10–30 minutes total is ideal (natural conversation, not monotone reading).
- Format: WAV or FLAC; 44.1/48 kHz; 16-bit+. If using a phone, select the highest quality available.
- One take per file (less editing later) or short segments with clear filenames.
Naming & File Management
- Use a clear pattern:
YYYY-MM-DD_Name_Topic_Take01.wav - Keep a simple log (date, duration, notes like “AC off, close mic”).
- Back up to two places (e.g., local + cloud) the same day.
Do & Don’t
- Do drink water, sit comfortably, and smile—tone matters.
- Do stop and redo a sentence if you stumble; pause then restart.
- Don’t record next to a laptop fan or open window.
- Don’t whisper or shout; aim for natural conversation.
Troubleshooting
- Too boomy/echoey: Move closer; add soft stuff around; avoid bare walls.
- Pops on “P”/“B”: Angle the mic; add a pop filter or a thin cloth.
- Hiss/hum: Try airplane mode; move away from electronics; use a different cable/port.
- Levels too low/high: Adjust input gain (if available) or distance to mic.