Use Tape Recorder...Yes or No

OK, I think we're closer on that than we think. Best thing is probably not to quote somebody in that case.

 

I can't agree at all. Tapes decay, for one. And if you lose a tape, you're screwed. In addition, if you're trying to preserve every interview, you've got to buy a decent number of tapes. Also, cassette recorders produce significantly worse quality than a good digital recorder or iPhone recording app.

Get a good digital recorder, ideally one with the USB port built-in. If you don't trust your computer hard drive (which seems very odd to me unless you're concerned with long-term storage), then find ways around it. Get an external hard drive., or email the recording to yourself. If you don't have Gmail, get gmail. It has enough storage for your needs. You can theoretically keep files for years on it, and you could even create an account specifically for recordings.

In addition, you never have to worry at a media day or long press conference that you're going to hear that awful little "pop" sound in the middle of a press conference while your recorder is way up on the front table.

 

At this point, if you're not using a digital recorder, there's something wrong with you.

 

Digital recorder. Used tapes in college. Hated it. With digital, you can transcribe a million times quicker, if for no other reason than you can upload the audio files and then play them through iTunes or QuickPlayer or whatever your computer's music player is. Need to pause a second to catch up? The pause button's right there on the keyboard. Freakin' great.

I carry a backup cassette recorder. Had to use it once. About lost my s— transcribing that interview.

 

When I had a digital recorder, I downloaded everything I recorded to iTunes and was able to catalog it if I ever needed to go back and listen to anything.

 

My only story where I was accused of misquoting someone and couldn't immediately play it back was my first year on the college paper, when I was still using a tape recorder. About three days and two interview sessions with the same team (and SID) after publication of a relatively controversial story, the SID said one of the players believed he was misquoted. He asked me this after a game and the ensuing press conference. I had already taped over the interview.

I went out and bought a digital recorder (at the time, one that didn't transfer files to the computer very easily) the very next day. Haven't had to delete a recording until weeks after the article was published since.

My backup recorders are all the $40 digital kind, like that first one I bought. They don't have easy transfer to computers, but they work much better than tape recorders and don't require tapes. I generally keep at least two and usually three or four recorders with me at any interview session. My tactic for mass media sessions where multiple people are being interviewed at once has typically been to put a (labeled) recorder down on a table where a lot of people are, then wander over to someone who isn't as busy, where I can actually get questions in or even a one-on-one, if possible.

 

Digital recorder. I average about 3-4 years out of a recorder just because I drop them, etc. The last one I got was digital for no other real reason than it was smaller and looked easier to put in my pocket. I love it.

I don't save interviews. Once it's transcribed and the story is written, I have no further use for interviews.

 

I use a digital recorder, note times and write down a few key words that people say so I know where to go back and find a specific quote.

 

Amen, Rhody!!

 

iPhone here, plus two digital recorders (one at home, one at work) as backups.

The best thing about using the iPhone is that it shows recording levels while I record. That way I know if there's a problem with, say, my phone tap, or the recorder itself.

In the old days of tape recorders I would lose two or three interviews a year due to numerous problems. Battery goes dead in the recorder and there's only a tiny light that fades away, so you don't notice until it's too late. Or the tape runs out. Or the phone tap doesn't record properly.

When I went digital many of those problems left immediately. Now with my iPhone app, I can't remember the last time I lost an interview and had to go solely off of my notes.

 

iPhone. I've got a digital recorder somewhere, but I can't remember the last time I used it. I just switch it to Airplane mode and fire up iTalk, though I've been considering getting a different app for a while now.