Be Heard | Solo Recording Guide

SOLO RECORDING

Equipment

Here's what you'll need to get started recording your own voice.

1. Blue Yeti X Microphone (Approx £159 UK, $179 US)

The Yeti X is capable of incredible results at a very affordable price point. Easy to use and the multiple recording patterns make it extremely diverse. If you have another microphone already then we may be able to use that - contact me to check.

2. Pop Shield (Approx £8 UK, $10 US)

A pop shield eliminates bass pops on plosive sounds. For such an inexpensive piece of equipment it really is valuable. Any pop shield will do the same job so there's no need to spend a fortune.

3. Computer

The microphone will need to connect to a computer via USB, so a computer of some sort will berequired. This could be a desktop / laptop, Mac / PC.

Make sure these steps are taken care of before the day of recording.

Before Recording

1. Download Audacity

I recommend recording using Audacity which is a free piece of recording software. It is simple to use, widely available on Mac & PC, and has a lot of functionality.

2. Familiarise yourself

Familiarise yourself with the Audacity software. Detailed instructions on the recording process are to follow but it's a good idea to have a look at the software beforehand.

3. Mic test

I would recommend doing a quick mic test and sending it to me so that I can check that your mic and software it set up correctly. This means that when you go to record the real thing you know everything is good to go!

How to Record

You're about to start recording! Here's how to get started.

1. Connect the microphone

Plug the Blue Yeti microphone into the computer via the USB cable.

2. Pop Shield

Position the pop shield so that the shield is in front of the microphone and you are speaking through it.

3. Set up Audacity

Open Audacity on your computer. Make sure that the audio input is set to the Blue Yeti microphone.

4. Check your microphone

The Yeti should be set to cardioid mode (the icon on the mic that looks like an upside down heart).

5. Record!

You are now ready to click record! When speaking into the mic, make sure to speak directly into the front of the mic (not the top). If you haven't done a mic test at this stage I highly recommend doing one before going any further.

6. Marking Mistakes

If you make a mistake during recording, don't worry. Just mark the mistake using the pause and clap technique. This means you must pause in silence for at least 10 seconds, then clap your hands once. This will be a signal to me that there is something that needs editing and I will take care of it.

7. Ending the recording

After the recording has finished you can click stop in Audacity and export the audio as an audio file to send me for production!