A Good Recorder:

• Lets you use an external microphone;
• Lets you set the record volume yourself;
• Allows continuous recording, not voice activated;
• Is easy for inexperienced people to use;
• Will stand up to heavy use; and
• Has a counter that you can use in your transcript or index to locate specific parts of the recording.

Also Useful:

• A vu meter than shows recording volume – will also show if the batteries are getting weak.
• A signal to show when the tape or disk is about to run out.

• If you have the skills, the technology and the money, check out the most current digital media, such as mini-disk or MP3 players. With these you will be able to download information to your computer. However, contact the archives where you will store your recordings before you buy any equipment.
• Use only high quality tapes or disks. If you use cassette tapes, 60-minute tapes are recommended. Anything longer can tangle and break.
• Use electrical power instead of batteries if you can – it is more reliable.

Microphones:

• Use only an external microphone. Don’t use a built-in mic; it will pick up all the machine’s operating noises.
• Buy an excellent omni-directional microphone (picks up sound from all directions).
• You may want to use a mic that attaches to a piece of clothing. They work well when interviewing softly-spoken people.
• Table mics should be placed close to the interviewee.
• Most microphones have batteries. Make sure to order extras. Test the mic before each interview and replace batteries if necessary.