Collaborative Music via internet Pt 2: Vocals

Recording vocals at home

When recording vocals you need a high quality clear signal that can only come from good quality equipment. This is a minimum requirement to record vocals at home

• A Condenser Microphone (large diaphragm) Rode/AKG at the lower end of the price ranges but still likely to be $200 or £200 (as we always pay more in England)

• A Microphone Stand

• Pop filter (large)

• An Acoustic Shield such as SE Reflexion filter. There are now some cheaper copies such as the one marketed by Thomann. These can be very unstable because of the weight of the acoustic screen. By putting the SE Filter together incorrectly: basically the clamp mechanism that attaches to the stand is assembled upside down, it becomes more stable, putting the acoustic shield and the microphone on opposite sides of the mic stand (i.e not like the picture here).

• A good quality XLR cable. You cannot buy a good cable for £5.00

• An Audio interface. This connects your microphone to your computer converting the audio into digital via USB2 or Firewire. You get what you pay for. The most basic would be something like an Tascam, M-Audio or Edirol. Better quality would be a brand such as Focusrite

• Finally you will need some acoustic absorption behind you: a duvet or something like that fastened to the wall.