Record your poetry

Record Your Own Poetry! - September 10, 2009


You can record your own poetry and make a CD or videos very easily. Take advantage of the resources that the Internet offers. If you take the time to do proper research, you will be able to find a lot of free and amazing stuff. You might have to pay a small fee at times, but it is well worth it!

If you want to make a professional-sounding CD, do not use a microphone attached to headsets. You need to invest in better material. But, start slow, evaluate things very carefully. Set up a budget according to your needs, and do not go overboard. This is what you need:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

1) Professional microphone

Don't be scared by the adjective "professional". They are getting very cheap, nowadays! You will find good advice here: http://www.webaudioadvisor.com/microphones.html.

I bought the Q1U - Dynamic USB Microphone (http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodid=1879). It only cost me 75 dollars and, compared to my old recordings (I used a regular microphone attached to headsets), sound quality was dramatically improved overnight. Further, it is a USB microphone, so I can plug it directly in the computer. No need to buy a pre-amp, which costs 200 dollars!

2) Pop filter

When we recite poetry, we tend to stress some words more than others, and sometimes, this will create pop sounds or sibilance. With a pop filter, you can avoid those annoying sounds and save a lot of time when you edit audio later on. A regular pop filter costs about 20 dollars; you can even make it yourself...

3) Voice recording software

You can use the one your computer provides ("Sound Recorder" in Windows). The Internet also offers a lot of free resources such as Free Sound Recorder: http://www.sound-recorder.biz/freesoundrecorder.html. Or you can simply use the recording option of your audio editing software.

4) Audio Editing Software

This is an essential tool. It will help you to make the recording sound much better, especially if the room you work in is not sound-proof. Below are three excellent audio-editing softwares:

- Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

- WavePad Sound Editor: http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/

- Sound Forge: http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/soundforge

Audacity and Wave Pad are free. I know a lot of spoken word artists who use them. Audacity is fairly easy to use and also offers neat options. Wave Pad is a little more limited, except if you buy the master version.

Sound Forge costs about 300 dollars, but it is 300 dollars well spent! This excellent software is used by most professionals.

RECORDING YOUR POEMS

Once you have found what you are looking for, you can start working!

When you cannot afford studio time, you have to make sure that you can work in a very quiet room. If it is not possible, you can use a few tricks. For example, put towels under the door to prevent air from coming in and out; it will reduce background noise. You can also create a screen behind you, using a towel or curtains.

Attach the pop filter to your microphone stand, plug in your microphone and check your computer settings. In the Control Panel, look for the SOUND section. Check your recording settings and set the levels at about 70%. Never record at 100%: the sound will be distorted.

Now, open your audio editing software and start recording. When you are done, serious work can start!

This is how I edit sound on my poems. It is just my way of working. Others may do it differently. Once you are used to it, you will be able to find your own groove.

1) Pops and hisses removal.

2) Noise reduction. Sound Forge's noise reduction app is excellent!

3) Noise gate (should there be some background noise left).

4) Equalization (optional step).

5) Reverb effect (adds more "room" to the voice).

6) Miscellaneous effects: "echo" or "chorus", for example.

Usually, when I am done, I save the file in WAV format (uncompressed). Never work on an MP3 file, unless you really have to. The reason is that MP3 is a compressed music format and every editing may ruin the final version.

Then, I add sound effects and/or music. I usually work with Audacity, because I find it easier that way. This software is very good because it mixes all the recordings together and they blend perfectly!

Once happy with the result, save your file in WAV format, then convert it into an MP3. Sound Forge will let you do it very easily. Audacity requires that you download a special application. However, if you want to save time and have several files that you want to convert at the same time, you can use Switch Sound File Converter: http://www.nch.com.au/switch/. My advice: convert files at least at 192kbps. The higher kbps, the bigger the file, but also, the better the quality!

If you want to create videos, Windows Movie Maker is the way to go. It is included on your computer, so look for it!

Now, if you want to add sound effects and music, the following resources are excellent. I used them to make my CD. Please, ask permission before you download anything!

Sound effects:

- Music-for-video - production music library: http://music-for-video.com/
- Sound Jay: http://www.soundjay.com
- PacDV free sound effects: http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/index.html
- Lasonotheque.org: http://www.lasonotheque.org
- Free SFX: http://www.freesfx.co.uk
- The Freesound Project: http://www.freesound.org

Composers:

- Kevin MacLeod: http://incompetech.com
- Loren DiGiorgi: http://www.lorendigiorgi.com/
- William Cushman: http://ghostnotes.blogspot.com/
- Taylor Hayward: http://www.taylorhayward.org

Now, I invite you to check "Rizen", my debut CD, HERE. You will see that if you follow the aforementioned advice, you will be able to obtain the same result!

Good luck! ;-)

Cendrine Marrouat
http://www.soulpoetrysite.com