Oral History at a Distance
Welcome to the web companion to Oral History at a Distance. The goals of this resource are to not only provide additional context/examples on the topics discussed in the text, but also to provide a space for new information as future developments in the field occur. To this end, this site will be updated twice a year when the Baylor University Institute for Oral History holds its biannual Getting Started with Oral History workshop.
Through the generosity of the Baylor University Libraries and the Baylor University College of Arts and Sciences, an open access version of Oral History at a Distance is available for all to view or download on the official Routledge Press website.
Below are a series of categories with additional links and information. Also available via the side menu are PDF versions of our webinar participant survey and all Appendix items found in the book.
In-Person Recording Technology
Digital Audio Recorders
Preferred brands: Sound Devices, Tascam, & Zoom
** 32-bit float recording is the newest trend and eliminates the need for the user to set levels. The recorders listed below are some of the first models that incorporate this technology**
Smartphones as Audio Recorders
Smartphone microphone attachments for iPhone: Zoom iQ6/7, Rode IXYL, Shure MOTIV line
Quality smartphone recording applications (iOS): ShurePlus MOTIV, & Voice Record Pro
Quality smartphone recording applications (Android): ShurePlus MOTIV, & Voice Recorder Pro
Video Recorders – Tiers and Examples
Digital Camcorder: Sony Handycam HDRCX405
Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7
Mirrorless Video Camera: Blackmagic 4K
Professional-Grade Camera: Canon XA60
Distanced Recording Technology
Audio Equipment
Lists of call recording apps for iOS/Android
List of telephone audio interfaces
JK Audio QuickTap (landline)
JK Audio CellTap (cellular)
Olympus Telephone Recording Device (for recording cell phone calls externally)
Video Equipment
Wirecutter Guide to Web Cameras
Wirecutter Guide to Ring Lights
Native Screen Recorder for Mac - Quicktime
Native Screen Recorder for PC - Game Bar (for Windows 10+)
Recording Platforms
Microphones
Blue line of PC/podcasting microphone options
Cardioid Options - Audio-Technica ATR2100x (entry) & Shure SM7B (studio)
Shotgun Option - Rode NTG-2
Digital Preservation
Short-Term Digital Storage
Cloud Storage: Box, Dropbox, OneDrive & Google Drive
Long-Term Digital Storage
Cold Storage: Amazon Glacier
Persistent Backup: Backblaze
Digital File Management
Productivity Platforms
Microsoft 365 – projects can be organized under Microsoft Teams
Audio-Visual Software
Microsoft Photos Legacy - Windows-based movie editors have come and gone many times in recent years. This product is the one I use currently as a light editor for PC.
Transcription Software
Manual Transcription Software
Automated Transcription Software
Whisper (for Mac users, MacWhisper is a recommended UI product)