How To Record Remotely 
Getting quality audio can be tricky when recording audio away from a studio, but luckily we have this nifty guide to help make your recording the best it can be: 

Environment 

Believe it or not, the most important thing to getting a high-quality remote recording is the environment you choose to record in. 

Avoid windows, empty walls and wood floors. Flat surfaces like these will all cause reverberation and the resulting audio will sound like there’s an echo, even if you don’t hear it in your headphones.

You should be comfortable where you record, but try to find a space that’s carpeted, closed in, and relatively quiet. Small rooms with furniture lining the walls often help to dampen echo.

If you want REALLY great quality, consider recording in a closet surrounded by clothes that act as a reverberation blocker. Blanket forts are also a great way to stop reverberation (and bonus, they’re pretty fun to make). 


Gear 

Do you have a laptop, access to the internet and either a dedicated microphone, or headphones with built in microphone?

This is the basic gear you’ll need to record your audio. Anything fancier is icing on the cake.

But if you want to take things to the next level, check out our gear guide

Software

The internet is not reliable for recording across, so we recommend recording an individual audio file onto your laptop itself. The easiest way to do this is by pulling up Quicktime (or whatever PC alternative exists).

For the actual call, you’ll be asked to join the host via Skype or Tryca.st depending on what works best for you and the hosts. Each of these tools can be recorded in different ways.

Your hosts will work with you to select a recording strategy that works best for you and your level of comfort. 

Etiquette

Two key things to keep in mind. Movement and post production

Movement: Most mics pick up movement, so it’s best to get in a comfortable position and if you need to move your mic, body or laptop try to do so when a host is talking. Keep in mind that even small sounds may be picked up by your mic, and your headphones may not represent every sound that the final recording will contain. If possible, avoid having air conditioners or fans running in the background, and mute your computer’s notification sounds to avoid interruptions.

Post production: Because our episodes are released a few days after recording, we take some time to do a little clean up, which means you can take your time to answer questions, do a second take if you don’t like a first response, and ask the hosts to clarify a question or move onto another question you’re comfortable or able to answer.  We want all of our guests to feel relaxed. This is not a performance; it is just a conversation with the Spec hosts. 

Our goal is to make you feel comfortable and to help you say what you want to say, how you want to say it. If you feel like something didn’t come out just right, or if you said something you’d prefer not to publish, just let us know, right in the conversation or in an email after the conversation is over.

Recording Test

Last, but not least, be sure to test your recording to make sure you’ve got the correct audio input and outputs selected and your recording sounds clean! 

If something sounds funky on playback, either add more blankets to your fort, check your ear buds or headphones, and make sure your inputs are pointing the right direction….this last one you may need to turn to Google for. 

If you have any questions, the host will be more than happy to help!