Recording questions.

[gi2012]

Please could I have some information on recording. I have recently built one home made bat detector and about to finish a second and would like to do some recording.

1st - A friend has lent me his minidisc Sharp MD-MT170, would this be a suitable minidisc to record with?

2nd - If I wanted to use the minidisc to record birds, what sort of microphone would be suitable?

Many thanks for any assistance,

Gi

[ermine]

1st - A friend has lent me his minidisc Sharp MD-MT170, would this be a suitable minidisc to record with?


Yes, it is fine. As this isn't a HiMD if you wish to transfer to a PC for editing etc you will need to play out the signal into your sound card and capture that way. Which is a slight drag but no problem, particulary as you can familiarize yourself with recording with this loan machine. If you were buying, I would suggest you strongly prefer a HiMD for the two advantages of digital transfer and uncompressed recording, but these improve ease of use and technical subtleties. If your aim is scientific analysis using sonograms you should also avoid compressed recording. However, you will be able to make fine recordings for listening to using any mic-enabled MD with the right microphones and technique.


2nd - If I wanted to use the minidisc to record birds, what sort of microphone would be suitable?


Depends on how far away from the birds you will be ;) In general bird sound recordists find themselves at least 10 feet away from their targets, often far more. The two preferred types of mic are shotgun mics and parabolic dishes, both of which are directional. The parabolic dish is big - you need one at least 18 inches diameter which makes it a pain to take in the field. But the directionality and noiseless amplification are unparallelled. The shotgun mic like a Sennheiser K6+ME66 or ME67 is easier to take in the field and works very well. The cheapest suitable new option is something like a Sennheiser MKE300. Below that cost some people here have used the ATR55 or Chinese copies but that mic is noisy, extremely sensitive to handling noise (which can be improved by dismantling and damping the plastic arm holding the front element) and frustrating to work with. At the lowest cost end if you are handy with a soldering iron you can use an electret insert and an inverted umbrella or a squirrel baffle like this (http://www.suffolkbirds.co.uk/article/42/poor-mans-telinga) though the user interface is ugly.

Look on ebay for used mics and MD recorders - the new costs are scandalous. Check and MD recorder you get has a mic input - not all have. www.minidisc.org is the fount of all knowledge on models and capabilities.

The mic/windgag should normally be the most costly part of your setup - what doesn't get in doesn't get recorded. Birdsong is a quiet sound and the self-noise of your mics and wind noise are usually the main problems. wind noise is addresses by using furry socks called windgags which need to match the physical size of the mic - again ebay is your friend here.

Your bat detector naturally needs no mic - feed the output to the MD line-in if you want to record that.

[gi2012]

Hi Ermine,

thanks for the info.

Gi

[ermine]

So you're in Melton - well placed for some nice sounds. The bearded tits in Corporation marshes at Walberswick are great. I found Aldringham heath a bit noisy even in the early morning. Going out past Hollesley is also good for recording