tape playback with MP3

[hg1]

A couple of questions for all you MP3 experts:

Are there MP3 players on the market that will accept and record from a shotgun mik so that you can record bird calls in the field?

Once you have recorded a call can you immediately turn around and play it back to the bird or do you need to go thru some intermediate software analysis phase?

many thanks

[ermine]

Are there MP3 players on the market that will accept and record from a shotgun mik so that you can record bird calls in the field?


Yes. Look for models by Iriver. The Iriver H120 did this - this owner

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=675476&postcount=25

seems pleased enough. For bird recording you should avoid MP3 players which simply act as a voice recorder - you will get rotten scratchy recordings with most of the high frequencies missing.


Once you have recorded a call can you immediately turn around and play it back to the bird or do you need to go thru some intermediate software analysis phase?


Depends how good a recordist you are - and with this approach you probably aren't good enough. I'm not putting you down particularly here - I am not a good enough recordist most of the time without some post production. If you were close to the bird and got a clear recording and you managed to start recording just before the bird called (how will you know?) and stopped just after it had done and got your recording levels right then yes, you could spin this round almost immediately and play it back.

The question you should really be asking yourself, however, is not what you need to do this. It is why do you want to do this? Is there a purpose - are you doing it for scientific research, or just for a laugh to see what happens?

Playing back bird song to birds is you using your superior technology to pretend to be a bird - a fair step up in invading their mindset compared to simply going and watching them. There are good reasons to do this, but I'm not so sure recreational birding is a good enough reason. Recording birdsong is a challenging and rewarding addition to your birding activity and you'll learn a lot through it. Playback, particularly used without knowledge gained from a fair amount of recording or study, is probably going to be frustrating for you, stressful for some of the birds and potentially a source of argument with other birders.

[g8ina]

Yes, I was very pleased Ermine as you rightly say :) WAV file recording or MP3 is available.

Playback can be immediate too, with the added advantage of having a 20GB HDD to keep all of your birdsong samples on. I shall refrain to comment on playback *to the bird* ;)

iRiver : Highly recommended.