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<title>Re: [ILAT] Affordable digital recorder advice</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I think there are a few steps missing
here. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>First, and maybe this was discussed in the
original thread, the sampling rate is more critical than the format. High
sampling rates record more data and take up more space. Thus you can record
less before you have to move the recordings to a more dense medium. Low
sampling rates record less data, and take up less space. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The recorder direction is also important,
with unidirectional being more forgiving for voice recordings than
omnidirectional. A good omnidirectional mike will pick up the elks outside in
the field across the road (guess how I know). <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Then, if you want archival storage, you
need archival media. Because I move my stuff around, from computer locations to
website, I don’t worry about storing my stuff in an archive where only a
few people will have access. Because I move digitally, I don’t have to
worry about data loss due to multiple analog copies. The error correction is
good enough so that there is no effective loss. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Has there been any discussion about the
frequency of the human voice (I assume because Jan wrote the message we are
talking voice & language recording, not music)? Human speech ranges from a
low of about 100 HZ to a high of about 5000 Hz, with the most commonly cited
range being 300-3000 Hz. This isn’t to say that sopranos can’t make
higher frequency sounds, nor bass voices lower frequency sounds, it just means
that most people speak in that range, and so a recorder that is optimized for
that range will be better for voice recording, especially Elders speaking . . .
which I assume is what we are talking about here. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I also haven’t seen any discussion
about sound editing. I always edit my recordings; usually there is more dead
space than makes the response nice for people, sometimes not enough, so I add
or subtract so the response feels nice. Sometimes I have volume issues; some
people record too loudly, in which case I have usually lost the top end because
of clipping, and sometimes it is too soft, and I can correct by digitally
enhancing. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Finally, I haven’t heard any digital
recording that has the warmth of analog recording, but small digital recorders
are easy to carry around, and we found them to be unobtrusive when working with
people. People tend to forget they are there (the little recorders) and so they
are less stressed, and when they relax is what is now a comfortable situation,
there is less stress and strain, and more richness in their speaking voices. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I think this takes us to FinallyPartB: If
your goal is merely to record the spoken word and stash it somewhere, then
probably you don’t care much about whether the speaker is stressed or
not, because your goal is just to get THE WORD. On the other hand, if your goal
is to use the recordings for language revitalization, like I do, and like Jan
is working towards, then you care a great deal about richness, inflection,
rhythm, and comfort. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Mia <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">Indigenous Languages and Technology</st1:PersonName>
[mailto:ILAT@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf
Of </span></b>Nicholas Thieberger<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, January 30, 2006
12:01 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> ILAT@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [ILAT] Affordable
digital recorder advice</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Just to add to this thread from an
archival perspective. If you are recording unique things that you want to be
available to generations to come then you need to think about the format of
what you are recording and whether it will endure. <st1:place w:st="on">Olympus</st1:place>
and other small (and cheap, unfortunately) recorders do not record in archival
formats.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>For a summary of the issues around
longterm storage of recorded material and endangered languages you could look at
http://emeld.org/school/index.html.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>There was a discussion of recorders on the RNLD list and if you go to
the archive of the RNLD list, here:<font color=black><span style='color:black'>
http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?S1=resource-network-linguistic-diversity</span></font>
and search for 'flash' and 'recorder' you will get some useful info<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>A summary item is here: http://linguistlist.org/issues/16/16-2710.html<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>All the best,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Nick Thieberger<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>At 7:36 AM -0700 30/1/06, Mia Kalish wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt' type=cite cite>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Jan & all,<br>
<br>
I have been using <st1:place w:st="on">Olympus</st1:place> digital recorders
for years now. They have 3<br>
quality settings (low, medium, & high) and 2 recording modes (one for<br>
meetings, one for one-to-one). The ones I buy are about $99. I recently got<br>
a Sony refurb unit for $32 at e-cost.com.<br>
<br>
I didn't read the thread about recorders, because I'm really happy with<br>
mine, and I had shared about it before.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt' type=cite cite>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Mia<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</blockquote>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<pre><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><x-sigsep>-- <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#19261d" face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#19261D'></x-sigsep>Project Manager</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#19261d" face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#19261D'>PARADISEC</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#19261d" face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#19261D'>Department of Linguistics and Applied
Linguistics</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#19261d" face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#19261D'>University of Melbourne, Vic 3010</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font
size=3 color="#19261d" face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:#19261D'>Australia</span></font></st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#19261d" face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#19261D'>nicholas.thieberger@paradisec.org.au</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#19261d" face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#19261D'>Ph 61 (0)3 8344 5185</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>PARADISEC</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Pacific And Regional Archive for Digital
Sources in Endangered Cultures</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>http://paradisec.org.au</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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