noise-free audio recordings

[Brian MacWhinney]

Jan,
   My approach in these circumstances would be to record the children
using either a DAT recorder, a Sony Professional Walkman, or the Marantz
equivalent and do the digitization later using a full lab set-up.
However, you say that you have done something like this and that the
recording are noisy.  If so, you have to consider what might be causing
the noise.  One source is use of the wrong mike set-up.  A head-mounted
mike could be causing rubbing and vibration.  A better bet might be an
omnidirectional mike on a stand placed on a pillow in a place near the
children, but not subject to bumping.  Try recording yourselves rather
than children in these same circumstances.  If you still have noise,
maybe it is ambient noise or a problem with your taperecorder.  If you
want the absolute best quality, maybe you need to shift to DAT.

--Brian MacWhinney