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Recording Options for Oral Histories

Given the rapid transmission of COVID-19, the only reason you should record an oral history in person is if you are already living with the individual (a parent or grandparent, for instance) or if you are on the list of ~5 people that each of us should interact with in our daily lives (as per social distancing protocols).

If you are going to record the interview in person, you can do this either by setting up your phone to record video (make sure you have enough memory and check your angles!) or with an audio app on your phone. Rev comes highly recommended (android and iDevice), though I suspect any app will do - just make sure you can export it as an .mp3 file from the application you choose.

I want you to test your chosen method prior to recording and submit it to me by Thursday, March 26th.

Remote Video Call

The video call is the closest alternative to an in-person oral history. In lieu of a camera set up, you will record video via the call instead. I recommend using WebEx, UC's video conferencing technology. Please follow the link to set up your WebEx account and install the application on your computer. Given the high demand at UC for this technology, I suggest doing this sooner rather than later so you don't encounter any delays.

When you schedule a WebEx video call, it will send the interviewee an email with a link to follow. They can either follow the link and download WebEx for themselves (not recommended) or they can open WebEx in their internet brower without downloading anything (recommended).

Since we have been tinkering with technology of late, here are the things to tinker with for your test call:

  • How do you control the screen so the person you're interviewing remains the largest figure on the screen?
  • What does your background look like?
  • What does your lighting look like?
  • What does your interviewee's lighting look like? How will you direct them to do something different if they need to adjust?
  • Is the person you're talking to loud enough?
  • How do you export the .mp4?

For those of you who prefer this method, email me to schedule a test call and recording by Thursday, March 26th. If you prefer to use a different method for recording video calls, you must provide your own access and support, as well as the access for your interviewee.

Remote Phone Call

One can learn so much from people through their facial expressions, clothes, preferred backgrounds, etc. This is why video oral histories are more popular than audio these days. If you cannot do a video call, then an audio call will work.

There are many applications that you can download on your smart phone that will let you record a phone call. I Googled around and it came up with loads of options for both Apple and Google devices. Some of these are very advanced and are far more intense than what we're looking for (we're not Nixon, after all). Since all devices and software are different, I suggest you choose an app that you're already familiar with and play around with it to see if it works. If not, go back to the Google and try again. Again, Rev comes highly recommended (android and iDevice).

Since we have been tinkering with technology of late, here are the things to tinker with for your test call:

  • Practice recording a call and exporting it as an .mp3.
  • Ask the person you're testing the call with to try speaking at multiple volumes and multiple distances from their phone mouthpiece.
  • As the person you're speaking with to describe what they're doing so you can hear what works well / does not work well when you listen to the recording.
  • Test your own volume to make sure you have an even volume on the recording.

For those of you who prefer this method, email me a copy of your test recording by Thursday, March 26th.