[SOLVED] Mic and Setup for Recording Low Vision Narrating Script

Hi,

I am planning to record my father reading his poetry from his poetry book with his own voice. He has a low vision and he reads while his eyes are very close to the paper ( about 1 inch). As a result, when I record him reading, the sound fluctuates and sometime there is a silence sections in the audio files recorded, due to head motion ( to read lines from left to right) and change of proximity of his lips to the microphone.

I was wondering if what kind of microphone and what setup ( mic position, channel inserts, etc.) I should use to record him reading his poetry from script without aforementioned issues.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

CS

I’d use a headset mic…
You probably don’t have one since they’re usually only used in live productions, but if you can borrow one somewhere they are ideal for a situation like this, and they can sound really good.

Thank you very much for the suggestion. I hope the mic does not touch the paper while he’s reading. --CS

Strophoid thanks again for the suggestion. Can you recommend me an affordable mic in the market. Something under under 100 USD.

Should I use a overhead recording mic with cardioid pattern?

CS

I’m not sure what’s available in your local shops, but if I’m not mistaken this is the one I’ve used before for spoken word recordings. Might not be the exact same but it looks awfully similar.
https://www.bax-shop.nl/headset/axl-headset-t-tan-beige
(note, the picture is upside down, the 2 curls go around the ears so the mic is on the cheek of the wearer.) You can easily adjust the mic so it doesn’t touch the skin.
The issue with these headsets in your case is they usually have a mini-XLR connector that’s meant for use with beltpacks. I used it for recording a live performance so I had a wireless belt pack available to use in combination with the headset, but I’m sure there are ways to connect the headset straight to your inputs somehow. The sound quality is really quite good though, and the volume doesn’t change when the speaker moves so it seems ideal for your purpose.

This is really good. I need to try it. I will let you know.

By the way, nice music recordings on Sound Cloud.

Unfortunately, I cannot find this in the US! Have to find a similar one here to buy.

I’m sure there are plenty alternatives available.
I have no experience with any others in your pricerange, so best bet is to go to a store and have a salesman advise you, and try them out.

That’s right. Thanks.