Please do not use your computer’s built in microphone
Other options include using one of the following:
- An external microphone (use with headphones)
- A headset
- Wired earbuds
- A telephone
Listen to these extracts from recordings using different microphones to see what I mean:
Cathy recording using a computer’s in-built microphone
Cathy recording using her podcast microphone
Jo being recorded during a telephone conversation
Jo using the Advent ADM16 microphoneUse an external microphone if you have one. A dynamic mic will capture less room noise.
If you were to want to buy one then the Advent ADM16 desktop microphone (which plugs into the 3.5mm socket on your computer) costs about £9.
A starter microphone for podcasters, which plugs into the USB socket on a computer would be the Samson Q2U which costs about £90. I could make other suggestions as well depending on your budget.
If buying or borrowing a microphone is not a possiblity then you could use a headset which would mean that you wouldn’t need separate headphones. Other options include wired earbuds that you use with a smartphone (but not bluetooth ones).