I would like to record some whistle tunes with my computer, any suggestions on a good setup would be appreciated.
try audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/index.php?lang=entry
and try a sony 907 mic, or an akg c3000
Audacity is good software. I have had zero luck getting clean recordings with my PC with various mics. I think it is because I have an integrated sound card. Rather than invest in a new soundcard or new computer, I decided to buy a separate device. I got a Sony Voice Recorder model ICD ST10 (the new model is the ST25). This has the huge advantage of being portable. I added an Sony ECM DS70p mic
There are a lot of archived posts about software and mics. Some people do fine with inexpensive mics. Depending on what the final use of the recordings is going to be, a cheapie mic might be fine. As always with audio, you can spend an unlimited amount on equipment, usually the more you spend the better the quality. If you clarify what your application is, and your budget, the responses might be better targeted to your needs. If you want to record for practice and perhaps to post online to share with friends, an inexpensive mic and Audacity are a good way to start.
- Bill
I use a small battery-powered mic rubber-banded to the whistle, and Adobe Audition on the computer.
Do you mean it’s part of into your computer, or is your sound “card” just a chip or two integrated on your motherboard?
At any rate, I’ve found that the trick to making recordings with a computer is to run the signal through a cheap mixer so you can get the signal level to be just right for the computer – hot enough to get a good signal, not so hot that it clips. I mostly use it for digitizing LPs and tapes, but it works well for recording from microphone, too.
I’ve got a sound sample and a full description of my recording setup in a thread from last month: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=20787
It is part of the motherboard, like many inexpensive PCs, not a separate sound card. I get a lot of noise. It may be interference. It may be positioning of cables and monitor. I do not have much physical room to work with. The computer also causes a lot of problems with TV reception. It is not worth me buying another device to try and figure it out. If I could borrow a mixer, I might do that to satisfy my curiosity.
My computer is four or five years old and does what I need it to do for the most part. The main reason to buy a new computer would be to be play the newer games, and there aren’t very many worth that kind of price tag.
A separate recording device was the best way for me to go. I can record live in the field as well as at home. In practice, I am doing about 50 times more recording away from home than at home, so I made the right decision.
For those with a generous budget to work with and the desire to record in the field, there is a current thread on the IRiver MP3 recorder/player (~$280 USD). You’ll need to budget for a mic too. The Sony ICD ST10 voice recorder I have seen for as low as $50 recently as it is now last year’s model (I paid $70 + $10 shipping for mine in April 04). The Sony ECM DS70P mic is about $50 but the diligent shopper can find them at a discount. (I got mine off eBay for $30).
- Bill
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Here is Colomon’s setup just so it is all in one thread:
I use a ATR30 atus (I assume that’s the brand) cardoid low impedance mic. That feeds into my Behringer Eurorack MX 602A mixer so I can get the level as hot as the sound card can handle without clipping. The soundcard is whatever sort of Soundblaster Audigy came with my Dell workstation. The software was Audacity. I didn’t do any processing other than clipping the ends and converting to MP3.
The mic setup is as simple as could be – I just lay it on the edge of my desk facing me. It ends up being 8-12 inches from the whistle, aimed more or less at the sixth hole.
I record into a minidisc recorder with a Sony mic. I’ve noticed I may have to turn the volume down on the minidisc player when I’m transferring into the computer to avoid clipping. I use Goldwave software ($45), which will let you compress to many different compressions of mp3 or save as wave, you name it, and is a nice, easy edititing tool. I’ve gone from the computer to burning to cd with satisfying results. Using a separate recording device is nice for the portability, too. I plugged it into the sound board when we played onstage at the Scottish Highland Games. The echoeyness was from the feedback from the loudspeaker to the mic, not because of the minidisc recorder. (Those are posted on Clips from early July) Actually, everything I have posted on Clips was done as described. Playing with a bouzouki player, I’ve even figured out where to place the stereo mic to get a good balance between us and you get stereo effect at the same time.
Tony
Oh, “fie.” I record with a Sony hand held cassette deck and no additional mike. And I STILL feel that it sounds lacking due to nothing but my own playing!
Argh! 
Heather M.