[Air-L] Voice-recorders or mobile phones for face-to-face interviews with young people?

[Colin Helb]

Koen,

I've used the basic "Voice Memos" app that comes preinstalled on the iPhone
for a variety of field recording projects (interviews, sound collecting,
etc.) and have been very happy with the results. What it may lack in clarity
(and it is not much) it makes up for in convenience (I always have it with
me).

I guess your ultimate use of the recordings should dictate your decision.

If you are planning to transcribe the recordings for your own notes for
writing, the iPhone will work fine for you.

If you are looking to edit and use the audio in an audio or video project,
I'd suggest investing in a nice, small digital audio recorder. They're
pretty inexpensive these days and are far from intrusive to the
interviewee. Even in that situation, the iPhone app would probably work
fine. The best recording device is the one you have with you when you need
it.

Hope that helps.

Usually lurking,
Colin

-- 
Colin Helb, Ph.D.
Asst. Professor of Communications
Elizabethtown College
1 Alpha Dr., 206C Steinman
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
717-361-1387
colin at colinhelb.com • colinhelb at gmail.com
helbc at etown.edu • colinhelb.com