table of contents:

1. microphones
2. recording devices
3. accessories
4. sources

This is not a comprehensive list of available recording gear, but merely suggestions for a basic gear package to get started making field recordings.

Aaron Ximm has written a nice article on this subject.

The first decision you need to make is: what do you want to record?

Do you want to capture all elements in a wide soundfield? Use a stereo mic.
Do you want to isolate a single sound source? Use a mono mic.

There is no "best" mic that fits all situations, but as a beginner, you may find a stereo microphone to be a satisfying first purchase.

The main thing to keep in mind when putting together your first recording system is the difference between professional gear and consumer gear.

Consumer recording devices use 1/8" (3.5 mm) connectors which are also used in portable CD players. Your recording device should provide "plug in power" to the microphone. Some consumer mics use an internal battery (and thus don't require "plug in power").  

If your recorder has a jack labeled MIC then that's the one you'll use. If it only has an input labeled LINE IN, then you'll need an additional device (called a preamp) to amplify the mic signal to a level that the recorder can use.
 

Professional audio gear has XLR connectors. Pro recorders usually provide the phantom power that pro mics often need.

To use professional mics with consumer recording devices, you will need to use an additional device that will provide an interface between the mic and the recorder.

You could buy one or build your own.

Wild Soundscapes: Discovering the Voice of the Natural World
by Bernie Krause

is a good introduction to listening to and recording natural sounds. The book comes with a CD of examples and narrated field techniques.

Here is a list of some commonly used recording equipment:

microphones

Here is a beginner's guide to using microphones.
Here is a general microphone FAQ.

One thing to keep in mind is that the sounds you may be recording might not be very loud. Look for microphones with low self noise.

• stereo
  • single point mics combine elements into a single, easy to handle package.
    • Sony ECM-MS957 works well with consumer DAT and MiniDisc recorders. It has a 5 pin XLR connector, but comes with an adapter cable for 1/8" (3.5 mm) inputs. It runs off of an internal AA battery.

    • Audio Technica AT822 /AT825. The AT822 uses an internal AA battery. The AT825 is a professional XLR version of the same mic.

    • The Shure VP88 is a professional stereo mic with lower self-noise than the Audio Technica mics.

    • DIY (homemade) stereo mic

  • Binaural mics place two small elements near your ears.
    • OKM Soundman or similar.

    • DIY binaural mics

• mono
  • Sennheiser MKH series of mics sound wonderful, resist mositure, and are rugged. They are also fairly expensive! K6 line is lower cost, but with reduced quality and ruggedness.

  • AKG Blue Line offers interchangeable mic capsules.

  • Audio Technica offers a wide variety of models.

• specialty
  These might not be the right tools to start your recording package with, but you may wish to consider them in the future.
  • parabolic - for recording at extreme distance.

  • hydrophone - for recording underwater.

  • contact - to place directly on a vibrating object.

The options in this area change rapidly, and there are others who keep abreast of the latest technology with much more zeal than I do. Here are a few links to recording gearheads:

• make a list of sites

That said, here is a brief smattering of some available recording technology:

• Compact Flash
• Hard Drive
• Mini disc
  • HHb Portadisc. This is a professional recorder with XLR inputs and digital outputs.
     

    New minidisc models are introduced frequently and some popular models are discontinued.

    Here is a collection of manuals so you can compare features.

  • Sony
    • MZ-R37

      This unit has a "line out" jack as well as a headphone jack. It also takes conventional AA batteries.
      

    • MZ-R55
    • MZ-R50

  • Sharp
    • 722

    • MD-MT90

    • MD-MT190

    • MD-MT770

• DAT

  • Sony TCD-D8 / D100 / M1. These are consumer recorders with a 3.5 mm input jack.

  • Tascam DA-P1. This is a professional DAT recorder with both XLR and RCA inputs. The XLR connections provide phantom power to the microphones.

• Laptop computer (with appropriate microphone input device)

• Cassette - if that's what you have available, then get out there and use it! Don't think that you have to have the newest, best possible gear to make a recording. Just get out there and record!

accessories

• headphones
  Over the ear
  • Sony 7506 - this very popular professional headphone has good frequency response and withstands a lot of abuse.

  • Sennheiser HD-280 offers isolation from ambient noise, allowing you to focus on your recording.
  In-ear (ear buds)
  • Etymotic Research are the pioneers in high end ear buds. They also make a reasonably priced model.

  • Sony MDR EX70 is a lower cost isolating earbud.

  • Shure makes several models.

• windscreens

  • foam windscreens are usually inadequate for outdoor recording . Your mic will often require additional wind protection.

  • Rycote and Lightwave make zeppelins that are priced for the professional market.

  • Homemade Zeppelin (download the pdf and see appendix A)

  • Homemade Wind Sock:

    Buy 1/4 yard of fake fur from local fabric store. The longer the "hair", the better.

    Lay your mic (with its foam windscreen attached) on the fabric and trace the shape of the working end of the mic plus a little way up the other end. Give yourself room for the fabric to wrap around the foam ball and the handle, plus about a half inch for the seams.

    Cut two identical sections. Place the fur sides together and sew the seams. Turn the fur side out and pull the sock over the foam ball. Go record in a gale!

    The foam ball should be sufficient to hold the windscreen in place. If not, sew the windsock a bit smaller.

    For more complex mics & shock mounts, you may have to be a bit more creative.

• shock mounts
  • The Audio Technica 8415 accepts a wide variety of microphones.

  • Plans for a homemade shockmount are in TapeOp issue #33. The design is similar to this one.

    Here is another design.

• mic stands

  With the proper thread adaptor, small photo tripods make excellent mic stands. They cost less, fold smaller, weigh less, and adapt to uneven ground better than conventional mic stands.

  Here is a guide to thread adaptors. Search for "Mic Mounting Adaptors".