Hi Karen,
I'll interleave answers after your questions. All instances that
refer to "double tap" can also use a split tap (where you touch a
button or field on the iPhone with one finger and tap with another
finger elsewhere on the screen). Alternatively, you could try the
Voxie Pro Recorder app ($1.99) for expanded capabilities over the
Voice Memos app (e.g., an Express mode where you shake your iPhone to
start and stop recordings, selectable recording quality, ability to
transfer recordings too large to email without having to connect and
sync your iPhone to your computer, add other label categories for your
memos and organize them by categories, etc.) Finally, I'll mention
some potentially professional recording/playback apps and hardware
solutions. Since this is a lengthy post, people who are only
interested in the use of Voice Memos can read the answers at the
beginning and skip the rest of the post. I'm also sending this to
macvisionaries and the vimac-audio groups.
Karen Poulakos wrote:
I have a few questions about the voice memos app that comes
installed on the IPhone.
1. Is there a limit to the length of time for a memo?
There's a limit to the maximum size of files that can be emailed from
the Voice Memos app. From reading elsewhere on the web, it's about 8
minutes. You can record longer memos, but you'll have to connect your
iPhone to your computer and sync it to transfer the files to iTunes,
where they'll show up in a Voice Memos playlist.
2. Is there a way of labeling the memos?
Yes, to label memos:
1. Double tap the "Show Recordings Button" at the bottom right of the
screen for a list of recordings, ordered by date.
2. Run your finger down the list to select a memo, then flick right to
the "More Info" button and double tap.
3. On the "Info" page, double tap your memo entry to add a label
4. On the "Label" page, double tap the category to add a Label (or
leave the selection checked as "None"). There's also a "Custom"
option at the bottom of the page that will bring up a virtual keyboard
and allow you to type in your own label. Double tap the "Done" button
at the bottom right of the keyboard, and you're finished with labeling.
3. What is the best way to stop Vo from speaking while recording a
message?
To stop VO from speaking, mute speech with a three finger double tap.
Then use a two finger double tap to start/stop the recording. You'll
hear a single tone when the recording starts, and a double tone when
it ends. Unmute speech again with a three finger double tap.
There might even be a better way to accomplish what I am thinking
about trying. I have just begun taking harp lessons. While I was
practicing yesterday, it occurred to me that possibly my teacher
could record the pieces she would like me to practice on my IPhone,
rather than using a tape recorder. Since I'm just beginning,
they're not very long. I tried playing a few notes into the phone,
and it picked up pretty well. Any suggestions?
An alternative to having to mute/unmute speech for the controls is to
get Voxie Pro Recorder and configure its settings to use Express mode
(shake the iPhone or iPod Touch to start and stop recordings -- you'll
hear a rising or falling pitch chime as a signal). I'll give the link
to the app, and to a few posts about using Voxie that were archived on
the macvisionaries list. Note that this app also has a text
transcription service that can be purchased as a monthly add-on. Most
of the low ratings are from people who expected transcription to be
free.
• Voxie Pro Recorder, Twitter, Dictation, Transcription, and Voice-to-
SMS ($1.99) by Bottle Rocket
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voxie-pro-recorder-twitter/id294895817?mt=8
• Tips for Using the Voxie Pro app for Recording on the iPhone/iPod
Touch:
http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries%40googlegroups.com/msg14822.html
• Re: Tips for Using the Voxie Pro app for Recording on the iPhone/
iPod Touch:
http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries%40googlegroups.com/msg14841.html
• Voxie Pro Recorder - how to delete recordings:
http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries%40googlegroups.com/msg15111.html
One limitation of using the Voice Memos (or Voxie Pro Recorder) for
music recording is that there's only 16 bit support through the
headphone jack, but that still might be enough for your purposes. To
record higher quality music in stereo, you need to use a microphone
that attaches to the dock connector port of your iPhone. Some of these
can be quite pricey, but the new Blue Mikey 2 recorder ($99 list,
available from Sweetwater) seems to be an interesting option that
reviewed well in the recent version 2 release. (Note that if you
check most sources, like Amazon, they'll still be selling the original
Blue Mikey recorder, which costs less, but which may have some issues
in how well it stays connected to the iPhone docking port, and doesn't
have the improved audio features.) There's a free app put out by Blue
Microphones called Blue FiRe that will record sounds (including,
obviously, through the Blue Mikey 2). While this works, there's an
accessibility issue about getting full functions with the app, in
terms of the ability to set markers for playback and navigation within
recorded tracks. This same format interface is used by the FiRe -
Field Recorder app ($9.99) by Audiofile Engineering.
According to Scott Howell, who contacted these folks following an
extensive discussion on the mac-access list around Christmas time
about iPhone recording apps and whether Voxie could be used for music
recording, they're aware of the issue and are working on VoiceOver
accessibility. If anyone wants to explore these apps, try the free
Blue FiRe (not FiRe, which has the same issues and which costs
$9.99). The Blue FiRe app comes with a QuickStart recorded file that
explains the layout of the app. If you play through the QuickStart,
you'll discover exactly where the accessibility problem is: there's a
movable "handle" for the playhead that VoiceOver doesn't see. It's
used as a way to both add markers (by tapping the playhead), and to
shift position of the playhead so you can move around the track to
different positions over the waveform. The problem is that VoiceOver
doesn't handle this kind of free form motion. By default, the playhead
position is at the center of the track, centered between, and slightly
above the "Record/Play" and "Stop" buttons. Even using a pass-through
gesture, the only times when you can easily grab the handle of the
playhead are when it is at the far left or far right edge of the
screen. Although Blue FiRe was designed for the Blue Mikey dock
attachment, it will work for general recording, in case anyone wants
to play around with the app to give feedback to the developers.
Another interesting app for practicing music is the Amazing Slow
Downer ($14.99) by Roni Music. Justin recommended this app to the
list last Fall. There's a free (Lite) version of the app that will
let you try it out on the first 25% of your uploaded tracks. Scott
has used the Mac desktop version of this app. One limitation is that
you can't use this directly on music tracks loaded in your library
(because of the restrictions from the iPhone SDK) -- you have to
upload the tracks separately into this app. It would also be nice if
there were a way to get finer control of slider settings for the
amount you slow down or speed up music. Again, that's a general
VoiceOver interface comment. (I wonder whether this is easier to use
on an iPad with the larger screen real estate?).
Here are a few links; remember that FiRe has accessibility issues for
its full features at present that are also in the (free) Blue FiRe app:
• Amazing Slow Downer ($14.99) by Roni Music:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amazing-slow-downer/id308998718?mt=8
• Amazing Slow Downer Lite (free, works on the first quarter of
uploaded tracks) by Roni Music:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amazing-slow-downer-lite/id310204778?mt=8
• Blue FiRe (free) by Blue Microphones:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blue-fire/id336713577?mt=8
• FiRe - Field Recorder ($9.99) by Audiofile Engineering:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fire-field-recorder/id309378684?mt=8
• Blue Mikey web page with entries for both the original and new Mikey:
http://www.bluemic.com/mikey/
• MacWorld 2010: Hands-on with the Blue Mikey (TUAW Review):
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/12/macworld-2010-hands-on-with-the-blue-mikey/
• Blue Mikey 2 page at Sweetwater (the only place I've seen the new
version Mikey 2 on sale):
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Mikey2/
HTH.
Thanks,
Karen P.
You're welcome.
Cheers,
Esther
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