voice recorders...who uses 'em?

"Note to self....edible paper."

Sorry Cere, I couldn't resist the smart-alecky reference to voice recorders/dictaphones from the movie Johnny Dangerously. :)

As a videographer I need a voice recorder to create an audio recording for the Court Reporter of a video deposition. What I discovered is that a digital recording made by the Court Reporter is available to check the transcript and it doesn't require chanfing tapes. This last time it was 9 amd a half hours long. I know. I used it.

So as I build this, I need to think not only how to give this to the Court Reporter, but even if they need it 0 so I have created a CR Check list which includes "Do you need an Audio Recording?"

I record statements of witnesses and others in legal investigations on a digital voice recorder. I also use a digital recorder for "notes to self" when on the move and unable to write notes easily or safely.

Cere

I use a little MP3 unit that also records. It is handy because i can plug it into the computer and download the content if I want to edit it, or burn to CD.

In my day to day work, I don't use it so much now. But, when I was taking Chinese classes, I would record every one of them, and then listen later. It was like having a different class! I was surprised to hear how much I had missed.

I still use it now when I have conversations with the author of the book I am translating. That way I can pay attention to the conversation as it is happening, and if there are finer details, I can pull them up later from the recorder.

Basically, I would say I use it when I need to get and remember detailed information, but don't want to interupt the flow of a conversation to write things down.

A follow-up question, especially to those who say they use them to record conversations and depositions and such: Well, OK, in depositions people know they are being recorded, but when you "wear a wire" in connection with casual conversations, do you feel obligated to tell the other party s/he is being recorded? If you don't, do you ever find yourself in a position of discovering later that you need to use the recording in some official/legal way but can't because of lack of notification?

Are there any established legal/ethical principles involved here that a person who wants to act properly should adhere to?

Speaking as a citizen and as a PI (not as a lawyer), I must remind people recording in the State of WA that you must have permission to record a person's voice. I get it on the tape at the beginning of a recording and I use a detailed permission form.

I use them to record classes or one on one assistance with a case and I always ask first. They are really nice to be able to go back and make sure you get all the information you need. Jessica

I just got one to record appointments with clients so they they can listen to them again later. I'll also be using it to record lectures, classes and workshops that I give in order to use the material later for writing.

Here is the legal reference for those who want to know the details of the state law. RCW=Revised Code of Washington

RCW 9.73.030 Intercepting, recording, or divulging private communication ? Consent required ? Exceptions.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or the state of Washington, its agencies, and political subdivisions to intercept, or record any:

(a) Private communication transmitted by telephone, telegraph, radio, or other device between two or more individuals between points within or without the state by any device electronic or otherwise designed to record and/or transmit said communication regardless how such device is powered or actuated, without first obtaining the consent of all the participants in the communication;

(b) Private conversation, by any device electronic or otherwise designed to record or transmit such conversation regardless how the device is powered or actuated without first obtaining the consent of all the persons engaged in the conversation.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, wire communications or conversations (a) of an emergency nature, such as the reporting of a fire, medical emergency, crime, or disaster, or (b) which convey threats of extortion, blackmail, bodily harm, or other unlawful requests or demands, or (c) which occur anonymously or repeatedly or at an extremely inconvenient hour, or (d) which relate to communications by a hostage holder or barricaded person as defined in RCW 70.85.100, whether or not conversation ensues, may be recorded with the consent of one party to the conversation.

(3) Where consent by all parties is needed pursuant to this chapter, consent shall be considered obtained whenever one party has announced to all other parties engaged in the communication or conversation, in any reasonably effective manner, that such communication or conversation is about to be recorded or transmitted: PROVIDED, That if the conversation is to be recorded that said announcement shall also be recorded.

(4) An employee of any regularly published newspaper, magazine, wire service, radio station, or television station acting in the course of bona fide news gathering duties on a full-time or contractual or part-time basis, shall be deemed to have consent to record and divulge communications or conversations otherwise prohibited by this chapter if the consent is expressly given or if the recording or transmitting device is readily apparent or obvious to the speakers. Withdrawal of the consent after the communication has been made shall not prohibit any such employee of a newspaper, magazine, wire service, or radio or television station from divulging the communication or conversation.

[1986 c 38 ? 1; 1985 c 260 ? 2; 1977 ex.s. c 363 ? 1; 1967 ex.s. c 93 ? 1.]

I use the Olympus DSS and I record my Medical Intuitive sessions for clients and then burn a CD....works great...Jacob

I sometimes carry around a voice recorder in my bag to capture important ideas and phrases while walking or biking (easier than pen and paper while moving)!

Why do you ask, Cere? I know there must be an interesting reason...cause it's you doin' the askin'.

BTW, gang, I just found out about this cool service called Jott (www.jott.com) from a Bizniker's blog. Jott is a free beta service that allows you to make phone calls that it will TRANSCRIBE AND SEND TO YOUR EMAIL!
I'm so excited about this, I could spin.

Not only will it email you, it'll text and/or email other people from your contact list...even in groups.

Oh...so cool! I am forever wanting to leave myself a note when I'm driving. (Yes, lawyers, I'm using a headset.) :)

I have used them - it came in handy until I lost it.

I also used it for writing - sometimes I have used Microsoft OneNote in the same way. OneNote has a built-in function to include voice recordings among other types of notes. In developing classes or writing articles, I would either use a voice recorder or a microphone connected to my laptop. I would get together with my business partner and basically teach a private class or give a lecture on a particular topic, then could transcribe it later.

It is much easier for me to put out well-organized, rich content by explaining something to someone than it is for me to sit down by myself and try to write something on the same subject. More fun, too.

Ed

Did anyone else happen to notice the legal exclusion made for "...any regularly published newspaper, magazine, wire service, radio station, or television station..." that doesn't, by inference, enure to the benefit of anyone else? So if, for example, you were an independent person trying to gather material you hoped to get published or broadcast -- or if maybe you were gathering material for your blog, you wouldn't benefit by this loophole. Only if you were, presumably, on the payroll, on assignment, at one of the above-classified organizations.

An interesting example of the way the large, entrenched, institutional media has been carving special perks for itself in the law. Not nearly the most egregious, unfortunately. The worst one I'm aware of is the "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act", where you and I, if we were to exercise our formerly-protected First Amendment Free Speech rights by expressing an opinion about a Presidential candidate within 60 days of an election on, let's say, a forum such as this, would be guilty of a felony and could be thrown in jail. But the very same activity would be 100% A-OK for the privileged class of citizens known as the "institutional media".

Sorry for the digression, just could resist pointing out that related point of interest.

Back in the Cassette Age, I used tape recorders all the time. I took a little recorder with me everywhere to record sounds, interviews, notes to myself...I still have them too. What I found after years of anthropological studies, both formal and informal, is that it's a bit of a pain to transcribe all of those recordings and unless I was working on a project with a budget to hire a transcriber (and even then it was a lot to sift through). Typically I would never get around to listening to all of those sounds, much less putting them to good use.

Now there are high tech ways to transcribe and catalog audio, but I prefer to keep a small notebook on me instead. It's much easier for me to flip through my notebook and use visual cues to find desirable bits of information/inspiration rather than listening to hours of recordings to find a specific soundbite.

I have considered making recordings of client sessions for clients but I believe that the greater value comes from the actual experience, not the recording.

That said, I am now in the market for an excellent recording device with a high quality microphone for two different purposes: to record myself playing trumpet and to make high quality recordings of my workshops. Suggestions for the best ways to do this are welcome! I'll keep carrying my little notebooks with me, probably until I am an old lady. I already have boxes of them and I refer to them often.

Karrie

Karrie,

Did you ever find the equipment to record your workshops? Thanks a bunch.

Patricia