In this blog I continue my discussion about how to easily capture a casual discussion of friends and relatives using a handheld recorder.

A good way is if you place the recorder in the center of the table or area where the speakers are talking. This works well unless you’re trying to cover a large area. If it is a large room or there are other conflicting conversations or noise going on, there may still be some unclear words.

Another good way is if the speaker(s) holds the recorder to their mouth. These last two ways are probably going to be the more likely ways to record in a large gathering. Try as much as possible to have the speaker speak “to” the recorder, rather than have their voice turned away from the recorder.

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One of the easiest ways to capture your memoirs was related in my last blog, and that is recording family or friends as they are exchanging stories with each other. I always carry a hand held recorder with me, especially at family gatherings or reunions, in order to take advantage of these opportunities.

A caveat here. Of course you know it is illegal to record anyone unless they know and approve; however, I don’t think recording a general family/friend conversation would fall into that category as long as you don’t plan to use it for malicious purposes, and unless some in the group strenuously objects.

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We need to satisfy our curiosity. Aren’t you sometimes curious about what your mother or father were like when they were children? Have you asked one of their siblings?

I have an elderly aunt and during the last time that I saw her, I asked if she would talk to me about what my father was like when he was a young boy. She said she didn’t want to talk about those times. I didn’t want to upset her so didn’t insist, but I will forever regret not trying to at least get her to do it surreptitiously by asking her questions and recording it.

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What permanent legacy are you leaving your family?  It used to be through chatty letters.  Without letters or other recorded messages, once you are no longer a part of their life, how is your family going to know what your life was like?  The answer is to record it so it becomes a permanent record that can be listened to any time.  Read more