We know that you want your experience recording an interview to be smooth and trouble free—that way you and your interview partner can focus on the conversation, not technical issues. That’s that we want, too.
To make your recording experience as easy as possible, take a look at these tips to prevent technical issues that might disrupt your interview experience.
Tips for a trouble-free recording
- Make Your Account Before You Record. Both you and your interview partner should create an archive.storycorps.org profile before you begin recording. That way, once you send the interview link, you can both join right away. You can find instructions on how to create a new account in our Help Center.
- Use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as Your Browser. If you can choose between multiple browsers on your device, we find that StoryCorps Connect works best with Chrome or Firefox. You can also download both for free if you are having trouble connecting with a different browser and want to download a more compatible browser for your interview. You can find a full list of compatible browsers and information about granting your browser microphone and camera access in the Help Center.
- Make Sure Your Browser and Operating System Are Up to Date. Check to make sure that your device is running the most up-to-date version of its operating system and browser to ensure that it can support StoryCorps Connect. (Please note: If you are recording with an older phone or tablet, you may not be able to update your OS or browser, which could affect your ability to use StoryCorps Connect on your device.)
- Make Sure You and Your Interview Partner Have a Strong Internet Connection. StoryCorps Connect relies on the participants’ internet connections to conduct the interview. A weak Wi-Fi signal or internet connection may cause you to lose video or audio connection during your interview and affect the quality of your recording.
- Do a Test Recording. Before you and your partner record a full interview, record a practice interview with them from start to finish (it should be short, just a minute or so). This will also give you a chance to practice entering keywords and other data; you can even publish the practice interview to our archive. (You can always delete it later!) Doing a test recording helps you make sure you understand how everything works and gives you the opportunity to confirm that your browser, microphone, and camera all work before you record the real thing.
- Nervous about diving straight in? You can watch the platform in action and get step-by-step instructions here.
- Prepare a Question List Prior to Your Interview. It is impossible to cover a whole lifetime in one 40-minute conversation, so we suggest thinking of a few topics you’d like to cover, and make a list of five to 10 questions to get started. Check out our Great Questions or come up with your own. From there, just be curious, and let the conversation flow!
- Use Headphones with a Microphone. Using headphones with a microphone is the easiest way to increase the quality of your audio recording and to reduce ambient noise that might normally be picked up by your computer’s built-in microphone.
- Know where to go for help. If you do experience technical difficulties, in spite of the above precautions, answers and troubleshooting tips for most common issues can be found in this section of our Help Center.