Talk about happy coincidences: About the time my analog desk phone died last month, Skype made computer-to-telephone calling free. (Computer-to-computer Skype calls have always been free.) Because I'd bought the old phone specifically to work with a telephone tap, I started looking into ways to record Skype-based interviews. I found an easy and inexpensive solution called Ecamm Call Recorder.
My old interviewing setup used an analog phone, a handset tap, and a flash-RAM recorder. Setting levels was tricky, and the resulting file was monophonic, making it tough to edit sections where the interviewee and I spoke simultaneosuly.
The standard recipes for VoIP recording on Mac and Windows require multiple programs and complex pre-configuration. In contrast, Call Recorder launches automatically when you launch Skype, presenting a big red Record button. Just click once to start recording. (You can also make it record automatically as soon as the call connects.) Click again or hang up, and Call Recorder saves the recording to disk, naming it with the date and number you called.
Call Recorder's three buttons open the settings, toggle Record/Stop, and locate the recorded file. The rectangular area turns red during recording.
Call Recorder ($15) is a Mac program; the closest equivalent I found for Windows is SkyLook ($25–50), though I couldn't tell if it shared Call Recorder's ability to record both sides of the conversation to separate tracks. That was something I really wanted in the analog days, because it's often impossible to edit a recording when both speakers' voices overlap.
Interestingly, with my stereo USB headset the recording was a QuickTime file with two AAC-compressed audio tracks—mono for me and dual-mono for the interviewee. I panned the two tracks left and right in QuickTime Pro and exported the recording as a stereo AIFF so I could open it all at once in Peak for editing:
- Skype This (71KB MP3)
From the mild clipping, it appears I need to reduce the input level on my mic a bit. I don't see a way to reduce the interviewee's level, unfortunately.
SoundSource provides a quick, free way to switch audio I/O without opening the Mac's pokey Sound preferences pane.
Dummy-proof
Call Recorder offers a seven-day free trial. To get the hang of it, I used Skype's Echo feature, which initiates a short call with a robotic operator. I also used Call Recorder to record a 73-minute teleconference (simultaneously saving on the cost of the out-of-state call) so I could listen to it later. I forgot to turn off my mic, so the recording was punctuated by rustling sounds and background office conversation. But thanks to Call Recorder's ability to record both sides of the call to discrete tracks, I could simply turn off the mic track in QuickTime Pro before resaving the file as a mono MP3. Nice!
I should also mention a handy companion utility, especialy since it's free: Rogue Amoeba SoundSource adds a menu to your Mac that lets you quickly set audio routing, even keeping system sounds out of the Skype feed.
Update, 2006-06-20: A reader at O’Reilly’s Emerging Telephony site recommended Powergramo for Windows. It’s free for basic recording. Dual-track recording requires the paid version, which costs $20.
Update, 2006-12-04: For Windows users, the Call Recorder site suggests MX Skype Recorder (free).
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Comments (5)
Read More Entries by David Battino.
We have just released the beta version of our free Skype call recorder. You can grab it from here.
http://www.callgraph.in
Its very simple and unintrusive. Linux and MAC versions are on the way. :)
@Josh: To separate the tracks:
Hi David, how do get your end to be stereo or dual-mono? I have dual mono for the other person on the line, but my end comes out just with mono sound? how do I separate the two tracks?
@Rick: Thanks for clarifying that. Skype’s no longer free, either, though I liked it so much that I ponied up the 15 bucks for unlimited domestic calling.
MX Skype Recorder is free to TRY, but only for 30 days and only for 5-minute-or-less calls, according to the website your link of 2006-12-04 points to.