Tools to Record Interviews Using Skype

Last week, I published an article called 5 Online Tools Freelance Writers Can Use to Make Life and Business Easier, which offered my suggestions for free and cheap tools that any freelance writer can try. One of the items on that list was Skype, which enables you to make free calls (including international calls) from your computer. Skype is free and not only helps freelance writers manage client communication, but it’s also an incredible tool for conducting audio and video interviews.

Want to see a sample of a video taken via a Skype call? Check out the videos I took using Call Recorder for Mac (discussed later in this post) for Newstex.com. The video recording feature in Call Recorder allows you to record both parties on the call (using a picture-in-picture feature) or just one party (which is great for those of us who work at home in our pajamas). You control everything on your end. The person on the other end of the call just needs a Skype account, a webcam, and a microphone.

Convinced these tools work well? Take a look at some of the great choices to record the audio and/or video of your own Skype calls.

1. Call Recorder for Mac

I use Call Recorder and love it! It’s easy to use, cheap, and takes seconds to install. You can even download a free demo to give it a test drive before you buy the software. When you’re ready to buy, it’s only $19.95.

2. Total Recorder

Total Recorder for Windows comes in three versions from $17.95 to $53.95 with the more expensive versions offering more capabilities such as video recording. Even the base version allows you to record online audio from any source, such as Skype, webinars, and more.

3. Pamela Call Recorder

If you want a free, bare-bones audio recorder that works only with Skype, then the Pamela Call Recorder Skype Extra is a good solution for you!

There are some other options to record Skype calls, but the above are the ones I have used or have heard positive things about from others who have used them. Do you have a preferred tool for recording Skype calls? Leave a comment and share your suggestions!

Please follow and like us:

65k

Posted

July 27, 2010

Freelance Business Tips, Tools for Freelancer Writers

david

Tags:

call recorder, freelance interviews, interview recorder, online audio recorder, online video recorder, skype recording

Comments

13 responses

C David

July 27, 2010

I suggest Audio Hijack, which is around $10 – and can be used to capture steaming music and just about any and every sound that passes through your computer. It’s an amazing little program.

Reply
1. Susan Gunelius
  
  July 27, 2010
  
  C David, Thanks for sharing. I haven’t used Audio Hijack, but with your positive review and that great price tag, I definitely have to try it!
  
  Reply
2. Dean
  
  April 20, 2012
  
  Hey C David, thanks for sharing I will look forward about Audio Hijack I think that have good price tag
  
  Reply
BA

July 27, 2010

I have a question related to this article. I’m required to do interviews over the phone or over Skype for work, and the company would like to start recording these interviews (with consent, of course!). What will give us the highest quality? A Skype recorder? An in-line landline recorder? A cell phone hookup? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for the article, Susan!

Reply
1. Susan Gunelius
  
  July 27, 2010
  
  BA,
  I think an in-line landline recorder would give you the best quality, but I get great quality from Call Recorder for Mac using Skype. As long as both participants have decent microphones, the quality is very good.
  
  Reply
Aaron

July 28, 2010

Thanks Susan, I’ve never had a problem with Pamela (for audio) and have used it for quite a while now. It does what its supposed to do and works great.

Reply
1. Susan Gunelius
  
  July 28, 2010
  
  Aaron, Thanks for sharing your experience with Pamela. I haven’t used it myself, but I’ve heard a lot of people say great things about it! 🙂
  
  Reply
Kevin Freeman

July 28, 2010

While I love the idea of Skype, I have encountered numerous glitches such as frequent call drops and glitchy sound while trying to use it as an interview tool. As of yet, I haven’t found any good fixes for the problems, and many of my friends and family have experienced the same. Does anyone know of a way to make Skype more stable?

I always figured it was because I’m not a paying subscriber, but I never could bring myself to actually pay for a glitchy service.

Reply
1. Susan Gunelius
  
  July 28, 2010
  
  Kevin,
  I’m not sure. I’ve used Skype for quite a while (the free version), and I’ve never had a call dropped or bad sound quality unless one of the participants’ microphone or headphone had a problem. You might want to take note of what you’re doing, the equipment you’re using, and when the problem happens and contact Skype to see if they have any ideas as to why you keep having problems. There are some other voip providers, but I haven’t used those so I’m not sure how well they work.
  
  Reply
hiten

August 6, 2010

mmm…interesting, but as for me I record with IMCapture for Skype ( http://www.imcapture.com )

Reply
Dina Legos

February 24, 2011

To this improvising bank i cna also tell you about TalkAide for Skype. It’s Skype video and audio recorder and also has a “sharing option”. You can simply share your most intresting tlaks to another people!) http://www.talkaide.com/TalkAide_for_Skype/

Reply
Fedya Antonov

March 15, 2011

as for me – i prefer IMCapture for Skype recorder.
Nice design and low price!
http://www.imcapture.com/IMCapture_for_Skype/

Reply
James Piper

April 4, 2012

Great post with good information looking foward to more

Reply