Using the Sony Minidisc Recorder MD-37 and Sony907mic

by Dan Roberts

This machine will make a great recording of your diary, is easy to use, and is the future (digitally speaking). There are a few rules that will make your experience as producer (and mine as editor) most successful. Please review these each time you are ready to record:
1. Make sure the microphone is switched on and plugged in to the correct input (on the backside of the machine, where it says "mic/plug in power"). It doesn't matter whether you select "90" or "120" on the mike. Shut off the mike when you are totally through with a recording session, but go ahead and leave it on when you are gathering your thoughts (the battery in the mike is good for 40 hours).
2. Make sure the "hold" button (on the left side) is down (off) and press "ENDSEARCH" (Front, below the word "CAPS") (See #7, MY BIGGEST FEAR).
3. Slide the red button up and recording begins. The display panel will first say "mic" and a wheel spins and a timer appears showing how much time has elapsed on this track. Please set the recorder on a table or something solid during recording, where it will not fall if the mike cord gets yanked.
4. These minidiscs are 74 minutes long. When you want to pause, push the pause button (on the front above the word "caps"). This will create a new "track" when you start again by pushing pause once more. The display will start from 00:00 because it is showing the time on this new track.
5. When you want to STOP press the stop button (on the front, the symbol is a square, just above the word "charge"). The display will flash the word "EDIT" or "TOC" several times. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOT SHAKE OR MOVE THE MACHINE WHILE THESE WORDS ARE FLASHING. (The words indicate that the machine is writing a Table Of Contents {TOC} and this table is an index for the minidisc.)
6. If you want to hear how you sound, press the Play Button (front with right-facing arrow). The display will say "END" because you are at the end of the recorded material. Press the rewind button (front with several arrows to the left). Each time you push you will move back one track. If you hold down the rewind button it will move back through the track, like rewinding a tape. The fast forward button (front with several arrows to the right) works just like the rewind button, only in the opposite direction.
7. MY BIGGEST FEAR!!! Before you begin recording again, make sure to press the "END SEARCH" button. THIS IS CRUCIAL TO PREVENT ERASING WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY RECORDED. "END SEARCH" (Front below the word "caps") moves the minidisc to the end of the recorded sections. IF YOU FORGET TO DO THIS YOU WILL RECORD RIGHT OVER THE BRILLIANT STUFF YOU'VE ALREADY DONE. When you push this button "END" will flash on the display and you are set to begin recording again. If you are not sure you pushed this, push it again. It won't hurt the machine.
8. You don't need to remove the minidisc, so please don't. If you do, make sure you put it in the way you took it out, arrow on top pointing into the machine. If you're going to record after opening the machine, press "END SEARCH" first.
9. Hold the microphone by its holder - this will reduce noise. Hold the microphone between 4 inches and one foot from your mouth, speak clearly and state your case. If you fill up a minidisc I will give you another – erasing is a little bit tricky and I would rather that you use up discs than accidentally erase something. I will edit the disc down to 10-20 minutes, and get your approval before airing.