Welcome my friend, your idea sounds like a lot of fun. Do you really need three mics? Could you get by just using one? Why do you want to record three sources to the same track?

I didn't even think about that! Do you think it would be more effective to record using one microphone? Is there a microphone that would be best for recording two or more people?

Well of course you can record more than one person or 'source' using only one mic, but it depends on what you are actually doing though. More effective, no, but it is easier and since you are relatively inexperienced the less to worry about the better. Are you doing voiceovers, or is there simultaneous video as well? (asking so I can find out if looks are going to be important or if I can focus first and foremost on sound quality) Is there going to be moving around or will the people be stationary?

We are going to be in my friends garage sitting down, so yes we are going to be stationary. And it is just an audio podcast, no video involved. If we were to record using two microphones, would we need a mixer and/or some sort of software? We all know how to record using one mic, however it would probably be more comfortable if there was a few microphones we could use. Because, although we all have experience doing solo podcasts and familiar with Audacity, SoundForge, Audition, and Acid. However, we are completely ignorant as two how to incorporate more then one microphone.

If there is a ton of expensive equipment involved in recording from two microphones? Because if thats the case, then I foresee a solo microphone experience in our future.

The easiest way to do it is to have three mics going into an audio interface. You can set the individual track volumes using gain knobs on the interface and the resulting data is sent to the computer via USB or FireWire to be recorded using the software program. I would very much prefer to use one mic per person, but it is also more costly. What is your overall budget for mics (you'll need new ones), interface and software?

An Audio Interface? :) I wish I spoke the foreign language you are speaking in. Think low-budget, because we are just messing around in my friends garage. We can go higher in microphone price if we are going to use only 1 microphone for the show.

Here are some options:

Good:
3x [="http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AT2020/"]Audio-Technica AT2020 | Sweetwater.com[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]Audio-Technica AT2020 | Sweetwater.com[/]
[[url=http://="http://www.sweetwat…"]PreSonus FireStudio Project | Sweetwater.com[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]PreSonus FireStudio Project | Sweetwater.com[/]
Software: Cubase LE4 comes with interface

Dirt Cheap:
3x [="http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PG48QTR/"]Shure PG48 | Sweetwater.com[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]Shure PG48 | Sweetwater.com[/]
[url=http://link removed]link removed
Software: Audacity (free)

Thanks for all of your help, but just a few more things:

The audio interface/converters (is there a difference?) hook up to a computer? Is there some sort of requirements you need for your comp?

Does it need a software that is compatible with the interface?

Also, what is the difference between the different interfaces? Would I need a specific one?

[="http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Behringer-UCA222-U-Control-USB-Audio-Interface_W0QQitemZ290409057593QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item439dba8d39"]New Behringer UCA222 U-Control USB / Audio Interface - eBay (item 290409057593 end time Apr-01-10 12:13:32 PDT)[/]="http://cgi.ebay.com…"]New Behringer UCA222 U-Control USB / Audio Interface - eBay (item 290409057593 end time Apr-01-10 12:13:32 PDT)[/]

[[url=http://="http://cgi.ebay.com…"]Miglia HarmonyAudio FireWire Audio Interface HA02 NR - eBay (item 370344452466 end time Mar-11-10 07:22:35 PST)[/]="http://cgi.ebay.com…"]Miglia HarmonyAudio FireWire Audio Interface HA02 NR - eBay (item 370344452466 end time Mar-11-10 07:22:35 PST)[/]

[="http://cgi.ebay.com/MBOX-2-USB-Audio-Interface_W0QQitemZ300403272356QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45f16e2aa4"]MBOX 2 USB Audio Interface - eBay (item 300403272356 end time Mar-11-10 08:04:19 PST)[/]="http://cgi.ebay.com…"]MBOX 2 USB Audio Interface - eBay (item 300403272356 end time Mar-11-10 08:04:19 PST)[/]

[[url=http://="http://cgi.ebay.com…"]PreSonus FirePod Audio Firewire Interface Excellent! - eBay (item 260563209429 end time Mar-11-10 12:03:50 PST)[/]="http://cgi.ebay.com…"]PreSonus FirePod Audio Firewire Interface Excellent! - eBay (item 260563209429 end time Mar-11-10 12:03:50 PST)[/]

EricHarbin, post: 343750 wrote: The audio interface/converters (is there a difference?)

There really is quite a difference, especially when you are talking the low end of the spectrum, quality increases exponentially over the first couple hundred then seems to level out after that. Accuracy is the key word though, not quality. Because if you say something is higher quality then it implies that using it will 'add' quality to whatever you put through it, but the recording is only as good as the source. For spoken word it shouldn't matter though. I never recommend Behringer products, but since your application is spoken word and not an album production or something, I don't think you will miss clearer preamps... too much ;D

EricHarbin, post: 343750 wrote: hook up to a computer? Is there some sort of requirements you need for your comp?

Does it need a software that is compatible with the interface?

Your computer needs a firewire port for one. Speed is a plus. RAM is a must. Only with certain software programs do you need a certain interface, but as far as I know it doesn't work the other way around. i.e. where using a certain interface locks you into a certain software app. Not the ones we are talking about anyway.

Disregard the Behringer I linked to earlier, it has ADAT outs instead of FireWire, I didn't realize that until now. Goes to show you how much I care about Behringer products :lol:

Grab that Firepod if you can, they discontinued it a few months ago and my heart sank a little bit when I heard about it. Great piece of budget equipment that is. Make sure that the person sends you the software that comes with it.

For Podcasting you could get a simple USB microphone and use Audacity. If one track is all you need, don't complicate things. Look into an omnidirectional or a figure 8 patterned condenser. I think the Blue Snowball might work. Not sure.