Microphones

You can get some basic, decent microphones for around $100 (these are 2021 prices and will probably need to be adjusted a bit). Below are some examples. Some connect to your phone using audio miniplugs or the lightning port on i-phones, others connect to your laptop using USB connectors. Higher-end mics use (3-prong) XLR connectors to hook into a sound recorder or into an audio interface device (see separate section on this) that can provide sufficient power for the microphone to generate a strong sound signal. Some mics have both XLR and USB connectors.  The microphones shown below are designed for podcasters or for musicians home studios and can handle the vocals in a pop-style recording, with a guitar or piano. They are not designed for an opera singer's voice to sing directly into them. But you can make them work, for example by singing a few feet away from them. The size and acoustics of the room will of course matter, as well as the size and location of the piano. You'll need to experiment and ship back what doesn't work for you, but you'll be surprised at how well you can capture your sound without spending a fortune.