Recording Better Sound

Audio is often overlooked when making your first videos. After all, video is all about what you see on the screen right? Wrong. Audio is just as important as what is on screen. Nothing drives a viewer more insane than having to decipher what is being said. So here are a few quick tips on recording better audio.

Tip 1 – Use a Microphone

Use a microphone. This may seem simple enough but believe me, I’ve seen lots and lots of people try to get by without using any sort of microphone. Camera makers may claim that their built-in microphone will capture crystal clear sound. This is false. Unless you are in an airtight room with no outside noise, you won’t be able to get great sound with an on camera microphone. 

What type of microphone should you get?

There is the standard shotgun microphone often paired with a boom pole and directed at the subjects mouth. These microphones can cost thousands of dollars. I purchased my first shotgun mic off of ebay for around $20 and it worked well… until I got my first lavalier microphone. If you are doing interviews or have someone speaking on camera (not acting in a narrative film though), using a lavalier microphone is my preferred option. Also known as a lapel mic, these clip onto a subject’s shirt or jacket and easily pick up their voice. You can also easily hid them underneath shirts, scarfs, collars, etc. I started with a wired lavalier microphone but graduated to a nice wireless set that I use all the time now. Sennheiser makes the best microphones but they can be quite pricey. Another decent brand is Azden. They are cheaper and sometimes feel cheaply made but still get the job done.

Another option is to get an audio recorder like the Zoom H4N or one of the Tascam recorders. The Zoom H4N is a great tool which acts as a microphone and recorder in one. I use it to record quick sound bites when I don’t want or need to set up my wireless set. The H4N costs around $300 and is well worth the investment. When using my wireless microphones, I plug them into the H4N and record directly to a micro SD card.  The H4N allows me to set levels and record perfect audio with or without the lavalier microphones plugged in. Unfortunately with my DSLR camera, I can’t plug the wireless lavaliers directly into the camera so having the Xoom H4N is necessary.

So first things first, plop down the $25-$50 to get your basic starter microphone and it will dramatically improve your video quality. Your viewers will love you for doing so.

Tip 2 – Listen to Your Surroundings

Listen. Before you hit the record button, listen to your surroundings. Is there an air conditioner running? How loud is the traffic? What other noises do you hear? Do this because if there are loud noises that you can’t stop by closing a window or moving your subject, you may need to change locations, especially if you don’t have a good microphone.

You’ll be able to get rid of some of the extra noise through editing, but not all of it. So do yourself or your editor a favor and pick a location without too much noise.

Tip 3 – Bring Headphones

Bring headphones. You won’t be able to tell what audio is recording without listening to it. So bring a good set of headphones (noise-cancelling ones are the best) and before you record, do some practice takes. Have your subject count up to ten to make sure they are being recorded at the right levels.

By putting on a pair of headphones, you’ll be able to hear noises that you might not have heard without them.

If you are the one manning the camera throughout the shoot, it is best to keep your headphones on throughout the filming. You will be able to tell if the car rushing by or the airplane in the sky caused too much noise and you need to reshoot. It is one thing to see your levels bouncing up and down on your camera or recorder, but unless you are actually listening to the sound with your two ears, you don’t truly know what is being recorded.

I hope these three tips help you to record better audio. They sure helped me and now I always try record my videos with a microphone. Your audience will truly love you for doing so.

Cheers!
Phil