All too often you may be so focused on making sure the video quality is perfect that you neglect to think about the audio quality. If you intend to replace the audio then its quality doesn’t really matter, but if you want to keep it then you need to pay close attention to its quality as well.
Although recording high quality audio can be tricky, there are a few tips that you could try:
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Limit background noise
Background noise or ‘ambient audio’ can be a big problem, and you should try to limit their presence as much as possible. Unfortunately the noise itself can come from multiple sources, including the low hum that many electrical appliances generate.
Although it is possible to remove or reduce background noise during post-production – it isn’t easy. As such you should try as many ways of eliminating background noise as possible, including identifying their sources, recording in a quiet room, or altering the position of your microphone.
Do not rely on the built-in microphone
Unless you happen to have a really good video camera, odds are the built-in microphone that you’re using isn’t all that great. In most cases it is difficult or even downright impossible to record truly good audio using the built-in microphone on smartphones or digital cameras, and so you should try not to rely on them.
While professional microphones can be expensive, even a relatively basic external microphone can make a world of difference to the audio quality that you’re able to record. In fact if your budget allows for it you could browse through different types of microphones to figure out which type would be best for the kind of audio you need to record.
Avoid moving the microphone
While you’re recording you should try to make sure the microphone remains absolutely still. Because of how sensitive they are, when your microphone moves it is likely to pick up a lot of unwanted noise.
Using a stand for your microphone is a good start, or if you’re using a clip-on or lavalier mic you should make sure it is firmly attached before you begin. Try to make sure there is nothing else nearby that could accidentally rustle against the microphone while recording.
Sometimes one of the easiest ways to make sure the audio in your video is high quality is to simply record it later on then add it to your video. If that is an option all you really need is a video editor.
All said and done the quality of the audio will reflect on the video quality as well, which is why it is crucial that you pay close attention to it. Despite the fact that the audio may not sound ‘perfect’ when it is first recorded, the tips listed above should improve it to the point where tidying it up during post-production is a lot easier.
