Historically the biggest down side of recording video for education has been audio.
So many videos have been produced that have great footage but the audio is so poor that students cannot listen to it. The classic example is using a power-point presentation and recording a voice-over using the computers built in microphone. The audio often includes background noise from the computers fan, the bar fridge in the corner, an odd tap dripping and the noise of the mouse and keyboard as you click through from slide to slide.
There are so many ways that we can improve on this problem. Below are 5 ways you can improve your audio at very little cost and your students will love you for it.
But you’re wondering about the title aren’t you?
I was in a recording studio in a town in Australia near the Country Music Capital. An old recording engineer was sitting in the control room with me, smoking on his third cigarette in an enclosed room with carpet from floor to ceiling, including the floor and ceiling. Dimly lit by down lights and mood lighting to make the recording studio feel just right.
I asked the engineer the question he most often hears. ‘How do I get a great recording in the studio?’. I expected the answer that you need a particular analogue recording desk and some specific microphones and of course a room that is perfectly acoustically treated to get that perfect reflection.
The response I was given was a little different than I expected.
To get a great recording you need quality singers and musicians. That’s it! If you start with a quality sound right from the beginning, then it’s your job as the audio engineer to not stuff it up. In his words, he said, ‘you can’t polish a turd’.
In his words, ‘you can’t polish a turd‘.
If you start with a really poor quality sound then no matter what people say, you can’t ‘fix it in the mix’. Well you can probably do something to make it better, but it will never be great.
Disclaimer: Mythbusters proved you can. http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/polishing-a-turd-minimyth/
Back to the real story. If you start with quality audio, you have a better chance of producing an awesome product.
Scenario 1: Audio with a mobile device
Recording with any camera, you may be tempted to use the microphone built into the camera. Not a good idea.
You can place an iPhone or other mobile device in a holder on a boom stand just above the person speaking and out of view of the camera shot. Count 3, 2, 1 and Clap loudly so that you can synchronise the audio on your phone to the video audio later.
Once you complete your video session, copy the video and audio across from the camera and mobile device into a video editing application.
Line up the clap audio peaks and your audio will now match your video. Turn off the audio on the video track and just use the audio from the mobile device.
Scenario 2: Lapel/lavalier Microphone
Using a lapel microphone, shown below, you can dramatically improve the quality of the audio in your videos without having to mix two audio tracks back together. Attach a lapel microphone to the recording device with a lead that will comfortably reach the subject.
Test the audio levels and position of the lapel microphone and you will find that the audio is 1000% better than the recording device built in microphone.
Scenario 3: Mobile device in top pocket
This is not the ideal solution but it has saved the day in some recording scenarios. Place a mobile device in your top pocket with the built in microphone facing towards the subjects mouth. Count 3,2,1 and clap to synchronise the audio.
Once you complete your video session, copy the video and audio across from the camera and mobile device into a video editing application.
Line up the clap audio peaks and your audio will now match your video. Turn off the audio on the video track and just use the audio from the mobile device.
Scenario 4: Use a shotgun microphone
There are inexpensive microphones available for many cameras and digital devices. The particular microphones that you will need are called shotgun microphones. These microphones need to be pointed directly at the subject to pick up the audio. They work well in interview situations where the subject is sitting or is not moving around.
Scenario 5: The nearly perfect solution
This solution combines a collection of microphones recording to a multi-track device that can then be mixed down and then synchronised with the video footage.
This solution is not cost effective or simple but it provides the greatest flexibility.
Some other useful hints to produce better audio.
- Using a Y connector with two lapel microphones can allow a presenter to interview a subject and both have audio recorded at a more acceptable quality.
- Rode record – Rode Recording App from the app store here: https://rode.com/en-au/apps/reporter-app
- Belkin mini boom mic for iOS
- If using a mobile device, turn airplane mode on to stop phone calls and other interruptions on your device
- Count 3,2,1, Clap for syncing
- Add a fish eye/zoom lens to bring camera closer (makes mic sound better)
Possible software
Audio software – get Audacity for everything (free) or get Audition with Adobe Creative Cloud.