Media Toolkit: recording audio

A video is only as good as its audio. Good audio and poor video quality is better received than poor audio with good video quality. The following recommendations and tips will help you improve the audio quality of your recordings:

• Keep the microphone close to your subject. The optimal distance ranges from 10 cm to 40 cm. With longer distances the audio will have a hollow sound and ambient noise will increase.
• Use an additional microphone if your camera is further away: when recording multiple persons, you will place the camera further away to get everyone in the frame. You can use a smartphone as external microphone for the camera smartphone in two ways:
  • Record the additional audio with a memo recorder app and merge the audio in editing software. This method is more reliable because you have backup audio from the camera but requires some work in post processing. 
  • Connect the additional external smartphone via the WO mic app to the camera smartphone. With this method the audio from the external microphone is directly recorded with the video and requires less work after recording. 
• Be aware of the acoustics of the recording space. Hard flat surfaces create reflections and a hollow sound. Try to record near curtains, bookshelves or padded furniture.
• Reduce ambient noise: try to find a silent room. However, a consistent ventilation hiss or hum can be reduced in editing software.
• Make a test recording and check the audio: Better safe than sorry.