Obviously, you can’t script interview segments and co-host interactions. You can practice!Įditing a script is much easier than editing audio, and it gives you the advantage of having all your ideas laid out in a format that’s easy to see-and easy to use for further media, such as transcripts, blog posts, or the eventual book. Only a few professionals boast an innate ability to do it live, but luckily, podcasting is not a live medium. No matter how nice your microphone is, there is no substitute for a confident read and great content. Work from an outline, and take time to get a great delivery This helps me judge whether or not their levels are too loud, and also helps me understand their environment.ĥ. Then, I ask them to deliver a hearty fake laugh. Then, test the levels with a hearty laugh or emphatic phrase to make sure the level never peaks above 0 dBFS, or goes “into the red.” If you’re worried that it might, just turn it down and be conservative.įor interviewees and actors, when judging their microphones from afar for remote recordings, I ask them to say “one two three four” at varying levels, from whisper-quiet to as loud as they want. To set a good, modest input level, speak at a normal-to-loud speaking voice, and aim to hit around -20 dB on the fader of the track you’re using to record audio (It’s about halfway up on most meters). Since the advent of high-quality digital recording, there’s really no reason to set input levels too “hot.” You can always make things louder later on. Most audio interfaces, recorders, or USB microphones let you set an input level for your microphone. Do this with headphones, note what settings, arrangements, placements, and environments got you the best results.ģ. Experiment with your microphone placement, and then record test audio to find what sounds best for your voice. You should notice a much more natural sound for your voice. ![]() This results in fewer plosives.ĭon’t speak at too extreme of an angle, however, or you’ll be talking into a null in the pickup pattern of directional microphones (Translation: it will sound bad). When you speak at a 45-degree angle to the mic, bursts of air don’t go directly into the diaphragm. ![]() In these cases, you can experiment with speaking diagonally into your microphone, rather than straight on the capsule. However, sometimes pop filters are impractical, or they can muffle the sound to an undesirable degree. ![]() The best tool to fight plosives is a pop filter, which you can buy easily, or fashion out of a coat hanger and a nylon stocking. Plosives-the burst of air that exits the mouth when we make “P” and “B” sounds-are like giant gusts of wind to a microphone. Experiment with indirect microphone placement If you must turn the page of a script-or flip to the next section of a PDF on your tablet-do not talk when doing so, as you’ll want to edit those noises out later, in post.Ģ. Turn off all ACs, or anything else that makes a background noise. Use headphones to monitor any audio you’re recording, and find a place to set up far away from any noise you can’t manually power off (such as a computer fan). The mic has the possibility to pick up literally anything, from the click of a mouse to the whirring of your computer fan. While we’re at it, make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep the room itself quiet. Speaking closer to a cardioid mic can often “overwhelm” the capsule with direct vocals, rather than pesky room reflections however, you must be mindful not to distort the microphone with loud noises or plosives-which we’ll cover in the next section. ![]() This arrangement, paired with speaking close to a cardioid mic, usually engenders better results than home-closet recordings. Stay out of your closet and set up on a carpeted space, near bookcases, but away from walls and windows. For any benefit you might see, you’re probably adding untold drawbacks, such as weird resonant buildups caused by the cover’s material, or its billowing proximity to the microphone. Furthermore, random blankets meant to act as “room treatment” do actually constitute room treatment. Hard and flat surfaces reflect sound much like a mirror reflects light-and you’re bound to be jammed up against hard and flat surfaces in a closet. “Don’t do that!” I always say, “Find a bigger room!” They get in, huddle under a blanket, and shut the door, thinking this is the best option for quality sound. I’ll call an actor for an audio drama, or an interviewee for a podcast, and they’ll tell me they have the perfect recording setup-in their closet. I can’t tell you how many times it’s happened. Find a quiet room with plenty of space around you for recording
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