When it comes to video, most of us give importance to the visual presentations. Is visual presentation the only thing to consider while shooting a video?
Along with visual features, a video should also have a very good audio. From background music to a good recording microphone, audio has a great part in the overall quality of a good video. If you want to create a beautiful video, you ought to have good quality audio.
Audio – The Inevitable Partner
Audio is definitely inevitable to any video content. If you want to understand the significance of audio in your video content, just watch favourite movie on mute. Imagine Titanic without background music. Yeah! Audio matters. A lot.
The two key elements of video are audio and visual elements. Humans are hardwired to understand and comprehend visual elements and this makes us drawn largely toward video content; but without audio, a video is not complete.
Often, we watch videos with low-quality audio and that really doesn’t give us a wholesome watching experience. Sometimes the background music might be the problem and sometimes the problem is with the recording. There can be a lot of reasons for poor audio quality and some of them may surprise you.
- Bad Equipment - If the camera is bad, then the video output will also be bad. In the same way, if the audio equipment is bad, the audio output will be worse. From microphones to audio cables, each and everything is important in the audio section.
Most of the video content creators depend on their smartphones to record their audio. I’m not saying that it’s bad as it is the economical method to create audio content. But if you are a person who will not compromise on perfection, you should definitely go for a good quality microphone. An above entry-level microphone will do the job just fine. And if you want professional quality in your videos, you should invest a little more into the audio department and get microphones and recorders with an XLR connection cable. It’s expensive but the results will be amazing.
- Location - Location plays a vital role in the audio section. When you are recording your video, make sure that you are in a space without any audio disturbances such as echo or noise. This will definitely help you while editing your video and the right background music in the right volume should make it beautiful. Always choose a calm location without much background noises.
Audio recording is best done inside small rooms. It decreases the echo and gives you a warm sound. Make use of all the things that can decrease the background noise and make your studio sound proofed for better results.
- Position of microphone - The position of the microphone has an important role. The mic should be placed close to the subject for better clarity and sound. The farther the mic is from the subject, the weaker the sound will be. Sound signals will be dropped off exponentially when the mic is placed farther.
- Make use of those headphones - Always use good headphones while editing to check the hums and buzzes in the audio. This will help you to get a good output and a good headphone can ensure the quality of your audio. Often people depend on low-priced headphones while editing thereby missing that small buzz and hum which will later hamper the beauty of the final cut.
The only way to make sure everything is good is by testing it thoroughly before recording. Check all the equipment before the recording and this will definitely help in a clean recording. If you are shooting outside or broadcasting outdoors, test your audio well to avoid noises and other disturbances. Editing can help a lot to make your audio sound good enough but has limitations. Make sure that you have a good recording in the first place and if you did it right, your viewers will certainly appreciate it.
