After hovering in the background for more than a decade, podcasting has stretched its legs over the past few years—offering personalities and brands a way to make a more intimate connection with their audience. And that pool of listeners is growing: Techcrunch reported that nearly one in three Americans listens to podcasts at least once a month.
But podcasting isn’t the only way businesses can create a more personal relationship with their customers. In a world of vanishing attention spans, multimedia has proven to be engaging and production is trending upward: The most recent Upwork 100, which sheds light on skills that are both quickly growing and also experiencing a high level of demand, shows that skills related to video, motion graphics, animation, and audio production are trending.
Whether you’re producing a podcast, working with a voice-over artist, or looking to break into the field yourself, here are some important things to know about recording audio to help you get it right.
Where you record voice-over is more important than you think
Some professional voice-over artists record in their closets. Why? If you don’t have an insulated sound booth, which can cost thousands of dollars, a muffled closet with hanging clothes is one of the quietest places to get the least amount of reverb.
You don’t have to record in a closet, but if you’re recording audio at home, try to find a quiet studio-like environment.
That’s because you want to record your voice, not the room
Even the quietest room might not cut it. There are sounds we get used to and don’t even notice—outside sounds like airplanes flying overhead, HVAC systems, construction noises, and more. That background noise might not even be picked up human ears, but if you’re using a high-powered mic, know that it probably will.
Treat a room acoustically to reduce “room reflection”—the sound of your voice bouncing off surfaces in the room. Try using sound-blocking foam or moving blankets to create a soundproofing tent.
There’s a right way and a wrong way to mess up
You read that right. Tripping over words, coughing, or having to clear your throat happens—there’s no need to rerecord the entire script. Instead, put a long pause between your fumble and your restart, then begin again. This creates a visible pause in the audio timeline, which flags to an audio editor that there’s a clear break worth checking out. This saves them the time of having to listen all the way through to locate any mistakes. This also makes it easier to cut and splice together clips.
Put energy into voice recordings
Some voice-over artists prefer to stand up when they record. That’s because standing increases blood flow, wakes you up, and allows you to be more animated and energetic when speaking. Adding just enough energy can help bring the script to life. Also, overenunciate compared with how you typically speak.
For longer recordings, give yourself a break for a bit. And don’t forget to take a sip of water—but not too much. More-powerful mics can pick up wet mouth sounds.
Give mics—and mic placement—a lot of consideration
A high-quality sound recording just isn’t possible with a handheld device, a webcam, or a camera’s internal microphone. You won’t get the richness or clarity you will with a good mic. A mic cover such as a pop filter is another good investment for studio-style recording. Pop filters block the quick blasts of air called plosives caused by p and b sounds.
You also want to make sure mic placement is correct. A mic should be about six to seven inches from the face and slightly to the side to reduce the clicks, pops, and mouth noises that can be distracting to listeners.
Double-check your tech
Always check your sound levels before you start recording. While a recording can be edited in postproduction, if the original is too low or too high, trying to raise or lower levels in post can cause too much background noise or peaky, distorted vocals. Keep levels between negative 15 and negative 20. Watch the meter on your sound recording software while you speak to see where you’re peaking. Adjust until you peak around negative 5, but don’t go higher than negative 3.
Also, format your SD card before you record. This way, you won’t waste time recording a session only to find out after that your card wasn’t working properly.
Be sure you’re saving files in the correct format. Depending on the software you’re using, file names may differ, but when you go to save, always opt for .MP3, .WAV or, .AIF. Note that .WAV and .AIF are going to yield very high-quality results but will be much larger file sizes.
Bonus recording tips to save headaches down the road
Here’s one thing you can do to make an editor happy: Start each recording by stating the name of the project and the script, section, or chapter you’re reading. If the audio needs to be matched with visuals, like an animation, this can save an editor a ton of time trying to put the pieces together.
If you’re working from a script, don’t print it out on paper: read it from a tablet or another screen. This way, you won’t get any background sounds of shuffling paper. If you’re using a computer, make sure any clicks are noiseless if you’re scrolling with a mouse—another reason a tablet can be a superior choice.
Working with a voice-over artist? If you’ve engaged a voice actor or narration specialist to record your audio, pay close attention to things like cadence and tone. You want the voice-over to reflect your brand and your message and be a complementary way to deliver information.
