Audio is one of the hardest things to change after recording a course, so make sure you give yourself enough time to get it right from the start. It's very important that your students hear you well. Here's a list of common audio issues and how to fix them.
Some tips before you start
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Ideally, you should use an external microphone. Avoid recording audio directly from the built-in microphone on your camera, computer or mobile phone.
Check the sound quality at the beginning of the recording and several times during the recording to avoid recording the content. This way you can ensure good sound quality throughout the course.
How to avoid echoes and background noise
Recording in an empty room with no protection from walls or carpet is one of the most common ways that sound quality gets significantly worse. This is due to echo, which makes the audio sound very far away, as if you were recording in an open area.
To prevent echoes, install soundproofing and sound-absorbing elements in the room. You can place acoustic panels on the walls of the room you want to record in, or even place blankets, pillows, and chairs to absorb sound. For more tips, see Creating a Recording Environment .
It is very important to pause recordings and listen to them frequently to ensure that noises such as traffic, air conditioning, phone calls, people talking in the background, etc. do not filter through as they are not normally heard in the recording.
Troubleshooting common audio issues
Distortion
Static noise is heard on the recording. This usually happens because the gain is set too high, making the sound very annoying.
Background noise
You may also hear a distortion-like background noise. In your recording, it sounds like a harsh noise. This is usually caused by using an inferior microphone, such as one built into a camera or computer.
Left speaker
If the sound output is set to mono instead of stereo, sound can only be output from the left speaker.
Low volume
If the recording volume is too low, the microphone may be too far away. Make sure you speak loudly and clearly into the microphone.
Silence
You may also have the opposite problem if you speak too close to the microphone. We recommend speaking at a distance of 15-30 cm from the microphone.
Pops
Another common problem is pops in the recording. These are mainly formed when pronouncing words that contain "p" and "t". When you encounter this problem, you will find that there are unnatural outbursts in the tone that can be distracting to students. Try standing a little further away from the microphone or drinking some water before speaking (this will help you understand the other person better). You can also buy a special filter and put it on the microphone to filter out this type of noise.
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