If you want to create engaging and professional media content, you need to pay attention to your audio quality. Poor audio can ruin your message, distract your audience, and damage your reputation. In this article, you will learn some tips and tricks to improve your audio quality using audio editing software.
The first step to improve your audio quality is to choose the right microphone for your purpose. Different types of microphones have different characteristics and advantages. For example, a dynamic microphone is good for loud and noisy environments, while a condenser microphone is more sensitive and detailed. You should also consider the polar pattern of the microphone, which determines how it picks up sound from different directions. A cardioid microphone is ideal for voice recording, as it rejects sound from the back and sides.
Record quality and you have quality. Direct signal, levels with significant difference between noise (floor) and voice/subject (-6dBFS), be careful and listen. Learn compression - you can provide presence and authority to your subject.
In my opinion determining the use case of the final product is important to plot what choices to make overall. Different media come with advantages as well as limitations. Understanding those, go a long way into making sensible choices from the onset of a project. From my experience, acoustics of the space that a microphone is put in, is a far more important factor. Once that is determined and established, one can move on to evaluating which kind/brand/polar pattern of microphone will do justice, while all the time, keeping in mind the end use of the recorded material. Of course this only works if there is time to pre plan and the options to make these decisions. Most of us here, come with the experience of making quick work of this.
Absolutely, selecting the right microphone is crucial for improving audio quality. Factors like microphone type, environment, and polar pattern play key roles in capturing clear and detailed audio. Choosing based on your specific needs ensures better results in various recording situations.
Overall, when choosing a microphone, consider your budget, recording environment, and the level of sound quality you want to achieve. It's also important to test different microphones and find the one that best suits your needs and preferences. Remember that good audio quality is crucial for good recording , so investing in a quality microphone is worth it in the long run.
Picking the right microphone is indeed the first and arguably the most influential thing in your recording chain but it isn’t just a case of the right type or pilot pattern. You could get this wrong and still have great results if the quality of the microphone is high, that is to say pick a microphone that is the right kind, right polar patten AND has as liner a response as possible for your budget. If not you will likely get some nasty squarish sounding electrical resonances and even though plugins like Sooth2 can do wonders to fix this, it still sounds better if you don’t have to.
The second step to improve your audio quality is to adjust the recording settings in your audio editing software. You should aim for a high sample rate and bit depth, which affect the fidelity and dynamic range of your audio. A common standard is 44.1 kHz and 16 bits, but you can go higher if you have enough storage space and processing power. You should also set the input level or gain of your microphone, so that it is loud enough but not clipping or distorting. A good rule of thumb is to keep the peak level around -12 dB.
In addition to adjusting sample rate and bit depth, consider optimizing the microphone placement. Experiment with distances and angles to find the sweet spot that minimizes ambient noise and captures clear, focused audio. Utilize noise reduction features in your audio editing software to further enhance the recording. Additionally, explore equalization settings to refine the balance of frequencies, reducing any unwanted background hum or hiss. These adjustments, combined with thoughtful microphone placement, contribute to a more professional and polished audio recording.
Minimize background noise: Choose a quiet environment for recording to avoid any unwanted background noise. Close windows, turn off noisy appliances, and consider using soundproofing materials if necessary. Use a pop filter: A pop filter is a screen that is placed in front of the microphone to reduce plosive sounds and improve clarity in recordings. It helps eliminate harsh "p" and "s" sounds. Maintain proper microphone technique: Position the microphone at an appropriate distance from your mouth. Avoid speaking too close or too far away, as it can affect the audio quality. Experiment with microphone placement to find the optimal position.
Absolutely, optimizing recording settings is crucial. Higher sample rates and bit depths enhance audio quality, but it's essential to balance quality with storage considerations. Setting the right input level avoids distortion, and maintaining a peak level around -12 dB is a helpful guideline for clean recordings.
Setting the right recording level helps prevent issues like clipping and peaking, which can degrade the overall sound quality. To adjust the recording level effectively, it's important to understand how to control the gain or input volume of your microphone. Lowering the gain helps prevent clipping by reducing the input volume when the sound is too loud, while increasing the gain can prevent peaking by boosting the input volume when the sound is too low. Monitoring the recording level using software or hardware meters is a great way to ensure that you're within the optimal range.
I would never if I can help it, record at 16 bit because there are problems with lower level parts of the recording becoming grainy. Always look to record at 24 bit and if you system can’t. Look to upgrade. If you are delivering at 16 bit, recording at 24 and exporting (using dithering if not automatically applied) will sound much better. Also be mindful of your delivery sample rate as this will effect what the higher record sample rate will be. Think in multiples of 2 above your delivery rate.
The third step to improve your audio quality is to edit and enhance the audio in your audio editing software. To achieve this, you can use various tools and effects, such as noise reduction, compression, equalization, and reverb. Noise reduction helps reduce or eliminate background noise, hiss, hum, or clicks from your audio. Compression helps reduce the dynamic range of your audio, so that the loud and quiet parts are more even. Equalization helps adjust the frequency balance of your audio to make it sound more natural and pleasant. Lastly, reverb helps add ambience and depth to your audio so that it sounds more realistic and spacious.
As an editor who has used, and paid for, massive amounts of tools I can't rave more about Adobe's free podcast suite. It's the quickest way to let the process of processing audio not become a full-time job. It has leveled up so many of my clients productions and helped them get to the important part which is telling thier stories.
I realized that a good EQing is so important and you should practice it a lot. It takes time to hear which frequency makes the sound unclean and somehow not round. This is a bit more advanced, but practice makes perfect. Listen closely to your sound and try out a frequency range you think there is too much of (for starters guess in low, mid or high). Take a bell filter and gain it even more, so you can hear if it makes the sound more that way. If yes, reduce the gain a bit and experiment with the Q. If no, search another range. You get better in finding and adjusting the frequency with every time. I recommend a graphical EQ like FabFilter, where you can also listen just to your filter frequency in solo.
Venturing into the auditory realm is like navigating a sonic frontier where the edit becomes the heartbeat of brilliance. It's not merely a step; it's a pilgrimage, a rebellious journey through the soul of sound that demands precision and finesse. In this audio odyssey, meticulous editing is the alchemical process, transforming cacophony into a symphony of clarity. Whether weaving musical tales or crafting podcast narratives, the dance with distortion and the art of fine-tuning become paramount. It's the gritty, raw energy colliding with the polished finesse of a sound engineer, converging in a sonic landscape that embodies both rebellion and excellence.
Indeed, post-processing is key for refining audio quality. Tools like noise reduction, compression, equalization, and reverb can enhance clarity and balance in your recordings. Each serves a specific purpose, from minimizing unwanted sounds to shaping the overall tone and spatial characteristics of your audio.
The best option is to have a quality mic with a high quality audio sample as well as an experience sound guy who know the setting in and out and maximize the quality on set rather than fix thing in post. Generally the audio still need some processing like clean up with noise reduction, multi or single band compression, mono, stereo or 5.1, high pitch or low pitch EQ, final reverb if needed. the improvement can be made afterward regarding the quality of raw audio files but turning the bad audio file into the good one will consume quite sometime and it doesn’t always guarantee that it turn out good.
The final step to improve your audio quality is to export and optimize the audio in your audio editing software. You should choose the appropriate file format and quality settings for your purpose. For example, if you are uploading your audio to a website or a streaming platform, you might want to use a compressed format, such as MP3 or AAC, to save bandwidth and storage space. However, if you are archiving or editing your audio further, you might want to use a lossless format, such as WAV or FLAC, to preserve the original quality. You should also check the loudness and peak levels of your audio, and make sure they comply with the standards and specifications of your destination.
By following these steps, you can improve your audio quality and make it sound professional. You will be able to deliver your message more effectively, engage your audience more deeply, and enhance your media production skills.
Absolutely, the final step is crucial for delivering your audio effectively. Choosing the right file format and quality settings depends on your intended use. Compressed formats like MP3 or AAC are suitable for online platforms, while lossless formats like WAV or FLAC maintain high quality for archiving. Checking and adjusting loudness and peak levels ensures your audio meets the standards of your destination, whether it's a streaming platform or archival purposes.
Please never edit using FLAC files. Also work in .wav or equivalent uncompressed file types. It’s also important to deliver to the specified standards of the distributor you or your client is using be this for tv broadcast, radio or web. There are many specifications out there and you should check the ones you need well ahead of delivery.
Simple, record it at the highest sound quality using the best sound sources possible to you. For most regular video its 24bit, 48K For films they use Doby presets of 96K The sources you use, the best mikes, audio connections, etc. makes the best recordings and the biggest effects. You always want your pickup device as close to the source as possible. If your too far away, you're just picking up area noise, and echo. Lavaliers are decent, and I prefer unidirectional for the same reason, but if your subject is moving all over the place you may have to use omni directional from all angles. Keep your editing software using the highest sound presets also, which for video is 24bit, 48K. Gives you a starting point at least.
Use a remote live guest contribution solution such as Quicklink's Studio Solution that has full duplex 2 channel audio , that optimises the audio of guests that are joining on their home devices using a standard internet connection from a remote location
Adobe softwares give you ample tools to make your audio sound professional. Even if you face some kind of problems during your production phase it can be easily covered in post production process through right effects and adjustments.
Always have 2 sources of sound and consider using an ai tool to pull out and enhance audio files if audio on set was sub par or subject to lots of background noise.
Testing is always important . Before you go live and /or recording test your audio. Including the cabling. Most importantly, Consult an audio professional if you can however if, budget allows, hire one. .