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How to Record a Good Quality Audio Interview on the Go

by Julie Clements Promoter
As a digital transcription agency, we know that recording an interview is a challenging task especially when you are on the go. Journalists, documentary film makers etc often struggle to capture interviews with good quality audio. It is very important that you record the interview with a clear and audible sound. Poor audio quality also leads to poor transcription of the interview. 

Whether it is reporting local news or a business event, recording an interview is one of the most effective ways to communicate a real life story. The right gear for this type of job is a quality voice recorder to ensure clarity in recording. So here are some key tips to get a good quality recording of an interview.

  • Pick the right spot: When you are on the go, it may be difficult for you to pick a quiet place to record the interview. Avoid recording in public places as you will have no control over the sounds in that environment. Keep in mind the following points:
  1. A place with low ambient noise: Try to record in a place with less background noise. The location you choose should have minimum risk of interruption because frequent intrusions will cause distraction and affect the quality of the interview.
  2. Consider the acoustics in the room: Echoes and reverberations are likely to damage the quality of your recording. Make sure that the room you choose has good acoustics.
  3. Consider investing in a portable recording booth: If you are always on the go, recording interviews etc, then investing in a good portable recording booth would be worthwhile. This will help you to record interviews from anywhere without compromising on the sound quality.                                        
  • External microphones are the best choice: Invest money in a good external mic that fits your budget. This will help you to get closer to the sound source and minimize the noises. An external microphone is a good choice if you capture the audio on your laptop because the built-in microphone may be of a lower quality.  To avoid distortions, choose a sturdy mic that is suitable for outdoor environments. 
  • Never speak directly into the microphone: Whether you are recording for yourself or for another person make sure that you don’t speak directly into the microphone. Ensure that you stand slightly away or to the side of the microphone. Speaking too closely or too directly into the mic can distort the sound.
  • Use a back-up recording: Keep a background recorder running as a back-up to ensure that you record everything. This may not be practical in some situations or when the need to record something comes up unexpectedly. Many different circumstances can prevent you from having a second recording device available. But backup recording becomes useful if something goes wrong with the main recorder. 
  • Talk slowly and clearly: Speak clearly and slowly for a better quality recording and give enough time for the interviewee to respond. Avoid talking over the other person. When it comes to automatic transcription, quality audio in makes for quality transcription out.
  • Press mute to avoid unnecessary noises: If you are using a phone to record then make sure to press mute to ensure that other apps are shut down and vibration is turned off. This will help you to clearly record the interview. If your phone still needs to have “vibrate” on, then make sure to rest it on a soft surface, such as a towel or jacket, while it is recording.
  • Make sure to clear up space on your device:  Storing a lot of recordings takes up a lot of space in your device and running out of storage space in the middle of an interview is not a good thing. So make sure that you keep enough storage space in your recording device. 

The above-mentioned tips would help in recording good quality interviews that can be transcribed effortlessly. Appropriate environment, an external microphone, and speaking at a slow, steady pace will help you record the interview easily. A professional digital transcription service can help you efficiently and accurately transcribe any interview recording you have. 

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About Julie Clements Freshman   Promoter

7 connections, 0 recommendations, 42 honor points.
Joined APSense since, September 4th, 2012, From Tulsa, United States.

Created on Oct 26th 2019 03:42. Viewed 766 times.

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