How to Transcribe Audio and Video Recordings Accurately

by Julie Clements Promoter

A digital transcription service can help transcribe any audio or video recording into accurate transcripts. Audio files come in formats like MP3 or WAV and video recordings come in formats like AVI, MP4, FLV, MOV or WMV. Transcription of audio or video recordings into accurate transcripts helps to convey the text to a larger audience. The converted text can be used as content that can be posted on the Internet. There are different ways to consume your content, your readers can opt to listen on the go or read at their desk.

Your audio or video file can be sent online through email or other file sharing applications to professional transcriptionists. This makes it easier for transcriptionists to download the file, load it into the professional software and start typing the transcription. Usually a transcriptionist can type around 75 words. Based on this speed of audio transcription, it will take about 4 to 5 hours to transcribe 60 minutes of video or audio. Several factors may affect the speed of the transcription such as the speed of the conversation, the number of persons speaking in the recording and its clarity, including the clearness of the speakers’ voice.

Transcribing complex audio/video files

An experienced transcriptionist can transcribe any kind of video or audio file into error-free text. The audio or video recording may have many disturbing voices or background noises that can make the recordings complex and difficult to understand. Background noises include strong wind, other people shouting or talking, sirens or various traffic sounds. These are some of the elements that can compete with the voices of the main speakers and make the transcription process challenging. In most cases, the transcriptionist marks the audio parts “audible” or “inaudible” if it is not possible to understand what is being said. Inaudible recordings are difficult to transcribe.

Apart from background noises, other sounds like thick accent of the speaker, slang used, new language etc can make the recording complicated. The speed of conversation also is a problem because with fast-talking comes the slurring of words, mispronunciations and individual accents. Sometimes, speakers may be using different languages. If this is the case, different persons may be needed to transcribe the recording. Another factor that makes the recording difficult is the feeble voice of the speaker.

Here are some strategies that a professional transcriptionist would follow:

Audible pauses like “ers and ums” are removed and the rest of the audiois transcribed as it is with grammatical corrections.

All the pauses are marked correctly.
Full questions may be removed or included when working on an interview. If the interviewee says something ''off the record,'' the transcriber has to ascertain if the client wants to remove it or include the response and add an ''off the record mark.''
Time stamps on the document should be accurate.

Basic standards of transcription

Brackets can be used to indicate sounds that interrupt the main dialogue. It can be used also to provide short description of sounds like laughter or applause. Brackets can be used for enclosing a description of the tone of the speaker, such as [angry], [sad], [joking] and so on.
Time stamps are also enclosed in brackets. They should be added every 30 seconds. It should come after the name of the speaker and before the transcribed words. Time stamps should also be added when there is a change of speaker.
Colon should be used after the name of the speaker. The speaker’s name should be in bold letters.
If the background noise does not affect the quality of the discourse, then make a note of it in the transcription at least once, at the first occurrence of the noise. You can remove filler words or statements and conjunctions such as 'but' or 'and' with which a speaker may start a sentence.

To transcribe audio to text accurately, there are only a handful of tools you need. You’ll need a word processor, some kind of audio player and a few free hours. Of course, if you’re looking to do it accurately and quickly, it’s better to partner with a professional transcription company.