Whether you’re recording videos for a small film or simply a quick YouTube video, capturing clear, high quality audio is absolutely essential. Just remember the last time you were watching a low quality video. What turned you off first? Most people would say that shaky video wasn’t that bad, but noisy audio is a deal breaker. In the following article, we’ll cover some of the best ways to capture audio for your video or film without breaking the bank.
Portable Audio Recorders
One essential piece of equipment is a portable audio recorder. These small devices are a self-containing microphone, preamp, and audio recorder. They typically write their audio to a microSD card, but can often be directly connected to a camera’s microphone input to reduce noise. Portable audio recorders can be used on their own, or with an external microphone, depending on their inputs.A few notable portable audio recorders that are great for budget video creators are the Zoom H1
and Zoom H4N Pro. The Zoom H1 is a very small audio recorder that is great for simpler setups. This audio recorder features a 3.5mm input, allowing it to record certain lavalier and shotgun microphones. The Zoom H4N Pro has additional features compared to the Zoom H1, including 2 XLR inputs to record standard microphones. This can really open up a lot of options, depending on your particular setup.- QUICK TIP: Carry a small pocket-sized audio recorder around with you. When you hear background noise, such as a busy room, city sounds, or nature, run your audio recorder for a few minutes. Start collecting your own private library of sound effects and background noise to be used in future videos to make them more interesting and really submerge the audience in the atmosphere you’re trying to establish.
On-Camera Microphone Preamp
Most DSLR and mirrorless cameras used in video production don’t feature an XLR input for recording high end microphones. In order to get around this issue, it’s possible to use something like a Beachtek Preamp to power a microphone, which can then be directly connected to the camera. Many of these preamps can even be used with a 3.5mm microphone cable, allowing for improved audio quality compared to the internal camera preamp. The advantage of using a preamp compared to a portable audio recorder is that the audio is recorded directly to the video file so there’s no need to sync in post. However, portable audio recorders can be used as standalone units, so it’s important to choose the option that’s best for your workflow.- QUICK TIP: Some preamps, such as the Beachtek preamp, allow you to split a mono microphone audio track into a regular signal and a safety track. One is recorded on the left channel and the other on the right of your camera’s video file. If the audio level spikes and the main track clips, you still have a lower level safety track that didn’t clip.
Microphones
One of the most important factors when recording audio is to get as close to the source as possible. Whether that means mounting a boom mic directly out of frame, or just using a lavalier microphone, even high quality microphones won’t produce good results if they are too far away. Choosing the right microphone for your use case is important, and they all have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
One of the simplest options is to use an on-camera microphone that connects directly to the 3.5mm camera input. This is great for run-and-gun shooting where you need to improve the audio quality but still be versatile for just about every situation. On camera microphones are also great for vloggers, but other options should be used to improve sound quality when possible. The simplest solution that just “works”, is the Rode Video Mic GO
. This cardioid microphone connects to your camera’s 3.5mm microphone input and doesn’t require any additional power besides the internal camera preamp. Though this isn’t the ideal situation since it still uses noisy camera preamps, it is still an improvement over the camera microphone. An improved option is the Rode VideoMic Pro
. This powered microphone also connects to your camera’s microphone input, but provides a more sensitive, higher signal level to reduce noise by using a 9V battery. It also features a three-way level control and a high pass filter. The high pass filter is a great addition, since it cuts out the low frequencies. These low frequencies often contain a lot of noise, such as wind, that can interfere with hearing someone speaking, and it can often be removed in these situations without much consequence.For a more portable setup where you’ll be moving around and not necessarily near the camera at all times, the most consistent and convenient audio will come from a lavalier mic. These small microphones can be hidden within a shirt, and often are a good way to pick up the human voice. The best way to record a lavalier microphone is will a portable audio recorder. Since many lavalier microphones use a 3.5mm connector, the Zoom H1 is a good and cheap way to record them. Simply connect the lavalier microphone to the audio recorder and hide it in a pocket. Just make sure to put the audio recorder in Hold mode so that accidental button presses don’t change settings or stop recording. Keep in mind that you’ll need a separate audio recorder for every lavalier microphone you’re using at once. We don’t recommend using cheap wireless systems, since many of them can degrade the audio quality or be unreliable. If you’re goal is to have a bunch of cheap lavalier microphones, a set of Neewer lavalier microphones
would work. However, if you’re looking for a higher quality lavalier microphone, consider the Rode SmartLav+
, which can either be connect to a portable audio recorder, or a cell phone as the capture device.
The best quality audio setup is also the least portable, so be careful if you choose this option. This setup works great if you’re recording in one place with a permanent setup, or if you have someone to help you record the audio while you’re filming. Using a boom microphone allows you to get in close to the source with the high quality XLR microphones. Keep in mind that this situation requires the use of either a portable audio recorder or a preamp with an XLR input to work. A good microphone to capture your audio with this option is the Sennheiser MKE 600 with Shock Mount and windscreen. To set this up, use either a standard microphone stand, or a Rode Boompole
, a boompole holder
, and a c stand
. Position the microphone as close to the speaker as possible, while keeping it just out of frame of the camera.Though it is possible to record a 3.5mm microphone on a boom stand with an extension cable, we DO NOT recommend this. XLR microphones use a balanced signal which sends two out of phase signals down the wire and inverts one of them at the other end to cancel out any noise picked up along the way. This allows for long cable lengths without degrading signal quality. Since cameras record audio in stereo, 3.5mm microphones send two mono signals down the cable, however, these signals are identical and not inverted (unbalanced). This is fine for a short 6” cable run between the microphone and camera input, but longer cables will degrade the audio quality and cause noise to be picked up. Since the microphone signal being sent along the cable has not been amplified, the level is not very high. This will lead to a low signal-to-noise ratio, which means there will be a lot of noise when the audio is amplified by a preamp when it enters the camera.
- QUICK TIP: If you’re using a powered microphone, preamp, or portable audio recorder connected to your camera, always make sure it is powered on before shooting. A connected, unpowered audio source will result in no audio recorded to the video file, not even the camera’s internal microphone.
Headphones
Using a high-quality set of over ear headphones is a great way to check your audio levels and balance. Getting the microphone in the proper position will allow for a balanced frequency response, while rejecting background noise. For example, using a cardioid microphone too close to the source can lead to something called the proximity effect, which causes an apparent boost in the low frequencies, while placing it too far away will lead to excess background noise and a thin sound. Headphones can be used to ensure the proper balance before filming. Though a set of headphones isn’t practical for all situations, such as if you’re filming yourself, it can be useful for setup purposes, or if you’re filming others. When choosing headphones, you’ll need to make a choice between open-back and closed-back headphones. Open-back headphones don’t block out as much outside noise, and there is potential for them to be picked up by nearby microphones, but they provide the most accurate frequency reproduction, especially at the low end. Closed-back headphones are commonly used in recording studios are were designed to prevent sound leakage into nearby microphones, while blocking out excess noise. They are particularly useful to hear your audio in noisy environments. Closed-back headphones typically don’t respond as well to low frequency sounds. Some options to consider are the Beyerdynamic DT990s
for open-back, and the Shure SRH440s
, for closed back. Just make sure to choose a low impedance set of headphones, since you won’t have a headphone amp in the field.Even a cheap set of earbuds can be used to monitor the audio quality. It won’t provide the same clarity and accuracy as a high quality overear set, but you should be able to check your levels, noise, and make sure there is no clipping better than just using a built in camera speaker.
- QUICK TIP: If your camera doesn’t have a headphone output, you can use the headphone output from the portable audio recorder to check your audio levels while recording. You just won’t be able to use the headphones during playback.
Overall, having high quality audio is a great way to improve your video production value. Recording audio isn’t always simple, and the equipment you’ll need depends on your requirements and uses. We hope this article was informative and helpful to you as you choose what audio setup works best for you.