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Sound Makes Your Video Look Better
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Quality audio makes a bad video look good. On the other hand, poor audio will destroy even the best looking video or
movie. Imagine if you will, watching your favorite movie but the sound has been replaced with a noisy, echoie sound
track. How long would it be before you got up and left the room? Experienced video editors understand this; novice or
beginner video editors may be thinking sound recorded with their equipment's built-in mic will be just fine.
A comment I once read succinctly sums up the importance of quality movie sound. "Getting good sound is the lowest cost thing you can do to up your video production value and make your movie look better, a bad soundtrack blares "amateur" and instantly destroys your video work". Did you get the part about good sound will make your video look better? Check out the example video below to see what I mean. The irony in all this is that quality sound can be easily obtained with low cost sound recording equipment.
Professional video editors do not use the microphone that comes with their equipment nor do they use off the shelf stuff from Best Buy. Although these mics have value, they should not be used when capturing video material for production. Instead, a low cost professional grade mic will make a big difference in the look of your video.
Choosing a microphone
There are different types of mics for different types of recording situations. Choosing the correct mic for your recording is important. Keep in mind the primary issue you're faced with is eliminating surrounding or background noise.
Directional Mic - This type of mic is aimed directly at the sound source and is great for eliminating background noise typically found in outdoor situations where you're faced with traffic, wind, airplane, and/or crowd noise.
Omni-Directional Mic - This type of mic captures sound from all directions. These work well in controlled environments where background noise can be eliminated.
Condenser Mic - Condenser microphones produce a higher quality sound and an increased output level but require an additional power source. This type of mic is well suited for recording situations in a controlled environment where there is allot of dialog and little motion.
Dynamic Mic - Dynamic microphones are less accurate and provide less output, but they do not need power, and are more robust in adverse physical and climatic conditions such as high humidity. This type of mic serves well as a handheld in an interview situation either indoor or out-of-doors.
PC/USB - This type of mic is used for doing recordings on a PC. Most PCs users use an Omni-directional analog mic plugged into the analog port on the sound card. A much better and low cost mic for this type of recording is an Omni-directional, condenser type with a USB interface. With this type of mic you will need to take precaution to eliminate background noises.
Lapel Mic - Lapel microphones work well for interviews and one-on-camera situations. Lapel mics are typically Omni-directional meaning they will pick up sound from all directions, but give a real sense of being up close and intimate with the subject. This type of mic can be sensitive to wind and noisy environments. A lapel mic is best suited for a controlled situation.
Gun Mics - These microphones offer more directional control, picking up sound in a cone-area of about 50 degrees in front of the camera. This is excellent for an interview where you are dealing with background noise that you can't get rid of (like traffic). You will need a foam or furry windshield to protect the mic from handling and wind noise.
Mics & Booms - Since good sound invariably relies on getting up close, consider using a boom, especially if you plan on covering group interviews or action scenes. There is more to handling a boom than just having strong arms to hold your mic on a pole for long periods. The boom-handler has to be able to roll the boom toward the action without creating handling noise, be careful not to cast shadows or get the mic in the shot.
Wireless Mic - The final option is wireless mic, which typically takes the form of a lapel mic in a controlled environment like a studio. These allow you to put some distance between yourself and the subject. You could use it for recording a speech or as the fly-on-the-wall reporter where the subjects often forget they are mic'd up.
One last note - If you are creating videos that require narration or voice over, use a professional speaker. Most of us have a normal voice. A normal voice will not make your video look better.
A comment I once read succinctly sums up the importance of quality movie sound. "Getting good sound is the lowest cost thing you can do to up your video production value and make your movie look better, a bad soundtrack blares "amateur" and instantly destroys your video work". Did you get the part about good sound will make your video look better? Check out the example video below to see what I mean. The irony in all this is that quality sound can be easily obtained with low cost sound recording equipment.
Professional video editors do not use the microphone that comes with their equipment nor do they use off the shelf stuff from Best Buy. Although these mics have value, they should not be used when capturing video material for production. Instead, a low cost professional grade mic will make a big difference in the look of your video.
Choosing a microphone
There are different types of mics for different types of recording situations. Choosing the correct mic for your recording is important. Keep in mind the primary issue you're faced with is eliminating surrounding or background noise.
Directional Mic - This type of mic is aimed directly at the sound source and is great for eliminating background noise typically found in outdoor situations where you're faced with traffic, wind, airplane, and/or crowd noise.
Omni-Directional Mic - This type of mic captures sound from all directions. These work well in controlled environments where background noise can be eliminated.
Condenser Mic - Condenser microphones produce a higher quality sound and an increased output level but require an additional power source. This type of mic is well suited for recording situations in a controlled environment where there is allot of dialog and little motion.
Dynamic Mic - Dynamic microphones are less accurate and provide less output, but they do not need power, and are more robust in adverse physical and climatic conditions such as high humidity. This type of mic serves well as a handheld in an interview situation either indoor or out-of-doors.
PC/USB - This type of mic is used for doing recordings on a PC. Most PCs users use an Omni-directional analog mic plugged into the analog port on the sound card. A much better and low cost mic for this type of recording is an Omni-directional, condenser type with a USB interface. With this type of mic you will need to take precaution to eliminate background noises.
Lapel Mic - Lapel microphones work well for interviews and one-on-camera situations. Lapel mics are typically Omni-directional meaning they will pick up sound from all directions, but give a real sense of being up close and intimate with the subject. This type of mic can be sensitive to wind and noisy environments. A lapel mic is best suited for a controlled situation.
Gun Mics - These microphones offer more directional control, picking up sound in a cone-area of about 50 degrees in front of the camera. This is excellent for an interview where you are dealing with background noise that you can't get rid of (like traffic). You will need a foam or furry windshield to protect the mic from handling and wind noise.
Mics & Booms - Since good sound invariably relies on getting up close, consider using a boom, especially if you plan on covering group interviews or action scenes. There is more to handling a boom than just having strong arms to hold your mic on a pole for long periods. The boom-handler has to be able to roll the boom toward the action without creating handling noise, be careful not to cast shadows or get the mic in the shot.
Wireless Mic - The final option is wireless mic, which typically takes the form of a lapel mic in a controlled environment like a studio. These allow you to put some distance between yourself and the subject. You could use it for recording a speech or as the fly-on-the-wall reporter where the subjects often forget they are mic'd up.
One last note - If you are creating videos that require narration or voice over, use a professional speaker. Most of us have a normal voice. A normal voice will not make your video look better.
Watch the video - see how sound can make a video look better!