A Quick Audio Recording Guide for Journalists
- 1. PreparedbyAmyO’Leary
amyoleary@gmail.com
QuickAudioRecordingGuide
TIP!
Roomswithsoft
surfaces(andcars!)
aregreatplaces
torecord.
4 CONTROLYOURENVIRONMENT
Findingaquietplaceforyourinterviewmeansyouneedto“setup”yourinterview
environmenttomakesureit’sasquietaspossible.Onceyouarrive:
TurnOffBackgroundMusic
ShutOffAirConditioning,Fans
TurnOffComputers
UnplugRefrigerators
CloseOpenWindows
AvoidWindyPlaces(orkeepwindatyourback)
Moveawayfromheavytraffic(aroundacorner)
InaLoudRoom?Moveintothehallway.
It’sMurphy’sLaw.
Ifyouarenotwearing
headphones,things
willgowrong.
Becauseyoucan’t
hearthingslike
cellularinterferance,cellularinterferance,
headphonesare
theonlywayto
guaranteeaclean,
usablerecording.
Large,closedheadphonesworksbest.
Avoidearbudsandnoise-cancellingheadsets.
WEARHEADPHONES
(ORRISKDISASTER!)3
Alwaysholdthemicrophone
5inchesawayfromthe
speaker’smouth,underthechin.
Forproperrecording,
neverputitonthetable.
HOLDTHEMIC
CLOSERTHAN
YOUTHINK2
TIP!Ifthesubjectgetsloudsuddently,justpullthemicbackforasecond.
.
It’slike“ThePriceisRight”-you
wanttorecordatashighalevel
asyoucanwithoutgoingover.
Goingover,or“peaked”audio,is
theonlythingthatcan’tbefixed
inthecomputer.
CHECKYOUR
RECORDINGLEVELS1
RECORDING
BEFOREYOULEAVE