Some tips on recording audio

Selecting the right equipment is important, but there is more to making a good audio recording. Below youll find a collection of pages on best practices in recording audio, and in this document we provide some tips.

Before you record

Pre-production is the most important part of any media production process, and planning well will save you a lot of trouble at the end.

Script
Write your script. The first step in creating a digital story is to write a script for your audio narration. Because word choice, pacing and length are important, you should write out a script that you will read verbatim. Accordingly, keep an eye on word count, and read the script out loud at a normal pace to make sure you stay within your time limit. Reading out loud helps you write a story that not only reads well, but also sounds good. Prepare your script for recording. Make your script easy to read: the font should be large enough so you dont strain your eyes. Create wide margins. To make sure your voice is expressive while you read, add cues to your script. Mark words or sentences that should be emphasized, make notations about inflection and pacing, insert pauses. Rehearse. Read your story out loud and with expression. Experiment and work on volume, vocal variety, pacing, enunciation and pauses. Read your story to someone, even if that person isnt sitting right in front of you. Reading from a manuscript can flatten delivery, so rehearsal is key.

The recording environment

Find a quiet space to record your narration. Be aware that that the human ear filters out sounds, while microphones pick up everything within range. Take a moment to listen for ambient sounds in the room: for example fans and humming, buzzing lights. You cant eliminate ambient sound entirely, but you can minimize it. Turn off any phones and other devices that might disrupt your recording. Close doors and windows to block sounds from outside. If possible, record at a quiet time of day.

Make your recording

Your goal should be a clean recording that requires minimal editing. Make sure your space is quiet, and that noises and people wont interrupt. Once youve set up and are ready to go, keep these tips in mind: Watch your levels: Make sure your microphone is picking up the sound, and that you are recording at the right level. Dont let your signal go into the red zone.

Record a few seconds of silence. Keep in mind that your recording wont truly be silent, and there will be some ambient noise. You might want to include a few seconds of silence here and there for effect, and your recorded silence will match the rest of the recording. Dont ad lib. Stick to your script, as it will be much easier to delete and insert words, sentences and sections if needed. Sit up straight! Youll sound much better. Mind your ps and ss, or pops and hisses. Smiling helps you avoid making those sounds.

After recording
Listen to your recording through headphones. The sound quality is much better than typical laptop speakers, and youll catch errors and unwelcome noises. Ask someone else to listen. If time allows, share your recording and ask for feedback from others. Use Audacity to edit and create your final narration. In iMovie you can add a soundtrack, silence and ambient sounds, but your goal should be to import a clean, best quality audio narration.

Resources
Audacity provides good help documentation, including tips. Frechette, Casey. 10 Tips for Using Audio More Effectively in Multimedia Stories. Harris, Jess. Talk This Way: Tips to Recording Good Audio Narration. KnowledgBlog. January 18, 2013. Kuhlmann, Tom. 13 More Tips to Help You Record Narration Like the Pros, The Rapid ELearning Blog. Kuhlmann, Tom. 4 Simple Tips for Recording High Quality Audio. The Rapid ELearning Blog. Kat Keesling on Plosives Khan Academy, Audio Production Tips Malamed, Connie. 8 Tips for Preparing a Script. The eLearning Coach.