Better Audio Quality - Easy and Cheap
There are tons of things you can do to improve the sound quality in your recording space - and it doesn't have to cost a lot, or anything if you're willing to grab lots of cushions like this performer does.
1. Dampen your recording room
The best way to get that perfect recording is to treat your room! You can achieve a good recording environment by covering parts of the walls/floor with things you already have at home such as towels, sheets or curtains.
2. Use a pop filter
A pop filter can be bought in stores or online for as little as 10€ and will make a huge difference when recording.
3. Limit disturbing noise
Your computer should be as far away from the microphone as possible to prevent fan noise from interfering with the recording. This also goes for things like air conditioner, refrigerator, coffee machines and any other source of noise that can interfere with the recording.
Are your neighbors rebuilding their apartment? Find another quiet place to record or wait until its possible to record again without disturbance.
4. Check your polar pattern!
Check you microphone settings and make sure to use the cardioid polar pattern. It might be as an option on the backside of your mic or in the microphone software on the computer.
5. Set the input levels right from the start
Recommended distance from mic: 10 cm/4 inch.
Use the gain knob on your mic or preamp to adjust the input level. The loudest part of your recording should peak around -6dB.
6. Test record and listen
The best way to make sure you recording settings are OK is to do a short test recording and play it loud in your headphones.
Can you hear room reflection from your voice? Dampen the room. There are a lot of ways to do this but a temporary solution is to cover walls with towels or sheets.
Noisy recording? Check your input settings and make sure you are using as little gain as possible to still pick up your sound.
Mouth noises like smacking and clicking? Stay hydrated, eat a sour apple or something similar before recording. Check out this article for suggestions.
Do you have a lot of plosives (PUH sounds when you say P, B or other consonants)? Try this
External disturbance like a barking dog, crying baby or lawnmower? Record when the disturbance is gone.
7. Avoid clicking mouse/keyboard/bumping the mic.
Those background sounds can ruin an otherwise awesome audio. Check out the quality of audio on our app.
