Viewers forgive a slightly soft picture much sooner than bad sound. If they cannot hear the speaker, they scroll away. Some videographer adverts list sound alongside lighting, and remote editing roles mention sound design, because clear audio is part of what clients pay for.
Why phone audio often sounds bad
The microphone on a phone is small and picks up everything around it. When the phone is far from the speaker, it records more of the room, wind, generators, traffic and music than of the voice. The biggest improvements come from two free changes: get closer and get quieter.
Choose a quiet place
- Move away from roads, grinding mills, generators and loudspeakers.
- Indoors, rooms with cloth, curtains, mattresses or many objects echo less than bare concrete rooms.
- Switch off fans while recording if it is safe and comfortable, and ask people nearby for a few quiet minutes.
- Listen for a moment with your eyes closed before you record. You will notice sounds you had ignored.
Get the microphone close
- For a talking video, keep the phone close, around an arm's length or nearer, rather than filming from across the room.
- Point the phone's microphone towards the speaker. Find where it is on your phone, usually a small hole at the bottom or top, and do not cover it with your fingers.