How to Resolve Location Sound Issues Before you Start Filming
When filming, the sound is one of the most difficult aspects of mastering. The reason is quite simple: modifying the course once recorded is an almost impossible task. Therefore, the smartest thing you can do to have quality audio is to start recording it right in the first place. Now, this sounds very simple, but it requires minimal knowledge and decent equipment. No, you don't need the best tools: you can record decent audio on a shoestring budget. What you do need to do is simply avoid making the most common mistakes, and if you do make them, know how to fix them. This will be essential.
So, the first thing to remember is a couple of basic rules. On the one hand, make sure you always use an external microphone on the location. As far as possible, avoid recording audio directly from your camera’s mic (or computer’s or cell phone’s). This will save you a lot of trouble. Second, check the audio quality when you start recording. Do this several times during the shooting process to avoid having to re-record the content (and to re-visit the location…). This way, you ensure that the audio quality is good throughout the entire course.
Saturated Sound
This is maybe the most common issue, and it occurs when someone shouts directly into the microphone or when noise is produced at too high a level, then, during that short time, the speakers crackle, and a very annoying noise is then recorded. This is noticeable on the VU meters of cameras and editing software. When a saturated sound occurs, it is represented by a red dot or a bar that exceeds 0 decibels, also in red. Unfortunately, saturated audio has no solution, even after detailed work. Such noise will remain in the recorded frequencies no matter how hard you try to remove it, so the only option here is always to check the sound level of the microphone before recording on the location.
You may also hear a background hiss, similar to distortion. It sounds like a harsh noise in your recording. This usually occurs from using a poor-quality microphone, such as those built into your camera or computer. Similarly, you may hear an electric, static sound in your recording. This is usually because the gain is set too high, which makes the audio tremendously annoying. In this case, just adjust the gain and try a few times before you start filming.
Echo
Shooting in an empty room, without any protection on the walls or curtains is one of the causes of one of the main headaches that amateurs commit in their filming. This is due to echoes that make the audio sound super distant as if you were recording in an open space (even when you aren’t). To avoid echoes, install elements that soundproof the room and absorb the excess of noise. You can place acoustic panels on the walls of the location, or you can even place blankets, cushions, pillows, and armchairs to absorb the sound.
Background Noise
It is key that you constantly pause your recordings and listen to them on a regular basis to make sure that noises such as traffic, air conditioning, the sound of a telephone, crew members talking in the background, etc. are not filtered in, as these are usually not noticeable while recording. Actually, background noises are the other most common problem among beginners. There are thousands of home video editing programs that incorporate filters to remove sounds. It is just about learning how to do it. How? A noise pattern is selected during a moment of silence in the video and the filter removes those frequencies in the rest of the track. The results are not as good as properly recording in the location. There are often frequencies left unremoved and after applying the filter some canned sounds may appear and thus decrease your sound quality.
As in photography, when you want to capture an image, you don't always need all the elements present in the frame. You want to highlight something in particular and contrast it with something else, but you don't need the rest; and, to eliminate the unnecessary, processing and editing tools are not enough: the best thing to do is always to choose beforehand what will end up in the photo. Hence removing background noise beforehand will allow you to concentrate on improving the sound you already have in the recording.
Low Audio
This problem is quite common and not difficult to fix. In fact, it is almost the opposite of saturated sound. To avoid it, you must first record with good headphones to correctly discern between the noise you want to capture and the noise involved in the scene. Once you have the video on your computer, and you realize that the audio is too low, do not try to turn up the volume. That should never be your first choice. In your video editing program, find the gain filter and apply it to the audio band of your video. Nevertheless, next time, position the microphones well on the location, test them, and check that the sound is at the volume you want.
Good luck.
Enhanced Media provides post-production sound services for feature films, short films, TV shows, commercials, and trailers of all genres for all platforms.
*The images used on this post are taken from Pexels.com