To a podcaster, audio is everything. And so it makes a lot of sense to invest in a good mic and keep it front and center to capture your pearls of wisdom in the highest fidelity you can manage. But what happens when you’re on video? Sure, you want a pristine recording, but you also want people to know you’re more than just two eyes above a microphone!
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How to develop good microphone techniques for podcasts
If you’re recording audio for a podcast, a video, or any other type of content, having good microphone technique is crucial to ensure that your recordings are of high quality. Good mic technique involves positioning your microphone correctly, controlling your breathing, and speaking clearly and consistently. By following some basic guidelines and practicing regularly, you can develop the skills needed to record professional-quality audio. Here are some of the 4 best tips to help you to improve your audio for your podcast.
- Don’t place your mic in front of you
- But don’t put it too far either
- You have to get it just right
- You can get a little extra help from a desktop boom arm
Don’t place your mic in front of you
Most audio podcasters would place their mic right in front of their mouth to get that deliciously deep and clear voice recording. Not only does this isolate your voice, but you can also turn down the gain, which reduces the mic sensitivity so you avoid capturing your spouse yelling at you to stop talking and let the child sleep.
But on video, this looks terrible as your mic occupies the part of your screen where your nose and mouth should have been. Plus, if you are using a pop filter, you’re going to look just like a black circle with a forehead. Not exactly the kind of thing that build your personal brand.
But don’t put it too far either
The way to look great is of course to have the mic out of the way, so you can just speak naturally, letting your sparkling wit take over while it huddles in a corner doing it’s thing.
The issue with this is that you’d be too far for the mic to pick up your voice with it’s normal settings. This means you’d have to increase the gain, making the mic more sensitive to sounds. Unfortunately, while this will indeed pick up your voice, it will not be able to differentiate the main audio source from other sounds, because you are too far to stand out. So the audio recorded will be a bit boomy from the reverb in the room and also contain a lot of distracting background noise which will also be very hard to remove.
You have to get it just right
The best place for the mic is about a foot away and a bit to the side, with gain increased just a little to be able to compensate for the distance. This has the effect of being close enough to get your voice properly without capturing a lot of the ambient sound. Plus, you can adjust the placement to keep it out of the video entirely or halfway in the frame, based on your preferences.
You can get a little extra help from a desktop boom arm
One other way in which you can place the mic in a non-distracting way is to use a desktop boom arm, which is a movable arm clamped to your desk that holds your mic suspended in the air. This not only lets you position the mic exactly as you like, but it also looks quite professional and keeps your desk clutter-free. It’s ideal for a small desk where you might not have enough space to place the mic exactly as you might like.
Takeaways
- Mic placement needs to be determined not just based on audio but also visual appeal
- Placing it about a foot away and to the side works well
- You can use a desktop boom arm to make it easier
