There’s really two ways to go about it. One way will be quick, easy and not cost a thing. The other will produce the best quality. So, it’s dependent on what you’re needing the audio for.
Smartphone cameras have become so advanced, that the video quality is incredible. It leaves content creators having no need to splash out on the latest camera, as well as their mobile devices. The pixels within smartphones are more than able to do the job.
However, the same can’t be said for the audio feature. After all, the microphones built into smartphones are quite cheaply made. They don’t need to be fantastic because they’re designed for calls, and simple videos, rather than anything too technical.
Recording using your smartphone’s microphone
For many, the microphone offered by their smartphone does the job. It offers more than enough quality to capture videos of your daily life. Audio will be picked up from quite a far range, so you can get by recording through your smartphone.
Even many content creators use their device’s microphone. They’ll simply set their phone up and start recording. This works best if there’s no background noise. However, when there’s a lot going on, the audio picked up might not be of quality.
If you’re out in poor weather, your device’s microphone won’t be able to handle it. You’ll find it picks up loud winds rather than your voice. Background noise can be incredibly distracting, so it’s best to use your smartphone microphone indoors.
Music artists won’t be able to rely on their smartphone to record audio. It just can’t handle the volume, ranges and tones you’ll be reaching. You will likely find your audio sounds screechy and the quality isn’t very good. We’d only recommend it for a sit down chat style video.
Use an external microphone
The best way to secure good quality sound when recording on your smartphone is by adding an external microphone. It doesn’t have to be anything really expensive. Anything is better than nothing. You will notice a huge improvement in quality.
When turning to an external device, it does always come with its drawbacks. You’re not as flexible because you can’t just point and shoot. Instead, you have to set yourself up each time you want to record. However, depending on the mic you pick, it won’t take long.
Portable microphones are handy for any creative. Whether you’re a singer, podcaster, content creator or live-streamer, you can record on the go with a transportable microphone. It’s important you look at what mic would best suit you and your needs.
It might be you don’t travel often, so you can go for quality and afford to have one that’s a little more bulky. However, you could be someone who often vlogs, and therefore you’ll want a mini microphone that is easy to plug in on the go.
A few tips to recording with your smartphone
Whichever option you go for, take extra care to triple check it will work for you. Practise before you fully record to ensure your sound quality is as good as it can be. Try placing your phone on aeroplane mode to avoid messages or calls disturbing your recording.
Plug in your headphones so you can listen back to your recording without interruptions. Possibly even play around with your levels, you could try a mixer for this, and you’ll then be able to control the microphone more effectively.
There isn’t a right or wrong way to record audio. It’s whatever works for you. Something that works for a musician, might not be needed for a vlogger because they’ll need different qualities of audio. Remember, you can always upgrade your gear as you improve.
