How to get great sound for your digital video

The new digital camcorders are awesome and take great videos.Unfortunately, the sound that accompanies the images is not so great.No matter how expensive your video recorder is, the built-in microphone will not give you high quality, professional sounding audio recording.The problem is largely due to proximity-a microphone inside of the camcorder will necessarily pick up the sounds of the camcorder.

To get the best sound from your digital recorder you will probably want to purchase an accessory mic or an external mic.But before doing that, experiment with the built-in microphone on your camera.If you have an audio zoom feature, using it will give you much better sound than you will get by not using it.Experimenting a little with your built in mic will help you learn what sort of options you would like in your external mic.

If you do decide to buy an accessory mic or an external mic, the price you pay will largely determine how good your sound is.There are microphones available for under $50 but these might not be much better than the microphone that is built-in.Do your research and buy a good quality microphone for the best sound.

Getting good sound is not just a function of having the right equipment; it is also a function of using the right equipment at the right time.If you need to capture the sounds of an entire scene, like crowd noise you will want to use one kind of microphone.If you want to reduce background noise and focus your recording on a key area or speaker, you will want to use another.Omi-directional microphones capture noise from all directions.Shotgun microphones focus their recording on whatever they are pointed at.

An option in between the omni-directional and the shotgun mic is the uni-directional mic.These mics focus in one direction but aren't quite as specific as shotgun mics.Sometimes it is a nice effect to have some of the background noise, this is a realistic experience, since when we listen to someone speak it is our brain that filters out the background noise.Our ears can't move.

After you have the proper equipment, making great sound recordings is all on you.As with every skill, the more you practice and learn, the better you will get.You should get used to doing several sound checks whenever you are making a recording.Different environments have different audio challenges.

When you are doing sound checks it is best to wear headphones rather than relying on the speaker on the camcorder.You will be able to hear a lot better through headphones and the sound will be almost exactly the same as the sound of the finished product.Any extraneous noises should be eliminated if possible.This includes feedback noises form wireless units, noises from the wind, and noises from fabric, hair, or anything else brushing against the transmitter.

Another key to getting good sound is taking care of your microphone.No matter how small the microphone is, you should be able to find a windshield to place over it.Using a foam windshield is one of the only ways to protect your audio recording from the unpredictable interference created by the wind.It will also help to protect the microphone from moisture, as well as from damages from drops, bumps, and jars.

A final suggestion for getting really good sound when making digital recordings is to use two microphones.One of the big advantages of the digital camcorder is the editing options available.You will be able to edit the sounds in the same way that you are able to edit the images.This option enables you to record in stereo if you use two microphones.