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Audio for Video: Using Your Camcorder Mic

by Internet Video Gal on 02/24/2009

Decent audio for your video production is critical. If a viewer can not hear you, they will not stick around to watch your video.

An Audio Waveform

The BEST way to get good audio when making video is to use a separate lavalier or handheld microphone close to the mouth while recording.    The microphone would be plugged into your camera and using it probably overrides and shuts off the microphone that comes attached to your camera.

To record audio this way requires a camera that accepts a separate microphone plug-in. The smallest and least expensive cameras do NOT have this feature.

So lots of people have no choice but to use the microphone that comes attached to their camera.

Although it is not recommended, you can make this work and this post tells you how.

camcorder with onboard microphone

Even though recording audio with your on-board microphone is not the BEST way to do it, with a few pointers you can make it work just fine.

First and most critical, make sure the background noise is minimal or non existent.  If you have complete control, turn everything OFF.  Everything.  Even white noise like fans and air conditioners.

If need be, leave and find a quiet corner. I’ve recorded audio inside a sealed up car MANY times.  That was the only place that was reasonably quiet at whatever location my job took me.

If the background noise is absolutely impossible to shut down and there is no quiet corner to escape to, hold the camera and mic very close to your mouth (six inches or closer) and speak LOUDLY.  The automatic gain control of the camera will quick in, lowering the recording volume significantly.   At that distance, your voice is so loud compared to the background noise, that a lowered recording volume will eliminate lots of the background and your voice will dominate.

Hopefully, the automatic gain control will lower the record volume enough so that none of your audio is distorted.  Audio recorded this way will not be ultra fantastic, but it will probably be understandable.

video camera with microphone

If the background is quiet, it is best to be about three feet away from the on-board microphone when you are speaking.    Speak loudly and enunciate well.  Do not mumble.  Speak to the back of the room.

Under these conditions, the microphone on-board your camera will pick up the sound just fine. It will be almost as good as if you were able to record it with a separate microphone plugged into your camera.

There is ALWAYS a way to make video work. Lots of video “gurus” will tell you that you have to have a separate microphone to record decent audio for your video.     It does help, but you can also work within the confines of your equipment limitations if you know how.  Being a TV news videographer, I often had to adapt to less-than-ideal circumstances.

I see lots of You Tube videos where the audio would be MUCH better if they followed these simple suggestions.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips.

Lorraine Grula

Internet Video Gal

Categories: Audio for Video     Tags: Audio for Video, camcorder microphone, make video, record audio, Video Production




Comments

  1. Miriam says

    03/06/2009 at 6:31 am

    I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

    Miriam

    http://www.craigslistguide.info

  2. Internet Video Gal says

    03/06/2009 at 2:12 pm

    Hi Miriam.

    Thanks for your compliment. I am glad you like video production tips. Please let me know if there is anything specific you want me to write about.

    Lorraine

  3. JaneRadriges says

    06/13/2009 at 11:09 am

    Hi, gr8 post thanks for posting. Information is useful!

  4. Free Gadget says

    08/22/2009 at 6:03 am

    Thanks for the info… RSS feed added

  5. Bruce Hathaway says

    09/02/2010 at 11:32 am

    Don’t you need some kind of pre-amp with an outboard mic? I’m assuming that with a video camera there is a very basic mic pre on the plug in microphone. Is that the only alternative?

  6. Internet Video Gal says

    09/02/2010 at 11:57 am

    Hi Bruce.
    No, you do not need any kind of preamp when using the microphone plugged into a video camera. I have never used a preamp in any situation with a video camera and a mic. If you have the right kind of connection, (XLR or the little stereo plug) then it should work just fine. The mic may need a battery. I hope this helps you. Happy video making!
    Lorraine

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