Sound Advice: Can You Hear Me Now?

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Other than your typical birthday party or wedding video, most productions include some kind of narration or voice-over. This applies to documentaries, training and orientation videos, promotional projects and especially advertising. With the script as a guide, it's easy to discover those portions of the video that need narration. Armed with your existing audio tools and this article, you can start recording today.

Gear Up
If you shoot much video, you probably have everything necessary to record and edit narration. A nice microphone is a good place to start. Most handheld, shotgun and even lapel microphones can be pressed into service for your voice-over. At the upper end of the scale, a large-diaphragm studio condenser is ideal for vocal recording. Vintage models can cost thousands, but there are dozens of project studio models -- some even sell for under $100. If you record narration on a regular basis, even a basic model is a good investment. Large-diaphragm mikes have a unique sound quality that is difficult to duplicate. On the other hand, it's possible to record a voice-over with a $10 computer mike or the one built into your camcorder. Just don't expect studio quality from these low-cost alternatives. Don't forget to devote a few dollars to a foam or hoop windscreen. These simple accessories will eliminate breath pops and add to the professionalism of your recordings.

You'll also need something to record with. The simplest method is recording direct to your computer through the sound card. Most modern computers include an adequate sound card complete with line and microphone inputs. The adapters and cables you use to attach microphones to your camera should work here as well. Using your audio editing software, set the file for mono 16-bit audio with a 48kHz sampling rate and you're ready to record audio for your video …