Sound Advice: Kissing Tape Goodbye

Hal Robertson
February 2004

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Does anyone really record analog audio on tape these days? Sure the pros are using DAT, but you might be surprised to find out how many different ways videographers gather audio for their productions. MiniDisc, camcorders, flash memory and even cassette tape are all real-world methods of collecting the audio bits needed for a video. Unfortunately, in addition to the original recording, each of these methods also require the additional step of capturing the audio into a computer for editing and placement in a video production.

What if you could eliminate this extra step and record the audio directly into the computer, saving time and maximizing quality? Well, you can and it's not as hard as it might seem. In this article, we'll explore the ins and outs of recording audio directly to your computer.

Before we get into the hardware and software necessary for audio recording, let's take a minute to consider what you'll be recording and how it will be used in the finished video. One of the most common applications for audio recording is narration. Used in everything from travel videos to commercials, the voiceover is a staple of video productions and has its own set of rules. Listen closely to national advertising, how-to videos or documentaries. The narrator's voice is usually very forward and intimate, with very little or no additional effects such as reverb or delay. While you don't likely have a million-dollar studio to record your narration, you can use some of their techniques. By choosing a high-quality microphone and recording in the quietest, least reverberant room you can find, your recordings will sound much like their expensive counterparts. Walk-in closets, lined with sound-absorbent clothing, are perfect for recording voiceovers.

Another common application for audio recording is dialog replacement. Regardless of how carefully you recorded during the shoot, there are times when the dialog is muffled or masked by other sounds. Hollywood movies often replace virtually all the audio, including the dialog, in their projects, simply for control reasons. Television dramas are a little more realistic due to time constraints, replacing problem areas, but leaving much of the original audio recording intact. You can do this too with some planning and a little trial-and-error. Set up in a similar environment, even in the original location if possible, and use the same microphone and placement as the first recording to match the original sound. The professionals even miss this sometimes.

Two final common audio recording opportunities are music and sound effects. Have you ever seen a production where they used the exact same buyout music or sound effects you do? There's nothing like an original recording to set your project apart from the rest. Music recording is tougher than sound effects, but the payoff is a completely unique production and a growing archive of original sounds you can use again.

Let's start with the computer. Video production is one of the most taxing things you can do on a computer. If you can edit video on your machine, you have more than enough horsepower to record and edit audio.

Most computers come with an average sound card that can adequately handle your audio duties. There are professional sound cards that are of course more expensive, but you might as well start with what you have to see if it'll work for you. You'll notice most sound cards use 1/8" jacks, the same as the ones as your camcorder. This means that you can use the same microphones, adapters and headphones you use during your video shoots.

The primary disadvantage of recording directly into a computer is noise. Fan noise is the primary culprit since it is always on when your computer is on. Some computers have multiple fans and can sound like a small airport during a recording session. One way to get around this limitation is the use of extension cables for the monitor, keyboard and mouse. Find a closet or another room adjacent to your preferred recording area, then purchase cables long enough to locate the tower, along with its noisy fans, in the other room. An alternative is to place the talent in the quiet room and use long microphone and headphone cables to attach to the computer.

Another very serious problem is that your computer is an excellent electronic noise generator. Radio frequencies and electromagnetic interference is spewing from your box at all times, which is often the source of odd hums and buzzes. With this in mind, keep your cables as far away from the other cables as possible and don't run them parallel to your keyboard cable, for example.

An interesting solution to both noise problems is an external sound card, such as the Creative Extigy. External cards perform their digital work outside of the computer and then run a digital signal back to your machine via a USB cable. This has an added advantage in that you can use the Extigy with your desktop and laptop. Keep in mind, however, that we are still talking about consumer audio cards here. Audio professionals may find themselves seriously disappointed in the performance of consumer audio cards, internal or external.

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