capture - transcription - subtitles - microphone
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You're starting to get into video? You have plans in mind and know what kind of video you want? And are ready to pull out your laptop? That's great, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, have you thought about sound?  Sound is paramount. But why is sound important in a video?

Don't forget the sound

When you start creating a video, also think about the sound. Indeed, video is composed of sound as much as image. Without good sound quality, your audience will not watch your video until the end.

Sound can come from different sources in a video: the sound of your recordingof the sound design or just a music. What you choose will depend on the type of video you are going to create but it doesn't matter what you choose, quality will always be a primary criterion.

By thinking ahead about what kind of video you want, you'll be able to Define which sound capture is right for you best and can prepare you to have a qualitative sound.

Yes, the sound in a video is just as important as the image! And even more for some who consider that it constitute 70% of the film. But why? And how can I get good sound quality? I will answer your questions.

The recording, direct sound capture

Most of the time, the sound is capté when recording the video.

First of all, the sound quality will depend on several factors. And will firstly result from registration requirements.

The noisier the environment in which you are going to film, the more likely it is that the sound will be polluted by interference noises. However, this kind of problem can be solved with qualitative material.

Indeed, a second factor that comes into play is going to be the quality of your equipment. To record quality sound, you will need to have the right recording equipment. If you are filming only with your cell phone, the sound recording will be made with the microphone of the latter, so prefer a quiet environment to avoid any noise pollution. Otherwise, a solution is to buy an external microphone like a tie mike for interviews. Depending on the desired rendering and your type of video, you will have different equipment: omnidirectional microphone, external microphone, camera, external recorder, laptop?

And yes, when your video includes a person speaking, in order to have a good sound, you have to pay attention to the distance between the microphone and the speaker. Keep the speaker at a distance of about 10cm. If the microphone is placed too far away from the speaker, the speaker's voice will be lost in the surrounding noise and will be more difficult to hear. Conversely, if the microphone is placed too close, it can be unpleasant to listen to.

If you use a speaker, make sure that he or she speaks well so that it is easy to understand when listening. A good sound recording during a speech, allows a good understanding of the words by your audience but also for artificial intelligence. A quality sound recording is therefore essential!

If you are picking up sound directly, remember that removing a parasitic noise is complicated to mix. and that it is therefore necessary to bet on a qualitative catch directly.

The benefits of good sound

In the previous section, I told you that a quality sound recording allows a better understanding of the words for your audience and for the artificial intelligences. Indeed, if you wish to subtitle your video automaticallyyou're probably going to call on a tool like Capté. Captured uses voice recognition. This type of technology will use the soundtrack to transcribe voices into text. The more audible and clear your speaker's voice is, the more accurate the transcription will be.

A good sound quality will also allow you to keep your audience until the end of your video. The sound is an important part of the video, so the viewing will be more enjoyable if the sound quality is good.

Its post-production

Once your video is shot, you will probably have to edit it. Editing is also an opportunity to improve sound recording or from add atmosphere through music or sound design.

For good sound quality, make sure you have good sound quality when recording. Post-production work will be easier.

For this a multitude of tutorials exist on Youtube.

Sound design

Sound design is the equivalent of what is commonly called the sound effectses.

It allows tocreate an environmenta mood, an atmosphere. If you can't capture your own sounds, there are libraries of free sound effects like on Youtube.

Sound design allows to dynamize a content and to contextualize it. Canal +'s [.WUUT] uses sound design to hijack videos and imagine instant messages between celebrities.

The music

In some videos, you may also want to add music. In this case, make sure that the music is ofgood sound quality and royalty free.

Royalty-free music will also make it easier to distribute your video on social networks.

This is a list of 9 free and royalty-free music sites for your next videos.

In summary

The sound quality in your videos is essential. It facilitates transcription by voice recognition software and allows for better viewing by your audience. For a good sound recording, you must use quality equipment and make sure you have good recording conditions. You can always adjust the sound in post production and add sound effects such as sound design or music. However, the sound recording must be of good quality to facilitate your work.

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