The minimum they expect from lecturers or keynote speakers is for the organiser to make sure that the recording is clear enough for transcription. This is either for publication in conference proceedings, or for support coursework for students. It is important to consider the technical aspects of recording a clear presentation. It is not worth discovering that an ad-hoc recording was unclear, inaudible or filled with background noise after the fact. It can mean the difference between a precise transcript and one that is cluttered with questions. Even if you book a professional venue with their in-house recording equipment, there are still technical issues that you should discuss with them in advance. This article will provide advice on how to record a speech or lecture.
1. Verify the recording equipment.
To ensure that they are satisfied with the quality of the recordings, check with past clients. If the venue plans to hire an audio visual company outside of the venue to record the event, ask them if they have recorded similar events.
2. Go digital.
Make sure the recording equipment used by the venue is suitable for its purpose. digital equipment. Digital recorders have a high quality sound which will reduce transcription time, minimize inaudibles, and lower costs.
3. Microphones.
Make sure that there are enough microphones in the venue. If there are speakers on the panel, you will need a standard microphone and at least one microphone at the lectern. You will need at least one microphone for each speaker on the panel. Is the venue able to provide a roving microphone for audience participation? A microphone on the lectern alone will not suffice if speakers are likely using PowerPoint slides or PowerPoint presentations. Each speaker should have a microphone that is either a tie-clip or lapel. If you use the latter, you will need to inform the speakers that they can pick up any sounds such as rustling clothes or other sotto vocale comments.
4. Select an uncompressed digital recording setting
Most digital recorders have a range of recording settings, from SHQ (stereo-high quality) to LP (long playing). SHQ produces the biggest digital files but has the best sound quality. LP is the worst quality, but HQ is a compromise. Do not compromise quality for the sake of saving memory. Make sure the recording equipment is set up to achieve the highest quality possible. Although this will result in larger file sizes and longer transmission times, the quality of the recording will be superior.
5. Choose a digital audio level and file format.
8,000kHz should only be used for dictation, while 44,100kHz produces outstanding recordings and should be used to record speeches. WAV files have the best quality sound, but they also have the largest file sizes. WMA and MP3 files offer a compromise. They produce clear recordings, but have a smaller file size.
6. Sound rehearsal.
Listen to the recording equipment being tested by the venue through headphones. However, ask them to perform a real test. A person standing close to the microphone and shouting “testing, testing” at the top their voices is not realistic. Encourage the audience to mimic the speech. The test recording you hear will give an indication of the final version that the transcriber will hear. If the recording is too faint, ask the transcriber to move or provide additional microphones. The transcriber will likely be able to hear voices clearly once you are able to.
7. Check the sound levels.
Make sure the venue is able to adjust the sound levels during speeches. While most digital recorders can set the recording level automatically for you, it’s important to make sure that there is a manual override in case of sudden background noises or quiet speakers.
8. Don’t use voice activation.
This shouldn’t be a problem if the venue regularly records events, but it may be worth checking whether their equipment or microphones don’t have a voice activation function. Equipment may not pick up speech that is too softly spoken or placed too close to the microphone. Some recorders can be sensitive, and may switch off mid-sentence if sound levels fall below the minimum threshold. This is especially true for speakers who speak slowly. The recorder will sometimes shut down in mid-sentence if someone speaks, which can cause sentences to be cut short.
9. Briefing.
Before the event, all speakers need to be aware of a few “housekeeping” issues. Ask them to switch off their mobile phones . Text messages and voice mails emit radio frequencies that are inaudible to human ears, but can be picked up by any recording device. The buzzing sound will drown out the words. It is not enough to make mobile phones’silent’ and ‘vibrate’. They must be turned off. It is also important to ask the audience for the same thing with their phones, particularly those in the front row close to the microphone.
10. Reduce background noise
If it is sufficiently loud, any background noise (such as air conditioners or laptops) can be very disruptive to recordings. Voices can easily get drowned. To reduce outside noise, make sure that windows are shut. Any crockery placed on top of the microphones may cause a ‘clattering’ effect that can drown out voices. Similar effects can be experienced if people write or shuffle paper near the microphone. Although they may not seem important, our ears can pick out these sounds. Microphones are not very selective and will only give prominence to the loudest and closest noise.
