Jennifer St. Onge

Best Practices and Lessons Learned

Recording Audio for Web-Based Training

July 24, 2015

Which word(s) were changed in the track?

Test Your Ears!

Corrected Original

“The relationship between renewables and conventional resources needed to ensure grid reliability presents a

conundrum: more wind and solar power creates a need for fast-starting, flexible resources that can take up the slack

when the wind stops or the clouds roll in.”

2

http://www.myolc.com/power/conundrum-fixed.mp3http://www.myolc.com/power/conundrum-incorrect.mp3

Why is Audio ^ Important?

3

Quality

Narrator Learner Vocals Easier editing options Less distractions

Music and Sounds*

• Help with transitions • Hide imperfections

Increased focus and attention

* Not the focus of this session.

• Before You Record • During Recording • After You Record

Today’s Topics

4

Rule #1: Consistency is Key

• Location • Equipment • Settings • Vocal range

5

This rule applies to everything – before,

during, and after recording!

6

• Before You Record – Script – Location – Equipment

• During Recording • After You Record

• Practice • Achieve more consistent retakes • Point out emphasis • Lessen pronunciation issues • Identify unclear portions of the training • Makes a great handout!

Why Use a Script?

As you practice reading the script, think about ways you add clarity.

7

• Script • Location • Equipment

EXAMPLE: Click here to see a script change that adds clarity

and makes it easier to animate.

http://www.myolc.com/power/script_chunking.pdf

Qualities of a good recording location

Quiet

Consistent

Comfortable

Soft (non-reflective)

Location, Location, Location! • Script • Location • Equipment

8

Beware of Sneaky Sounds!

Inside • Computer drives or fans • Keyboard typing • Refrigerators or motors • HVAC equipment • Loud lights (florescent) • Other people chatting • Telephones • Restrooms • Pets, claws, and collars • Television

Outside • Lawnmowers • Birds • Children playing • Airplanes • Cars

You • Jewelry • Allergies/medication • Shuffling script • Chair moving • Grumbling belly

* If you shut off something, remember to turn it back on! • Script • Location • Equipment

10

• Script • Location • Equipment

Questions

11

Where do you record your audio (home? work?), and what are some advantages or challenges you have experienced?

Equipment

• Must haves • Really should-haves • Little fixes that make

big improvements

12

• Script • Location • Equipment

Plantronics 655 DSP n/a

Yeti by Blue n/a

Adobe Captivate Adobe Audition

Audition for 2016 recordings

Audio box Build larger box?

Table is on page 8 of your handout

Homemade Get $10 filter

Paper holder n/a

iPhone n/a

Equipment Must Haves

Recording Device

Playback Device

Storage Device & Audio Software

13

• Script • Location • Equipment

Choosing a Recording Device

Helpful Options: • Unidirectional/cardioid • USB (not line-in) • Volume and gain settings • Mute button

14

Jen uses the Yeti USB Microphone by Blue

• Script • Location • Equipment

Choosing a Playback Device

• Sound card versus USB (or both) • How they fit/earcup type • Sound leakage • Versatile

15

• Script • Location • Equipment

• Computer (Involve your IT department!) – Sound card or USB? – How noisy is it? – Does it have enough resources to handle recording?

• RAM • Hard drive space

• Software – Captivate/Articulate built-in – Audition/Audacity

Computer and Software Considerations

16

• Script • Location • Equipment

• Sound muffling device • Pop filter • Good audio software editor • Something to hold your script • Metronome

Equipment Should Haves

17

• Script • Location • Equipment

• Audio box • Blanket • Clothes closet • Library • Recording studio

Sound Muffling is Important!

18

• Script • Location • Equipment

19

20

A/C Box

Mic with pop filter

Script

Questions

21

What types of equipment have you used to improve your audio quality? What were the results? Was it inexpensive?

22

• Before Recording • During Recording • After You Record

• Unplug things that make noise • Move your computer away from your microphone • Point your computer fans away from your microphone

Silence is Golden (Part I)

Pro tip: Don’t record while your neighbor is mowing the lawn

23

Prepare and Take Care of Your Vocal Cords

• Hydrate (water is the best)! – Caffeine and alcohol are bad – Sugar is bad

• Stand up while recording • Take breaks often • Don’t get angry • Listen to a “reset” recording

every 1-2 breaks

24

• Situate yourself 8” – 12” away from microphone • Read ~120 words per minute • Listen to yourself in your headset as you record • Record many, many takes

As You Record

25

RBS

• Relax • Breathe • Smile (or laugh)

26

Recording Considerations

• Calibrate your software (high quality settings) • Adjust your microphone volume & gain • .wav or .mp3 • No more than 7-10 minutes at a time (total!)

– Screensaver – Computer hardware limitations

• Save your file frequently!

27

Questions

28

What do you do while recording to achieve a high quality track?

29

• Before Recording • During Recording • After You Record

30

Save and Backup Your Audio Files

Silence is Golden (Part II)

Insert Silence: an audio correction tool that removes

all audio from a selected portion of recording

31

Add silence to slides with audio • 1 second at the beginning • 1 second at the end • .5 – .75 second to replace

breath noise

If you have too much background noise to use the insert silence tool, you should record 5 seconds of

background noise and copy/paste it instead.

• Remove breath noises • Add silence • To fix a single word, re-record the sentence

Correcting Audio

32

“Conundrum”

Silence Silence Silence (breathing)

Using Audio Effects

Research effects before using them: • Add enthusiasm by changing pitch • Changing tone • Removing noise

33

Publishing

• Length of the training • Publisher’s computer • LMS size limitations • Publishing limitations • Learner’s computer • Internet speed

34

“Near CD Bitrate” (96kbps) is a good quality versus size

compromise.

• Use the checklists in your handout to evaluate your current recording setup

• Determine what you can do to improve your setup – even just a little bit!

This Summary is Just the Beginning!

35

Recording Audio for Web-Based TrainingTest Your Ears!Why is Audio ^ Important?Today’s TopicsRule #1: Consistency is KeySlide Number 6Why Use a Script?Location, Location, Location!Slide Number 9Four Seasons of Background SoundsSlide Number 11EquipmentEquipment Must HavesChoosing a Recording DeviceChoosing a Playback DeviceComputer and Software ConsiderationsEquipment Should HavesSound Muffling is Important!Slide Number 19Slide Number 20Slide Number 21Slide Number 22Silence is Golden (Part I)Prepare and Take Care of Your Vocal CordsAs You RecordRBSRecording ConsiderationsSlide Number 28Slide Number 29Save and Backup Your Audio FilesSilence is Golden (Part II)Correcting AudioUsing Audio EffectsPublishingThis Summary is Just the Beginning!