 | | Sound Advice Tip of the WeekSound is a key element in creating and establishing an environment. It is often underestimated and underutilized in multimedia production. Studies have shown that end-users will watch low-quality video if accompanying audio quality is acceptable, but will not tolerate poor audio quality, even if it accompanies high-quality video.This week's tip appears below. And there's also an archive of all of our Sound Advice columns which you can access at the bottom of this page. |
Macromedia Design Guide
from Hayden Books |
What do I need to know about recording sound?
Remember that levels for digital audio are different from analog levels. (For instance, -18 digital equates to 0 analog.) When generating a low frequency tone at the beginning of a tape for meter, analog media generates tone at 0 while digital generates tone at -18. Therefore, analog recording levels should peak at about 6 and digital at around -6.
When recording directly into the Mac with an external microphone, try to get the highest level without distortion. Don't record live audio close to your computer becuase you will record fan noise in the background. You may never even detect the fan noise in your recording becuase testing and playback is often done on a computer without external speakers. The fan noise in your recording will blend with the actual fan noise from your computer. Use a good pair of headphones to check the recording.
When selecting voice talent, look for a clear voice that has range and character - a voice that is interesting to the ear. If possible, digitize a clip from an analog demo tape to see how a prospective voice transfers to digital media.