Category Archives: Audio

A Guide to Your Audio Piece

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Length: No longer than two minutes.

Elements: One natural sound, two quotes, and your narration. Quotes (aka actualities) should be no longer than about twenty seconds each.

Writing your script: When you write your narration, write the way you talk. It should be conversational and less formal than print writing. Keep the setences short. It helps enormously to read it out loud. Finally, be descriptive. Remember you are writing for the ear!

Recording your narration: Find a quiet space that doesn’t echo. Carpeting is your friend because it absorbs sound. Speak clearly. Tell the story; don’t just read it. 

Have all your elements ready by next Thursday. In class, we will go over how to edit your pieces using Garage Band. Make sure you have a script and all of your sound files: narration, quotes, and natural sound.

As always, if you have questions, feel free to email me! [email protected]

Fundamentals of Audio Recording

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Hi guys, Emily here. I’ll be using this space to post guidelines you can refer to when working on the multimedia elements of your projects. I’m categorizing them all as “Multimedia.”

First up is audio recording. Here are some basics you’ll want to keep in mind as you set out to collect sound:

Choose your environment wisely. Be aware of your surroundings. If you interview someone under a freeway, your recording will most likely be impossible to understand. Pick a relatively quiet space. A little background noise is fine and adds atmosphere – except for music. Music makes editing difficult, so avoid it if possible.

Check your batteries beforehand. It’s a real bummer when you start interviewing someone and realize you only have ten minutes of life left on your recorder or phone.

Cell phones off. Yours and theirs. If you’re using your phone to record, make sure it’s set to silent.

Don’t forget your ambi. Ambient sound will be key when you’re editing later. Ask your sources to bear with you while you record a good minute or two of silence in the exact location where you’re interviewing them.

Don’t forget your nats. Natural sound is a crucial element of any audio piece. Think about what sounds will most effectively place your listener in the scene. Footsteps, dishes clinking, phones ringing. Don’t be afraid to get in there and get close. Music is fine to use as a nat sound.

Ask open-ended questions. Yes or no questions won’t give you good long responses filled with usable quotes.

Get close, but not too close. Putting a mic right up against someone’s mouth can result in popping and crackling sounds on the recording. Make sure to test your equipment so you know roughly where to hold your recorder for optimal sound quality.

Keep quiet while they’re talking. Active listening is a fantastic skill for a journalist to have, but if you keep murmuring “Uh-huh,” “Yeah,” and “Sure,” while they’re answering your questions, you won’t be able to use the material. Stick with smiling and nodding.

That’s all for now! Again, let me know if you have any questions. Call me at 347.761.9221 or email me at [email protected]. I’m happy to set up a meeting if you want some additional coaching on this stuff. Happy interviewing.