I need to record some ‘screen flow’ type videos giving instructions on how to use a new app.
I’ve made some test videos and the quality of my voice recording is average to say the least, it is quiet and sounds like I am in a big empty room, which I am!
I’m recording my voice using my Jabra Evolve2 40 headphones/mic which I use for video calls.
I can’t do anything about my location, its my living room so I can’t start plastering acoustic materials to the walls etc.
What I would like to know, is if I invest in a separate (quality) Mic, will this have a marked improvement over the headset I am using in terms of audio quality.
If so, do I need to go down the XLR route, or will a USB one do? What is the best kind of Mic for recording my speaking voice whilst sat at a desk? What ‘extras’ do I need?
I literally know nothing about audio equipment, and any recommendations would be appreciated?
Oh, and I should have said, I need the hardware to be plug and play, i.e. no drivers or software to install as I will need to use on my work Windows PC and on my own MacBook.
As a first (free!) step try recording audio using your current equipment under a duvet! It’s what a lot of professional broadcasters were doing when working from home during the covid lockdowns
There is tons of advice in blogs and Youtube on choosing and using an external mic to improve voice quality.
Yes, recording under a blanket is an oft-quoted DIY hack, but I don’t know anyone that seriously could do that for more than a few minutes one time and stand it.
As someone that finally exited analysis/paralysis and has been recording some stuff lately:
The biggest thing is a purpose-built mic instead of a telephone headset or built-in default hardware. XLR or USB is less important. One of the oft-recommended great mics for under $100 has both connections.
IMHO, the second most important is a solution that is easy to set up or leave set up, so the friction of recording is kept to a minimum.
If you want to take it further, post-processing voice with either one-click or manual configuration audio plug-ins with a good audio editor software (aka “digital audio workstation” or DAW) can make a big difference.
There are free or inexpensive DAW software you can start with. Even advanced systems are adding more one-click “fix my voice” settings that improve the results without becoming an audio engineer.
For me, I chose to use a lavalier microphone with a wireless interface (Rode Lavalier Go with Rode Wireless GO II). I wanted to walk around in front of my desk while recording and not worry about distance from mic and tangled wires.
Also, a lav mic is unidirectional but doesn’t pick up a lot of room noise because it is close to your body. I hide mine under your shirt using tips from several working audio engineers I found online.
+1 on a good quality external mic. I bought an Elgato Wave:3 for when I guested on Focused. It produces a noticeable improvement over the mic in my AirPods Max even over Zoom calls.
+1 for a decent microphone, which can be had for a reasonable cost. (And should last you for many, many years.)
But instead of literally sitting under a blanket/duvet, you can put soft stuff in the room to help knock back those echoes. If you think of the blanket tent as 100% coverage, then you can achieve some portion of that simply by sticking a clothes horse behind the microphone and drape a blanket over it, or even a thick towel. Note I am not a sound engineer. There may be better materials and better locations, but basically you can block some of the echoes… just try some things and see what sounds best.