IMPROVE VIDEO AND GOPRO SOUND
Go Pro cameras have been around for quite awhile. They are great in oh so many ways. Small, light weight, capable of capturing great action video and, for it’s size, wonderful stills. But let’s face it. Go Pro sound is not so great. The same is true of other cameras which depend on small, in camera audio input.
People constantly ask how they can improve the audio for their videos. It’s a great question. There are a variety of ways that people try to improve the audio. I’ve previously written about some approaches ( Read the related article HERE ). But if audio is truly important to your video production there is really only one way to significantly improve GoPro Audio or On Camera Audio in general.
USE A SEPARATE UNCONNECTED MICROPHONE / RECORDER –
If good audio is important to your video projects, I suggest you forget about recording with the GoPro or camera input and instead, record a separate audio track. There are some great external recorders available today and they work well to make audio tracks for video. They have built in microphones to record from a distance or you can plug in a lavaliere or other wired mic for close up sound. Put the recorder in your pocket and clip a mic to your clothing or gear. Pop a wind muffle on the mic if there is fast movement involved and you are in business. Plug in a directional mic if you are recording away from the action. Later, in post, you can merge and adjust audio with your video as needed. This may sound tricky but with today’s software it is not really that difficult. Practice it for a couple of hours and you will be ready to produce quality projects.
External Audio Recorders come in all shapes and sizes with prices to match. I’ve worked primarily with recorders made by Zoom and find that they work really well. Click HERE for an Amazon page giving a listing of the many recorders made by Zoom.
I have used the Zoom H4N Digital Multitrack Recorder . It does a great job but is a bit of overkill for my needs and a bit pricey as well.
I personally own the Zoom H1. It’s a bit smaller and more portable. It works really well for me. It fits in my pocket, doesn’t intimidate subjects or models, and fits in my budget as well. And of course you can use it separately if you are in a situation where you don’t need video but audio is helpful – think of interviews or recording background sounds.
Add a lapel / lavalier mic if needed for your shooting situation.
Limitations –
Using an external audio recorder solves the sound quality problem for most of the people I talk with. But, depending on your need and application, there are some obvious limitations to this solution. The devices mentioned above are NOT waterproof. So if you are using your Go Pro or similar device to create video for water sports or water related activities then these recorders won’t work. If you want to use a separate mic with the external recorder you will use a corded mic plugged into the recorder. In some use situations a corded mic may not be a workable solution. Using an external recorder will certainly provide a good sound solution for your video and Go Pro work. But before going with an external audio recorder, think it through. Make sure it will work for your situation.
Reader Advisory –
I hope you found this information useful. And I should mention that if you are interested in these or any other items – any purchases made by clicking through the links above will help support this website – but at no additional or extra cost to you. Sort of a “Win / Win.”
Improve The Sound …………..And Enjoy The Adventure!
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