Podcaster's Portal: Location recording

Location Recording

Have you properly prepared your equipment?
Have you chosen the right microphone for the job?
What are the acoustics and background noise like at your recording location?
Are there any legal issues you should consider?

By Jonathan Halls

The power of audio is rooted in your listener’s imagination.

In many ways, audio (and radio) were the first mediums to access user-generated content. This is because for us to be effective, we have to tap into our listener’s minds, thoughts, experiences and memories.

Taking a recording device on location to conduct an interview or capture an atmosphere is one of the cheap but powerful ways you can give your podcast the edge.

The atmosphere will draw on your listener's imagination or memory, giving it more credibility. But there are common mistakes people make so we thought we’d touch on a few.

We’re going to focus on these:

Recording levels
Preparing your equipment
Using your microphone well
Background noise
Background music
Getting permission

Get your levels right
When you record on location, make sure you set your sound levels. If you’re recording an interview in a public place, avoid using automatic gain control or automatic level control.

The automatic features of this act like a little man who keeps his finger on the volume control.

Whenever the sound you are recording is quiet, he turns it up. When the sound is loud, he turns it down. That way the sound level is uniform throughout.

Of course, instead of using a little man, your recorder has a chip that does this for you.

When you are recording an interview, the automatic control will pump the sound up when you are pausing or between questions. And it creates a whoofy sound which is distracting.

The only way to avoid this is to set your sound levels manually.

Make sure your equipment is ready for use
One of my colleagues at BBC Production Training tells trainees that boy scouts make the best camera operators.

He was emphasizing to his camera students the importance of always being prepared.

Time and time again, camera operators have gone out to shoot and found someone had packed the wrong lens into their equipment case, or the batteries hadn’t been recharged.

The same goes for audio. Always make sure everything you need is in your equipment case.

That includes your microphone (yes, I’m serious because some have forgotten mics), headphones, recorder and memory cards. If you’re using a cassette recorder, make sure you have fresh cassettes.

Before you leave home, check it all works. I also recommend you have a spare microphone cable and fresh set of batteries.

When you come back from your recording, always check that your equipment is all there.

Microphone distance
One of the common mistakes I’ve noticed among new interviewers is how they hold their microphone.

When you are asking questions, make sure you hold your microphone the same distance from your mouth as you do from your interviewee’s.

So if you hold your microphone 10 inches from your mouth, hold it 10 inches from your interviewee’s mouth when he or she is talking.

Background noise and acoustics
When you interview someone on location, such as at a railway station or in a football stadium, it’s important to find a quiet location away from loud background noise.

Make sure you are wearing headphones so you can monitor how loud the background noise is. Sometimes it will be editorially appropriate for loud background noise – such as a party or celebration. But generally you should look for the quietest space.

Also avoid rooms where the sound echoes. This happens mostly in rooms with parallel walls and shiny surfaces. Once you have this, you can’t easily remove it.

Background music
Just as it’s important to avoid background noise, it’s even more important to avoid music in the background. When it comes to editing, you may want to cut out part of a sentence.

If you have a music background, your listener will know you have cut out part of the sentence because the music track will skip a few bars. Recording with music in the background really limits your editing possibilities.

Permissions to record
If you’re heading out for some vox pops, be careful that there are no restrictions to you asking questions in a location.

If you’re in a supermarket or train station, you may find the manager or security officer asking you to leave because they consider you are causing a distraction.

Make sure you get permission first, or find some public space nearby where you won’t be asked to leave.

While this may sound obvious, it’s important to avoid busy roads, parking lots, construction sites or areas where you could be physical risk. You don’t want to put yourself in danger.

It’s also important not to carry expensive recording equipment in an area known for crime. It is common sense. But you’d be surprised how many sensible people have been stung this way.

Getting atmosphere
When you conduct an interview, spend some time afterwards recording the ambient noise. It might be traffic or the noise of a machine related to your piece. It may be handy to edit into your piece.