Streaming viewers will tolerate some video degradation but expect audio to be near perfect. There are two techniques you can use to make sure that your audio loud, clear and robust. Normalization increases volume as much as possible without introducing distortion into the file, while compression makes the signal as robust as possible. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to apply normalization in Adobe Audition and Adobe Premiere Pro, and how to apply compression in Adobe Audition.
One of my favorite features in Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 is the return of Adobe Audition. In this tutorial, I detail the round trip editing workflow between Premiere Pro and Audition.
Click over to the main article to view the tutorial.
So, there I was, shooting a video for a Peer Review for StreamingMedia.com. If you're not familiar with these videos, it's where I critique videos presented by different web sites. While I simply don't have the production facilities to match the quality of some of the sites that I comment on, I do try to maximize the quality of my audio and video.
I was trying out a new microphone with the video segment, saw that levels were good, but didn't otherway pay attention to the quality. Then I got to editing the video (after putting away the lights, and storing all the audio gear, of course) and noticed a pretty severe echo in the audio. To learn how I fixed the problem, click over to the main article.
You can learn how to shoot video in one of two ways. You can apprentice under the direction of an experienced videographer who's done it all and seen it all, and leverage the lessons he or she has learned over the years.
Or, you can book the jobs, buy the gear, do your research, and shoot the shoot. Though the first technique isn't foolproof, the latter is reminiscent of what experienced cyclists will tell you about falling off the bike. It's not a question of if, it's a question of when.
When you're doing professional shoots, you've got two
alternatives for capturing higher-quality audio: get really, really
close to your subject, or get an external microphone. Assuming that
close proximity is not always an option, with all the mics,
connections, and strategies available, what do you need to know to do
on-site sound right?
All of us have had audio rise up and bite us in the rear on a project or two, usually when we were focused elsewhere and not paying attention to levels, connections, and the like. Fortunately, with the right set of software tools and a bit of background information, you can eliminate many errors with little audible residue. The final product is never as good (or as fast) as it would be if you had gotten it right the first time, but all's well that ends well.
