Six things to consider with audio (and one very bad example)

Audio quality is very important in a video. Some would argue that audio has more impact on the overall perception of a video than the visual component of the video, that great sound with a mediocre image is OK, but weak sound quality, no matter the visual quality will always make the video seem inferior. I’m not sure that this is always the case, but audio quality is often an afterthought in the video development process.  Good audio is not difficult  to do and represents a small percentage of the overall cost of production. Does it make sense to spend thousands of dollars on the production of a video and then get ‘one of the guys in sales’ to do the voice-over using a cheap microphone?

The video above is a case in point. The audio quality is so bad, you can’t tell why it’s bad. They obviously went to considerable effort to put the video together. They wrote a script, did a lot of filming and spent time editing it. Did they just run out of steam at the end?

Here are six things to consider when creating audio for your video:

1. Audio starts with the script. Everyone knows that ‘Your customers are your top priority’ (what else would your top priority be?) so think of something unique to say. If you don’t have something interesting to say it doesn’t matter if James Earl Jones delivers your corporate message – it won’t stick.

2. Equipment matters. Buy a good microphone if you are doing audio in-house - it’s a really good investment. Yes, you are compressing the audio when you optimize it for the web but the same rule holds true for audio as it does for the video component – garbage in, garbage out.

3. Elocution matters. Just like visual style, there are many styles of voice that could be appropriate for your video – folksy, authoritative, somber, funny… whatever. You need to have a narrator who can speak in a clear understandable tone, who can speak in an appropriate cadence - given the subject material, and who can enunciate. Voice professionals do this stuff for a living. Remember the voice on your video in some ways becomes ‘the voice of your company’. That’s important.

4. Chose your soundtrack carefully. Adding a soundtrack is a great way to create a mood, to add drama or excitement, to maintain a consistent aural tone and to simply tie the whole video presentation together. Not all video needs a sound track however and unless you are able to afford original music you run the risk of using the same tunes that everyone else is using.  If you do go with a soundtrack make sure you crank it down when your narrator starts to speak.

5. Test the audio. It’s very difficult to imagine that the audio in the above video was subject to a rigorous screening process. Mix the audio with the soundtrack or musical loop , soinds effects etc. that you are going to use and let people listen to it. If everyone starts turning their heads sideways and squinting, you may want to give it another go.

6. Language and accent are very important. Peter Jennings was considered one of the best American news anchors for many reasons including his neutral (Canadian) accent. If you are creating promotional video content for foreign distribution – make sure that you use a narrator that delivers English in a very neutral tone. If you are dubbing in another language make sure your translator and reader understand the local dialect and idioms.