• Capture everything…you can always edit later! Before you go out on interviews or field recording sessions, think a little about what you want your final product to sound like. Audio storytelling is most compelling when we hear “primary sources” – the people involved, underscored by the sounds we would hear in the world. Record everything you think might be useful, including your subjects introducing themselves, any outtakes, etc. It’s easier to leave things on the cutting room floor than to go out recording again!

• Audio comes in a variety of formats, which range from “lossless” to highly compressed. As with video and still images, it’s always possible to compress or downsize files, but it’s not possible to raise the quality of a compressed file. So, as a rule, you want to record in high quality (such as WAV or Apple’s m4a format), store your working files in high quality formats, and only export them to mp3 at the end of the process.

1. Choose your audio recording application: Most smartphone platforms come with an application that can be used for recording voice memos. These applications will allow you to record and trim simple audio recordings, but are limited in options for manual settings while recording.

Some free alternatives to these apps are:

Voice Record Pro (iOS only)

Titanium Recorder (Android only)

2. Microphone placement: In order to guarantee the highest quality of audio in your recording, it is important to pay attention to the proximity between your microphone and your subject. When recording a group discussion it is important to arrange the participants so that they are equidistant from the recording device, and if possible, try to avoid areas with a lot of background noise (fan, laptop, open window or other groups of people). Choosing a location with a quiet atmosphere can also help to make sure you have a clear capture of everyone’s voice. However, some background noise is okay - you also want to keep the conversation feeling natural and not too staged - as long as you can hear all of the participants in the conversation. Other tips for increasing the quality of an audio recording are to remove your phone from its case, and limiting movement of your phone or other objects around it (for example, papers on a table).

3. Test your recording: You won’t be able to monitor your audio while recording, so it is important to test your recording prior to capturing anything that you plan to use later. Wear headphones while listening to playback to ensure the best quality while you are monitoring your test recording. Listen for things like background noise (HVAC, traffic, other people’s conversations) and to make sure that your microphone is picking up your subject at an appropriate level.

4. Start early, stop late: Make sure to begin your recording prior to the start of a discussion, and allow it to run even when the discussion seems to be slowing down or has stopped. It is hard to know exactly which segment of a discussion will stand out as “the best” part, but you can ensure you don’t miss it by capturing everything.

5. Name your recording: Even if you don’t have a lot of audio files stored on your phone, make sure to name your recordings after you have finished. This will help keep files organized throughout the uploading and transcription process, and can help you to make sure nothing gets deleted by accident.

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