Many different industries record different types of interviews and conversations. This might be to use for evidence in legal cases, any educational discussions as well as general interviews for entertainment purposes.
When preparing to record any interview it is important that the quality of the audio will work for the purpose it is intended for.
This article will outline the main things you should consider when planning to record any interview, and the benefits of having high quality audio.
Table of Contents
Location:
When conducting an interview, it is important to think about the location in which you plan to have the interview take place. For example, recording any conversation, outside on a windy day is going to result in hearing wind sounds over the conversation which is being had.
You want to assure that you are in a setting which has minimal background noise and that will also allow you to clearly hear the words which are being said.
Having loud background noise can result in it being hard to listen and understand the important information which is being discussed.
If you are recording the interview to have it transcribed, a service using clean verbatim rules, would remove any unnecessary background noises so that they are not written in the transcribed document. This is due to the fact that it can make them easier to read and understand.
Equipment:
One of the main things to consider is the equipment you plan to use to record the interview. Cheap equipment, or even mobile phones will do the job, however they are not going to give you the clearest audio.
If you are looking to record a specific interview for personal use, using a mobile phone would probably be an appropriate method of recording the audio. However, if you are looking to use the audio in a professional setting, or even have the audio transcribed you are going to want to assure the audio is as clear as possible.
Investing in a good quality microphone will also enable you to pick up the speakers’ conversations clearly. This might be confusing for you to buy a microphone according to your needs. Visit microphoneauthority.com to buy the latest and best microphone for Recording An Interview.
When it comes to recording interviews for professional purposes it is also very important that you have the ability to be able to store a backup of the audio, this means that if the laptop you plan to store it on breaks, you do not loose the audio file completely.
Even though investing in high quality equipment can be expensive to start with, it can make using your files in the long run easier.
Permission:
If you are conducting an interview, it is really important to get permission from the participants before you begin. They should also be aware that they are being recorded to avoid potential legal cases.
For example, an essential tool businesses use is to record interviews and meetings in order to help them run their company, this can be to cover their backs if they are giving out disciplinaries, or even just to be able to help train up future employees.
If the person, or people, involved in the interview are unaware that they are being recorded, or do not consent to being recorded, this is an offence which you could be sued for. It is recommended that the consent is written out and states what the audio may be used for.
Clear Structured Conversation:
If you are the person who is leading the interview it is important to allow the person you are interviewing to answer the questions, and not interrupt them mid sentence. You also want to assure that you are not talking over each other, this will assure that you can clearly hear which individual is talking at any time.
This will make for a more structured conversation which will be easier to follow and understand by anyone who may listen to the interview.
Summary:
To conclude, there are numerous factors which you should consider when conducting any interview. These factors will depend on the intent you have for these interviews. But the most important thing is to assure that the quality of the audio is able to be heard and understood clearly.
The best practice for getting high quality, clear audio is to invest in good equipment and assure that the location of the interview has minimal background noise and distractions. This will assure that the audience can focus on the conversation without being distracted by distant noises in the background.