How Do I Record Clean Audio?

Jun 26

You can have perfect lighting, stunning visuals, and crisp edits…
But if your audio is bad, your film feels bad.

Muffled dialogue, background noise, or a cheap-sounding mic can immediately pull your audience out of the moment—even if they can’t explain why. That’s the power of sound: it’s invisible but unforgettable. At Fragrant Film, we believe clean audio isn’t a luxury—it’s a standard. Here's how to get it right.

1. Start by Choosing the Right Mic for the Job

Not all microphones are created equal. Here are the basics:

Lavalier (Lapel) Mics: Best for interviews or dialogue-heavy scenes where you want to hide the mic but stay close to the source. Clip it under clothing and watch for fabric rustle.
Shotgun Mics: Great for capturing focused sound from a distance—especially in narrative or cinematic setups. Mount on a boom or your camera (if you're in a pinch).
Handheld Mics: Solid for events, fast-paced interviews, or street-style filming. Not subtle, but reliable.

Pro tip: Don’t rely on your camera’s internal mic—ever. It’s built for reference, not quality.

2. Monitor Your Levels—Always

Use headphones. Always.

Listen during setup, and keep your eyes on your levels during the shoot. You want:

Peaks between -12dB and -6dB
No clipping (spikes that hit 0dB)
Consistency across takes

Adjust mic placement or gain as needed before you hit record.

3. Scout the Environment

Sound is half location.

Before you start recording:

Listen for hums (A/C, fridges, fluorescent lights)
Turn off machines or HVAC if possible
Close windows to block wind and traffic
Ask people nearby to keep noise down

Silence isn't always possible, but awareness helps you plan workarounds.

4. Record a Backup

Whenever possible, record a second source.

That might mean:

Sending audio to both your camera and an external recorder (like a Zoom H5 or Tascam DR-10)
Using dual lavs (if one fails, you’re covered)
Backing up boom and lav recordings separately

Redundancy saves projects. Always over-record rather than risk a miss.

5. Leave Room for Room Tone

Before or after the scene, record 30 seconds of silence in the same setup. This gives your editor consistent ambient sound to use between dialogue edits, making transitions seamless.

It's a small step that saves hours in post.

6. Be Prepared to Coach Your Talent

Even with good gear, people can ruin a take by:

Tapping mics
Talking over each other
Moving too far from the mic
Wearing noisy fabrics

Before you roll, give your talent a quick heads-up on how to speak, move, and pause. The more relaxed and still they are, the better the sound.

7. Fix It in Post—But Only If You Have To

Tools like iZotope RX, EQ, and denoising filters are great. But they’re a rescue plan, not a strategy.

If you capture clean audio from the start, your mix will feel natural and full. If not, you’ll spend hours fighting noise you could’ve avoided with 10 minutes of prep.

Final Thought

Clean audio doesn’t draw attention to itself—but it holds the whole story together.
In fact, it’s often the difference between a video that feels “homemade” and one that feels cinematic.

At Fragrant Film, we treat audio like story—it deserves intention, detail, and reverence. And when you give it that, your audience doesn’t just watch… they feel it.

Want to elevate the sound in your next shoot? Let’s talk.