HOW TO CREATE A GOOD QUALITY
RECORDING FOR TRANSCRIPTION
A
clear recording is vitally important when obtaining transcripts as it impacts
on the quality of the transcript. Quality, speed, and accuracy of audio
transcription depend hugely on the clarity of the audio used for transcription.
Here
are some tips which will help you achieve this result.
1. Background
Noise
Record in a quiet place. Try to be
alone a quiet place while recording; and if you are at work ask your staff and
colleagues not to disturb you. Coffee shops are NOT great places to record. Try to keep away from traffic sounds which
generally add to the background noise. A soundproof room is a good idea; but if
this is not available you can place things like heavy curtains, furniture and
carpets to absorb noise. If, however, a noise DOES occur, please repeat what
was said during the interview. Please record
one minute of silence before the interview begins. This will allow the
transcriber to identify and cut out ambient sound using their software.
2. Multiple
Voices
If there is more than one person in the
room while recording, make sure that they
stay calm while you are recording. Do not let people speak at once, and ask
people to identify themselves before they speak. It's also important to make
sure that the listener understands what is being said. If everyone talks at
once, the transcript will suffer.
3. External
Microphones
Use good quality microphones,
preferably, external microphones for better recording quality. These
microphones are good at recording even very small sounds so keep away from
external noise and chatter.
4. Pace
of speech
Ensure that you speak steadily and
comfortably and in a consistent tone. So, if you have a habit of speaking quickly,
please speak slowly.
5. Trial
Recordings
It’s a great idea to do a trial run
before the actual interview. Go to the place where you’re going to record and
make a recording of about five minutes. Have a listen to it and if there is any
major noise or interference you can make plans to correct this. You can also
send it to your transcriptionist for comment.
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