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Audio Tips

Use the following tips to help you get the best audio in your presentation.

Audio Tips

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Verify you are recording the correct audio input.

  • Make sure you click the Audio Device button, view all available devices while speaking into your microphone, and click the device based on the input levels. The names of devices can be deceiving and viewing the levels of all the connected devices helps you choose the correct device.
  • Make a test recording. Speak in your presentation voice and volume.
  • If you are using an external microphone, move away from the computer and speak to ensure you record the external microphone and not a possible built-in microphone on the computer. Verify desired audio input devices are enabled.
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Use auto adjust or manually adjust the input level.

If the audio levels are too high and "clip" when recording, the quality of your processed presentation is poor. Presentations recorded with poor audio also have a low level of accuracy in captions and full audio search (when transcription is provided by the profile.)

If you are not using the option to automatically adjust the audio input levels, make sure to adjust the audio level appropriately. Speak in your presentation voice and adjust the audio input slider so the indicator peaks near the end of the green bars and is not consistently showing red bars. You can adjust the audio input level before and after you start recording.

Adjust audio level

If you see the following message, enable the auto adjust option or move the audio slider to the left to decrease the input level.

Audio level too high warning message

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Obtain a good external microphone.

Some computers have decent built-in microphones. Some do not. It might be worth investing in a USB or line in microphone.

Macintosh laptop computers line in ports are not powered. This means you must rely on the internal microphone or purchase an external (powered) microphone.

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Make a test recording to check system audio levels.

If you plan on recording system audio with your presentation, check to make sure it is recording at an appropriate volume level.

For instance, if you plan on playing music during your presentation, play that music during your test recording. The volume level of the system audio is recorded before volume adjustments from your computer speakers or the presentation room's audio system affect the signal, so the volume heard from your speakers or the room's sound system may not match the volume of the system audio in the recording.

If you lose audio during a presentation, a notification appears on screen.

If the batteries in your microphone die, or the microphone becomes unplugged, a warning notification will appear to let you know that the Camtasia Relay recorder is no longer recording audio.

See also