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Audio Tips

Bad audio ruins a good video. Good audio saves an average one.

Golden Rules

  • Voice must be clear. If the audience can't hear you, nothing else matters.
  • Record audio separately if possible. Not just from the camera mic.
  • Wind is enemy #1. Better to record in shade than get a great shot with destroyed audio.
  • Test before recording long takes. Record 10 seconds, play it back, listen. If there's a problem, fix it now.

Mic Positioning

Phone Only (Most Common)
  • Record at 30-50 cm distance from your mouth
  • Point the bottom of the phone toward your mouth (mic is at the bottom)
  • Avoid speaking directly at the screen — that's far from the mic
  • Inside the cabin: close windows, record with AC off or on lowest setting
Phone + Earphones (Best Setup Without Gear)
  • Use earphones with a mic (wired or bluetooth earbuds)
  • Record video on phone, audio comes through the earphone mic
  • Place earphones on your neck or hide under shirt collar
  • Result: more focused audio, less wind

This setup can upgrade your audio quality from 3/10 to 7/10. A Rp 50,000 earphone can outperform a phone's built-in mic.

Inside the Car Cabin
  • Close all windows
  • Turn off AC or set to lowest speed
  • Turn off music
  • Record a few seconds before you start speaking — capture "room tone" for noise reduction in editing
  • If there's a sunroof, close it too — wind enters from above

Record Sounds Separately

Sounds You Should Record Independently
  • Engine startup sound — record from outside, near the hood. 5-10 seconds of silence before and after.
  • Exhaust sound — from behind, 2 meters. Idle and light revs.
  • Door close sound — for luxury, this is content. A heavy "thunk" = quality.
  • Ambient sound — 10 seconds of silence at the location. Useful for filling gaps in editing.
  • AC/feature sounds — if reviewing a quiet cabin, record 5 seconds of cabin silence.

Save all these sounds in a separate folder. In editing, layer them over footage. This is what separates an amateur review from one that feels "produced."

Avoid This

  • Recording in strong wind without protection
  • Speaking while walking away from the camera
  • Recording with loud people in the background
  • Forgetting to test audio before a long take
  • Not turning off all phone notifications before recording