This little Quick Tip has a lot to do with something I tend to nit-pick myself about regularly and it has to do with paying attention to small details. Sometimes, the smallest little thing catches my attention and drives me crazy.
Admittedly, this probably catches my attention (and bothers me) more than it does others. Still yet, I think it can make a difference in the recording, editing and production of your podcast, (or any other recording for that matter), if you pay attention to this small detail. (Now, I never said what I turn out is perfect, but, no one can say I don’t pay attention to details when it comes to podcasts and broadcasts.)
Have you ever been listening to someone’s production and you could tell where many of their edits were because of the difference in background noise or a bit of silence between one statement and another? You see, (as I said back in “Podcasters Should Pay Attention to the Details”), constant attention to small details can make a very big difference when it comes to the final result. This is one detail that many don’t think about. They just pass over it as though no one will notice. (But rest assured, someone will notice. When you notice it, and take care of it before the others have a chance to hear it, your production will be that much better.)
So . . . what is this little thing that bugs the heck out of me? It is those noticeable edits.
Since I have been experimenting so much with my little digital voice recorder and telling how well it works, I will use it as an example. One little drawback it has is the fact it has a little hiss in the background, kind of like the old tape hiss of the old cassette tapes. Sometimes, when I want to cover a mistake or add a bit of spacing to something I have said, the easiest thing to do is insert a bit of silence. Unfortunately, when I do that, it is noticed as being different than what comes before and after it.
So what do I do to cover it? Some of you have already guessed I suppose, but for the novice out there I offer this little bitty detail that can cover that noticeable edit. (The nice thing is it doesn’t take much time either.)
I go find a place either somewhere in the recording before or after that section and look for a break in the words that are spoken. That’s right, I am looking for some hiss to copy. After I copy it, I insert it at the point of the noticeable edit and then I trim out the stuff that drew my attention to it in the first place. I then listen to it and make it sound as normal as possible, hopefully unnoticeable to those listening to it. Sometimes I have to do nothing more than insert it and trim out the differing background or silence. At other times it takes a little more work to make it fit. I may have to play with the level of the insertion to make it match or I may have to shorten or lengthen it to get the right feel. In the end, the idea is to make it sound as though there never was an edit and if I pay enough attention to the details the only one that will know is me.
Don’t get discouraged if your first attempts don’t turn out right. This will take some practice to master, but as you do, the end result will very pleasing to you and to others.
I know it works, too. I use it all the time. (Click here to listen to the podcast of this article).
See ya next time . . .
