More and more people are jumping onto the bandwagon of live streaming as it penetrates all walks of life. You can broadcast live shows, share your gameplays, shop through shoppable live streams or simply video call your grandma – the content ideas are limitless. Whatever you do, you want the sound quality to be the best.
Here are some tips to improve that sound quality so that you can get the most out of your live streams:
In this Article:
🎙️ Don't Use the Internal Microphone
It’s tempting to simply use the internal microphone on your phone, tablet, or laptop. After all, it’s right there, convenient and readily available. This is true, but it’s just not going to cut it when it comes to live streaming. The audio is too muffled and basic to make a professional impact.
You’ll want to get a good-quality microphone to pick up all the nuances in the sound to get the best audio quality. You can get surprisingly good quality microphones for cheaper than you’d think, so make sure you’re shopping around to get something that works for you.
🎥 Get The Right Equipment for Your Needs
Your audio needs are going to be different, depending on what you’re live streaming. For example, a live concert will need a different setup than a solo gaming streamer. When you have the right equipment for the job at hand, you’ll get the best sound possible.
For example, suppose you’re mostly video conferencing. In that case, you’ll need a good quality microphone that plugs into your laptop or PC, along with an HD quality webcam and headphones. If you’re live streaming a podcast, you’ll need a mic for every person, as well as a mixing board. Lavalier mics are a good option for this, as they’re not as expensive as other options and give you good sound quality.
Read More: Checklist for Professional Live Streaming
🎧 Avoid Reverb
Have you ever watched a video or live stream where it sounded like it was echoing? That’s reverb, and usually, your brain would filter the sound out. However, when you’re watching a live stream, it sounds out of place and distracting. “This is because the stream is coming to a different space than the one you’re in,” says Justin Teller, a tech journalist at Essay Writing Services. “As such, you’ll find it off-putting when you’re trying to watch the stream.”
To avoid this, try moving the microphone closer to you or the sound source. Also, try using a smaller space if possible, and this will help reduce the number of surfaces that sound can bounce off. Finally, consider covering the walls in acoustic treatment, which dampens reverb and makes the sound much better overall.
🎛️ Use a Mixing Console
If you’re regularly live streaming, investing in a mixing console is a good idea. This will grab the audio directly from the source, getting you the best sound quality possible. This is especially true when using multiple sound sources, such as live music performances.
If you aren’t able to use a mixer, the second-best option is to use a stereo condenser microphone to get the quality of sound that you’re looking for.
🎚️ Always Check Audio Before Livestreaming
There’s nothing worse than having to check your audio live on stream when you’re meant to be presenting or performing. The best way to avoid this is to check that audio before going live. Check the sound settings, and do a soundcheck before going live. Also, test the sound on multiple devices. People will be tuning in on all kinds of devices, so you’ll want to use phones, computers, and tablets to see what your sound is like.
📡 Use Reliable WiFi
Finally, you won’t get the best possible sound if you’re not using a good, reliable WiFi network. If the network were to have poor reception, the audio quality could downgrade as you’re streaming, undoing all your hard work. It’s best to use a wired connection, so you’ll always have the best possible reception as you stream. If that’s not possible, ensure you’re using a reliable router to help, you get constant WiFi access.
With these tips, you’ll be able to get the very best audio quality from your live streams and ensure that your viewers have the best experience. Leverage OneStream Live to multicast instantly from your browser with OneStream Studio, broadcast your pre-recorded videos, and in real-time using any third-party tool simultaneously on more than 45+ social media and the web.
OneStream Studio gives you three audio settings to make the audio-streaming experience smooth:
👉 Noise Suppression
👉 Echo Cancellation
👉 Auto Gain Control
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