Sound, get it right: Youtube

So, you’ve managed your schedule great for your youtube channel so far, right?  Great.  What’s next to work on?  Obviously we can talk about editing and video quality, and we certainly will down the road, but one key factor to having a high quality channel is audio.

Good quality audio can help your videos just as much as recording in 1080p at 60 frames.  Nobody wants to hear your crackling voice, or random static cutting in and out.  The first place to start of course is your microphone.  There are a wide range of mics to choose from, in  a wide range of prices.  These components can be expensive, but well worth buying a good mic to record with.

Good to professional quality microphones will range in cost from around $70 up to $300 or more.  It’s advisable to research a mic heavily before purchasing, depending on the type of channel you are planning to put together.  Personally I, along with many others will recommend the Blue Snowball as a solid, easy to use plug and play microphone.  With a standard USB install, this mic doesn’t require any real heavy knowledge to get going well, and provides excellent voice capture.  You can also pick it up $60-70 which is pretty reasonable.  Doesn’t that sound good?  There is a great post here at www.ezvid.com highlighting some of the best mics available, and I highly recommend you check it out.

Love this mic, so easy to use.

Now the next thing to think about is sound mixing and background music.  As most of us here are recording gameplay, there is usually some background music playing with the game itself.  Often times though, especially in the Independent developer industry, or in some of the early release titles I look at, there’s not really much music apparent.  This is a great opportunity to mix your own music over your gameplay, or utilise music and sound effects for overall presentation.  Intros and outros also need great sound quality and design to be eye catching, fun, and of course unique.

Though most of the recording software packages available have some type of audio recording included, if you are doing heavily edited let’s plays, or walkthroughs, good sound recording software will work for you better.  With a range of packages available, from a free lite version to full professional suite you can buy, Pro Tools 12 is a solid package.  I would also recommend checking out Audacity as another option for free software with a good range of options for you to try out.

Audacity, a great tool and completely free!

Don’t forget, competition for views on Youtube is incredibly high.  If you want to compete and draw an audience you need to present a high quality product.  Though we often first worry about the visual, the sound we present is just as important in creating an engaging experience for your viewers.

Have some advice to share, or came across a Youtube channel with great audio?  Don’t forget to comment below.

For more tips and tricks, make sure to check out my thoughts on the importance of scheduling and regular content.

Welcome to Weird Wizard-topia!

As a new regular feature here at MicBeMacBlog, I will be highlighting great up and coming youtubers, and indie developers. This week I will be introducing you to one of my favourite ‘new’ youtubers in Weird Wizard Dave.

Weird Wizard Dave began his foray into Youtube less than a year ago. His channel and fans have grown exponentially ever since. Weird Wizard Dave’s videos feature tight editing, great humour, and a lot of storytelling. This last point of style is somewhat unique among Youtubers. With some of his most popular videos featuring a string of stories to hold them together, it’s fun to binge watch to see where the adventure will lead us all.

“When I originally conceived this channel it was not as a gaming channel, as it is today, but as a vehicle for uploading trailers for android games I was working on at the time…”

Weird Wizard Dave doesn’t use a face cam in his videos like many other popular youtubers. He instead is able to engage the audience with his wit, and humour, and genuine enjoyment of what he is doing. This is not somebody screaming into a mic or awaiting the next jump scare in Five Night’s at Freddy’s. Weird Wizard Dave’s wit and charm are what is on showcase here. This wry wit, and solid editing keeps viewers like myself engaged throughout his various videos.

“The next step came after visiting family after christmas and a chance discussion with my nephew about gaming youtubers, the seed received a good dose of water and the sun came out.”

This commitment to keeping his fans engaged, took fruition in weekly updates. These updates open a door to his viewers on the goals and successes of the channel. This regular connection to us, the viewer, is a necessity for any successful channel. The results are most clearly shown if you decide to watch a few these “Just Talk” episodes in a row and really get an idea of how quickly his channel has grown. It his words, it set him apart from many other channels out there. If you are planning to begin your own channel, these examples are prime to look at for your own success.

“…A few subscribers had started appearing, and because I found myself wanting to talk about the channel and what I was planning on doing with it, I created a show I called ‘Just Talk’, little did I know at the time that this show would become one of the mainstays of my channel…”

This channel has gone from a mere 15 subscribers back just a few weeks ago in February, to nearly a thousand today. The importance of the connection that Weird Wizard Dave has made with his viewers is unavoidable. In a day where youtube gaming channels are a dime a dozen, this unique channel is a gem. The obvious care and concern for the quality of the product, and the wit and charm of it’s producer is its mainstay.

For a great look into the creation of this channel, check out Weird Wizard Dave’s 100th episode.
Subscribe to him today
Or follow him on Twitter @WeirdWizardDave

Look for more feature videos from Weird Wizard Dave throughout the week

And while you are at it, check out my review for Stranded Deep