How do I record high quality audio on Android?

Recording high quality audio on an Android phone has many benefits. With smartphone technology improving every year, Android phones are now capable of capturing professional-grade audio if used correctly. Having the ability to record crisp, clean audio directly on your phone allows you to capture audio anywhere without lugging extra equipment. This makes phones ideal for recording interviews, music, podcasts, videos and more. But in order to take full advantage of your phone’s audio recording potential, you need to follow some best practices.

This guide will provide an overview of techniques and tips to optimize your Android phone for recording high-fidelity audio. Following proper microphone selection, environment setup, app settings, and editing techniques will allow you to produce rich, broadcast-quality recordings right on your mobile device. With some knowledge and preparation, your Android phone can become an invaluable audio recording tool for all sorts of projects and creative endeavors.

Use a Good Microphone

The built-in microphone on most Android phones has limitations that can negatively impact audio quality. The small microphone is prone to picking up handling noise, ambient sounds, and lacks directionality. To record higher quality audio, it’s recommended to use an external USB or 3.5mm microphone.

External microphones like the Rode VideoMic Me-L (https://www.engadget.com/best-mobile-microphones-for-recording-with-a-phone-154536629.html) are designed specifically for phones and will provide much better sound isolation, directionality, and overall audio quality. Other options like the Shure MV88+ (https://www.movophoto.com/collections/microphones-for-android) offer both USB and 3.5mm connectivity for flexibility across Android devices.

The key is to use a dedicated external microphone rather than relying on the built-in mic. This allows for proper mic technique, noise isolation, and access to pro-quality audio when recording on Android.

Record in a Quiet Environment

Minimizing background noise is crucial for achieving a high-quality audio recording on Android phones. It allows your voice or the sound source to come through clearly without distracting ambient noises. Recording in a quiet space can dramatically reduce unwanted sounds like air conditioning units, traffic, barking dogs, and people talking.

Here are some tips for soundproofing a room or finding a quiet spot:

Choose a room with carpeting, curtains, and soft furniture that can absorb sound. Hard surfaces like tile or wood can cause echoes.
Turn off any fans, appliances, TVs, radios, or other sources of noise.

Close windows and doors to prevent outside noises from bleeding in.
Set up acoustic panels or sound dampening foam on walls to reduce reverb and echo.
Record in a closet lined with clothes or a fort made with blankets to create a DIY soundbooth.

Face away from windows, doors, or vents where unwanted noises may enter.
Record late at night or early in the morning when there is less activity.
Drive to a remote location away from busy roads, construction, or other ambient sounds.

Finding a quiet space is crucial for the best possible vocal, music, or speech recording quality. Just a small amount of ambient noise can be surprisingly distracting. Prioritize a silent environment over microphone quality when recording on your Android device.

Use a Recording App

While Android devices come with a built-in voice recorder app, third-party recording apps often offer advanced settings and features that allow you to capture higher quality audio recordings. Some top recommendations include:

Hi-Q MP3 Voice Recorder – Records in multiple formats up to 48kHz sample rate. Provides options to adjust bit rate, channels, sample rate.

Smart Voice Recorder – Offers setting presets optimized for music, voice memos, interviews. Includes noise reduction.
RecForge II – Features advanced audio editing tools and the ability to share recordings to cloud storage.

The key advantages of third-party recording apps are the ability to customize audio quality settings like bit rate, sample rate, and channels. They also provide useful tools like editing features, cloud storage integration, transcription, and noise reduction to help you capture and manage high quality recordings.

Adjust Recording Settings

Most recording apps on Android allow you to customize the audio quality settings before starting your recording session. The two key settings to pay attention to are bit rate and sample rate, which determine the overall quality and file size of your recordings.

Bit rate controls how much data is stored per second of audio. For high quality voice recordings, aim for a bit rate of at least 128kbps. Many apps let you choose from presets like Low, Medium, and High – select the highest available setting.

Sample rate refers to the number of times per second your microphone captures audio data. For most recordings, a sample rate of 44.1kHz is sufficient. But for the highest fidelity, use a sample rate of 48kHz or 96kHz if the app supports it.

Just keep in mind that higher bit rates and sample rates will produce larger file sizes. You’ll want to find the optimal balance between audio quality and file size for your needs.

According to Mixcord, the recommended settings for high quality voice recordings on Android are a 256kbps bit rate and a 48kHz sample rate. But even 128kbps at 44.1kHz will provide excellent results for most situations (Source).

Use a Tripod or Stand

Using a tripod or stand to keep your Android device stable is one of the most important things you can do to record high quality audio. Any small movements or vibrations in your device while recording can lead to unwanted sounds and ruin your audio. A stable, fixed position will prevent this.

There are many affordable phone tripods and stands designed specifically for smartphones and mobile devices. Look for one that securely grips your phone and allows you to adjust the angle and height as needed. Mini tripods that can sit on a tabletop are a good option. You can also find small stands with flexible legs that can wrap around objects to grip your phone.

Avoid anything flimsy that could shake from the slightest breeze or movement. Stability is key for the best audio recordings. Investing in a solid, sturdy tripod or stand is worth it for consistent high quality results.

Monitor Levels

Monitoring your audio levels as you record is crucial for getting a high-quality recording. You want to aim for levels that maximize the signal without clipping or distorting. There are a few ways to monitor levels on an Android device:

Use headphones plugged into your phone’s headphone jack to listen as you record. Adjust your distance from the microphone and volume levels to achieve a strong signal without peaking. As a rule of thumb, your levels should peak around -12 dB to -6 dB on the recording app’s levels meter. Keep an eye on the meter and adjust if the levels start clipping into the red. Additionally, listen closely with headphones to ensure the audio sounds clean.

Enable monitoring options in your recording app’s settings. Some apps like Hi-Q MP3 Voice Recorder allow you to monitor audio input levels in real-time, with visual indicators when levels peak. Use these indicators to adjust your distance from the mic and volume.

Try using a lavalier mic or external preamp with headphone monitoring capabilities. Rather than monitoring through your phone’s headphone jack, you can monitor directly through professional external gear for more accurate level measurements and reduced latency.

In general, start further back from the mic and move closer as needed to increase levels. But avoid getting so close that plosives and breathing become audible. Finding the optimal distance for your voice, environment and gear takes some trial and error.

Consider Compression

Audio compression reduces the size of audio files by removing unnecessary data while maintaining sound quality. Compression works by identifying quieter sounds that will be less noticeable if they are removed or quieted. The process reduces the dynamic range of the recording so that louder and quieter sounds are closer in volume. According to the Audio Compression Basics article on the Universal Audio website, “When used properly, [compressors] can add punch, gluing, and overall loudness to recordings without introducing unwanted artifacts.”¹

Compression can optimize audio recordings by:

Making quiet sounds more audible
Preventing loud sounds from clipping or distorting
Creating a more consistent volume across the recording

Adding clarity and punchiness

You may want to use compression when recording voices or acoustic instruments to make the sound fuller and more even. Compression is also commonly used when mastering recordings to create a polished, professional sound. However, too much compression can make the audio unnatural or flat sounding. Use compression judiciously to highlight the important details in the recording.

Edit the Recording

Once you’ve recorded your audio, the next step is to edit it in post-production to polish the final result. Consider using advanced audio editing apps like Adobe Audition or Wondershare Filmora that give you tools to clean up the audio.

Look for options to reduce background noise, fix clipping or distortions, adjust levels, and polish the overall sound with compression and EQ. Many apps provide noise reduction that can help minimize hiss or hum. Use the normalize function to even out the volume if needed. Consider adding subtle compression to make the audio more uniform. Equalization lets you boost or attenuate frequencies as desired.

You may also want to trim the start and end to get rid of any unnecessary dead space. Fade in and out gently to avoid pops or clicks. Listen closely and ensure any edits sound natural and seamless. With a quality editing app and proper technique, you can take your Android audio recording to the next level.

Conclusion

The key steps to record high-quality audio on Android phones include using an external microphone, finding a quiet recording environment, installing a high-quality recording app, customizing the audio settings, stabilizing your phone, monitoring sound levels, applying compression, and editing the final recording. Additional tips include getting close to the sound source, minimizing background noise, equalizing the audio, normalizing levels, trimming unwanted portions, and exporting at an appropriate bitrate. By following these best practices, you can create professional-sounding recordings with any Android device.