Since coronavirus has hit us, video conferencing has become omnipresent. It has compelled many of us to work from home. To continue to uphold close collaboration and communication during work-from-home, video conferencing has taken a key role. For instance, software teams are running their daily stand-ups online instead of in person. Or, annual planning meetings for 2021 are held via video conferencing instead of a meeting room.
Appearing professional in a video conference requires a careful setup of your environment: A poorly set up microphone or possible audio distractions will make it harder for others on your video call to follow what you are saying. Worst case, they might give up and stop listening to what you are proposing all-together. This post will explore a few key tips to avoid such mistakes.
Use an External Microphone
To ensure the best sound quality this is the part where you should spend some money. You can use a desktop USB mic, a USB/AUX mic headset, or a wireless headset. Some USB webcams also come with improved built-in mics providing improved sound quality. All of these options are better than the built-in microphone on your laptop.
Another nice feature of many external microphones is that they come with a hardware mute button. Instead of brining your video conferencing software to the front, you can easily mute and un-mute yourself with a simple, easily accessible button. Mute yourself unless speaking to avoid sharing unwanted sounds with others on your video conference.
Before joining the video conference, make sure that your external microphone is selected as the primary source of audio in that software’s audio settings.
Mic Placement (5 to 6 inches away from the mouth)
Place your external microphone 5 to 6 inches away from your mouth, speaking directly into the microphone — this is an ideal position to get the best sound quality. If you can’t place your microphone centered in front of you, you should place it 2 inches further away from your face for each inch the mic is off center. Depending on the microphone, you may also want to angle it at a 45-degree angle towards your mouth.
Use Headphones
If you are comfortable using headphones, do use them. They they prevent a common issue known as feedback loops. In feedback loops, your microphone picks up other people’s sounds when they are speaking. So they might hear themselves back. Headphones avoid this.
Although modern video conferencing software mute your mic when others are speaking, a slight delay in their processing can trigger an annoying feedback loop.
Another benefit of using headphones in a video conference is that you’ll be able to hear other’s sounds more clearly.
Avoid Echos
Many small office rooms produce an unwanted echo. Ask other participants about hearing an echo from your side. You can avoid echos by adding rugs, carpets, or blinds.
If the echo persists, you can also look into a more expensive solution like foam soundproofing. However, for most case, rugs and carpets will be enough to control the echo.
