We were recently asked to help with a project by BOTTLE PR.

One of their clients were hosting an industry and media round-table.

The plan was to capture the discussion and 0transcribe it.

Our technical challenge was to ensure that the audio was of high enough quality to be able to create a podcast series that an audience would enjoy listening to despite being recorded in an office environment and not a sound proof studio.

Our audio engineer needed to rig the room with microphones and a multi-track recorder and yet ensure they were discreet enough to not distract the participants or make them become self-conscious or ‘tense’ during recording. As in any ’round-table’ format it is the flow of the discussion that is important. Whilst a chair can help moderate the proceedings without a clear audio feed from each speaker comments may not be recorded clearly enough to hear.

While setting up the equipment they checked for external noise sources such as air conditioning, nearby phones, electronic background hum from lights or equipment and mobile phones! Whilst an office or meeting room will always be a challenge in terms of noise ‘pollution’ the type of mics used, their stands, the general set up and use of mini-mixing desk can help compensate. We also had a laptop connected with special digital recording and editing software installed.

One of the biggest mistakes people make on this type of recording is that they try and use a single central mic or a few shared by multiple people and recording onto one single stereo audio file. Our set up was to have a separate mic for everyone present and to be recording onto individual audio tracks. For this we used a Sound Devices 788t Multi-Track Digital Audio Recorder (see picture below) which not only produces an audio file for each microphone but allows us to give the client an initial stereo mix straight away to help the review and editing process if required.

Whilst a multi-track recording makes it a bit more complex than a single file it gives us ultimate flexibility for cleaning and editing the recording. After each file has been ‘cleaned up’ we can combine it into a master for transcription to a text based record of the meeting and use in the podcasts as required.

The client was really satisfied with the end recording, but don’t just take our word for it:

Just a quick note of thanks for your support at our recent round table. With our increased attendees and changes on the day you professionally dealt with our changes and provided a perfect recording of the discussion as normal! Thank you very much once again.

Patrick Ryan
AXA