How do I record audio for live streaming?

Live streaming has exploded in popularity over the last few years. According to research, the global live streaming market grew to $1.49 billion in 2023 from $1.24 billion in 2022, and is estimated to reach over $247 billion by 2027 (Source). With platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Live, and more, millions of people are streaming and watching live content every day.

When live streaming, high-quality audio is essential for an engaging viewer experience. Poor audio with background noise, echo, clipping, or voice distortion can frustrate viewers and cause them to click away. Setting up your equipment properly and optimizing your audio settings will ensure your audience can clearly hear your voice, the game sounds, or any other audio sources without disruptions.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about recording professional audio for live streaming, from choosing the right microphone to configuring your audio software settings.

Choose Your Microphone

There are several types of microphones commonly used for live streaming, including USB, XLR, and lavalier microphones. Choosing the right microphone for your setup is important for getting the best possible audio quality.

USB microphones like the Blue Yeti and Blue Yeti X https://restream.io/blog/best-microphones-for-streaming/ plug directly into your computer via USB and are easy to set up. They provide great quality for the price but have more limited controls compared to XLR options.

XLR microphones like the Shure SM7B or Electro Voice RE20 https://www.reddit.com/r/Twitch/comments/yaztat/best_streaming_microphone/ require an external audio interface but offer higher quality sound and more customization. You’ll need to invest in additional equipment but they’re preferred by professionals.

Lavalier or lapel microphones clip onto your clothing for hands-free use. They provide flexibility for moving around but can pick up rustling noises.

Two other key factors are condenser vs. dynamic microphones. Condenser mics like the Blue Yeti tend to be more sensitive and capture finer details. Dynamic mics like the Shure SM7B are better at rejecting background noise but have lower output.

Microphone Techniques

Proper microphone positioning and speaking distance are crucial for getting good audio quality when live streaming. According to DPA Microphones (https://www.dpamicrophones.com/mic-university/live-streaming-and-microphone-techniques), you should position the microphone close to your mouth, around 4-6 inches away, to maximize voice clarity and minimize background noise pickup. Make sure the microphone is pointed directly at your mouth and not angled off to the side.

Using a pop filter in front of the microphone can help reduce distracting plosives and sibilance. The pop filter creates a physical barrier that softens fast moving air from plosives like “p” and “b” sounds. This allows your overall audio to sound more smooth and professional.

To manage ambient noise, turn off any electronics and noises that may bleed into the background. Also use noise isolation shields or acoustic foam panels around your recording space if needed. You can use noise suppression filters in your software, but reducing noise at the source will deliver the cleanest audio quality.

Audio Interfaces

An audio interface is an external sound card that connects to your computer via USB, Thunderbolt, or other connectivity options. Audio interfaces are essential pieces of gear for live streaming, as they provide higher quality audio inputs and outputs compared to your computer’s built-in sound card.

Using an audio interface allows you to connect professional microphones, instruments, and other audio gear to enhance the quality of your live stream audio. The audio inputs on interfaces typically provide +48V phantom power required for condenser microphones. Interfaces also offer balanced outputs to connect monitors or external mixing consoles.

Some key features to look for in an audio interface for streaming include:

• XLR, 1/4″ inputs for microphones and instruments
• Low latency monitoring to hear your mix in real time
• Multiple inputs to connect multiple mics or instruments
• Phantom power for condenser mics
• Direct monitoring to hear your raw audio input

Popular audio interface options for live streaming include the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, Behringer U-Phoria UM2, and Apogee Duet. These provide solid quality, low latency, and inputs for XLR mics at an affordable price point.

Higher-end interfaces like the Universal Audio Apollo x8 offer increased I/O options, top-tier audio conversion, and onboard DSP like reverb and compression to enhance your streaming audio.

Mixing Board/Preamp

Using a dedicated mixing board or preamp can greatly improve the quality and control of your live audio mix. Preamps boost the microphone signal before it reaches your computer, resulting in a stronger, cleaner audio feed. Mixing boards give you independent volume, EQ, and effects control over each input channel.

A hardware mixer adds versatility for managing multiple microphones and other audio sources. With a mixer, you can adjust each channel’s gain, add compression and EQ, route audio between channels, and blend multiple inputs. Many boards offer onboard effects like reverb for professional sound. For example, the Behringer Xenyx mixer combines a USB interface with 6 channels of EQ and customizable FX.

Using multiple sound sources? A mixing board lets you fine-tune the audio blend to achieve the right balance between mics, instruments, pre-recorded music, and other inputs. You’ll have greater control over each sound in your live mix while keeping everything synchronized.

Acoustic Treatment

Properly treating the acoustics of your streaming room is crucial for achieving quality audio. Hard, reflective surfaces like walls and ceilings can cause echo and reverberation that muddies up your audio. Here are some tips for improving your room’s acoustics:

Use sound dampening materials like acoustic panels on the walls around your setup. Products like the Elgato Wave Panels are specially designed to absorb sound reflections. Foam acoustic tiles or DIY panels made from insulation also work well. Place panels at reflection points and on the wall behind your mic.

Portable vocal isolation shields like the GIK Acoustics VISO Booth can surround your mic to dampen ambient noise and prevent reflections. These mini sound booths create a dry, focused recording environment.

Use rugs on hard floor surfaces and add soft furnishings like curtains to absorb sound. Minimize hard surfaces surrounding your streaming setup.

Positioning your mic properly can also help isolate it from room noise. Angle the mic towards your mouth and place a pop filter in between. Keep the rear of the mic pointed away from hard reflective surfaces.

With proper acoustic treatment, you can achieve professional quality audio for your live streams and recordings.

Choose Your Software

When it comes to software for live streaming, two of the most popular options are OBS Studio and XSplit. OBS Studio is an open source, free software that is feature-rich and suitable for most streamers. XSplit offers both free and paid versions, with the paid version including additional capabilities for more advanced users. Some key features to look for in your live streaming software include:

• Ability to capture audio and video sources like microphones, webcams, and games/applications on your computer
• Options for adding overlays, transitions, and visual effects to your video feed
• Integration with major streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Live
• Controls for adjusting audio and video settings on the fly
• Scene switching to toggle between different layouts and content
• Streamlined workflow for starting, customizing, and managing your broadcast

Both OBS and XSplit provide these core features for producing a high quality live stream. OBS Studio may be preferable for new streamers due to its free, open source nature, while XSplit offers more robust options like multistreaming support, chroma keying and virtual sets, and remote access capabilities.

Audio Settings

The audio settings you choose in your software can have a big impact on your live stream audio quality. Here are some key settings to pay attention to:

Bitrate – This determines the amount of data used to represent the audio. A higher bitrate translates to better quality audio, but requires more bandwidth. For live streaming, a bitrate of 128-320 kbps is recommended. https://streamyard.com/blog/live-streaming-audio/7-ways-to-improve-live-stream-audio

Sample rate – The number of samples of audio carried per second, measured in Hz. For most live streaming, a sample rate of 44.1kHz (CD quality) is sufficient. Higher sample rates like 48kHz can be used if you have the bandwidth. https://contentflow.net/how-to-optimize-your-audio-streaming/

Channels – Mono uses one audio channel, while stereo uses two. Stereo audio gives a more immersive listening experience and captures the directionality of sound. For live streaming, stereo is recommended if you have the bandwidth to support it.

Noise suppression – Built-in noise suppression in your software can help remove ambient background noise from your audio feed. This ensures your voice remains clear and audible. Just be careful not to overdo it, as too much suppression can make your audio sound unnatural.

Compression – Light compression helps even out variations in loudness, allowing quiet sounds to be heard while preventing loud sounds from clipping. But too much compression can make your audio sound flat and lifeless.

Monitoring Your Audio

Monitoring your audio is a critical part of live streaming to ensure the audience is hearing the audio clearly. Using headphones to listen to the audio as you are streaming allows you to hear exactly what the audience hears. This is known as “direct monitoring” and helps you identify any issues like mic levels being too low or high, noise, static or distortion. Good monitoring headphones like the Sony MDR-7506 provide accurate sound reproduction so you hear the audio as it truly is.

Most live streaming software like OBS Studio have audio meters you can enable to visually monitor the audio levels as well. The meters show you the decibel levels and whether you are hitting the optimal range or if levels are too high and peaking/clipping. Some software allows monitoring multiple audio sources like desktop audio and mic audio separately. This allows you to adjust relative levels (Livestream Studio). If using an external audio interface, monitoring can also be controlled there.

Monitoring everything the audience hears in real time is crucial to provide the best audio quality in your streams. Watching the meters, listening on headphones, and making quick adjustments will keep levels optimized. This results in clear and professional sounding audio for your viewers.

Conclusion

When recording audio for live streaming, having high quality sound is essential for an engaging viewer experience. This guide walked through the key steps and techniques for setting up your live streaming audio setup.

First, choose a suitable microphone for your needs like a dynamic or condenser mic, and use proper mic technique by positioning it correctly. Investing in an audio interface and acoustic treatment can further enhance your audio quality. Select streaming software with extensive audio controls and take time to optimize your audio settings like bitrate and buffer size. Monitor your levels with headphones to ensure a balanced, distortion-free sound.

The most important thing is continually testing and refining your setup. Do audio checks before going live and ask for viewer feedback on stream quality. Making incremental upgrades and adjustments to your audio over time will lead to the best results. With quality audio, your words and personality will truly come through for your audience.