Audio Recording and Editing

Thanks to the University of Pennsylvania Libraries for much of the content on this guide. View the original guide. 

The best way to reduce noise in your recordings is to prevent it entering your sound material at all. Here are some simple tips:

• Turn off your refrigerator, furnace, or air conditioner during the recording session.
• Be mindful of telephones, cell phones, pagers, ticking clocks, lawnmowers, etc.
• Avoid locating the recording session near airports, trains, fire stations, noisy dorm halls etc.
• If at all possible, avoid recording outdoors where noise is difficult to control.
• Hang blankets on the walls to dampen a live room, or record in a room with carpeting.
• If possible, record in a basement to help isolate your session from outside noise.
• Record late at night to reduce traffic noise leaking in from outside.
• Avoid fluorescent lighting and keep cell phones a good distance away from any equipment.