Meetings are essential tools for collaboration in both personal and professional settings. Good records of meetings are necessary to keep momentum and ensure decisions and actions are not lost. Digitally recording a meeting can be beneficial when you need to refer to what was said or enable transcription or meeting minutes.
There are several practical tips for meeting organisers to consider when creating high-quality recordings. Let us explore some.
Use a high-quality recording device
A good microphone is paramount when it comes to recording meetings. The built-in microphone on your laptop or smartphone may not be sufficient to capture clear, high-quality audio. We recommend using an external microphone, preferably a directional one, which will focus on the speaker’s voice and reduce background noise.
At large meetings with multiple attendees a voice-recorder will deliver a better output. Other essential factors are battery life, storage, ease of use, and portability. Additionally, having a backup device can be helpful.
Angle the Mic
It is best to position the recording device centrally in the room to capture contributions from everyone present and ensure you can hear everyone equally. However, if part of your meeting includes someone presenting, consider angling the mic towards them for the duration of their input. Asking people to speak towards the mic, particularly in larger rooms, can also be helpful.
Consider the meeting environment
The meeting environment plays a significant role in the quality of your recording. Try to choose a quiet location free from any background noise or distractions. Avoid places with echo, such as empty rooms or spaces with hard surfaces that can reflect sound.
Meetings can generate a lot of noise outside of the key discussions, such as people grabbing refreshments, going in and out of the room, phones, shuffling papers, and scraping chairs. While it is not practical to stop all of these sounds, having regular breaks, reminding people to pause if there is a lot of noise, and reducing interruptions can help to minimise the impact on the recording.
Demonstrate good meeting behaviour
Remind attendees at the beginning of the meeting that it is recorded and that basic ‘rules’ can increase the quality of the recording. Get people to briefly introduce themselves at the beginning of the meeting as this can be beneficial for the transcriber to pick out individual contributors throughout the session.
Check your settings
Before starting the recording, ensure that you check your recording settings. Check that the recording device can pick up speech from around the room, determine the best place for the recording device, identify any spots that pose a challenge, and listen out for any unexpected background noise.
In conclusion, recording meetings can be an excellent alternative to taking notes. By following these practical tips, you can ensure a high-quality recording useful for creating meeting minutes or transcriptions. With a high-quality recording, professional transcribers and notetakers can accurately capture all the relevant information to provide an accurate reflection of your session, whether you opt for a full verbatim transcript or meeting minutes.
Storage and Sharing Considerations
Once you have a high-quality recording of the meeting, it’s important to have a plan for storing and sharing the recording with other attendees or stakeholders. Consider using a secure file-sharing service or cloud storage platform to make the recording easily accessible to those who need it.
Consider professional minute-taking or transcription service providers
While it’s great to have a high-quality recording of the meeting, transcribing the recording can be a time-consuming and tedious process. Consider using a professional transcription service to save time and ensure accurate transcriptions.
Contact us today and we can get you set up with one of our experienced and professional transcribers and minute-takers who will deliver a reliable summary of your important meetings or sessions.
