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Get Clear Audio

Set up your microphone and environment for clear audio in Mont

beginner ⏱ 10

Audio quality makes or breaks educational content. Viewers tolerate mediocre video, but poor audio causes them to click away. The good news: you don't need expensive equipment—just proper setup.

Select Your Microphone

Mont detects all microphones connected to your computer. To select one:

  1. Click the microphone settings icon in the recording controls
  2. Choose your microphone from the dropdown
  3. Speak to test—watch the level meter respond

Use what you have. Any microphone can sound decent with proper setup. The best microphone is the one that's positioned correctly and in a quiet room.

If you have multiple options:

  • Headset or earbuds often sound better than built-in laptop mics because they're closer to your mouth
  • USB microphones give more control but aren't required
  • Built-in laptop mics work fine if you reduce room echo

Find the Goldilocks Zone

The level meter shows your input in real-time:

Color Meaning Action
Green Good levels You're in the sweet spot
Yellow Getting loud Acceptable, but watch it
Red Too loud Move back or speak softer

Too quiet: Barely touches green. Listeners strain to hear.

Just right: Consistently in green, occasionally touching yellow when you emphasize.

Too loud: Frequently red. Audio clips and sounds harsh.

Find your position

  1. Select your microphone
  2. Speak at normal teaching volume
  3. Adjust your distance:
    • Too quiet? Move closer
    • Too loud? Move back
  4. Mark that position so you can return to it

Reduce Room Echo

Your room affects your audio more than your microphone does.

Quick fixes:

  • Record near a bookshelf (books absorb echo)
  • Face a curtain or blanket
  • Use a closet full of clothes as a vocal booth
  • Avoid bathrooms and empty rooms

Before recording:

  • Close windows and doors
  • Turn off fans if tolerable
  • Silence phone notifications
  • Wait for loud appliances to finish

Test Before You Record

Before every recording session:

  1. Select your microphone
  2. Speak and watch the level meter
  3. Record 10 seconds and play it back
  4. Listen for: clarity, room echo, background noise
  5. Fix any issues before your real recording

Checkpoint: If you can hear yourself clearly without straining, you're ready.

Voiceover Modes

Need to add narration to existing content?

Freeze-frame voiceover (F key): Pauses the video while you record audio. Use for explaining a specific moment in detail.

Overlay voiceover (V key): Records audio while video continues playing. Use for adding commentary or correcting mistakes.

Quick Reference

Shortcut Action
A Start/stop audio-only recording
F Start/stop freeze-frame voiceover
V Start/stop overlay voiceover
Shift+R Start/stop main recording

If Something Sounds Wrong

Too much echo? Move closer to soft surfaces (curtains, books) and away from hard walls.

Background noise? Identify and silence the source. Mont's noise suppression helps, but can't fix loud noises.

Audio clips/distorts? Move further from the microphone or speak softer.

Can't hear yourself? Move closer to the microphone or boost your system input volume.

What's Next