Quite as is kept, if you go on any of the online video sharing sites, you'll notice that the quality of the video can vary wildly from one content provider to another. Some videos are being produced and displayed in 4K, while others may be produced and presented as low as 720, which is significantly lower quality than the 1080 standard for high definition. And yet, people will still suffer themselves to watch it; just as long as the audio is good.

And that, is the key; good quality audio means a whole lot.

So we're talking about good audio, but what exactly are we talking about? Well, good audio is where you are able to control the ambient environment, and by that I mean being able to control how much reverb is in the room, or how much wind noise is in the room, or just background noise in general.

Watch some of my videos, and  you probably notice that the noise floor is pretty low. And that's because I want people to hear what I have to say, plain and simple. And really, the only way to accomplish that, is by keeping the noise down as much as possible.

So how do we do that?

There are a variety of tools that you're going to want to have, but if were going to break it down into the two essential components:

1) a microphone,

2) a microphone preamp

You probably have a few other pieces of equipment that you're going to want to to use, but for right now we're going to operate based on the assumption that you're doing the recording from either the smart phone, or, DSLR camera that can support a microphone input.

When it comes to microphones, there are a variety to choose from. I'm not going to go into all the details as to what to go with, because quite simply, I don't know what you need is. What I will say is, that if you are like me, and you doing talking head videos where you're just basically filming yourself, then pretty much all you need is a microphone that can be aimed directly at you so that you can speak at it and then that signal goes into either your camera or your phone.

When it comes to microphone preamps, it actually turns out to be a lot simpler. For those that don't know, a microphone preamp essentially boosts the signal from the microphone as it goes into your phone or into your camera. Most microphones do not have the ability to give you a good loud clean signal on their own. And those that do have the ability to give you a good loud clean signal, can sometimes be a little bit on the noisy side themselves, or tend to be a more expensive because of the quality of their build, and overall performance.

Unlike microphones, there are a limited bunch of preamp options that I would recommend that you try out whether using a smart phone, or, digital camera. And like the mics, they can vary in cost depending on what you need. Ideally, I would recommend going with a preamp from companies such as Beachtek, IK Muutimedia, and Saramonic. Make sure what you get has mic mixing capability, so if you need to "mic" 2  people, then you can adjust the sound levels between the 2.

Why are we even talking about this? Well, because a few of you are doing the youtube videos, and are also dabbling in putting together your own audition reels. And trust me when I say, that if you are using the internal mics on your cameras, and some smart phones, you are asking for trouble because they sound like crap.

Don't be that person whose videos sound like crap.  Invest in good audio gear, and have your videos sound pro.