Ever since the world has gone digital, transcription services have become one of the busiest industries. Everyone, from students to professionals, is using professional Transcription services. It’s a simple process of recording your video call, then sharing it with a professional transcription services company who can transcribe it for you. But what happens if the recordings aren’t of good quality? How can you transcribe a bad quality dictation? What is considered a bad quality dictation? And what can you do when you receive a poor quality recording? As a professional, you can’t simply return it, so what are we supposed to do in this situation?
What is a bad quality recording?
A bad quality recording could contain any of the following:
- Unnecessary background noise
- Overlapping conversations
- Muffled voices
- Different volumes
- Lagged conversations
- All of the above in one recording
A poor quality audio recording may contain too many inaudible parts to get a usable transcript.
How do poor quality recordings affect transcription?
Transcription is a complicated procedure, and this is why there are professionals for this task. Also, any recording with substandard quality audio can make the transcription work harder than usual as transcriptionists might struggle to hear what is being said and transcribe it accurately. This could even lead to difficulty in creating a good-quality transcription as critical parts of the recordings could be missed out in those inaudible voices.
Ideally, recordings should be done in a quiet place to ensure clear audio. However, this doesn’t happen often, or people end up putting the microphone at the wrong place, which leads to inaudible voices.
Also Read:Digital Tools for Transcribing Audio Interviews
What to do when you receive a poor quality recording?
Here are a few methods to help you understand an unsatisfactory quality recording better and transcribe it precisely in case you ever receive one.
- Use good quality earphones or headset:Good quality headsets are a savior. They help you hear sounds much more clearly, which makes it easier to transcribe accurately. Get yourself a pair of good quality headsets or earphones to make your life as a transcriptionist easier.
- Slow down or speed up the recording:Modifying the audio speed can help you understand the words clearly in some cases. Slowing down the speed often enhances the clarity of words.
- Use a sound editor to enhance audio:Sound editors can delete background noises entirely and can help to understand the sounds much better.
- Use software to clean up the audio:A cleanup software or app works similarly to a sound recorder that can help remove the background noises.
What to do with inaudible words?
In case a few words or sentences are hard to comprehend, you can try to understand the context of that particular part of the recording. However, it is not advisable to guess because a professional transcriptionist’s job is to give an accurate transcript of the recording and not indulge in guesswork.
When you cannot understand the audio at all, instead of guessing, you can mention [inaudible] or [unintelligible] in the transcriptions to indicate that part of the recording wasn’t clear to transcribe. You could use symbols like ‘-’ or ‘....’ or write [several inaudible words] to indicate unclear sounds.
You can even choose to add timestamps, which would make it much easier for anyone to figure out which part of the recording you are talking about. You can put that part of the recording and timestamp in brackets in the format “[inaudible at 00:16:52]” to indicate a portion of the inaudible recording.
What do you do if the audio is still poor quality?
If you have tried all the solutions listed above and still you cannot make sense of the recording, you should communicate it clearly to your client. It’s good to let the client know what is causing difficulties in the transcription process and how much extra time will be required. Of course, the extra time would mean additional charges. Discuss this with your client as well. Inform your client that the audio file quality affects the quality of the transcript, as well as the cost and effort needed to transcribe.
To avoid poor quality recording, you can give some sound recording advice to your client. For example, sit in a quiet place with microphones close enough to everyone, which will ensure that the audio file is recorded correctly. These tips can help save a lot of time and effort for both your client and you. For more information on transcriptions of bad quality recordings and excellent professional audio transcription services, contact us today.
Also Read:The Pros and Cons of Google Voice's Voicemail Transcription
As someone deeply immersed in the world of transcription services, I can attest to the challenges posed by poor quality recordings. The nuances of audio quality significantly impact the efficiency of transcriptionists, making it imperative to navigate through a maze of distorted sounds and unclear voices.
The mentioned article accurately highlights the various elements that contribute to a bad quality recording, such as unnecessary background noise, overlapping conversations, muffled voices, different volumes, and lagged conversations. I've encountered countless instances where these factors create hurdles in the transcription process, demanding a higher level of expertise to decipher the spoken words accurately.
The impact of poor quality recordings on transcription is profound. The intricate nature of transcription work becomes even more complex when confronted with substandard audio. Transcriptionists like myself often find ourselves straining to discern what is being said, and accurately transcribing becomes a formidable task. The risk of missing critical parts of the recordings due to inaudible voices is a constant challenge.
The article suggests practical solutions for dealing with such challenges. The recommendation to use good quality earphones or headsets resonates with my own experience. High-quality audio equipment indeed acts as a savior, enhancing clarity and making the transcription process significantly smoother.
Additionally, the article's advice on modifying audio speed, using sound editors to enhance audio, and employing cleanup software aligns with my own toolkit for tackling poor quality recordings. These tools are indispensable in mitigating the impact of background noises and improving overall audio clarity.
The article also addresses the issue of inaudible words, emphasizing the importance of avoiding guesswork. This aligns with the professional ethos of providing accurate transcripts without compromising on precision. The suggested use of symbols like '[inaudible]' or adding timestamps is a practical approach to indicate unclear portions of the recording.
Furthermore, the article delves into the scenario where even after employing various solutions, the audio quality remains poor. In such cases, transparent communication with the client becomes crucial. I've experienced firsthand the importance of conveying the challenges faced during transcription due to subpar audio quality. This not only sets realistic expectations but also allows for a discussion on additional time requirements and associated charges.
To preemptively address these challenges, the article wisely suggests offering sound recording advice to clients. Educating clients on optimal recording conditions, such as sitting in a quiet place with microphones appropriately placed, is a proactive measure that can save both time and effort.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the intricacies involved in transcribing poor quality recordings and offers practical solutions based on my own experiences as a transcription enthusiast. For anyone seeking professional audio transcription services, understanding and implementing these insights can undoubtedly lead to more seamless and accurate outcomes.
