The biggest misconception about mobile broadcasting is that it has to sound like a phone call. With the right configuration, your Android device can produce audio that rivals semi-professional studio setups. Here are 5 tips to help you master the audio engine in BroadcastMySelf.
Calibrate Your Gain Staging
Professional audio starts with clean levels. In BroadcastMySelf, look at your VU meters. Your music should sit around the -6dB to -10dB range, while your voice should peak at -3dB. Never let the meters stay in the "red" for more than a fraction of a second, as this causes digital clipping which sounds harsh to listeners.
Master the Noise Gate
The "secret sauce" of professional radio is silence. By setting a noise gate, the application will automatically "mute" your microphone when you aren't speaking. This removes the hum of air conditioning, distant traffic, or laptop fans. Set the threshold just high enough to ignore your background noise but low enough to trigger instantly when you start talking.
Use Auto-Ducking
Manually sliding a volume fader every time you talk is difficult on a touchscreen. Enable the Auto-Ducking feature. It automatically lowers the music volume by a set percentage the moment it detects your voice. This ensures you're always heard clearly over the background tracks without "drowning" in the mix.
Equalize for Clarity, Not Bass
It's tempting to "bass boost" everything, but this often leads to muddy audio on mobile devices. Instead, use the 10-band EQ to cut frequencies below 80Hz (which are usually just rumble) and add a gentle 2dB boost at 3kHz to enhance the "presence" and intelligibility of your voice.
Invest in a USB Interface
While modern Android internal mics are impressive, they are omnidirectional and pick up everything. Most modern Android devices support Class-Compliant USB Audio Interfaces. Connecting a basic dynamic microphone via an OTG adapter will instantly transform your station from "good" to "unbeatable."
Final Thought
Audio engineering is an art of subtleties. Take 5 minutes before every broadcast to monitor your own stream through headphones. If it sounds good to you, it will sound great to your audience.