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Dealing with difficult audio recordings
As a transcriber, I understand how essential it is to capture and document important points in conversations, interviews, and meetings. However, recordings with difficult audio often pose significant challenges, which certainly impact transcription accuracy and efficiency. I have dealt with background noise, overlapping speech, poor recording quality, and some hair-pulling things that make transcribing a nightmare.
There were times when I had to tackle truly horrendous audio recordings. I admit, I initially underestimated the warnings about the audio horrors in this line of work. It took me a while to find my footing, but I eventually discovered effective workarounds. I won’t sugar-coat it, these strategies are heavily influenced by personal circumstances like mood, motivation, and energy. But they work, and that’s the important part.
Types of disturbances in an audio recording
Difficult transcription is inevitable and I learned along the way that I have no control over the audio quality I receive every day. For this, I rely greatly on my clients who make the recordings. In this day and age, I am hoping that everyone is familiar with how to record properly to maximise the extraction of information. But apparently, there are some who still record just for recording’s sake and disregard the guidelines on making a good recording. When that kind of audio arrived in my inbox, I immediately examine the file, trying to pinpoint where the disturbances occur.
When transcribing audio files, I often hope that crosstalk will be the only challenge I encounter, especially when working on focus group discussions. Crosstalk, while challenging, is a familiar hurdle that I’ve learned to navigate with relative ease. It involves deciphering overlapping voices and ensuring that each speaker’s contributions are accurately captured and attributed.
Sometimes, things don’t go as smoothly as I hope, and I end up facing several challenges all at once while working on an audio file. These instances test my patience, skills, and resourcefulness as a transcriptionist. Here are some common technical issues I encountered during my experience with transcribing.
One of the most common challenges associated with poor audio quality is background noise. The source can be anything from the hum of machinery, traffic outside a window, the chatter of a crowded room, or even farm animals noises. Yes, that happened to me once—there were chickens clucking loudly in the background. Extraneous noise can obscure speech and make it difficult to discern individual words and phrases.
This is the second bogeyman for me. For one, in real life, I dislike people who keep cutting other people’s sentences off. The first instances I encountered an audio file with plenty of crosstalking, I had to take a lot of deep breaths and open my mind, trying to focus on the task at hand. Often encountered in focus group discussion, when voices overlap it becomes extremely challenging to isolate and transcribe individual speakers’ sentences accurately.
Another obstacle encountered when transcribing difficult audio is muffled speech. This can result from various factors, including low-quality recording equipment, poor microphone placement, or poor phone/internet connection. Muffled speech results in lack of clarity and definition, making it challenging to distinguish between similar-sounding words and phrases.
Technical distortions may include clipping, distortion, or dropouts. These distortions can result from issues with recording equipment, signal interference, or transmission errors.
Despite the various challenges that may arise, I tend to approach each audio file with determination and resilience. I’m also armed with a toolkit of specialised techniques and strategies honed through years of experience. I’m not going to lie and tell you I’ve never felt frustrated with this type of recording. But with patience, perseverance, and a dash of luck, I managed to navigate the complexities of difficult audio quality so far.
I understand how important it is to produce transcripts with a high accuracy rate that capture all the critical information. That’s why I have come up with seven (7) tips and tricks that I use when transcribing challenging audio recordings, and I would be more than happy to share them with you. I hope that these pointers will prove useful to those who are considering entering the transcription field.
7 Useful Tips for Transcribing Difficult Audio
I didn’t understand it before, but as I learned I realised how important it is to have an optimal listening and working environment. Creating an optimal listening and working environment is paramount for ensuring the accuracy, efficiency, and quality of transcription work.
1. Work in a quiet space
Background noise, whether it’s the hum of machinery, the chatter of other people, or the sounds of traffic outside, can disrupt concentration and make it difficult to discern and transcribe spoken words accurately. By working in a quiet space free from distractions, I can focus my full attention on the audio content.
2. Invest in good audio-related gadgets
Technological aspects also play a significant role in creating an optimal transcription environment. Do your research on the best equipment to support your transcribing activity. High-quality headphones or speakers are essential for accurately capturing the nuances of spoken language and detecting subtle details in the audio.
3. Maintain a comfortable and ergonomic workspace
Trust me, you do not want to suffer like I do. It took me a while to invest in supporting items that shaped my ergonomic workspace. It is crucial for long-term productivity and well-being. Adjust your investment with the budget you have. I had to divide my ergonomic-themed purchases into several phases and completed it after 1.5 years.
When I discover that the audio I will work on is challenging, I prefer to do some preparatory steps to familiarise myself with the recording’s content and subject. Understanding the subject matter ensures that I can approach the transcription with the necessary background knowledge and expertise. These preparatory steps include:
- Review any provided information or documentation related to the audio file, such as interview outlines, speaker bios, or background research materials. If your client does not provide this on the get go, ask for it. They will be happy to provide you with the necessary information.
- Listen to a portion of the audio file before beginning transcription to get a feel for speakers’ voices, accents, and speech patterns. It also helps me identify potential challenges, such as background noise, technical issues, or overlapping dialogue, that may affect the transcription. Sometimes, listening to a small portion of the audio can help me decide on formatting and the overall tone of the final transcript.
- Identify potential challenges that may affect the transcription process, such as background noise, technical issues, or overlapping dialogue.
- Take note of specialised terminology, jargon, or acronyms relevant to the subject matter to ensure accurate transcription.
Conduct additional research whenever necessary to supplement understanding of technical or specialised topics. I learned how to efficiently use Google to search for terminologies, concepts, and/or industry-specific jargon that may arise during the recording.
Don’t fret about the learning curve when it comes to finding the right transcription software. Tools like FTW Transcriber and FastFox Text Expander, with their customisable playback controls, keyboard shortcuts, and text formatting options, are designed to be user-friendly. Once you get the hang of them, they can significantly enhance your efficiency in transcription tasks.
When I first started, I used FTW Transcriber and Express Scribe interchangeably. But after a while, my choice landed on FTW Transcriber, and now it’s been five years since I first used it. I still think purchasing the license is one of the best investments I made in supporting my transcription service. The features on FTW Transcriber help a lot with my typing style, especially when I have to insert timestamps with one touch of a keyboard button. Toggling play/pause mode is also very comfortable to do.
This, of course, may differ from one transcriber to another depending on their preference. Another software I’m using is the FastFox Text Expander, which I consider a blessing. Initially, I thought the text completion feature in Microsoft Word was enough. But as my transcribing tasks piled on, I knew I needed something more sophisticated and flexible. That’s when I found FastFox. Both tools significantly improve my efficiency and productivity and allow me to navigate through difficult audio segments more effectively.
Using audio-enhancing software can significantly improve the quality of audio recordings for transcription purposes. When necessary, I use Audacity to manipulate the audio to my liking. It’s not always successful; some audio files are simply hopeless and I could only resort to persistence and loads of prayers. I utilise Audacity for several features/functions:
- Noise Reduction: This feature can identify and (try to) minimise unwanted noise while preserving the integrity of the primary audio content. Background noise, such as hums, hisses, or environmental sounds, can interfere with speech clarity in recordings.
- Equalisation (EQ): Adjusting the balance of frequencies in the audio can be helpful for enhancing speech clarity.
- Normalisation: This feature adjusts the volume levels of the audio to ensure consistent loudness throughout the recording. This prevents parts of the audio from being too quiet or loud, making transcribing easier.
- Pitch Correction: I don’t use this one too often, but it helps when I think a person’s voice is too high or inconsistent throughout the recording, which can be caused by recording equipment or environmental factors.
Play around, try different things to enhance your audio quality, and watch YouTube tutorials if needed. I usually find satisfaction after doing noise reduction and normalisation, but oftentimes, I don’t have to go through all of those processes because FTW Transcriber, a reliable tool, has already enhanced the audio for me when I load the file onto the software. Remember, even with enhanced audio, as a transcriber, you still need to listen carefully and find contextual clues to accurately complete the transcription.
When I’m using FTW Transcriber, I like to use its timestamp feature to keep track of any tricky words or phrases that I come across. If I get stuck on a particularly difficult spot, I try not to spend more than a minute trying to figure it out. It’s a trick I learned from other transcribers in online forums, and it’s been super helpful.
After finishing the whole audio file, I usually go back to listen to the points where I placed timestamps. During this process, I proofread the transcription, spot typos and grammar errors, and mark any words that I couldn’t hear as ‘inaudible’ along with their respective timestamps. To ensure transparency, I inform my clients about these inaudible parts so they can revisit the recording at their own pace without having to search for the gaps in the transcription.
Among the files I had to transcribe were long hours of lectures recorded in a despicable way. I received several files in 2019 where the recordings had all the problems mentioned above. Judging by listening to it, I could say that the recording device sat far away from the source of sound, making the lecturer’s voice barely audible. Additionally, there were various noises from the people sitting near the recording device: paper flipping, pen scribbling, heavy breathing, or chair screeching on the tiles.
I remember I could not enhance this file by simply running it in Audacity or other audio-enhancing software. I had to accept my fate because these files must be turned into transcripts. Thinking it would be a shortcut, I tried to run it through an AI solution, and it failed beautifully. When all the tips I described cannot be applied, my last resort is to break it down into smaller and more manageable sections, requiring patience and perseverance.
I also take frequent breaks every ten minutes of the audio to maintain my hearing health and sanity. Listening to loud noises can jeopardise our hearing, and it is also not a very pleasant experience. Breaking down the audio into several parts allows me to focus on one segment at a time to maintain transcription accuracy and minimise mental fatigue or mental strain, emphasising the importance of self-care in this demanding task.
In long-form focus group discussions, some transcribers said that employing speaker diarisation techniques could help to distinguish between speakers. I don’t usually do this, but it’s worth a try.
Once I finish transcribing the audio, I make sure to allocate enough time for thorough proofreading and editing. This process helps me to increase the accuracy and coherence of the transcript. My FTW Transcriber allows me to quickly jump to the timestamps where I marked the inaudible words. During the proofreading process, I pay close attention to difficult or ambiguous sections and correct any inaccuracies or omissions. Additionally, I strive for consistency in formatting, grammar, and punctuation to ensure that the final transcript is polished and professional.
Conclusion
Transcribing difficult audio recordings can be challenging and impact transcription accuracy and efficiency. It requires patience, attention to detail, and strategic approaches. Common types of disturbances in an audio recording include background noise, overlapping speech, muffled speech, and technical distortions. Creating an optimal listening and working environment is important for ensuring the accuracy, efficiency, and quality of transcription work.
Working in a quiet space, using high-quality headphones, and adjusting the playback speed can help. Familiarising oneself with the subject matter and speakers can also improve transcription accuracy. It’s important to approach each audio file with determination, resilience, and a toolkit of specialised techniques and strategies to maintain accuracy and efficiency.
With the current advancements in technology, audio recording devices are capable of producing files with excellent audio quality. I have noticed a significant improvement in audio quality after people started using virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom, Skype, and Teams. Even after the pandemic, this trend seems to continue, and I rarely receive files with poor audio quality.
However, there are still some audio files that are beyond repair. In such cases, the best course of action is to be transparent and address the issue with your client. By implementing the tips mentioned above, you will be able to overcome transcription obstacles and produce high-quality transcripts that accurately capture the essence of the recorded content.
Happy transcribing!
