Hold your phone about a foot away, with the microphone (mouthpiece) facing you. Avoid bumping the phone or brushing against the mic as you speak. If you don’t want to hold your phone for the duration of your recording, rest it on a sweater or towel (not a hard surface), or a stack of books with mic side jutting into the air. Point the mic toward your upper chest — if you point it directly at your mouth it will cause “popped Ps” or “plosives” which cannot be fixed in post-production. As you speak, try not to turn your head or the volume will drop out.

Often, an external microphone, like those that come with headsets or headphones, can capture good quality sound. But if they’ve been stepped on or submerged in water they will record poor sound, so do a sound test first before committing to these.