Hummed melodies, guitar phrases, spoken lyric ideas, and sounds from the city or nature can all become useful music production material when captured with a smartphone voice memo app. Even without expensive recording equipment, you can save an idea before you forget it.
You can use the recording as a reference or edit a section of it into part of a song.
Do a Little Preparation Before Recording
Move the smartphone’s microphone close to the sound source without covering it with your hand or case. Recording away from air conditioners, wind, traffic, and desk vibrations reduces the amount of cleanup you will need later.
At the beginning of the recording, say the song title or describe the idea aloud so the file will be easier to find later. For an idea with a clear tempo, record hand claps or a count as well to make alignment in the DAW easier.
Copy the File and Keep the Original
Copy the recording to your computer through sharing, cloud storage, AirDrop, or a similar method, and do not delete the original voice memo. Keeping the source recording separately from your working file lets you redo any trimming or conversion.
Voice memo apps on the iPhone and other devices may use M4A. If your DAW supports the format, you can import it directly, or you can convert it to WAV to suit your editing environment.
Convert It to a WAV File for Editing
The audio format converter accepts M4A, MP3, WAV, and other files and converts them to a format that is easier to edit. WAV is a convenient choice for sending audio to a DAW, while MP3 is useful for sharing a lightweight reference file.
Conversion does not improve the quality of the original recording. Keep the source data and think of conversion as placing it in a container appropriate for its intended use.
Trim Out Only the Part You Need
If you only need part of a long recording, such as a hummed phrase or an ambient sound, use the audio trimmer to set the start and end points. A short fade at each edit point helps prevent clicks.
For vocals and instruments, leave a little room so you do not cut off consonants, breaths, or transients.
Reduce Steady Background Noise
If the recording contains continuous air conditioner noise, computer fan noise, or hiss, try the voice noise reducer. Excessive processing can change the character of a voice or instrument, so begin with a natural-sounding setting and compare the result.
Sounds that change over time, such as passing cars or people talking outdoors, may be impossible to remove completely. If you are using the recording as ambience, consider making those sounds part of the piece instead of trying to eliminate them.
Find the BPM and Key, Then Align the Recording in Your DAW
If you want to use a hummed melody or instrumental phrase in a song, the BPM and Key Finder can provide a starting point. However, analysis may be unreliable for freely timed humming or very short recordings, so verify the suggestions with a keyboard or metronome click.
After importing the recording into your DAW, align the first note with the grid and adjust the tempo or pitch if necessary.
Know When to Use a Voice Memo and When to Make a Final Recording
Voice memos are well suited to capturing ideas, textures, and unexpected sounds. For clean vocals or instruments intended for the final release, recording again in a quiet environment with a suitable microphone and audio interface will give you material that is easier to edit.
For more on preparing a home recording setup, see the related article How to Reduce Noise in Home Recordings.
