How to record a sermon, lesson or talk on your phone

Why the phone at the back of the room sounds bad

A phone on a stand across the room hears the speaker, the echo off every wall, the air conditioning and the audience at nearly the same level. A clip-on mic on the speaker’s collar hears mostly the speaker, and the phone can sit anywhere it gets a good picture.

Setup

1. Plug the receiver into the recording phone or tablet (Lightning adapter for iPhone 14 and older; turn on OTG on Android).
2. Hold the mic button until the light is solid green.
3. Clip the mic to the speaker’s collar or shirt, 6–8 inches below the mouth, on the side they turn toward most.
4. Start recording in the Camera app or your voice recorder before the speaker starts, and do a quick sound check.
5. Keep the phone reasonably close and in sight of the speaker. Range is long in the open, but walls and crowds shorten it.

Good to know

• It records; it doesn’t amplify. It won’t feed a PA system or speakers, so keep your existing sound system for the room.
• For a speaker and a reader or interpreter, use both mics. They record into one mixed track.
• Battery lasts up to 6 hours per mic. Charge the night before and bring the charging case for long days.
• For video, record on a phone or tablet. The mic doesn’t connect to cameras.

Questions