Audio is an important aspect of your video’s quality. No matter how interesting your idea is or how incredible your video looks, viewers will click right out of it if the audio is bad. Oftentimes, vloggers use external microphones and other professional-grade equipment to improve their sound quality. However, you don’t need to shell out for new tools just yet.

Here are three tips for recording better audio without buying extra equipment.

1. Use your phone as a mic.

If your camera’s microphone isn’t quite up to snuff, then you may be considering investing in an external mice. However, you probably already have an external microphone in your pocket! You can use your cellphone to record the audio for your videos.

Place your phone somewhere its microphone will be pointing directly at you without being disturbed. Then, use your voice memos app to record your voice while your camera is filming. Once you’re finished, export the file and upload it into your video editing software.

Line the audio file up with your video files so that you can cut them at the same time. When you’re ready, you can delete the audio track that was recording by your camera. Then, only the audio from your phone will remain. It should come across clearer and louder because your phone was closer to you than your camera was.

2. Record your voice over in a closed-off space.

Voice overs are a great addition to virtually any kind of video. You can speed up a makeup tutorial, clarify instructions in a DIY, or add context to a video game play-through with a voice over. However, too much background noise can make your voice over more distracting than helpful.

Therefore, whenever you record a voice over, you should be in a quiet, closed-off space. Avoid recording your voice over in a high traffic area, such as a living room. Likewise, a kitchen or bathroom, which is filled with fans and appliances, would be too noisy.

You probably don’t have a sound booth at home, but you can use your bedroom or home office. If these spaces are too loud or unavailable, then you can use a closet or wardrobe. Your car is another good option, as long as you can park it somewhere relatively quiet.

3. Turn off any noisy appliances before filming.

As previously mentioned, noisy appliances can add too much background noise to your recording. This applies to more than just voice overs. Whenever you film a video, you should minimize background noise by turning off noisy appliances.

Start with your air conditioner or fans. However, if your space will become too hot, then you should use only your quietest fan, being sure to position it away from your filming equipment. Likewise, you should film away from any air vents in your home.

Additionally, you should check your filming space for any noisy appliances. You may need to unplug an old TV or silence a smart speaker. Ask anyone else in your household to refrain from using noisy appliances such as blenders, microwaves, and showers while you film.

To record better audio, you should utilize the tools you have on hand while also limiting the amount of background noise. With these tips, you can record high-quality audio without spending a ton of money on new equipment.