FOUR LETTERS ASMR! THAT BLEW UP THE INTERNET

In this age of digital boom, the importance of good content has been paramount. The virality of long format and short format content is at an all-time high. The possibilities are amplified by the innovative content creators of our times.

While most of these creators deal with video storytelling techniques, there are a lot many others who are ruling the roost with a very different set of videos on social media. These videos are different than the rest, owing to the use of sound in their content. The world of ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) has been weirdly refreshing for its content and presentation.

If you are someone who misses some quality tactile response in your body. And, long for the whispers of a light voice or the rustles of a feather touching your skin, or the sound of earlobes fondled. Then listening to the relaxing sounds of ASMR videos, should definitely help you out.

If you look up the term ASMR, you may not find its lineage much farther than the year 2010. It was Jennifer Allen who had coined the word in a Facebook group, to basically, define the tingling sensation of a human body to a certain kind of sound. And, ever since, it has been the fad in social media. To test the waters through various waves of sound!

While many would consider the kind of videos to be always of a sexual connotation, it may not necessarily be the case always. There are videos where a hairdryer had been on for a couple of hours, or a brush has been rubbed against a glass bowl for thirty minutes. These ASMR videos have been a tool for relaxation for even those who have otherwise complained of sleepless nights or troubled thoughts in their solitary hours.

While this is a general introduction to the world of ASMR. This article is meant for understanding the aural part of these kinds of productions.

The first and the foremost thing to be considered is a good filter for your microphones. There should not be any selfnoise from the microphones. The microphones should be free from any hissing, humming, crackling or other white noises. Since most of the sounds captured are on a low level, it is imperative that the fidelity of the audio is maintained right at the incidence. In respect to the technical specifications; a value of 15dBA or lesser should usually give the best output. It's believed that an S/N ratio of 80 dB or above, is usually considered the best for ASMR videos.

Based on the kind of content, a creator is wanting to produce. The microphones would vary, in their construction and usage. Though, the condenser microphones are considered to be the best in this category of videos, many creators might not be able to afford one at an early level in their career.

For a sound of brushing, tapping or any random sounds, one can opt to use an omnidirectional piece of microphones. These mics are known for capturing the sounds equally from all the directions. A better feature would be the ability to select from multiple polar patterns.

For a three dimensional effect on a two-dimensional output, a lot of the content creators are turning towards the binaural microphones. These audio pieces usually have two microphones, with a bridging space in between them. Each of the two microphones captures the left and the right audio channel separately. The binaural ASMR videos are so popular, that they have almost grown out as an individual genre amongst the various creators on social media. These kind of microphones are being frequented in the production of different sounds like whispering, talking and other interesting buckets of content.