If you consider that the scope of an asmr video is to help your viewers to calm and relax by watching and hearing self-spoken videos, then our suggestion to start with the microphone seems to be logical.
The most valuable part of asmr equipment in order to create an asmr video is the microphone. It may sound silly, but it is true. Not the camera, not the lighting, not the lens or lenses but the microphone.
Scope of an asmr video
If you consider that the scope of an asmr video is to help your viewers to calm and relax by watching and hearing self-spoken videos, then our suggestion to start with the microphone seems to be logical.
Asmr stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, which is just a technical term for brain tingling. This leads to relaxation as a response. We can achieve brain tingling by using sensory stimulus.
What is all about
Over the past years, a youtube subculture has been developed using the physical sounds of a video in order to stimulate the brain. That’s why the sound is so important for an ASMR video.
There is no much research on how the asmr video works and interferes with the brain. But anyway, the result remains the same and the scope of this post is not to explain the phenomenon of asmr-videos. Let us concentrate on the equipment.
List of essential asmr equipment
Sound
We already explained the importance of sound equipment. A binaural microphone is really important and you will also need a binaural setup to create a feeling of ear to ear sound.
Even if you could start with a lower end single microphone, sooner or later you will realise that an investment on a professional 3d binaural microphone is definitely worth the investment.
What is the cost of such a microphone? Well, if you invest personal time in searching, you can get a good microphone in the price field of 150-200 ($US or €).
It is true that you can find good microphones in a smaller price range such as 50-150 ($US or €), but it will not be a surprise if you will change it after a couple of videos with a higher quality microphone.
Even if you choose a more affordable microphone for your first video productions, choose at least one with a good shock mount. You don’t want to hear in your video any unwanted noises from any source other than the ones you want. A simple microphone mount transfers all the sounds, even from the lens of the camera, which you zoom in or out or while you try to change the focus point.
Video
A good smartphone is good enough for your starter videos, but the truth is that you need at least a good DSLR or mirrorless phot camera – which always is capable to shoot also video. Those types of cameras need also lenses.
Later, you will realise that a movie camera is more useful and productive than a photo DSLR or M/L.
Price range for DSLRs or M/L cameras 500 – 10.000 ($US or €)
For movie cameras the starting price of a decent video camera is apprx. 1.000 $US and the sky is the limit. It depends on the lenses, the accessories, the filters etc.
Lighting
Without lighting do not expect good enough results. Don’t listen to the ones that say “I use the natural lighting that comes from the window…” it is BS. Without lighting equipment, you can not even hope that you will be able to shoot a decent video that would survive the youtube or Instagram competition.
You know that youtube’s algorithms can check the quality of each video and they “award” in searching videos with better quality.
For the minimum of lighting and for close up shots, you can start with some (3 minimum) led lamps in a price range of 50-100 $us or € for each. But this is just a starting point and only for close ups.
Tripods-mounting equipment
We all have tried to shoot a video scene by holding the camera – or the smartphone – with our hands. Also, we all have realised that the result is not good even for family or friends video. A tripod or a mount is vital. One tripod is the minimum. It would be better and more productive to have also a gorilla pod.
Price range: 50-500 $US or €
Soon you will realise that several other equipment and accessories will be needed, such as filters, cables, coloured papers, lens cleaners etc, which are not expensive but they are many. Add at least another 100 $US or €.
Editing
You finished the shooting, now you need editing before you will be able to upload your asmr video to YouTube. Because sound editing maters, the editing software shall be advanced and capable to edit also sound in a very professional way. ASMR videos need to be very precise with the sound and the sync with the video.
There are a lot of qualified video editing tools and software out there. You can choose one with monthly payment or you can buy one. The video and sound editing tools that are free and in the same time good enough for editing are not so many. Maybe you should try Davinci resolve. It has a free version which is close to the pro version. But even the pro version is not expensive: Just 299 $US last time we checked.
Conclusion
With an amount of approx. 1.500 $US or € you will be able to create your own asmr videos and many more. Let us presume that you have already got your asmr equipment.
Now, you need to choose the subject for your first asmr video. Use several tools to check out the keywords that could drive audience to your you tube channel. It is a good way to start.
Sometimes, niche sectors are more interesting, especially for beginners. If you make an asmr video of someone chewing a chewing gum you might have to compete some millions of other similar asmr videos. But if you make an asmr video about someone who is chewing an insect (f.e.) you might have less competition and be more successful although there are just a few viewers searching for how it sounds chewing an insect.
Stay tuned, we will soon publish more articles about this subject. In the meantime read this article about creating asmr video.
