How to Record a Beam Note on your mobile

Beam Notes is great at recording in-person meetings, whether that's visiting clients out in the community or meetings that happen in the office. For these types of in-person meetings, record using your phone. Please note that you're unable to record a phone call using Beam Notes on your mobile. This is because Beam Notes requires access to your phone's microphone, and that access will be interrupted if you are on a phone call at the same time.

When should I use my phone to record? 

You should use this method of recording if you are conducting an in-person meeting where you are physically with all the other attendees. This could include a home visit or an internal meeting based in the office. 

If you have any attendees joining online, record from your laptop.

Please watch the below video for a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Log in to Beam Notes

Begin by logging into your Beam Notes account on your phone by opening your internet browser and visiting www.magicnotes.ai on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. You will find the ‘Sign In’ button in the top right-hand corner of your screen. Depending on which method of logging in your Organisaiton has chosen, you'll either be able to sign in using Single Sign On, or you'll be emailed a login code after entering your email address. 

Once logged in, you'll notice a user-friendly interface designed to make the recording process straightforward.

You can find a clearer step-by-step guide on how to log in by clicking here.

Step 2: Locate the Record button

At the bottom of your screen, you'll find a prominent button labelled 'Record'. Tap on this button to initiate the recording process.

Step 3: Follow the reminders

Beam Notes will prompt you with three essential reminders:

• Conduct a round of introductions.
• Obtain permission to record from all participants.
• Ensure your phone remains unlocked during the recording – do not allow it to auto-lock!

These steps are crucial for a smooth recording experience. Remember – if your phone locks, the microphone access is lost, and no audio will be captured.

When you’re ready, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button.

Tips to ensure high quality audio:

• Monitor audio detection – At the start of your recording, check that the audio is being detected by observing the blue audio bars on your screen. These bars will move up and down, turning dark blue to indicate active audio capture.
• Position your phone to maximise audio detection – For the best audio quality, place your phone centrally among the participants. If there's an attendee who speaks softly, position the phone closer to them to ensure their voice is captured clearly.

Recommended distance of phone from speakers:

• Aim to have the phone less than 1m away from the speakers whenever you can. Put the phone in the middle of speakers where possible and be mindful of where the microphone is. If your speaking with someone who has a quieter voice, place the device closer to them.
• If you are walking, hold the phone like a reporter mic if you’re walking.
• For small round-table meetings: centre the handset; keep participants within a ~1.2 m radius.
• Beyond 2 m: use an external mic. Check out this article here on our suggested external microphones.

We strongly recommend you test your device as every mic & model differs slightly; do a 30-second test read at your typical setup distance and check the ASR confidence before committing to a long session.

 

Step 4: Pause and resume as needed 

Beam Notes allows you to pause the recording if necessary. This feature is handy if someone requests a break or if specific sections should not be recorded. You can also resume the recording later to add any observations or analysis. 

Step 5 : Save your recording

Once the meeting concludes, it's vital to click the blue 'Save' button. This action initiates the generation of your Beam Note. If you forget to save, the recording will not be processed. However, Beam Notes has an auto-save feature that activates after four hours if you haven't manually saved.