Curtis Judd 8/19/17 Curtis Judd 8/19/17

RODE VideoMic Pro+ Overview

RODE just updated their very popular RODE VideoMic Pro to the VideoMic Pro+ here in late summer 2017. The new version of the camera-top shotgun microphone includes several new features which make it a very worthwhile upgrade or option for those looking for a simple way to improve their sound quality.

In this episode we have a closer look at the new features and provide comparison sound clips from the older VideoMic Pro and the new Pro+.

Remember that to get the very best sound out of your microphone, you really need to get it off of your camera and boom it over the person speaking like this:

Also, if you do use the new safety track feature on the RODE VideoMic Pro+, this is how you use that safety track in post when the main track clips and distorts to save your audio:

Links to Gear Discussed and Used to Record This Session:
RODE VideoMic Pro+

Adapter Cable to use the VideoMic Pro+ with a smartphone (RODE SC7)
(Note smartphones have a mono mic input so the safety track feature will not work with smartphones)

Panasonic GH5 Camera

Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 Zoom Lens

Curtis Judd 8/12/17 Curtis Judd 8/12/17

Immersive Sound Recording: Sennheiser Ambeo Smart Headset

Sennheiser introduced their new Ambeo Smart Headset and were kind enough to send an early version to us to try out. I took it along on a recent canoeing day trip and put together a little sketch to get a sense for how it works. Pretty impressive, immersive sound with this set of binaural microphones/earbuds.

For those not familiar with binaural recordings, this is a stereo recording where the microphones are placed at your ears. So the recorded sound is much more lifelike and immersive, and results in a more three-dimensional type of recording.

Please listen with the best set of headphones available to you!

Canoe sequence shot with iPhone 7+ and Ambeo Smart Headset

Links to Gear Discussed and Used to Record This Session:

Sennheiser Ambeo Smart Headset for iOS (iPhone and iPad) - Coming Soon

Sennheiser Ambeo Smart Headset for Android phones and tablets - Coming in the future

Music in canoe sequence: "Cosmos" from Meta-Music - Save 10% with coupon code JUDD

Talking head sequence shot with:

Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro Cinema Camera

DPA 4017B Shotgun Microphone

Sound Devices 633 Audio Recorder/Mixer

Panasonic GH5 Camera

Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 Zoom Lens

Curtis Judd 8/5/17 Curtis Judd 8/5/17

Sound for Video Session: Sound Devices 633 Setup Basics

In this week's Sound for Video Session we walk through the basics of setting up your Sound Devices 633 for recording.

Links to gear we discussed or used to record this session:

Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - my main pro-level recorder

Shure SM58 Vocal Microphone - I wanted to record this session with a dynamic microphone because there was a lot of wind outdoors and some gremlins watching TV upstairs. I don’t love the sound of this mic for recordings like this, especially on my voice, but it is a reliable mic and good to have one in the kit.

Panasonic GH5 Camera - This session shot on the GH5

Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens - This session shot with this lens

Curtis Judd 8/5/17 Curtis Judd 8/5/17

Timecode Demo with NanoLockit from Ambient Recording

What is timecode and when does it help make things easier for finishing your video or film project? When you’re shooting a project with a LOT of clips and you’re recording your sound separate from camera to get the highest quality sound, syncing can be a lot of work. Using the timecode generators like the Ambient NanoLockit can save you a lot of time. Here’s how it works at a high level.

Links to Gear Discussed and Used to Record This Session:

Ambient Recording NanoLockit Timecode Generator (2 pack)

Single NanoLockit

Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Recorder

Sound Devices 633 Audio Recorder/Mixer

Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro Cinema Camera

Panasonic GH5 Camera

Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens

Photos of the Ambient Master Lockit are copyrighted by B&H Photo and used here with permission.

Curtis Judd 7/23/17 Curtis Judd 7/23/17

Sound for Video Session: Some Thoughts on Near-field Monitors/Speakers

In this week's Sound for Video Session I talk more about my search for the right near-field monitors for my post and mixing work. In that quest, I had a chance to listen to several more including those listed below. Still no final decision, but I’ve very tempted by the Focal Solo6 Be. My pocketbook is not quite so sure. :)

Links to gear we discussed or used to record this session:

KRK Rokit 8 G3 Near-field Active Monitors

Focal CMS 65 - Same as the 40s but with 6.5 inch woofers and bass response that reaches a little lower on the spectrum. These are on closeout so a good time to buy if you’re in the market.

Focal Shape 65 - These are the newer versions of the CMS. Will be included in our upcoming comparison

Focal Solo6 Be - Top-end professional near-fields from Focal. Beryllium tweeter

Presonus R65 AMT Near-field Monitors - pretty impressive “budget” option with ribbon tweeters

Adam A7x Near-field Monitors - Adam made the ribbon tweeter a bit more mainstream. Great sounding mid-range monitors

Antelope Audio Orion Studio Audio Interface (This is what I used to drive all of the monitors we tested)

Curtis Judd 7/22/17 Curtis Judd 7/22/17

Indoor Boom Microphones: Oktava MK-012, RODE NT5, Audio Technica AT4053b

In my efforts to help you choose a microphone for recording dialogue indoors, here is another comparison of three cardioid (to hyper-cardioid) options: The Oktava MK-012 (cardioid), RODE NT5 (cardioid) and the Audio Technica AT4053B (hyper-cardioid). We take a closer look and listen with female and male sample clips, demonstrations of off-axis sound rejection, off-axis phase issues or coloration, handling noise, self-noise, and my overall impressions. I hope you find it helpful!

Links to gear discussed and used to record this episode:

Oktava MK-012 (cardioid capsule)

Oktava MK-012 (hyper-cardioid capsule “Movie Set”)

RODE NT5

Audio Technica AT4053b

Sound Devices 633 Audio Recorder/Mixer:

Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro Camera (talking head shots were filmed with this:

Panasonic GH5 Camera

Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 OIS Lens

Curtis Judd 7/10/17 Curtis Judd 7/10/17

6 Affordable Lavalier Microphones Compared

One of the least expensive ways to improve the quality of your video is to use a microphone that you can get close to your talent/actors. Here are six affordable lavalier microphones that will help. We chose an assortment to work with your smartphone, DSLR or interchangeable lens cameras, your laptop or PC, or even GoPro action cameras.

Links to Gear Discussed and Used to Record This Session:

Dutch Kings Lavalier Microphone (For smartphones or GoPro)

Aputure A.lav EZ (for smartphones)

RODE smartLav+ (for smartphones)

Aputure A.lav (for smartphones, cameras, and PCs with headset inputs)

Comica Dual Head Lavalier Microphone (for recording 2 people into smartphones, cameras, PCs, or GoPros)

Sony ECM-CS3 Stereo Lavalier Microphone (for cameras)

RODE SC3 Adapter (If your microphone has a TRRS plug - 3 colored rings on the plug - and you want to use if for your camera or audio recorder, use this adapter)

RODE SC4 Adapter (If your microphone has a TRS plug - 2 colored rings on the plug - and you want to use it for your smartphone or PC with a headset input, use this adapter)

Panasonic GH5 Camera

Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 OIS Lens

Curtis Judd 7/5/17 Curtis Judd 7/5/17

Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Field Recorder Review

Sound Devices has disrupted the sound recording game for enthusiast and semi-pro filmmakers with their new MixPre-3 and MixPre-6 recorders. I pre-ordered the MixPre-6 and have been working with it for about 5 weeks now. This is my in-depth review after having used it on several jobs and projects.

The MixPre-6 or MixPre-3 are also potentially a very good fit for mobile musicians, podcasters, YouTube creators and videographers. Simple workflow if you want that, But many of the advanced features if you prefer that as well.

Supported Cameras (for HDMI timecode and start/stop triggering)

Powering Options for the MixPre-3 and MixPre-6

Approved Media Cards (this list is actually for the 6xx series mixers/recorders, but I've had good luck with the SD cards listed here) I use this SD card.

Links to Gear Discussed and Used to Record This Session:

Sound Devices MixPre-6

Sound Devices MixPre-3

Anker USB Power Bank with USB-C Output (recommended)

Sound Devices 633 Pro-level Audio Recorder

DPA 4017B Shotgun Microphone - All of the audio in this episode was recorded with this microphone

Sound devices 8 AA Battery Sled

Sound Devices NP-F Battery Sled (to use Sony L-mount batteries)

Panasonic GH5 Camera

Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 OIS Lens

Curtis Judd 6/26/17 Curtis Judd 6/26/17

Sound Devices MixPre Sound Samples Comparison (MixPre, 633, Zoom F8)

In this episode, we have three sound samples to give you a sense for how the Sound Devices MixPre-6, Zoom F8, and Sound Devices 633 differ. The difference is not big in terms of timbre or self-noise. Have a listen!

If you’d like to listen to the original WAV audio files from the recorders, you can do that here.

Raw WAV sound samples from the Sound Devices MixPre-6 compared to the Zoom F8 and Sound Devices 633 so that you can hear the difference in timbre between the three. In each case we recorded in the exact same location (my unfinished basement with concrete floors, sound blankets, and ceiling with batt insulation covered by plastic sheathing). All three recorded with the DPA 4017b shotgun microphone.

Gear used to record this episode:

Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Recorder & Mixer

Zoom F8 Audio Recorder/Mixer

Sound Devices 633 Audio Recorder/Mixer

DPA 4017b Shotgun Microphone (my pro-level outdoor mic)

Sound Devices MixPre-3 The "Little Brother" of the MixPre-6