Sound for Video Session: Audio Quality, Mixing and Loudness, Smartphones, Cables, Fairlight
In this week's Sound for Video Session, we answer questions about the following:
00:10 Camera vs audio recorder quality?
01:49 Mixing and loudness - which order should you do thing?
04:50 Gear for recording high quality audio with smartphones?
08:04 I'm picking up an AM radio station in my recordings, what should I do?
09:45 Sound Devices 633 - which inputs do you use for wireless and boom mics?
14:52 How to record in live theater?
16:44 When do you use a shotgun vs. a supercardioid when recording indoors?
18:12 How do you set levels when run & gunning?
19:22 How do I record better quality audio to smartphones?
21:56 What's the next step up in quality for wireless (up from RODELink, Sennheiser G3)?
26:39 What are your impressions on DaVinci Resolve and Fairlight for audio processing?
30:47 Do microphone cables that cost more make a difference?
Previous session on recording live sound with Mike Stranks:
Links to gear discussed:
Remote Audio 25 foot Canare Microphone Cable
Shure TA3-F to XLR-M Adapter Cable (e.g., to take a feed from DJ mixing board to SD 633 line input)
RODE iXLR - Adapter for Dynamic XLR Microphones to Apple Lightning (record with reporters' microphones to your iPhone)
Saramonic SmartRig+ XLR to 3.5mm preamplifier and adapter with phantom power.
Review:
Lectrosonics Professional Wireless Systems
Presonus Faderport Controller Surface for Mixing - affordable, motorized linear fader makes mixing easier and quicker.
Mogami Professional XLR Microphone Cables
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Tools for Dialogue Sound De-noising Audition, RX
In this week's episode we cover three tools you can use to help reduce noise in your dialogue audio recordings: High pass filters, de-hum, and de-noise plugins. We cover most of this in Adobe Audition but also jump over into Izotope RX to show the same set of tools. The same principles apply for other audio editing apps as well.
Links to gear discussed and used to record this session:
Sennheiser MKH 8050 Supercardioid Boom Microphone
Voice Technologies VT-500 Lavalier Microphone
Sound Devices 633 Audio Recorder/Mixer
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone - used to record this session
Antelope Audio Orion Studio Audio Interface
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Sound Jobs and Recording in Noisy Places
This week we answer a couple of sound questions:
- What types of sound jobs are most in demand?
- Which microphones can you use to record in very noisy places like factories?
Example of how much noise isolation you can expect from the RODE Reporter handheld microphone:
Links to gear discussed and used to record this session:
Voice Technologies Duplex Cardioid Headset Microphone (this will provide more isolation from noise than most other options)
RODE HS2 Headset Microphone (another headset microphone, slightly less expensive but with an omni-directional polar pattern)
RODE Reporter Handheld Microphone (I used this to record interviews at the NAB show with good results)
Sennheiser MD 46 Cardioid Handheld Microphone (More noise isolation but you have to keep it close to whomever is speaking)
RODE iXLR (Allows you to connect the RODE Reporter or Sennheiser MD 46 or any other dynamic XLR microphone to your iPhone and your phone becomes the audio recorder or camera - also used this in the interview with Paul from Sound Devices above)
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone - used to record this session
Antelope Audio Orion Studio Audio Interface
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Wireless Headphone Feeds (Comtek)
What do you do when the director or producer come to you and say, "I need 4 headphones..."?
Here's a brief overview of setting up wireless headphone feeds for producers, directors, and others on set. You can do this a variety of ways, even using a spare wireless lav system (but that only gets you one set of headphones). On the pro sets, they often use Comtek or similar wireless systems which are nice in that you can send the same feed to as many sets of receivers as you need from a single transmitter in your sound bag.
Links to gear discussed in this session:
Comtek M-216 Transmitter (Option P7) - expensive but sturdy and up for several years of service on rough and tumble sets and locations.
Comtek PR-216 Receiver - This is the thankfully less expensive receiver. You can use as many of these as you need with a single transmitter. Also well built for years of service
Comtek XLR to 3.5mm adapter cable - If your mixer/recorder has an XLR output that you'll use to feed audio to the Comtek transmitter, here's an adapter cable to make that work. If your mixer/recorder has a 3.5mm output, any 3.5mm TRS to 3.5mm TRS cable will do. Just keep it short so it doesn't pick up interference.
Sony ZX110 Headphones - Good enough to get the job done with comfort, plenty loud. They fold and have flat cables which help prevent tangles. Not too hard on your pocketbook if they get destroyed by a crew member (about $15 USD each).
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Sync, Timecode, Noise, Preamps, Monitors and More!
In this week's question and answer session, we tackle the following topics:
00:04 Audio Sync
02:15 Timecode, Breakaway Cables
05:16 Noise Reduction, External Preamps
08:06 Mixing Monitors
12:19 Sound Blankets vs Moving Blankets vs Quilts
15:17 Sennheiser MKE 600, Shock mounts, Wind Protection, Audio Interfaces
23:22 Monitor Placement
25:42 Compression Ratio, Sound Floor
Gear and links to previous sessions discussed in this session:
Remote Audio Breakaway Cable
Avantone Pro Mix Cube Powered Monitor (set)
KRK Rokit 5 G3 Powered Monitor (one)
Sennheiser MKE600 Shotgun Microphone
Rycote InVision Lyre Shock Mount:
Sennheiser MZS 600 Shock Mount for MKE600:
Rycote Hot Shoe Adapter - Mount your shock mount on your camera's shoe
Rycote Softie Furry Windscreen (good for light wind)
RODE Blimp Wind Cover (good for stronger wind)
Rycote Cyclone (the best wind protector I've used and own)
Electrovoice RE20 Broadcast Microphone - this is what I used to record this session
Producer's Choice Sound Blankets
Timecode demonstration:
Noise Cleanup:
Sound Design, Effects, Foley:
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Room Tone
This week we cover room tone: what is it, why record it, how to record it? This is a critical part of doing a good job as a production sound mixer/recordist.
Links to gear used to record this session:
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone:
Antelope Audio Orion Studio Audio Interface
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Lav Mics, Recording to Phones, Presets in RX, Headphone Volume
This week we have a question and answer session. These are the questions submitted:
- Best lav mic for recording in very noisy environments?
- Best microphone for recording to phones?
- Universal presets in RX?
- What do I set my headphone volume to so that I can tell whether I’ve set the gain correctly?
Links to gear we discussed or used to record this session:
Countryman E6i Cardioid Ear Set Microphone:
RODE VideoMicro - miniature cardioid microphone you could use on a smartphone rig (with the adapter below)
RODE SC4 Adapter (Use the VideoMicro with your phone)
Aputure A.Lav Lavalier Microphone:
Previous Sessions where we’ve covered how to process dialogue audio in Izotope RX:
Izoope RX6 demo:
Reduce reverb with RX6:
Loudness normalization in RX:
Process dialogue demo with RX:
Clean up extreme noise in RX and Audition:
Electrovoice RE20 (recorded this session)
Antelope Audio Orion Studio Audio Computer Interface
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Recording Live Sound with Mike Stranks
One question that has come up quite often in our Sound for Video Sessions is, “How do I record a live concert?” I have done a tiny bit of this, but wanted to bring someone on to the show who has a fair bit more experience and in this case, that someone is Mike Stranks. Mike is based in the UK and has been recording live sound in various forms since the early 1970s. Thanks to Mike for generously sharing a bunch of information to help us get started on recording concerts!
Links to gear we discussed in this session:
Line Audio CM3 hypocardioid and OM1 omnidirectional mics:
Line Audio's Website
Pink Noise Systems - UK distributor but ship worldwide
The “public face” of Line Audio
Isolation Transformer (to eliminate buzz or hum)
Zoom F4 Audio Recorder (Mike’s primary recorder)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Q&A Safety Track vs Limiter, Which Camera, Which Mic and More
In this week's Sound for Video Session we discuss several questions submitted by you!
Safety track or limiter?
Clipping at -2dB?
Is there a better way to rig a Zoom H5 to camera?
What’s a good camera for video and photo with a 3.5mm mic input and headphone jack?
Which other microphones should I get?
When should I use a hyper-cardioid mic instead of a shotgun mic?
AT4053b outdoors?
Why is my Zoom F8 picking up an FM radio station?
“Homeless” recorded outdoors with an Audio Technica AT4053b Hyper-cardioid microphone:
Session on how to match levels on audio recorder and camera so you can monitor levels from camera:
Audio Adapter comparison
Links to gear we discussed or used to record this session:
Sennheiser MKH416 Shotgun Microphone - Perhaps the quintessential pro shotgun microphone
Audio Technica AT4053B Hyper-cardioid Microphone
Schoeps CMC641 One of the most commonly used super-cardioid microphones by the pros for indoor dialogue
Rycote Cyclone Wind Shield & Shock Mount
Zoom F8 Audio Recorder
Shure SM58 Vocal Microphone
beachtek DXA-Micro Audio Adapter for DSLR and Mirrorless cameras
Panasonic GH4 Camera
Panasonic GH5 Camera
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Fixing Clipped Audio with Safety Track in Adobe Audition
In this week's Sound for Video Session we walk through one way to fix clipped/distorted audio by replacing the clipped portion with audio from a safety track.
Not sure what a safety track is? Have a listen, it's all explained in this session!
Links to gear we discussed or used to record this session:
RODE VideoMic Pro+ (Newest version introduced in August 2017 with safety track recording feature)
Zoom F4 Audio Recorder - includes safety track recording feature
Zoom F8 Audio Recorder - Includes safety track recording feature
Panasonic GH5 Camera - The sample audio clip was recorded from RODE VMP+ to this
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
