Sound for Video Session: Boom Mic, Lav Mic, Poly Wav Files, and Walla
In this week's sound for video session I discuss some of the practical things with a corporate video shoot:
- Boom mics vs/and lav mics (Which I typically end up using, bleed, etc)
- Poly Wav Files
- Walla, what it is and how I mix it with dialogue
Zoom F4 Audio Recorder First Impressions
Last year Zoom took their first step into more professional filmmaker field recorders with the Zoom F8. And now they have just released a younger sibling, the Zoom F4. The F4, at the time of release, sells for $650 USD, has 4 microphone/line inputs, and records 8 tracks simultaneously. The preamplifiers seem very, very impressive in my first tests and there’s a lot more to cover so grab your favorite beverage and let’s have a look at the Zoom F4!
Sound for Video Session: Loudness Normalization in Izotope RX5
For this week's session, we'll demonstrate how to loudness normalize your sound with Izotope RX 5.
Making your dialogue sound loud and present is a bit of a mystery for many independent filmmakers. It is surprising how many of the channels with large audiences have poor quality audio which is either very quiet so that viewers have to crank up the volume, or where the filmmaker cranked up the amplitude or gain of the audio in post to the point where there is plenty of distortion and clipping.
In this episode, we'll show one way to make loud, present sound without clipping or distortion.
Links we discussed in this session:
Free Compression Plugin: MCompressor
iZotope’s special deals on RX through November 14th 2016.
Sound for Video Session: Sound Design, Balanced vs Unbalanced Audio, Post Workflow
This week we talked about several interesting questions on sound design and mixing, balanced vs unbalanced audio, and post workflow.
Here are some of the links we discussed:
Wikipedia Article on Balanced Audio Signal Chain
Recent episode on Improving the Basic Filmmaker’s Sound using Sound Blankets and using Auto-heal in Adobe Audition
Producer’s Choice Sound Blankets (Save yourself some post production time, frustration, cost)
How to Improve Your Sound Featuring The Basic Filmmaker Part 1
My friend, The Basic Filmmaker, asked if I would help him improve the sound of his videos. I was flattered that he’d ask! Yes, of course!
So he recorded a short clip, sent it over to me, and in this episode I have my first two suggestions for him on how to reduce the reverb in his room when recording and how to remove mouth clicks using Adobe Audition. The next step is for him to apply these things and we’ll see where we end up. Maybe there’s even more we can do in Audition to make his sound even better.
There are a few bonuses with using sound blankets. First and most important, If you use sound blankets effectively, you shouldn’t have to do any de-reverb work in post. Yay! Save all that time and money to make more videos! Additionally, the Producer’s Choice blankets are black on one side, white on the other. This means that not only do they absorb sound, they also either reflect light or absorb it (depending on which side you have facing the light. This makes them very useful lighting tools in addition to solving the sound/reverb issue.
If you’d like to learn how to record and post process your sound, be sure to have a look at my sound for video courses at http://school.learnlightandsound.com My Dialogue Sound Post Processing with Adobe Audition course just launched at the end of August 2016.
Visit us at http://learnlightandsound.com for more updates on how to improve your lighting and sound for video. Also be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week!
Links:
The Basic Filmmaker
Original Audio Clip he sent to me:
His channel which is worth subscribing to.
The Basic Filmmaker University - free and paid courses on video production
Sound Blanket Episode:
Reducing Reverb in Audition with Acon DeVerberate Plugin:
Acon Digital DeVerberate Plugin for Adobe Audition (VST)
Izotope RX Audio Editor - State of the art reverb reduction processing
RODE Stereo VideoMic Pro: Redesigned for 2016
RODE first shipped their Stereo VideoMic Pro in 2012. Now in 2016, they have updated the Stereo VideoMic Pro with the Rycote Lyre suspension system, redesigned the microphone capsules, updated the cable with kevlar reinforcement, increased the density of the foam wind cover, and added RF shielding. Let's have a listen and discuss when you might choose the Stereo VideoMic Pro vs the mono VideoMic Pro.
RODE was kind enough to send us the Stereo VideoMic Pro for review. Full disclosure: This microphone was given to me for this review, I did not purchase it with my money. I was not paid to do this review.
RODE Stereo VideoMic Pro with Rycote Suspension - Better for recording ambience
RODE (mono) VideoMic Pro with Rycote Suspension - Better for recording dialogue
Sound for Video Session: USB vs XLR Microphones, Timecode Modes, Wireless Frequencies
In this episode, we covered several sound for video questions:
- What’s the quality difference between USB and XLR based microphones?
- Recommended XLR cable brands?
- What are the different types of timecode?
- When buying wireless transmitters and receivers, which blocks should I get for my area?
- What can I do to reduce pickup of reverb and street noise when shooting in a parking garage?
- Which digital audio workstation app is best?
Explanation of different types of timecode modes (Matt Price)
Hair wraps to hold external cable in place on a boom pole
Audio Technica AT2005 USB/XLR Microphone
Blue Yeti Pro USB/XLR Microphone
(some of these are affiliate links)
Sound for Video Session: Boom Operators, Tascam DR-10L, Recording Live Events
This is the weekly Sound for Video Session for those enrolled in my sound for video courses.
Lots of great questions submitted this week including the following:
- When would you want two boom operators?
- What do I need to include in a sound report/notes for the editor or sound post?
- Will you Review the Tascam DR-10L?
- Custom iPad holder for sound bags and Zoom F8 or Sound Devices 633 with Wingman
- Color correction and editing in Final Cut Pro X vs DaVinci Resolve?
- How do I record a live event with panelists? Feed from the sound mixer board?
Boom Pole Holder for Century Stands
Sample Sound Report Template
Tascam DR-10L Distributed Audio Recorder with Lavalier Microphone
Cables for recording feed from Mixer:
RCA to 1/4"
1/4" to 1/4" TRS
XLR to XLR
Sound for Video Session: Timecode, USB Pre2, Tascam DR-70D, Mixing Music with Dx etc.
This is the weekly Sound for Video session for students enrolled in my school.
Lots of great questions submitted this week including the following:
- Timecode on-set workflow
- Sound Devices USB Pre2 noisy headphone amp?
- How to light for webcams
- Tascam DR-70D
- How to mix music and dialogue
- Wireless Hops
- Multiple lavalier mics in post
- Orca OR-30 sound bag
Lifecharge USB Battery for powering Tascam Recorders (and Zoom H6)
How to mix music and voiceover:
Zoom F4: Coming Soon
Zoom has been coming on strongly for the last few years and their pace only seems to be picking up.
I'm a fan of their Zoom F8 recorder which they released in late 2015. The quality of the recorder is top notch both in terms of build and in terms of the audio quality it records. The preamplifiers are powerful and clean with a nice neutral sound. The screen is great. The main encoder/dial is great and the menus are good. Overall ergonomics are good though the overall unit is quite small which makes for very small channel potentiometers/knobs. Since the knobs serve double duty as gain trim and faders and as mentioned, are quite small, mixing can be tricky. There's a bluetooth iOS app which allows you to enter metadata and mix, but the mixing capabilities are still a little rough because the on-screen fader is a little too jumpy. But for the price, the F8 is a GREAT recorder. This is accessible to some enthusiast filmmakers and with it, they can produce sound every bit as good as professional productions.
Once Zoom begins shipping the F4, there will be an even lower cost recorder ($650 vs the F8 at $999) which makes this audio quality even more accessible.
Several have asked and yes, I plan to review this as soon as I am able to get my hands on one. I'm very excited about the F4.
From the specs, it looks like the F4 has the same great preamplifiers as the F8. That's a very good start. Also, the F4 looks to have the same form-factor and solid metal build. Same battery configuration and hirose input for external batteries. Dual SD cards which allow backup or recording to different formats simultaneously.
But there are some changes, some look very good and some which are sacrifices which come with a lower priced unit:
- Gain/Fader knobs (potentiometers) are larger on the F4 simply because there's more room for them. This is good!
- The screen looks to be similar to the lower resolution screen on the H4n Pro or perhaps the H5. This is not nearly as nice as the F8, but still potentially workable. It should be viewable in direct sunlight.
- Main outputs are full size XLR. This is an improvement over the F8's TA3 connectors which will generally need to be adapted for monitors, outs to camera, or wireless hops to camera or director.
- Bluetooth: F4 does not appear to be Bluetooth enabled so there's no iOS app for metadata entry or mixing
- SD Card slots have moved from the left side to the battery compartment on the back.
Overall, this looks like it may be a great choice for those who want very good quality audio at a price well under $1000. Should have an initial impressions piece up in October and a final review in November if the units ship on schedule in October.
