Sound for Video Session: EQ, Delay vs Reverb, Plugin Order, Affordable Strategies
In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:
- How to use EQ on a music track to make room for dialogue
- What is the difference between delay and reverb?
- Am I using audio plugins in the right order?
- What are some tips for getting better sound when shooting solo?
Links:
How to Boom a Camera Top Shotgun Microphone for Better Sound
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
5 Shotgun Microphones: Audio Samples and Off-Axis Test
In this episode we listen to five different shotgun microphones and also listen to how each of them sound when off-axis (the person speaking is off to the side of the mic).
Gear used or mentioned in this episode:
Azden SGM250 Shotgun Microphone - Entry level mic with good off-axis rejection. Sounds decent but not particularly warm.
RODE NTG2 Shotgun Microphone - Entry level mic with nice warm sound. Off-axis rejection is not as pronounced as the higher-end mics, but decent.
Aputure Deity Shotgun Microphone - Nice sounding mid-level mic with warm sound. Off-axis rejection is not as extreme as Azden, RODE NTG4+ or DPA 4017B.
RODE NTG4+ Shotgun Microphone - Mid-range mic with decent sound and good off-axis rejection. Not as warm as NTG2 or DPA 4017B
DPA 4017B Shotgun Microphone - Great, warm, but articulate sound with good off-axis rejection and more natural off-axis falloff compared to other mics here.
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - My main recorder/mixer. Great sounding, low-noise preamps. Can also be controlled remotely with iPad or iPhone (adding the Wingman USB transmitter)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Process Dialogue with Izotope RX and Nectar
In this week's Sound for Video Session we cover some of the tools in Izotope's RX app and Nectar plugin which I often use to process dialogue audio.
Gear used to record this episode:
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface
Sound for Video Session: Troubleshoot, Mobile, Richer Sound, Noise, and ADR
In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:
- How to troubleshoot
- Does the Kaotica Eyeball really reduce room reverb for recording?
- Best gear to record podcasts on the road?
- How do I make my recordings more “full-bodied”?
- What can I do when I’m recording an interview and a snow removal blower is working outside?
- Which microphone should I use for ADR?
Gear used or mentioned in this episode:
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Tascam DR-60DmkII Audio Field Recorder
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
How to Get Consistently Loud Sound with Loudness Normalization
In the last episode we covered how to set the input or gain level on your audio recorder when recording dual system sound (sound recorded by a separate, dedicated audio recorder). One of the things I suggested was that it is best to leave some headroom so that if the person speaking suddenly gets very loud, the sound will not distort and clip.
But the problem is that most of the sound isn’t loud enough. So how do you manage this? You loudness normalize the audio. This ensures that it is loud enough and that it is consistent from video to video.
Here are three ways to do that. The third way is to manually loudness normalize and is a longer, more involved process. You can see how to do that here:
Gear used or mentioned in this episode:
—————————————————————————————
Tascam DR-60DmkII Audio Recorder (good option for a beginner who wants to record higher quality sound - shown in the clip to demonstrate leaving headroom)
Audio Technica AT4053b Hyper Cardioid Microphone (for the talking head clips)
Sound Devices 633 (Talking head portions recorded with this)
Aputure Light Storm COB120t LED Light (Key Light)
Aputure Light Dome Soft Box (for COB120t key light)
Celadon LED Pro Radiant 2XL Pro LED Light (background light)
Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Clean Noisy Dialogue Sound with Adobe Audition
In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several techniques you can use to reduce noise in very noisy dialogue sound recordings for film. We use a clip recorded on a busy urban street where we could not get as close to the interviewees as we would have liked.
Gear used to produce the short film and this episode:
Audio Technica AT4053b Hypercardioid Microphone - used this to record the interviews out on the street. Works well as long as you have a good shock mount and wind protection (see Cyclone below)
Rycote Cyclone Windshield and Shockmount - this is what prevented the wind from blowing across the microphone capsule and making that low frequency, distorted sound.
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - my go-to recorder/mixer
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this - couldn't be happier. By far, the best audio interface I've owned)
How to Record Sound for Video: Dual System/Sync Sound
For professionally produced films, the sound is usually recorded separate from the camera by a dedicated audio recorder. Why? Usually, this allows the crew to record higher quality sound. Recording sound this way is called Dual System or Sync Sound. In this episode, we show you how to record dual system sound so that you can increase the overall production value of your video and film projects.
Gear used or mentioned in this episode:
Tascam DR-60DmkII Audio Recorder (good option for a beginner who wants to record higher quality sound)
RODE NTG2 Shotgun Microphone (XLR output)
RODE VideoMic Pro (3.5mm plug output)
Sanken COS-111D Lavalier Microphone (3.5mm plug output)
Sound for Video Session: Ear & Shotgun Mics, Gain, Perspective, Sound to Camera, Side Lobing
In this week's Sound for Video Session we covered several questions from you:
- Recommendations for earset microphones?
- Can you use two mics placed on separate sides of a person so you can record them when they turn the other direction?
- Shotgun Microphone Recommendations?
- Setting gain for line inputs
- Sound perspective: Using a camera mic and lav at the same time
- Record with audio recorder or send audio recorder output to camera?
- Does using the side lobe of a shotgun microphone sound better than using the mic on axis?
- Where should you aim a shotgun mic - mouth, throat, or chest?
My Recent Short Film Passion Projects:
Homeless:
The Music Maker:
Gear Discussed/Used in this Episode:
Countryman E6 Earset Microphone
JK MicJ 071S Headset Microphone: http://amzn.to/2liQ055
Sennheiser ME66 Shotgun Microphone (Has recently increased in price rather dramatically)
My Microphone Meta Review (My favorites from all the mics I’ve used):
Overview of the Zoom F-Control for Zoom F4 and F8 Recorders:
The Music Maker
I am about ready to jump out of my skin because I'm so excited to finally show some of my work to all you who have been kind enough to watch my YouTube episodes!
My friend Levi Whitney asked me back in June last year if I would help him by doing the sound for a micro documentary piece on Joel Nowland, a guitar maker here in Utah. Joel makes amazing acoustic guitars which have been played by some big name musicians. But Joel is an incredibly humble guy who loves the craft of creating things for other people. And what's more is that he does it with a significant disability.
So here is what Levi and I made. I recorded all of the production audio for this piece with my trusty Audio Technica AT4053b hypercardioid microphone and my Sound Devices 633 audio recorder/mixer. I recorded a few foley clips with the Aputure Deity shotgun microphone, again with the Sound Devices here at my home.
Levi shot the piece with a Sony A7SII and graded and edited.
I hope you like it.
And I'd like to thank Levi for having the confidence in me to do the sound recording and mixing and Joel for opening his home, his workshop, and his story for the world to see and hear.
Levi will have a piece in the coming weeks over on his YouTube channel covering how we did the lighting. I've covered the sound from the film (both mixing and foley) in these previous Sound for Video Sessions:
Sound for Video Session: Mixing with Buses and EQ
This week we have another film mixing session where I show you a couple of basic tools for mixing in Adobe Audition: Buses and EQ.
With a bus, you can make adjustments to multiple tracks at the same time. Huge time and frustration saver. With EQ, we essentially make room in one track for another track, e.g., we reduce the midrange of the music so that dialogue is easier to hear without pulling the audio down so far that it is hard to hear.
Gear used to produce the short film and this episode:
Audio Technica AT4053b Hypercardioid Microphone - used this to record the interviews out on the street. Works well as long as you have a good shock mount and wind protection (see Cyclone below)
Rycote Cyclone Windshield and Shockmount - this is what prevented the wind from blowing across the microphone capsule and making that low frequency, distorted sound.
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - my go-to recorder/mixer
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this - couldn't be happier. By far, the best audio interface I've owned)
