Live Sound recording

[jfa]

I have posted some sample recordings from my Zoom H2 on MediaFire here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?3zbeclxuwg4

All recordings were made in WAV format at 44.1KHz, 16 bit stereo.

The file Wind Chimes was recorded at approximately 3 Meters distance with Medium Gain, Volume set to 110 and the recording was normalized in the H2. All other settings were off. It is of the wind chimes on my back veranda and there is some background wind noise as I did not use the wind screen over the inbuilt microphone, something I would recommend doing in windy conditions. Also you may hear a pigeon fly past toward the end of the recording, (at about the 43Sec point).

Chickens was also recorded at approximately 3 Meters distance with High Gain, Volume set to 120 and the recording was normalized in the H2. All other settings were off. The chooks, (as we call them here), were happily scratching around in their pen. The wind noise is apparent here also, particularly toward the end.

Birds was recorded at approximately 8 Meters distance with High Gain, Volume set to maximum and the recording was normalized in the H2. All other settings were off. I have also used a background sample here to filter out some noise in my sound editor and raised the volume slightly. The parrots were sitting in a large Eucalyptus tree next to my orchard waiting for me to leave so they could eat my fruit. You may also hear the wind chimes softly in the background in the latter part of the recording. They were some 35 Meters away.

There are 2 other files included. These were recorded along the creek that runs through my property.

The first, Bush Birds ORG, is a small sample of the original RAW file from the H2 with no manipulation.

The second file, Bush Birds Final, is the same file in full that has been "cleaned up" using a background sample as a filter, then normalized and amplified in my sound editor. I think this is well worth doing when the result is compared with the original. There is still some work to be done on this file, (remove the jet that flew over in the middle of the recording, wind noise and the noise I created moving around), before I would be happy, but I have included it to demonstrate Ron's point,

..<snip>..always start your recordings with about a 10 seconds of 'blank space' i.e. just the background noises before you actually start recording the actual subject matter. In this way, you might be able to use this blank background to capture a noise reduction profile so that you could use the features in (Audition) to reduce the noise levels.

which I also agree it is a excellent suggestion which I do as standard practice.

[Ken Cox]

great samples/demo

thks John

ken

[Barry Beckham]

FH

Well, that was interesting and thanks for doing that. We are going to suffer a bit with ambient noise from roads etc I suppose, but even so the quality sounded pretty good to me. What made me sit up and really listen was the voiceover. The quality there is superb and I truggle to match quite that crispness in my DVD recordings.

I think Ron has a point that some ambient noice may be able to be filtered out, but your right too that often that is exactly what you want left in.

Many thanks for those examples

Barry

[Barry Beckham]

Ifa

The sounds were pretty good for tape and I suspect they would be much better now with digital. Funny you should choose that track by Tony Oconnor for the flight part. I used that too for a balloon show.

Its called Artisrty of Balloons and its here if your interested, no sound effects though

http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/freestuffdigslidesw2.htm

I notice you had quite a loud hiss on the Gentle Wind track. Not sure how that has occurred, its not in the original music.

[Ronniebootwest]

I have posted some sample recordings from my Zoom H2 on MediaFire here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?3zbeclxuwg4

John,

First class stuff mate! These recordings are really good for a hand held recorder. Yours were made with a Zoom H2 and sound really much better than the samples that I have heard from its predesessor - the H4.

Have you tried it with an external mike yet? if so, what mike did you use?.

Ron.

p.s. I could not find the 'voice over' mentioned by Barry though.

[Barry Beckham]

FH

I tried some noise removal in Audition and increased the volume and managed to get the attached from your basic Robin recording.

I didn't realise Audition was so good at this !

http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/robin.zip

Jfa

Your recordings made in Australia are great and I assume you are a bit further from the road than we can get in the UK. When there is no raod noise the quality is very very good.

Ron

The voice is in the H4 samples

[Tomuk]

Alternative to above:

You could also use an "iMAC Audio Input Adapter" ~Suitable for Macs and Windows PCs'.

This 'Griffin Audio Module' simply plugs into any USB Port and you connect your Audio Source

to it and it does the rest. Costs in U.K £30.

See "Attachments"

Brian.Conflow.

Hi! Brian,

I took on board all you have said, both on the forum and e-mail about the Griffin Imic, well I purchased one and it arrived this morning.

I plugged it into a USB port, windows xp reconised it and auto loaded the software and reported it was ready for use, I then went to control panel, clicked on the Sound and audion devices and set record to imic and play back to realtec.

Opened Audacity and made the recording at the link below.

A recording was made initialy without any alterations in my recording software, ie:- all record vol slides set to max, on play back I nearly blew my speakers,the microphone gain was so much (proves the imic does have a microphone pre amp).

Please have a listen (I’m sure Peter will also download) and let me know what you think, please ignor the dulcid tones of my scousers accent.

http://www.mediafire.com/?cvjvlpjdbmx

Tom

[Conflow]

Griffin USB Sound Adaptor Module

Tom,

You're a Gentleman ~ many thanks for your 'Personal Voiceover' ~ it was most appreciated.

The 'Sound-Quality' from the Griffin (first time usage) is perfect with just a hint of Computer

background noise, this is to be expected.

Thanks again for vindicating the Griffin Product ~ I'm sure your're very happy with it, as it

has performed as I promised. Here below are a few 'Instructions' to help you on your way.

Next Test try and record one of your old Vinyl Discs through the Griffin on to your PC or

try out an old Cassette Player Tape.

Bye the way that 'scouser accent' makes a good 'Voiceover Presentation' ~ so use it !

Brian.Conflow

[Tomuk]

Griffin USB Sound Adaptor Module

Tom,

Here below are a few 'Instructions' to help you on your way.

Next Test try and record one of your old Vinyl Discs through the Griffin on to your PC or

try out an old Cassette Player tape.

Brian.Conflow

Thanks for the above Brian, the fact is, my sliders are set lower than theos indicated, another plus fro the imic's pre amp.

I will have to dig out some vinal records from the loft and test for noise.

Tom

[Conflow]

John (Jfa),

'Excellent Live Recordings' ~ better than some of the 'Studio-Presentations' that I have heard.

May I also say thank you for the detailed 'Recording-Log'. The Notes have certainly vindicated

what I have been saying here on the Forum for the past few days despite some of the negative

feedback.

John, job well done, and with your input and that of others we can look forward to opening up

the 'Live Sound-Overs' within the PTE.Programs.

Cheers...

Brian.Conflow.

[Conflow]

Thanks for the above Brian, the fact is, my sliders are set lower than theos indicated, another plus fro the imic's pre amp.

I will have to dig out some vinal records from the loft and test for noise.

Tom

TOM, if you want any help with that ~ just 'shout'.

Brian.

[fh1805]

Hi Tom,

Yes, I have "eaves-dropped" on your personal recording for Brian. I agree with the pair of you, your Griffin iMic has produced a beautifully clean recording. When you combine a voice-over made using that device, with some music and/or natural sounds, you'll have a soundtrack that shows fantastic technical quality. I also agree with Brian that your local accent is no hindrance. It's a soft, gentle accent that I think will be well suited to voice-over work.

I now look forward to seeing and hearing some of your work in the future.

[jfa]

Barry.

I had a look at your "Artisrty of Balloons" AV and I was blown away, (sorry about the pun), beautiful. As you may know from previous posts I have been involved with, (passionate about), Hot Air Ballooning for some 25 plus years and your show presents them in a unique and wonderful manor.

It was late in the 1980s that I meet Tony O'Connor recording some sounds for his Bushland Dreaming/Rainforest Magic series of CDs and I discussed with him suitable soundtracks for a Hot Air Ballooning tape/slide show which I was putting together at that time. In 2004/2005 a mutual friend sent me a pre-release cassette of the "Gentle Wind" track which I used in the "Riding the Wind" AV, (not the best recording hence the slight hiss). Since then I have purchased the CD but as yet not replaced the audio on the show.

Re both of us using it, well great minds and all that. It is a perfect match to the Hot Air Balloons. The music in the show you asked me to look at "Artistry of Balloons" is "3 Jewels" according to your download page and it certainly isn't the same as "Gentle Wind" ??

Your recordings made in Australia are great and I assume you are a bit further from the road than we can get in the UK. When there is no road noise the quality is very very good.

Two minor roads within one kilometre of the recording site, I waited until it was quite and hoped.

Ron

I haven't tried the H2 with an external mike yet, I don't own a good one. The mike used on the samples was the inbuilt one.

Tom

What is the mike, (make and model), you used with the recording you made for Brian? I hope you don't mind me listening to your message to Brian, I think the result was very good for a PC input, the Griffin iMic looks like a very useful device.

Brian and everyone else, thanks for the positive comments on my sound samples.

[Tomuk]

TOM, if you want any help with that ~ just 'shout'.

Brian.

Hello Brian,

Well you only have yourself to blame, you did ask to see a sample of images + audio, well here it is, sorry it’s a mediafire link, I don’t have my own web site.

It now 01.30am and I have just finished uploading the small sequence to mediafire and obtained the link.

Please remember that this is my first attempt at voice over and I’m sure that with your help, along with others, my technique will improve.

Another point I would like you to take into account is the fact that this voice over is straight off the cuff, no script here…..

If you or anybody else has any further advice or learning points, don’t be shy, jump in.

http://www.mediafire.com/?8mfmmx8mrzg

Tom.

[Conflow]

Tom,

I just downloaded your 'Images & Voiceover File' ~ I will look at it tomorrow morning when

I have some spare time. At the moment I'm wrestling with some calculations for our new

'VHF Radio Aerial' which will be going on the top of our new Mainline CAF-Trains. This is to

distribute Stereo-Radio down the 'Club-Class' Carriages ~ so for now, its work !

Brian.Conflow.

[Conflow]

John. jfa

The Mic used in 'Toms Recording' appears to be the Electret Mic built into the 'Griffin iMic'

it is quite good, as is the Product itself. It also has Stereo Line-Inputs and as you know

it plugs straight into any USB Port. It works with iMac PC's and solely with XP-Pcs.

Brian.Conflow.

[fh1805]

Please remember that this is my first attempt at voice over and I’m sure that with your help, along with others, my technique will improve.

Another point I would like you to take into account is the fact that this voice over is straight off the cuff, no script here…..

If you or anybody else has any further advice or learning points, don’t be shy, jump in.

Tom,

I think you know what the main weakness is! You've already mentioned it in your post. Given the reason behind this sequence, the fact that the voice-over was unscripted is understandable (you wanted the sincerity of your thanks to come through - and it did!). For a more "normal" AV production you do need to script the voice over. If you haven't already done so, take a look at my post on "Voice-overs for newbies" where I give some advice on that, and many other, aspects of voice-overs..

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8003

A few small points on the images...

On my 1280x1024 monitor the red framing around the lower right image was not wholly in-view when it came to rest. You may have taken the pan a smidge too far.

Also the four red boxes didn't line up exactly opposite one another. However, their layout was symmetrical about the diagonal so this might have been a deliberate choice on your part.

Perhaps it might have been better if you had not panned the boxes quite so far towards the edges? You're setting them on a background image, so maybe you should leave a little more of the background visible all around the edge?

It's a matter of personal taste and style. You're the one building the sequence. When I build sequences there's only one person I'm trying to please - me! If others like it, that's a bonus. If they don't - tough! But I'll always listen to constructive suggestions and give them consideration.

Now we've got the enthusiasm stoked up, let's keep this kettle boiling! I look forward to seeing your next sequence.

[Barry Beckham]

JFA

I wrote to Tony O'connor for permission to use his music after buying a CD of his while in Australia in 2005/6. I have noticed with the music supplied to me by Medwyn Goodall that the artists change the names of tracks from time time. I found it quite confusing at times and with your AV I thought I have got my credits all wrong.

I tried some forest recordings with our Pixman and got a reasonable recording of the Bell Birds and background noise, that I now know I can clean up considerably using Audition.

Those I try in the UK always seem to pick up noise you don't seem to hear at the time.

[Conflow]

Tom,

I have just played back your Test Presentation:- "Butterflies"....Now what can I say ?

A Wonderful Presentation for a 1st.time Public Viewing and I particularily noted your chosen theme

where Butterflies represent those who had helped you - thats Artistic, and shows a sensitivity to your

subject matter ~Golden Rule.1 ~ Interpretation,well done.

Golden Rule.2 ~ Get to know your subject matter in detail, never chance your arm like Sky-News, who

'blurt-out' assumptions and contradictions every quarter Hour. If you don't know...say so !

Now with respects to Peter, I want to leave aside the 'Tech.Presentation Aspects' for a while.

I shall come back to them later.

Narrators

For over 6 months I was put through a grueling course in 'Public Speaking' as a prelude to various lectures

I had to present to the SEATO Organisation, some 128 delegates from South-East Asia. It was all about

Renewable Energy, my subject was Micro-Hydro Turbines, that was in '85. I learnt to speak the hard way.

There are those who have a 'natural gift' like yourself, and others who have to work really hard at it, and

so there are different preparation methods for different Narrators. (Back to Peter)

There are 2 methods of Preparation:-

** Pre-Prepared written Scripts on 'numbered' single sheet pages, 1.Header per Page. (Tony Blair method)

** Prompt-Page (suits your talent) 1.Page with sequenced Key-Phases. (Ghandi and Kennedy method)

The latter delivers a more emotive Narration and who doesn't wonder at David Attenborough....No Script.

Technics

This is Peters' field more than mine ~ I am not familiar with PTE.5xxx, but Peter and Barry seem to have

got the lid on it (thats no mean feat). Peters tech-comments are very valid, but do try and get one thing

at a time under control and it will eventually all come together for you. Things take time to evolve...

Brian.Conflow.

[Tomuk]

Tom

What is the mike, (make and model), you used with the recording you made for Brian? I hope you don't mind me listening to your message to Brian, I think the result was very good for a PC input, the Griffin iMic looks like a very useful device.

Hi! Everybody,

Over the last 24Hrs I have received numerous messages, mainly by e-mail requesting more info on the equipment I use for studio type voice over recordings.

I am not very competent at voice over at the moment but I hope to get better with the help of friends on this forum. What I can do is to demonstrate in words and pictures the equipment I have and how it’s set up.

Let’s start with the microphone, it’s not an expensive one, on the contrary it’s probably the cheapest, it’s the plastic stick on a stand that you can pick up from any computer store for 3 or 4 pounds, in my case it came free with the desktop computer I purchased.

I then mounted it on a desktop swan neck stand and taped it on with masking tape (see attachments) a wind muffler was also added( just to make it look a bit more pro).

Next we have the Griffin iMic (see att), the microphone is plugged into the mic input and the iMic is plugged into a USB port on your computer, that’s it, no software to load, windows xp detected it, loaded the necessary driver and reported it was ready for use.

I then went to control panel, clicked on the sound and audio device icon and set record to iMic and playback to iMic, setting playback to the iMic now allows me to change from speakers to headphones without going behind my computer.

The iMic also supports a line in port for connecting other devices such as record decks, portable cd players and cassettes, just the job for you portable recorder owners.

In no way am I trying to convince you to purchase an iMic, all I am doing is reporting what works for me.

Next we have to go into our preferred edit/recording programme,( in my case it’s Adobe Audition, but I know a lot of you use Audacity) and set recordings via iMic.

There we have it.

Have a listen to the recordings I have made and posted in this thread .

[Conflow]

Addendum to Toms' Post

That heavy Microphone-Stand is just as important as the Mic, if not more so because it stops

'desk-top noise' from entering the Mic.

Better still to place that Stand on a small sheet of Rubber Foam (not plastic foam) and this

stops PC/Mechanical noise resonance from entering the Mic.

Brian.Conflow.

[Tomuk]

Addendum to Toms' Post

That heavy Microphone-Stand is just as important as the Mic, if not more so because it stops

'desk-top noise' from entering the Mic.

Better still to place that Stand on a small sheet of Rubber Foam (not plastic foam) and this

stops PC/Mechanical noise from entering the Mic.

Brian.Conflow.

Thanks Brian,

This is just the kind of hints and tips that are useful, one peice of rubber comming up.

I have just finished reading Peters tutorial on voice over techniques, lots of learning points. I am using his tutorial as a type of script to practice my efforts.

Please keep the tips comming.

Tom

[Conflow]

Tom.

Just make sure its 'Rubber-Foam' not Plastic Foam which has no worthwhile Acoustic properties.

Its the type thats used in Cars for noise insulation and used by Carpet Fitters.

You want the half-inch to one-inch variety.Its also great to affix to the sides of a PC with

double-sided Tape. Note sides only !

Brian.

[Tomuk]

Tom.

Just make sure its 'Rubber-Foam' not Plastic Foam which has no worthwhile Acoustic properties.

Its the type thats used in Cars for noise insulation and used by Carpet Fitters.

You want the half-inch to one-inch variety.Its also great to affix to the sides of a PC with

double-sided Tape. Note sides only !

Brian.

Brian,

Just off to B&Q, it's 10% day for us old timers, I'll see if I pick up some, -10% of course.

Tom