Improving audio using cost-effective DIY tips & tricks

S

sbryan

Well-known member
I'm never really happy with the finished audio of my projects. I'm no sound guru, but I believe my mics pick up too much extraneous sound (cloth rustling, breathing patterns, etc.) despite the speaking level sounding normal. Other than that, it just doesn't sound true-to-life, despite working with a bed of environment sound.

I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to improve my sound in the short term with little cash investment. Perhaps there's a blog dedicated to DIY tips & tricks for maximizing the gear you already own?

What am I using you ask?

Audio run through HVX200a
Lectrosonics UCR211 & UM200 Receiver/Transmitter
Sanken COS-11x Lavalier w/TA5F Connector
Sennheiser SEMKH416P48 Shotgun Microphone
Sony Studio Headphones

A Rycote wind shield is on my wish list, but this isn't a problem because I don't shoot many things outside. I shoot mainly interviews and indoor events.

ADR isn't really an option for me because I don't have have the gear or a sound-controlled environment to work in.

Don't get me wrong, if you want to throw in some must-have gear recommendations, go ahead. I'll start a wish list!

Thanks for your input!
 
I would start with the stickies, a whole bunch of post info there. A shotgun indoors is often not the best choice, Hyper is generally preferred. A whole lot depends on what your trying to do. Interviews says docs to me and you can get away with a lot on a doc. Narrative films get higher expectations for sound track quality. A "good" narrative film generally has somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-200 tracks of audio. Granted not nearly that many will play at any one time but still a scene in a quiet house will generally have 10-12 background tracks (at least). You'll have a stereo track or two of "quiet house", probably some furnace, maybe a clock and depending o the room you may have refer hum etc. Then you have the exterior (since you always hear a bit in side) so maybe some traffic and birds if it's day and poss crix if it's night, or frogs? If your in the city then maybe a subway or elevated train, streetcar?, fog horns? Sirens? Once you start making a world it adds up. Then there is Foley, Foot steps, cloth sounds, stuff people touch etc. The "Hollywood" rule is if you see it you hear it. But you also need to add the stuff you don't see but want in the space. Once yu get it nice and thick it will start to sound more "real". I say "real" because it's not REAL, films aren't. What people think sounds "real" is what a bunch of folks spend a lot of time deciding "is real", for this film. If you want reality walk down the street, you wont find it in a theatre.
 
Several things you mentioned don't have equipment solutions, but rather technique remedies. Such as selecting quiet locations (or turning off noise sources like air handling, refrigerators, etc. etc.) Such as putting more effort into selecting and positioning and attaching body mics to reduce costume noise, etc.
 
I'll work on getting some raw files together.

I'll look through the stickies for some Hyper suggestions. I looked around BH Photo but didn't really know what I was looking at. Felt like a kid in a candy store, though.

You're right about "reality." Perhaps I do need to play with foley effects at home. It'd be nice to have a solid state recorder for getting sound in the field so I wouldn't have to lug that HVX around.
 
Also, my Lectrosonics receiver/transmitter is Block 29. I notice Block 29 is no longer sold.

What is now the preferred range for documentaries and narrative films?
 
sbryan said:
Also, my Lectrosonics receiver/transmitter is Block 29. I notice Block 29 is no longer sold.

What is now the preferred range for documentaries and narrative films?
Click to expand...

Lectrosonics Block 29 is in the middle of the 700MHz band which is now illegal for use by wireless microphones.

"OPERATION OF WIRELESS MICROPHONES IN THE 700 MHZ BAND IS PROHIBITED AFTER JUNE 12, 2010" http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones/

It is unlikely that the FCC will surround your shooting location with lights and sirens if you use your rig after 12-Jun-10, but you will gradually become more likely to get interference from the new users of the bandwidth, and you run a (slight, IMHO) risk of interfering with emergency services. 700MHz equipment is being sold to users in other countries at fire-sale prices.

There is no real "preferred range". It depends a lot on where you are and what you are doing.
 
sbryan said:
A Rycote wind shield is on my wish list, but this isn't a problem because I don't shoot many things outside. I shoot mainly interviews and indoor events.

Thanks for your input!
Click to expand...

Right. A 416 only works inside if your acoustic environment is really controlled. We really have no way of knowing how you use the gear. If you're not hugging the frame with the mic, like no farther than 18" form talents' mouth, you're gonna get indirect room sound.

This may help: http://gallery.me.com/tyreeford#100038

Regards,

Ty Ford
 
The clothing rustling problem with the lav can be dealt with by gaffer taping the wire to clothing and /or using a soft rubber sleeve just below the lav.. Earplugs found in any drugstore are the same material and a lot cheaper, you just have to find a way to slit it for the wire.
 
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