Processing audio after capture?

M

madhorizons

Active member
All -
I recorded a video my oldest kid's high school band last night and would like some advice on post-production on it. They had a separate string band and then ones with full instrumentation.

The set up was my camera (Sony HVR-Z5U) with on-board condenser into channel 1 (L) and a MXL pencil condenser into channel 2 (R).

What I want to do is just tweak it a little to enhance the overall dynamic sound/feel of it and not have it sound overly produced. The final product will end up on DVD.

I can go about this 2 ways:
1 - mix L & R individually by going mono to stereo, producing 2 separate "stereo" tracks (1 for each mic)
2 - mix L& R together as the completed stereo

The software I'm using (unless I can export out of Premiere with SMPTE to a DAW that can maintain the SMPTE) is Adobe Soundbooth. It has limited capabilities but has the basic "toolset" of EQ, compressors, etc.

Regardless of the approach (Soundbooth vs time-code friendly DAW), what processing would you use, if any?

EDIT: I, personally, cannot tell much difference between L & R

L & R mono to stereo:
http://swapmeltsface.com/tunez/kids/stringsampleL.mp3
http://swapmeltsface.com/tunez/kids/stringsampleR.mp3

http://swapmeltsface.com/tunez/kids/symphonyL.mp3
http://swapmeltsface.com/tunez/kids/symphonyR.mp3

Combined as-recorded stereo (L&R together):
http://swapmeltsface.com/tunez/kids/stringsampleS.mp3
http://swapmeltsface.com/tunez/kids/symphonyS.mp3

Either of you know if you can export audio out of Premiere that has the timecode? Does SonarX1 Producer have the capability of reading timecode?

Thx in advance
 
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Unless you had a matching pair of microphones, and a really good stereo mike set-up/placement, it makes the most sense to mix and blend the two sounds to taste and sum into mono (although I will try to listen to your samples when I can to see if your specific examples require a different approach; can't do that from where I am right now). Two separate mono-to-stereo files will sound a little whacky, and a L/R spread will be unbalanced with the mike situation you outlined.

Listen for any phase issues that may need correction by sliding one of the files around a bit. EQ and mix to taste. Depending on your software, you probably don't need the time-code (just pick a louder transient at the beginning of the video to match files up with). The Adobe should be fine.

GJ
 
They're two different mics and not that far apart from each other. I didn't see a way (was in a hurry) to have premiere make L & R separate tracks without doing the mono-to-stereo. If I can make separate audio tracks for L & R each, then will definitely take this approach.
 
This is what the final outcome was. Ended up going Premiere Pro --> OMF into Sonar X1 Producer (most familiar to me) --> Broadcast .wav (keeps timecode) --> Premiere for render. I did as you suggested and kept the mix as-recorded (mic1 = L, mic2 = R)....they've got a little different dynamic range from each other, but nothing vast. The audio in these samples were processed with various EQ/compression/small hint of reverb (mics re-"dried" the sound of the auditorium somehow)/etc.

String Orchestra - December Fanfare: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhW6QKHuYxg&hd=1
Symphonic Band - Ukrainian Bell Carol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T70g8VGggTg&hd=1
Symphony - Celtic Christmas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py1f2-cAHdY&hd=1
 
madhorizons said:
They're two different mics and not that far apart from each other. I didn't see a way (was in a hurry) to have premiere make L & R separate tracks without doing the mono-to-stereo. If I can make separate audio tracks for L & R each, then will definitely take this approach.
Click to expand...

Really, in a situation like this, you should take the best one mic of the two and go with that. And if you avoid using the camera's built-in mic at all, you'll be better off. That tends to record camera noises such as operator handling, zoom servo, etc.

It's also important to know what the terms "mono" and "stereo" actually mean. I posted about that HERE.
 
Yeah, I was suggesting _summing_ them to mono. But I'm sure it's fine.
In the future, if you want to do a stereo recording of a live musical event, there are some good standard miking set-ups
for that. Google "spaced-pair," "ORTF," or "Decca Tree," which should be helpful to you. But you'll need a mixer and at least two
mikes that are a matched pair (same brand/make, and model work best, although there are set-ups for two different mikes with
different patterns, like Mid/Side). You'll also need at least one good, really tall mike stand (and maybe a weight for safety) with a
stereo-pair adaptor (or a stereo microphone), cables, and a separate audio recorder would be better than going right to the camera.

GJ
 
OK, finally got a chance to watch and listen... That came out fine. Especially since it's not intended to be a Hollywood feature.
I've seen and heard far, far worse videos/recordings that were done by pros. Nice job.

GJ
 
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