So I need to record some dialogue of someone yelling. In some tests, I recorded where the audio wasn't peaking, but listening back, it sounds distorted when the shouting gets to its loudest. Any tips? And for the record, I am shooting stuff on a DSLR with a Zoom H4n and a Sennheiser K6 & ME 66. I know the straight answer: hire a professional sound guy, but that's not gonna happen. Thanks in advance! :laugh:
Tips on recording people yelling
- Thread starter Rain Man
- Start date
recordingwhiz
Well-known member
get a preamp that has a limiter, thats exactly the situation limiters are made for. there are mixers that have this function as well as single channel preamps.
Steve House
Veteran
Could be that the talent is straining their voice trying to yell too loud and that is the source of the distortion. Barring that, the ME66 has a pretty hot output (-23 dBu compared to -30dBu for the 416 and -34dBu for the Rode NTG-2), it could be the mic is overloading the preamp's input stage before the gain control stage gets it under control - if clipping occurs upstream of the amplifier before the gain control, the levels will appear okay but the signal will still be clipped. Try inserting a pad into the line between the mic and the recorder and see if that helps. You didn't describe your physical setup but it could be the mic is too close to the talent - we usually tell people they need to get the mic closer as most people try to get away with too much mic-subject distance for a shotgun but it IS possible to error in the other direction and get too close - 18 inches is about the closest you should go. Finally, I've always thought the ME66 sounded harsh so it may just be that quirk that you're hearing.
Last edited:
It could be the mic itself that can't take the high input - the human voice can be extremely loud at close distances, louder than a full-blown rock concert.
In that case, back away, and/or slightly misdirect the mic.
As have been said, some voices start to naturally distort when strained, but if it sounds the same on many different people then that's probably not it.
I would also suspect the H4n as the preamps can't take a very high input.
In that case, back away, and/or slightly misdirect the mic.
As have been said, some voices start to naturally distort when strained, but if it sounds the same on many different people then that's probably not it.
I would also suspect the H4n as the preamps can't take a very high input.
combatentropy
Veteran
Like others have said, even though your final recording level isn't peaking, there is other circuitry ("preamplifiers") earlier in the chain.
Something like this happened to me, when I plugged a cheapie MiniDisc into an audio board. The level on the recorder was fine, but the played-back sound was obviously overmodulated. I am not a sound guy, but someone who was told me that I was overloading the preamps. Particularly in consumer gear this happens. And there are no knobs or switches on said consumer gear to do anything about it. You have to add a device of some sort to bring down the level before it goes into your device.
Something like this happened to me, when I plugged a cheapie MiniDisc into an audio board. The level on the recorder was fine, but the played-back sound was obviously overmodulated. I am not a sound guy, but someone who was told me that I was overloading the preamps. Particularly in consumer gear this happens. And there are no knobs or switches on said consumer gear to do anything about it. You have to add a device of some sort to bring down the level before it goes into your device.
Last edited:
Allan Black
Veteran
If it's the client - take notice. Talent - maybe recast. Landlord - move. Car mechanic - sell it. Girlfriend - listen. Wife .. ?
Cheers.
Stephen Hall
Member
How about a dynamic mic like an Electro-Voice RE50 or similar ? Those mics are made to be shouted into or used in high-noise environments. Just a thought... Stephen H
sonofaresiii
Well-known member
On a sort of similar note, I've always wondered how sound guys record things like explosions. I'd always figured they were just effects layered on each other, but apparently a lot of pro sound guys will get them (on the same note, things like car backfires and gunshots have the same problem). You can't really do a "test" explosion to get levels... so what do they do? I could almost buy the fact that the really experienced guys can just guesstimate it close enough... but there's no way anyone can predict how loud an explosion is going to be.
recordingwhiz
Well-known member
They do it with good quality gear that has the headroom to do it with quality limiters that when properly set will not over drive the signal chain, and most importantly with experiance and skills in using their equipment.
and yes most explosions you hear in movies are created out of layering various sounds to shape the sound of the explosion from other elements in their SFX library. Some explosions can consist of 5 to 10 elemsnts or more.
and rarely acctualy record an acctual explosion.
and yes most explosions you hear in movies are created out of layering various sounds to shape the sound of the explosion from other elements in their SFX library. Some explosions can consist of 5 to 10 elemsnts or more.
and rarely acctualy record an acctual explosion.
does@pandora.be
New member
Hello, what I do when very loud levels are to be recorded, is use a dynamic microphone. The dynamic microphone has a natural compression due to the fysic's of the way they are build. The element fysicaly moves. They are perfect for gunshots and so. Try using one of those.