Technique | Creative Field Recording

Archives For Technique

Why Envisioning Sound Effects Improves Them

2013/01/30

Via Train, courtesy Slideshow Bruce

Last week I shared a simple train recording, and explained how I cut it in Pro Tools.

Of course, many of you have cut vehicles like this before for your own library. So, the focus was not as an editing or mastering tutorial.

Instead, I wanted to explore another idea: how envisioning your sound effects improves them. When you conceptualize every stage of field recording – from research to archiving – your recordings strengthen. Mastering your sound clips before you record them informs your technique and enhances your sound library. How?

I’ll conclude the series describing why I cut the train as I did. I’ll share ideas you can use in your own field recordings, and explain the benefit to mastering your tracks before you record them.

In Field Recording, Mastering, Technique train, vehicle

An Introduction to Gathering Sound Effects

2012/11/29

A few months ago I received a revelation while writing here.

In response to a reader’s email, I wrote an article called An Introduction to Sound Effects Mastering.

In that post I outlined the stages of mastering sound clips, and shared my own experience polishing sound effects. I broke the tasks down, then unraveled them. I was forced to consider my workflow, step-by-step. I reflected on the effect each stage of mastering has upon the value of a sound effect.

That post made me realize an important idea: it’s incredibly helpful to return to the roots of your craft. It’s vital to reserve a place for your roots in your thoughts. After all, it’s easy to abandon them while we become dazzled by other aspects of work. Writing the article pulled me away from software versions, headphone models, and plug-in upgrades. It forced me to reflect on the way I work, and what mastering is about, at its core.

I’d like to continue that idea today.

So, in this post, I will describe exactly what happens when a field recordist strikes out into the world. What do they do? What sound do they capture? How do they do this? What happens while field recording?

My new e-Book Field Recording: from Research to Wrap, grew from that original post. I explore those field recording concepts in depth in that book. However, I felt that the ideas may interest blog readers too, so I wanted to share an abridged version here, as well. If you want to go deeper, check out the e-Book.

In Field Recording, Technique ebook, field recording, sound effects, tips, tricks

5 Ways to Fix Noisy Field Recordings

2012/11/21

The Lobster Nebula, courtesy ESO

This is a sample chapter from my e-Book, Field Recording: from Research to Wrap. Read more about the book.

Capturing recordings with excessive noise is one of the most confusing and frustrating problems new field recordists face when recording sound effects.

Noise is a thick, rushing, steam-like sound that overlaps sound recordings. At higher frequencies it adopts a thin, nasal aspect, known as hiss.

Not all noise sounds the same. Some noise is steady and smooth and somewhat tolerable, or at least unnoticeable. Other forms of noise sputter coarsely.

When noise appears in recordings, it invades sound effects thoroughly, even at low levels. And this is why it is noise becomes an irritating problem: once it arrives, it’s difficult to remove.

Where does this noise come from? How can it be minimized? Can it be eliminated? How much is acceptable? How can you record with clean gain?

I’ll answer each of these questions.

In Field Recording, Mastering, Technique field recording, mastering, noise

What Ruins Stealth Sound Effect Recordings, and How to Fix It

2012/07/25

[readability]

If you’ve ever tried stealth recording sound effects you know how tricky it can be.

Have you ever had people shy away from you while recording market crowds? Maybe your wildlife sound effects aren’t as rich and natural as you’d like them. Have you been denied access to a location as soon as your gear is spotted? Perhaps you’ve been dragged away by security.

Stealth field recording has many challenges, but many more rewards.

I was convinced of the power of stealth recording while travelling throughout Europe. Because I was recording for three months, I was able to experiment with different stealth methods.

Here are some tricks I use to capture better stealth sound effects.

In Field Recording, Technique, Tutorial field recording, how to, stealth, tips, tricks

How to Take Your Sound Effects to the Next Level

2012/07/11

What is the best first step a new sound effects field recordist can take? I’ve written before that getting out and recording anything is a good way to start.

Recording foundation sound effects like traffic, crowds and household sound clips teaches you:

How your gear works: nuances of microphone range and frequency response, recorder foibles.
How sound moves or works in different environments: reflections, etc.
How much intruding noise your recording can tolerate before it is ruined.
Subtleties of your subject: when birds are most lively, how crowds react or how machines respond when manipulated.

Well, what’s next? How do you improve your sound effects library to take it from good to great?

Have you exhausted all the cool sound fx around you? Out of ideas? Not sure what to record next? Interested in challenging yourself? Want to record sound clips that involve more than swinging microphone stands and pressing buttons?

I’ve written before that I believe that the best sound effects are meaningful, evocative and powerful. What do I mean? How can you create these sounds?

In this article I’ll suggest some concrete actions you can take to make your sound library better.
Continue Reading…

In Creativity, Field Recording, Sound Library, Technique creativity, field recording, sound effects, sound effects star

5 Tricks to Record Better Atmospheres

2012/07/04

There are two broad disciplines of field recording: specific sound sound effects and ambiences, also know as atmospheres.

Recording specific sound effect takes focus and technical skill. Capturing race car and fighter jet sound effects correctly is intense. You have one chance to get it right. Evoking characteristic sound from pug dogs or gunshots requires creativity and adaptability.

Atmospheres, however, call for a different approach. When you’re recording ambiences you must be patient and observant. You’ll find yourself more connected to what you’re recording. Commonly you’ll be mentally immersed in the environment and the action there.

Recording atmospheres isn’t as physically demanding as capturing specific sound effects. It’s more passive. That doesn’t mean it is easy. Capturing evocative ambiences takes skill. Because atmospheres are broader, encompassing sounds, there’s arguably higher potential for problem sounds to intrude on the recording.

Have you experienced these while recording or mastering atmospheres?

When recording:

can’t scrape together enough duration for a decent recording?
sounds always interfering with the purity of your recordings?

When mastering:

returned to your edit suite to hear problems you missed when recording?
finding that making edits midway interrupts the flow of the atmosphere?
can’t recall what made that odd noise at 2:14?
finding you’re making dozens of edits in a two-minute recording?

I’ve experienced them too.

Here are six tricks I use to get around them to record better atmospheres.

In Field Recording, Technique ambience, atmosphere, field recording, sound effects, tricks

How To Add Personality to Your Sound Effects

2012/02/15

F430 by Nelson Wu

Over the last two weeks I’ve written about recording race car sound effects for airbornesound.com. This post will wrap things up with a description of how I specifically tried to evoke character from the session.

Bringing personality to recordings when you can’t control the environment or performance is tricky.

Last week I wrote about how to regain control in passive field recording sessions.

Today I’ll explain a technique you can use to bring personality and life to your sound effects recordings. I’ve found it works in both passive and active sessions. I found it especially helpful during the IndyCar recordings.

In Creativity, Field Recording, Technique articulation, creativity, field recording, projection

Getting Good Sound Effects from ‘Passive’ Field Recording Sessions

2012/02/08

In my last post I wrote about recording IndyCar and Nascar race car sound effects for airbornesound.com. Visit there to read the background of the field recording shoot. You can hear some of the samples of Ferrari and Indy Lights race car sound clips.

I recorded those cars last summer. Since then I’ve thought a lot about that session. The shoot was characterized by frustrating problems I couldn’t change such as music, aircraft, PA and more. It made me think about field recording subjects that are mostly out of your control.

It’s important to capture richness and nuance into your recordings. That’s what gives them character, impact and longevity. As I wrote earlier, I believe a good part of that nuance comes from the recordist themselves.

I wondered how a field recordist could bring richness and depth to sound effects that they actually can’t directly influence at all.

So, using the race as an example, I’ll write this week about what you can and cannot control in a ‘passive session.’

I’ll also share some ideas on what you can do in these situations, and how to approach these sessions.

The article got a bit long, so I cut it in two: next week I’ll write about how I applied these ideas specifically to the Indy race.

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In Creativity, Field Recording, Technique 4Ps, active, field recording, passive, sound effects

Creativity in Sound: Why How You Record Matters

2011/05/05

Recording World Cup reactions from the street in Paris

I was originally going to write about field recording international ambiences for airbornesound.com today. But as I started writing, the post turned into something else. I realized that I needed to cover another way I find creativity first.

I’ll get back to international sound effects later.

In my last post I wrote that blending your passion with field recording can produce excellent and creative sound effects.

Today I want to suggest another way of bringing more creativity to your field recordings. I find that two things can make recording more creative:

what sound effects you record
how you record the sound effects

I’ll use international field recording as an example. Of course, you’ll have your own preference. The basic ideas should apply to any sound you want to record.

In Creativity, Field Recording, Technique guerrilla recording, stealth recording

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