There’s one tricky aspect about nature field recording that’s not often discussed: distance. Imagine you’re recording in foothills alongside a forested mountain. The wind picks up. You need to move into the shelter of the trees. It’s a half hour walk to get into the right position. When you’re there, you hear a woodpecker drumming […]
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Fixing Field Recordings: Accusonus Audio Repair Bundle First Look
When I first began field recording, I captured any sound I could point my microphone at. It didn’t matter what it was. A shrieking kettle? Sure. Light switches? Done. Traffic from my balcony? I have dozens of tracks. Beginning field recording is an exciting time. It introduces a way of thinking about the world that […]
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Sony PCM-D100 Review: One Year Later
I've been meaning to write a review of the Sony's PCM-D100 portable audio recorder for some time now. The D100 is the successor to Sony's popular PCM-D50 model. The D50 is known for its excellent sound quality, impressive battery life, and sturdy construction. How does the PCM-D100 (US$775) measure up to its older brother? This […]
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Article: Review of Wildtronics Parabolic Microphone Dishes
I’ve had a fascination with parabolic dishes ever since I read community field recordist Tim Prebble’s experiences using a Telinga dish to capture nature recordings. Prebble’s article showcases the stunning results parabolic field recordings achieve. Recordist Daan Hendriks, who is currently roaming the wilds of Africa capturing sound effects, is also a fan of the […]
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iZotope RX 4 vs 3 Feature Comparison
It seems like just a few months ago that I wrote an article comparing iZotope’s RX3 audio restoration software with its predecessor, RX2. At that time, RX2 had been known as a respected tool for polishing troublesome audio. The software hadn’t seen a major update in years, however. So, last year’s announcement of RX3 was […]
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Placing Field Recordings in New Spaces – Altiverb 7 Reverb Review
The are many talented sound designers among us. Using software, creativity, and inspiration, they warp door slams into space cannons. They twist pig squeals into alien queens. I’ve always admired these designers. Part of the reason is because sound design and samplers are foreign to me. I record natural sound effects: atmospheres, engines, nature, that […]
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