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Audio 2
Arienne M. DwyerUniversity of Kansas
Toshi NakayamaTokyo University of Foreign Studies
Yoshi OnoUniversity of Alberta, Canada
Topics
• Recorders (stand-alone recorders and computer-based recording devices)
• Microphones• Accessories (memory cards, cables, adaptors,
mic stands, batteries, bags)• Digital transfer/archiving• Signal processing (noise removal, concealing
identity, etc. by Carlos)• Shopping consultation
Goals
• What do you know/want to learn?– Email to: [email protected]– We don’t know everything but we will try
• We want to make it a forum to talk about recording
• Activities – way to make you an independent recordist
Recording
• Aim: to make the highest possible quality recordings, but consider:
• Limits of budget, equipment, and training• Whatever your budget, get the best you can possibly buy and
operate.• Comfort of speaker/singers
– keeping a crowd quiet may stop a storyteller’s flow– large or multiple microphones may be threatening
• Naturalness of linguistic/cultural setting– in situ – often includes crowd noise, interruptions, doors slamming, chickens,
drumming, etc.
(Relatively) low priced recommended recorders
• Edirol R09HR ($250)
• Olympus LS10; 11 ($300; $400)
• Marantz PMD620 ($400)
(Relatively) low priced recommended recorders
• Zoom H2 ($140)
• Zoom H4n ($300; XLR)
• Tascam (probably very good; no track record)
middle priced/larger recommended recorders
• Marantz PMD661 ($600; XLR)
• Fostex FR2 LE ($600; XLR; compact flash card)
• For phonetics:
– Marantz 661 or Foxtex FR2 LE with Oade modification (advanced mod)
http://www.oade.com/
• Bartlomiej Plichta’s site (recommendations and detailed equipment reviews; technical)– http://bartus.org/akustyk/
• Avisoft (animal sound measuring; their equipment measurements are fantastic/technical)– http://www.avisoft.com/tutorial.htm– http://www.avisoft.com/tutorial_field_recording.htm– http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm
Microphones
• Price varies ($5 - $10,000; spend minimally $100)• Internal vs. External – Internal: avoid them (all pick up handling noise)– Check to see if the recorder has a mic input Zoom H2?
• Mono vs. Stereo– Mono - one channel– stereo - two; from stereo mic or two mono mics
Cables
• XLR - most common in professional audio• For balanced audio cables; the 3-pin versions
are most often used• Bulky!
• Mini-plug (3.5 mm)• It can create noise (play ex)
Microphones
• Dynamic vs. Condenser– Dynamic - durable, need no extra power; avoid them for the
recommended recorders – Condenser – need power, more sensitive but more fragile, batteries,
plug-in power (mini-plug), or phantom power (XLR) Zoom H2?• Wired vs.Wireless
– Wireless: unconnected, signal via radio frequency
– Wireless mikes can have dropouts, or signal obstruction, but allow freedom of movement and are therefore a good choice with e.g. children
Microphones
• Directionality: Omni vs. Unidirectional– Omnidirectional: operates equally well in all directions
• (Uni)directional: receives signal more efficiently from a specific direction than from all other direction
Microphones
• Cardioid (heart-shaped pickup) – very useful overall functionality; Also Hypercardioid, Supercardioid
• Shotgun – a highly-directional microphone with a narrow oval/tubular pattern and extremely reduced pickup from the sides and rear.
Microphones
• Lavalier/lapel (clip-on) – normally omnidirectional• A miniature microphone that is usually worn
fastened to clothing; often used in pairs to record conversation between two speakers
• Headset – normally directional• Advantages: Makes excellent quality recordings, as it
follows the speaker's movements• Disadvantages: invasive for speakers
Microphones
• Boundary - noninvasive, good for multiple speakers; normally omni directional (e.g. talk around a table)
• Specs:– Shure 58 SM58– Beyerdynamic MCE58
• Use a directional mic if possible and appropriate (e.g. sole speaker)
• Keep mics close to speaker/singer• Use foam filter to prevent pops from mouth
close to mic
• http://www.shure.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webcontent/us_pro_sm58_specsheet.pdf
• http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/media//datenblaetter/MCE58_DB_E.pdf
Let’s record
• Take a recording device and a mic and try making a recording in the way by which the mic is intended to be used
• Study all the specs of and the buttons on the recorder/mic before you leave the room
• Take headphones with you• Go out and record• Listen to the recordings together
Planning/preparing/practicing
• Make plans – What microphones and devices would be most appropriate?– Site survey– Check out local stores to see what they carry
• Test equipment and practice using it!– Test in the comfort of your home– Before you leave home/the night before, re-test it.– Emptied memory cards, cables, adaptors, stand, headphone, fresh
batteries….– Don’t forget metadata forms! – Your goal is to make good recording in “naturalistic” environments
Horrible stories to share
• Talk about tough situations where you had to record and/or will be recording
Electricity
• National power supplies: 220v, 110v, or something else?
• Wall AC Outlets: bring adaptors• Availability: 24 hrs? Certain times of day?• Quality: “brown”? (irregular, surging power,
lots of spikes)• Power and your hosts: – excessive burden on electrical grid?– compensate if excessive (e.g. if using video lights)
Batteries
• Single use– Alkaline (carry them as backups)– Lithium (much longer-lasting; expensive)
• Rechageable (environment friendly)– Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cad)• Memory effect
– Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH)– Sanyo Eneloop (very reliable!)• http://sanyo.com/eneloop/concept_u/index.html
Memory cards
• Get two minimally• Compact Flash (CF) card: better but more
expensive;will probably die out relatively soon• Secure Digital (SD) card: cheaper; will be good for
some time• Check the size of memory your recorder can deal
with (Edirol R09HR can take 8GB SD card)– Zoom H2? Edirol R09HR?
• Sometimes upgrading firmware ups the size• Get a card reader
Other things
• Cables• Adaptors
– Y adaptor for stereo recording
– Hosa (cable/connector manufacturer)– The Soundprofessionals– B&H– Radio Shack (get two)
• Stands
• Equipment bags K&M 231/1– Kata, Lowpro, Porta-Brace, Crumpler, Tamrac….
Day 3
• Direct-to-computer recording• Digital transfer/archiving• Signal processing (noise removal, concealing
identity, etc. by Carlos)
Direct to computer recording
• Cakewalk UA-1G ($100; okay quality; also for analog/DAT cassette to digital transfer)– Make sample recording
• Centrance MicPort Pro ($150; high quality)– Make sample recording
• Sound Devices USBPre ($550; for phonetics; also for analog/DAT cassette to digital transfer)
Digital transfer/archiving
• Ask around (libraries, university tech services, research consortiums/units, music depts)
• Professional services (they are costly)• Canaan Media (media transfer (e.g., tapes to CDs))
– http://canaanmedia.com/index.htm
• If you want to do it on your own, you need an audio interface– Cakewalk UA-1G– Sound Devices USBPre
Digital transfer/archiving
• Reel to reel (talk to pros)• Audio cassette – Tascam deck• Tascam 202mkV• Combination deck
• For a portable, have to go to – Sony Walkman WM-D6C, Marantz PMD430, Sony
TC-D5M, etc.
Digital transfer/archiving
• You have to go to ebay for DAT decks/walkman– Check sampling rate• 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz
• DAT walkman needs a very special cable– http://www.core-sound.com/7-pin-coax-blurb/
1.php
Digital transfer/archiving
• MD– You need a deck• Portable MD players lack digital output connectors• Tascam MD-02B
– Or you need to get a H-MD portable recorder• Sony MZM200 (through Sony’s transfering software)
• H-MD– Sony MZM200 (through Sony’s transfering
software)
Digital transfer/archiving
• Sampling rate etc.– 44.1 kHz/16 bit ?
• You need to digitize the same material pretty regularly (every 5 years?)– Technological advance in digital technology– Costly
• Server with automatic backup• (Portable) harddisk• “Archival quality” DVDs