I want to record a single person reading a story. He/she will be
sitting and reading the text off of a computer screen. I want to find
out what kind of microphone(s) to use and where to place it (or them).

Recording is new to me. I have been trying to learn what I can. I now
feel that I just know some of the questions I should ask. I am hoping
that some of you will help me with the answers.

=== Mono, stereo, or binaural? ===

Since I will be recording a single sound source, it seems that mono is
sufficient. But will a stereo or binaural recording give a richer
sound?

=== Stand, lapel or headset? ===

Should I use a mic on a stand, a lapel mic or a head-set mic? The
speaker will be facing a computer screen while reading. But I assume
that people will want to shift around. Can I expect microphone
distance to stay reasonably constant? Would constant position be
better with a lapel mic? If they lean back in the chair, does the
changing head position effect the sound recorded by the lapel mic?
Would a headset mic provide best constant position? These will not be
professional speakers. I want them to feel comfortable and natural.
Should I opt then for not using a large mic on a stand?

=== Number of microphones ===

Even if I want just a mono recording, should I use more that one mic
and then combine the sounds in a mixer? Would that make the sound
quality more constant in spite of changing head position?

=== Placement of microphone(s) ===

Where should it (or they) be located? To the side, above, below? What
would be the best distance (if a standing mic)? Again an issue is
non-professional speakers. They can't be expected to "work" the mic.
How can I eliminate the effects of plosive sounds or other unwanted
effects?

=== Quality of microphones? ===

From reading this newsgroup, it seems to me that the expense part of
expensive microphones is mainly the capture pattern of the housing.
The capture pattern seems very important when recording multiple
sounds (2 or more musicians) or spread-out sounds (pianos) or moving
sounds (accordians) or with competing sounds (live performances), etc.

However, it has been suggested in this newsgroup, that when recording
a single sound source in a otherwise quiet room, that a $20 Radio
Shack button mic would perform as well. Or that perhaps it would be
better, since it captures a purer total sound. Is this true?

=== Microphone recommendations ===

Any recommendations for microphones? Microphone type? Specific
microphones?

=== Sound processing ===

Do you recommend anything that can be done to clean up the recorded
sound? I would prefer something that can be done with inexpensive PC
software.

=== Other factors? ===



Thanks a lot for any help.
John

John Pankowicz wrote:
I want to record a single person reading a story. He/she will be
sitting and reading the text off of a computer screen. I want to find
out what kind of microphone(s) to use and where to place it (or them).

As far away from the computer screen as possible. Video monitors are
major interference issues. If you can use paper, it makes life much
easier.

=== Mono, stereo, or binaural? ===

Mono.

=== Stand, lapel or headset? ===

You pretty much need a stand. Lapel mikes are disasterous as far as
clothing noise goes, and they aren't positioned very well. Headset mikes
are too close to the mouth.

=== Number of microphones ===

One. There is no reason to use more than one.

Even if I want just a mono recording, should I use more that one mic
and then combine the sounds in a mixer? Would that make the sound
quality more constant in spite of changing head position?

If you are stick with someone who can't keep their head still (and sadly
a lot of amateurs are like this), an omnidirectional microphone can be a
big help. The EV-20 does better with these people than most cardiods,
though.

=== Placement of microphone(s) ===

Where should it (or they) be located? To the side, above, below? What
would be the best distance (if a standing mic)? Again an issue is
non-professional speakers. They can't be expected to "work" the mic.
How can I eliminate the effects of plosive sounds or other unwanted
effects?

This depends on the speaker.

If you are getting popping, they are too close.

=== Quality of microphones? ===

From reading this newsgroup, it seems to me that the expense part of
expensive microphones is mainly the capture pattern of the housing.
The capture pattern seems very important when recording multiple
sounds (2 or more musicians) or spread-out sounds (pianos) or moving
sounds (accordians) or with competing sounds (live performances), etc.

However, it has been suggested in this newsgroup, that when recording
a single sound source in a otherwise quiet room, that a $20 Radio
Shack button mic would perform as well. Or that perhaps it would be
better, since it captures a purer total sound. Is this true?

If you can get away with an omni, I recommend the EV 635A which is
inexpensive and reasonable and good on a wide variety of voices.
But this means you're going to need a very quiet and very dry place
to record, because it's also going to be picking up whatever room noise
there is.

=== Microphone recommendations ===

Any recommendations for microphones? Microphone type? Specific
microphones?

SM-7. EV 635A, EV RE-20 are all good first choices.

=== Sound processing ===

Do you recommend anything that can be done to clean up the recorded
sound? I would prefer something that can be done with inexpensive PC
software.

What do you need to clean up? Get it right the first time so you don't
need to slap paint over it in post.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
John Pankowicz wrote:
I want to record a single person reading a story. He/she will be
sitting and reading the text off of a computer screen. I want to find
out what kind of microphone(s) to use and where to place it (or them).

As far away from the computer screen as possible. Video monitors are
major interference issues. If you can use paper, it makes life much
easier.

=== Mono, stereo, or binaural? ===

Mono.

=== Stand, lapel or headset? ===

You pretty much need a stand. Lapel mikes are disasterous as far as
clothing noise goes, and they aren't positioned very well. Headset mikes
are too close to the mouth.

=== Number of microphones ===

One. There is no reason to use more than one.

Even if I want just a mono recording, should I use more that one mic
and then combine the sounds in a mixer? Would that make the sound
quality more constant in spite of changing head position?

If you are stick with someone who can't keep their head still (and sadly
a lot of amateurs are like this), an omnidirectional microphone can be a
big help. The EV-20 does better with these people than most cardiods,
though.

=== Placement of microphone(s) ===

Where should it (or they) be located? To the side, above, below? What
would be the best distance (if a standing mic)? Again an issue is
non-professional speakers. They can't be expected to "work" the mic.
How can I eliminate the effects of plosive sounds or other unwanted
effects?

This depends on the speaker.

If you are getting popping, they are too close.

=== Quality of microphones? ===

From reading this newsgroup, it seems to me that the expense part of
expensive microphones is mainly the capture pattern of the housing.
The capture pattern seems very important when recording multiple
sounds (2 or more musicians) or spread-out sounds (pianos) or moving
sounds (accordians) or with competing sounds (live performances), etc.

However, it has been suggested in this newsgroup, that when recording
a single sound source in a otherwise quiet room, that a $20 Radio
Shack button mic would perform as well. Or that perhaps it would be
better, since it captures a purer total sound. Is this true?

If you can get away with an omni, I recommend the EV 635A which is
inexpensive and reasonable and good on a wide variety of voices.
But this means you're going to need a very quiet and very dry place
to record, because it's also going to be picking up whatever room noise
there is.

=== Microphone recommendations ===

Any recommendations for microphones? Microphone type? Specific
microphones?

SM-7. EV 635A, EV RE-20 are all good first choices.

=== Sound processing ===

Do you recommend anything that can be done to clean up the recorded
sound? I would prefer something that can be done with inexpensive PC
software.

What do you need to clean up? Get it right the first time so you don't
need to slap paint over it in post.
--scott


Scott's answers are right on. However, I wonder why you will have your
story teller read from a computer screen. From experience I suggest that
you print out what will be read on 24 lb paper (which doesn't rattle as much
as 20 lb when turning pages). That gets the honking big monitor out of the
way so that you can place your mic where it sounds best. I suggest you try
about forehead level and 6 to 10 inches away depending on the microphone.
You and your story teller may have to have a conversation about how excess
movement, inappropriate dymanic range (yelling then whispering), and plosive
P sounds very negatively impact the listening experience. The story teller
will have to assume the responsibility of learning (on the job) mic
technique that will maximize the enjoyment of the story for listeners.
Unless they really make the storyteller crazy, putting headphones on him or
her so that they hear how they will sound to the listener is often a good
'learning aid'.

The advice you received about $20 Radio Shack mics is wrong.

When you say, "clean it up", what do you mean? If you mean take out the
mistakes, retakes, coughs, wheezy breaths, etc., then the answer depends on
the medium you are recording on. Will you record to computer, a DAW? Or
cassette? Or??

Steve King

Thanks guys for the good advise

The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the story
line with what is occuring on the screen. I will have the computer itself in
a nearby closet which should eliminate all fan and disk drive noise. I am
using a flat screen monitor. I guess I may still have electrical
interference from the monitor, but there should be no noise interference.

When I asked about cleaning up the sound, I wasn't sure myself what if
anything I would need to (or be able to) clean up. I am concerned with
possible background noise. I am close to a major highway and also under a
commercial flight path. I will try and soundproof the room as best I can.
But is there is some filtering that can also be done?

John


"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
John Pankowicz wrote:
I want to record a single person reading a story. He/she will be
sitting and reading the text off of a computer screen. I want to find
out what kind of microphone(s) to use and where to place it (or them).

As far away from the computer screen as possible. Video monitors are
major interference issues. If you can use paper, it makes life much
easier.

=== Mono, stereo, or binaural? ===

Mono.

=== Stand, lapel or headset? ===

You pretty much need a stand. Lapel mikes are disasterous as far as
clothing noise goes, and they aren't positioned very well. Headset mikes
are too close to the mouth.

=== Number of microphones ===

One. There is no reason to use more than one.

Even if I want just a mono recording, should I use more that one mic
and then combine the sounds in a mixer? Would that make the sound
quality more constant in spite of changing head position?

If you are stick with someone who can't keep their head still (and sadly
a lot of amateurs are like this), an omnidirectional microphone can be a
big help. The EV-20 does better with these people than most cardiods,
though.

=== Placement of microphone(s) ===

Where should it (or they) be located? To the side, above, below? What
would be the best distance (if a standing mic)? Again an issue is
non-professional speakers. They can't be expected to "work" the mic.
How can I eliminate the effects of plosive sounds or other unwanted
effects?

This depends on the speaker.

If you are getting popping, they are too close.

=== Quality of microphones? ===

From reading this newsgroup, it seems to me that the expense part of
expensive microphones is mainly the capture pattern of the housing.
The capture pattern seems very important when recording multiple
sounds (2 or more musicians) or spread-out sounds (pianos) or moving
sounds (accordians) or with competing sounds (live performances), etc.

However, it has been suggested in this newsgroup, that when recording
a single sound source in a otherwise quiet room, that a $20 Radio
Shack button mic would perform as well. Or that perhaps it would be
better, since it captures a purer total sound. Is this true?

If you can get away with an omni, I recommend the EV 635A which is
inexpensive and reasonable and good on a wide variety of voices.
But this means you're going to need a very quiet and very dry place
to record, because it's also going to be picking up whatever room noise
there is.

=== Microphone recommendations ===

Any recommendations for microphones? Microphone type? Specific
microphones?

SM-7. EV 635A, EV RE-20 are all good first choices.

=== Sound processing ===

Do you recommend anything that can be done to clean up the recorded
sound? I would prefer something that can be done with inexpensive PC
software.

What do you need to clean up? Get it right the first time so you don't
need to slap paint over it in post.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"John Fumbles" writes:
The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the story
line with what is occuring on the screen. I will have the computer itself in
a nearby closet which should eliminate all fan and disk drive noise. I am
using a flat screen monitor. I guess I may still have electrical
interference from the monitor, but there should be no noise interference.

Flat screen monitors do make some noise because of the fluorescent backlight.

"John Fumbles" wrote in message
t...
Thanks guys for the good advise

The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of
some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the
story
line with what is occuring on the screen. I will have the computer itself
in
a nearby closet which should eliminate all fan and disk drive noise. I am
using a flat screen monitor. I guess I may still have electrical
interference from the monitor, but there should be no noise interference.

When I asked about cleaning up the sound, I wasn't sure myself what if
anything I would need to (or be able to) clean up. I am concerned with
possible background noise. I am close to a major highway and also under a
commercial flight path. I will try and soundproof the room as best I can.
But is there is some filtering that can also be done?

John

Major highway noise. That's a problem. There is no practical way that you
can remove the constantly changing and intermittant sounds of traffic.
Commercial flight path. Stop recording when the planes go over, then pick
it up, when the sound dies. Edit out the pause. It is unlikely that you
will be able to do much to keep those sounds from interfering with your
recording without a large budget. Both traffic and aircraft noise contain a
lot of low frequency energy. Big, thick, heavy walls, doors, and windows
(multi-pane, thick glass) are required to be effective. Commercial studios
typically use room within a room construction. Very expensive. It would be
more cost effective to move your computer and storyteller to a rented space
with fewer ambient noise and acoustic problems. Plan the shoot well and
you'll be in and out in a day.

Steve King

"John Fumbles" wrote in message news:zv29c.62928

The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of
some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the
story
line with what is occuring on the screen. I will have the computer itself
in
a nearby closet which should eliminate all fan and disk drive noise. I am
using a flat screen monitor. I guess I may still have electrical
interference from the monitor, but there should be no noise interference.

With a flat screen electrical interference will probably be a lot less
problem than it would be with a CRT. It will also, however, serve as a great
reflector to bounce sound back into the microphone, causing comb filtering
and the like. You may be able to avoid this by placing the microphone so
that it peeks over the top of the monitor. An Electro-Voice RE-20 would
probably be a good choice here.

When I asked about cleaning up the sound, I wasn't sure myself what if
anything I would need to (or be able to) clean up. I am concerned with
possible background noise. I am close to a major highway and also under a
commercial flight path. I will try and soundproof the room as best I can.
But is there is some filtering that can also be done?

For the highway, soundproof the room as much as possible and put the
microphone close-ish. By the way, I slightly disagree with Scott about
clip-ons: if you make sure the talent wears the right kind of clothing, you
can usually avoid clothing noise. The little Radio Shack mikes, however,
useful in other contexts, are too noisy for this application. A Beyer, Sony
or some other lav mike is more appropriate.

For airplanes, the way to deal with them is to do a retake of the part where
they flew over. Any good inexpensive digital editor can do that. If you're
working with non-professional talent, some slight compression might not be a
bad idea either. n-track studio ($69) has a compressorplugin that's okay if
not fabulous, and Ultrafunk (now taken over by somebody or other) makes one
that I rather like.

Peace,
Paul

Peace,
Paul

"John Fumbles" wrote in message et...
Thanks guys for the good advise

The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the story
line with what is occuring on the screen. I will have the computer itself in
a nearby closet which should eliminate all fan and disk drive noise. I am
using a flat screen monitor. I guess I may still have electrical
interference from the monitor, but there should be no noise interference.

When I asked about cleaning up the sound, I wasn't sure myself what if
anything I would need to (or be able to) clean up. I am concerned with
possible background noise. I am close to a major highway and also under a
commercial flight path. I will try and soundproof the room as best I can.
But is there is some filtering that can also be done?

John


Perhaps you should sync the on-screen action to the audio instead,
so that your narrator doesn't have to rush through some parts and drag
out others. Are you using anybody in particular to narrate? Is it
someone already known as a storyteller? If they already have their
own "sound" (with regard to dynamics and timing and such) then you're
probably going to want to avoid messing with that too much.

wrote in message
et...
Thanks guys for the good advise

The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the story
line with what is occuring on the screen. I will have the computer itself in
a nearby closet which should eliminate all fan and disk drive noise. I am
using a flat screen monitor. I guess I may still have electrical
interference from the monitor, but there should be no noise interference.

I would use the biggest monitor I had and get it as far away from your
talent as possible. On TV people often read teleprompter from even 12' away,
if you can get your monitor 8-10 feet away it won't cause audio problems from
the induced monitor noise (which would make your recording unusable) or from
the ugly reflections you get off glass surfaces. If your talent just has to
watch pictures there's no reason to put the monitor too close anyway, except if
you're recording in a closet - and esthetically I would rather prepare a
workspace in my garage than record in a closet.

Will Miho
NY Music & TV Audio Guy
Off the Morning Show! & sleepin' In... / Fox News
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits

John Fumbles wrote:

The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the story
line with what is occuring on the screen.

Why can't you do this in post?

When we do narration for films, it's just a guy in a dark room talking into
a mike. Often the narration is cut before the film is even shot, even.
Then we just synch it all up after the fact.

When I asked about cleaning up the sound, I wasn't sure myself what if
anything I would need to (or be able to) clean up. I am concerned with
possible background noise. I am close to a major highway and also under a
commercial flight path. I will try and soundproof the room as best I can.
But is there is some filtering that can also be done?

If your room is small and boxy sounding, you may want to consider going
somewhere else. Room acoustics and outside noise are a killer combination.
And gear today is remarkably portable.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net


"John Fumbles" wrote in message news:zv29c.62928

The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of
some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the
story
line with what is occuring on the screen. I will have the computer itself
in
a nearby closet which should eliminate all fan and disk drive noise. I am
using a flat screen monitor. I guess I may still have electrical
interference from the monitor, but there should be no noise interference.

With a flat screen electrical interference will probably be a lot less
problem than it would be with a CRT. It will also, however, serve as a great
reflector to bounce sound back into the microphone, causing comb filtering
and the like. You may be able to avoid this by placing the microphone so
that it peeks over the top of the monitor. An Electro-Voice RE-20 would
probably be a good choice here.

When I asked about cleaning up the sound, I wasn't sure myself what if
anything I would need to (or be able to) clean up. I am concerned with
possible background noise. I am close to a major highway and also under a
commercial flight path. I will try and soundproof the room as best I can.
But is there is some filtering that can also be done?

For the highway, soundproof the room as much as possible and put the
microphone close-ish. By the way, I slightly disagree with Scott about
clip-ons: if you make sure the talent wears the right kind of clothing, you
can usually avoid clothing noise. The little Radio Shack mikes, however,
useful in other contexts, are too noisy for this application. A Beyer, Sony
or some other lav mike is more appropriate.

For airplanes, the way to deal with them is to do a retake of the part where
they flew over. Any good inexpensive digital editor can do that. If you're
working with non-professional talent, some slight compression might not be a
bad idea either. n-track studio ($69) has a compressorplugin that's okay if
not fabulous, and Ultrafunk (now taken over by somebody or other) makes one
that I rather like.

Peace,
Paul

Peace,
Paul


Lav mic's sound like crap compared to decent Large diaphragm (or small
diaphragm)condensor microphones or for that matter decent dynamics such as the
RE 20 or SM7

Some work with a side chain compressor can do wonders in cleaning up unweanted
low frequency information.

I recently made a Meditation CD and while my room is relatively quiet, I found
that with this soft spoken voice that very low self noise microphones, and the
Great River (BIG audible improvement) were an absolute necessity.

I still managed to pick up plenty of outside noise ( I am downtown and my
studio is not SOTA) This will change in a few months, I bought a new building.

One pass with Waves C1 compression using a side gating took care of 95% of the
noise.
Richard H. Kuschel
"I canna change the law of physics."-----Scotty

Thanks again to everyone for your very helpful suggestions,

Unitron and Scott, you are probably absolutely correct about it being better
to sync the audio to the video in post. This being my first experience with
this type of work, I was probably unrealistically expecting to have the
speaker, not only do the dialog, but do the synchronization for me as well.

It would save me a hell of a lot of work if I could do it this way, because
there is a very large amount of synchronization to be done. But there seems
to be only two ways to do have the speaker do this and both are not very
satisfactory. One way, I could have the speaker advance the action
themselves, by clicking a (quiet) mouse. This however burdens the speaker
with another detail. It would be better it the speaker could just
concentrate on doing the best job of speaking. Another way is to advance the
action with more than sufficient time to deliver the lines without ever
needing to rush them. I could then process the sound file to shorten the
pauses. I have some software that could do this automatically for me.
However, this method may frustrate the speaker if they are often waiting for
the next line.

I need to think over all your suggestions on how to deal with the noise and
electrical interference.

John

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
John Fumbles wrote:

The text needs to be read off a computer screen because this is part of
some
multimedia software that I am developing. I will be synchronizing the
story
line with what is occuring on the screen.

Why can't you do this in post?

When we do narration for films, it's just a guy in a dark room talking
into
a mike. Often the narration is cut before the film is even shot, even.
Then we just synch it all up after the fact.

When I asked about cleaning up the sound, I wasn't sure myself what if
anything I would need to (or be able to) clean up. I am concerned with
possible background noise. I am close to a major highway and also under a
commercial flight path. I will try and soundproof the room as best I can.
But is there is some filtering that can also be done?

If your room is small and boxy sounding, you may want to consider going
somewhere else. Room acoustics and outside noise are a killer
combination.
And gear today is remarkably portable.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"John Pankowicz" wrote in message
et...
Thanks again to everyone for your very helpful suggestions,

Unitron and Scott, you are probably absolutely correct about it being
better
to sync the audio to the video in post. This being my first experience
with
this type of work, I was probably unrealistically expecting to have the
speaker, not only do the dialog, but do the synchronization for me as
well.

It would save me a hell of a lot of work if I could do it this way,
because
there is a very large amount of synchronization to be done. But there
seems
to be only two ways to do have the speaker do this and both are not very
satisfactory. One way, I could have the speaker advance the action
themselves, by clicking a (quiet) mouse. This however burdens the speaker
with another detail. It would be better it the speaker could just
concentrate on doing the best job of speaking. Another way is to advance
the
action with more than sufficient time to deliver the lines without ever
needing to rush them. I could then process the sound file to shorten the
pauses. I have some software that could do this automatically for me.
However, this method may frustrate the speaker if they are often waiting
for
the next line.


You will get a better performance if you just let the storyteller tell the
story. You are right not to burden him or her with having to click a mouse,
or, perhaps even worse, have to wait for some image to occur before
continuing the story.

How about letting the storyteller tell the story and YOU click the mouse to
advance the images?

Steve King

PS Go to http://www.steveking.net Listen to the narration demo and decide
for yourself whether my advice is the result of experience... as a
storyteller, narrator, and audio engineer.

John Pankowicz wrote:

Unitron and Scott, you are probably absolutely correct about it being better
to sync the audio to the video in post. This being my first experience with
this type of work, I was probably unrealistically expecting to have the
speaker, not only do the dialog, but do the synchronization for me as well.

They are leading you not astray; they give good advice.

It would save me a hell of a lot of work if I could do it this way, because
there is a very large amount of synchronization to be done.

But I doubt that trying to do it live will actually result is acceptable
overall sync in the end; even if you try to avoid it, you will wind up
needing to adjust it in post.

Good luck with the project.

--
ha

John Pankowicz wrote:

I could have the speaker advance the action
themselves, by clicking a (quiet) mouse. This however burdens the speaker
with another detail. It would be better it the speaker could just
concentrate on doing the best job of speaking. Another way is to advance the
action with more than sufficient time to deliver the lines without ever
needing to rush them.

Why can't you be the one to advance the action? Listen to the speaker in another room and be his 'electronic page turner.'

Richard Kuschel wrote:

Lav mic's sound like crap compared to decent Large diaphragm (or small
diaphragm)condensor microphones or for that matter decent dynamics
such as the RE 20 or SM7

Agreed. Lavs are greatly influenced by radiation from the speaker's body.

Some work with a side chain compressor can do wonders in cleaning up
unwanted low frequency information.

I admit it. There was so much low frequency trash in the last spoken word
recording I made, that I just brick-walled it at 85 Hz and called it a day.

"John Pankowicz" wrote in message: "I was probably unrealistically expecting to have the speaker,
not only do the dialog, but do the synchronization for me as well."

To me, this implies that you expect your narrator to nail every line
(of a long program) on the first take while the computer runs your
program. Wow! I've never met anyone who could do that.

Peter Rhalter

"Peter Rhalter" wrote in message
om...
"John Pankowicz" wrote in message: "I was probably unrealistically
expecting to have the speaker,
not only do the dialog, but do the synchronization for me as well."

To me, this implies that you expect your narrator to nail every line
(of a long program) on the first take while the computer runs your
program. Wow! I've never met anyone who could do that.

Peter Rhalter

There are many pros who can do that; however, when that is what is required
or requested, the performance usually suffers, because the performer becomes
more concerned about making errors than about doing the best for the
material. When narrating material for a live audience, the desire for an
error free performance is great, and is accomplished through rehearsal.

Steve King

As a newbie, I've been trying to learn something about sound
processing techniques by reading the theoretical explanations.
However, it is hard to grasp the practical uses. According to theory,
compression is for adjusting the dynamic range or volume and
equalization is for boosting or attenuating certain frequencies. Bt
this token, it seems to me that I might use equalization to remove
some of the background traffic noise by attenuating some of the low
frequencies. And compression seems to be needed to lower some of the
loud passages and raise some of the quieter ones.


Paul Stamler ) wrote..

If you're
working with non-professional talent, some slight compression might
not be a
bad idea either. n-track studio ($69) has a compressorplugin that's
okay if
not fabulous, and Ultrafunk (now taken over by somebody or other)
makes one
that I rather like.

Paul, does this mean that non-professional talent tends to use a wider
dynamic range (talks too softly sometimes, too loudly at others)?


Richard Kuschel ) wrote:

Some work with a side chain compressor can do wonders in cleaning up
unweanted
low frequency information.

I recently made a Meditation CD and while my room is relatively
quiet, I found
that with this soft spoken voice that very low self noise
microphones, and the
Great River (BIG audible improvement) were an absolute necessity.


Richard, you seem to be sugesting the use of compression to clean up
the low frequency noise. I don't quite understand this.


Arny Krueger" wrote:

There was so much low frequency trash in the last spoken word
recording I made, that I just brick-walled it at 85 Hz and called it a day.

Arny, does this mean that you used a high-pass filter at 85 HZ to
eliminate everything below that freqency?

(Peter Rhalter) wrote in message . com...
"John Pankowicz" wrote in message: "I was probably unrealistically expecting to have the speaker,
not only do the dialog, but do the synchronization for me as well."

To me, this implies that you expect your narrator to nail every line
(of a long program) on the first take while the computer runs your
program. Wow! I've never met anyone who could do that.

Peter Rhalter

I wasn't quite expecting to be able to do that. But I was thinking of
letting the narrator have control over when to stop the recording or
back-up the action through the use of two simple controls (EG: left
and right mouse).

John Pankowicz wrote:

Arny Krueger" wrote:

There was so much low frequency trash in the last spoken word
recording I made, that I just brick-walled it at 85 Hz and called it
a day.

Arny, does this mean that you used a high-pass filter at 85 HZ to
eliminate everything below that freqency?

Yes. A very steep one - the FFT filter in Audition, with -100 dB stop band.

I wasn't quite expecting to be able to do that. But I was thinking of
letting the narrator have control over when to stop the recording or
back-up the action through the use of two simple controls (EG: left
and right mouse).


Not a good Idea, it adds to the confusion.

The narrator should be concentrating on the delivery not adding engineering
duties to it.

Richard H. Kuschel
"I canna change the law of physics."-----Scotty

Richard Kuschel ) wrote:

Some work with a side chain compressor can do wonders in cleaning up
unweanted
low frequency information.

I recently made a Meditation CD and while my room is relatively
quiet, I found
that with this soft spoken voice that very low self noise
microphones, and the
Great River (BIG audible improvement) were an absolute necessity.


Richard, you seem to be sugesting the use of compression to clean up
the low frequency noise. I don't quite understand this.


Actually, it is frequency dependent expansion which is part of the side chain
of the C1 compressor in Waves

The signal is split and a high pass filter is applied to the signal, which is
compressed above threshold.

The signal below the crossover frequency of the filter is downward expanded
until threshold is reached. That low frequency rumble disappears until the
voice is loud enough to cover it.

Kind of tricky to set up so that it doesn't a bunch of artifacts, but can be a
real life saver.


Richard H. Kuschel
"I canna change the law of physics."-----Scotty

(Richard Kuschel) wrote in
:

I wasn't quite expecting to be able to do that. But I was thinking of
letting the narrator have control over when to stop the recording or
back-up the action through the use of two simple controls (EG: left
and right mouse).


Not a good Idea, it adds to the confusion.

The narrator should be concentrating on the delivery not adding
engineering duties to it.

My version of that is is merely write down the minute and second of each
hiccup. Working back to front all the times are good.

There are many pros who can do that; however, when that is what is required
or requested, the performance usually suffers, because the performer becomes
more concerned about making errors than about doing the best for the
material. When narrating material for a live audience, the desire for an
error free performance is great, and is accomplished through rehearsal.

Steve King

I agree with Steve, there are many actors who deliver long monologues
from memory (which I think is amazing). I have had the pleasure to
record several very good actors doing voiceovers and they have always
tried to give me a couple of variations in line readings so that I
could choose the 'best" one and have some options in post. My question
to those of you with more recording experience: is this typical?

Peter Rhalter

"Peter Rhalter" wrote in message
om...
There are many pros who can do that; however, when that is what is
required
or requested, the performance usually suffers, because the performer
becomes
more concerned about making errors than about doing the best for the
material. When narrating material for a live audience, the desire for
an
error free performance is great, and is accomplished through rehearsal.

Steve King

I agree with Steve, there are many actors who deliver long monologues
from memory (which I think is amazing). I have had the pleasure to
record several very good actors doing voiceovers and they have always
tried to give me a couple of variations in line readings so that I
could choose the 'best" one and have some options in post. My question
to those of you with more recording experience: is this typical?

Peter Rhalter

I think it depends on the length and nature of the script. With a shorter
script-- say under five minutes--it is possible to do several full reads
with some variation in style or attitude. For longer material, I think it
is more common, and it is my preference, to work with the director to decide
on the preferred way to deliver the story and do alternate line readings
only on specific portions of the script for the purpose of allowing a later
decision or providing through pace or attitude alternate editing choices.

However, the real answer to your question is that there are as many ways to
get a finished narration as there are narrators and those that direct them.
Some collaborations work better than others.

Steve King

In Article ,
(Peter Rhalter) wrote:
There are many pros who can do that; however, when that is what is required
or requested, the performance usually suffers, because the performer becomes
more concerned about making errors than about doing the best for the
material. When narrating material for a live audience, the desire for an
error free performance is great, and is accomplished through rehearsal.

Steve King

I agree with Steve, there are many actors who deliver long monologues
from memory (which I think is amazing). I have had the pleasure to
record several very good actors doing voiceovers and they have always
tried to give me a couple of variations in line readings so that I
could choose the 'best" one and have some options in post. My question
to those of you with more recording experience: is this typical?

Peter Rhalter

I do it as often as not. I usually do three closes, giving the producer some
options to play for the client.

I also like to redo the first page of a long piece because (hopefully) I'm
more in the groove after doing the script once.

Regards,

Ty Ford

For Ty Ford V/O demos, audio services and equipment reviews,
click on http://www.jagunet.com/~tford

In Article , "Steve King"
wrote:
Some collaborations work better than others.

Steve King



Never said better Steve.

Regards,

Ty Ford

For Ty Ford V/O demos, audio services and equipment reviews,
click on http://www.jagunet.com/~tford

But I was thinking of
letting the narrator have control over when to stop the recording or
back-up the action through the use of two simple controls (EG: left
and right mouse).


Not a good Idea, it adds to the confusion.

The narrator should be concentrating on the delivery not adding
engineering duties to it.

My version of that is is merely write down the minute and second of each
hiccup. Working back to front all the times are good.



Great idea Carey!

I never thought of working backwards!

I guess that I've worked with tape so long that I developed habits that could
be changed for the better.
Richard H. Kuschel
"I canna change the law of physics."-----Scotty

"Arny Krueger"

Richard Kuschel wrote:

Lav mic's sound like crap compared to decent Large diaphragm (or small
diaphragm)condensor microphones or for that matter decent dynamics
such as the RE 20 or SM7

Agreed. Lavs are greatly influenced by radiation from the speaker's body

Well - not all lavs are created equal, and some are POS. But I have
recorded many great sounding voiceovers using Sennheser lavs with ME102 omni
mic capsules, and after listening to just how great omni mics can sound I can
almost hear the shape of a cardiod mic's pattern, like a boundary of rasp
hanging in the air or something. And sometimes in a closet an omni sounds
more open than an Re20 or SM7, which even worked close can get a weird room's
coloration in them.

Will Miho
NY Music & TV Audio Guy
Off the Morning Show! & sleepin' In... / Fox News
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits

In article ,
WillStG wrote:
"Arny Krueger"

Richard Kuschel wrote:

Lav mic's sound like crap compared to decent Large diaphragm (or small
diaphragm)condensor microphones or for that matter decent dynamics
such as the RE 20 or SM7

Agreed. Lavs are greatly influenced by radiation from the speaker's body

Well - not all lavs are created equal, and some are POS. But I have
recorded many great sounding voiceovers using Sennheser lavs with ME102 omni
mic capsules, and after listening to just how great omni mics can sound I can
almost hear the shape of a cardiod mic's pattern, like a boundary of rasp
hanging in the air or something. And sometimes in a closet an omni sounds
more open than an Re20 or SM7, which even worked close can get a weird room's
coloration in them.

Because of the way lavaliers are placed, they are greatly influenced by
radiation from the speaker's body. But that's not a bad thing, and on
some people it can give a nice heft to the voice. Even so, the clothing
noise problem is a major issue that would keep me from using them as
a first choice.

I have been using an EV 647 recently, though, and I forgot how nice those
things sounded. They look a little weird on-camera, though...
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...

Because of the way lavaliers are placed, they are greatly influenced by
radiation from the speaker's body. But that's not a bad thing, and on
some people it can give a nice heft to the voice. Even so, the clothing
noise problem is a major issue that would keep me from using them as
a first choice.

The answer to that is for the talent to wear soft cotton shirts, and for the
engineer to clip the microphone in a place where there isn't any fabric
rubbing against other fabric. Several years of doing this for a TV station,
and I got to be enough of a fabric maven that I could have taken a job in
the garment district. It's a manageable problem, if the talent will
cooperate, especially if you're doing something where visibility isn't an
issue.

Peace,
Paul

"Paul Stamler"

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...

Because of the way lavaliers are placed, they are greatly influenced by
radiation from the speaker's body. But that's not a bad thing, and on
some people it can give a nice heft to the voice. Even so, the clothing
noise problem is a major issue that would keep me from using them as
a first choice.

The answer to that is for the talent to wear soft cotton shirts, and for the
engineer to clip the microphone in a place where there isn't any fabric
rubbing against other fabric. Several years of doing this for a TV station,
and I got to be enough of a fabric maven that I could have taken a job in
the garment district. It's a manageable problem, if the talent will
cooperate, especially if you're doing something where visibility isn't an
issue.

Pinned on a decent lapel you don't clothes rustle either. I get clothing
noise maybe 6-7 % of the time on air, and it's definitley not acceptable to me,
but in the studio that shouldn't be a problem you can't fix.



Will Miho
NY Music & TV Audio Guy
Off the Morning Show! & sleepin' In... / Fox News
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits

In Article , "Paul
Stamler" wrote:
"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...

Because of the way lavaliers are placed, they are greatly influenced by
radiation from the speaker's body. But that's not a bad thing, and on
some people it can give a nice heft to the voice. Even so, the clothing
noise problem is a major issue that would keep me from using them as
a first choice.

The answer to that is for the talent to wear soft cotton shirts, and for the
engineer to clip the microphone in a place where there isn't any fabric
rubbing against other fabric. Several years of doing this for a TV station,
and I got to be enough of a fabric maven that I could have taken a job in
the garment district. It's a manageable problem, if the talent will
cooperate, especially if you're doing something where visibility isn't an
issue.

Peace,
Paul

Or...get a COUNTRYMAN E6....OMNI

Regards,

Ty Ford

best microphone placement for recording story telling

Group: rec.audio.pro Date: Fri, Apr 2, 2004, 1:52pm (EST+5) From:
(Ty=A0Ford)
In Article

Or...get a COUNTRYMAN E6....OMNI

Agreed. The E6 earset is a very lite weight head worn mic that is put on
over the ear of the talent with a tiny boom arm that extends along the
cheek and places the capsule just behind the mouth. No clothing noise
problems, off mic problems or p-pops/breath blasts.

E6's are a bit more expensive than other lav choices and require 48v
phantom power. List on an E6 is $515, street price should be around
$400. You can see the E6 on the Countryman website: www.countryman.com

Eric



Ramps @ NAB: Tuesday April 20 6pm. "Firefly on Paradise" 3900 Paradise
Rd. Las Vegas.

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 18:46:05 GMT, "John Pankowicz"
wrote:

Unitron and Scott, you are probably absolutely correct about it being better
to sync the audio to the video in post. This being my first experience with
this type of work, I was probably unrealistically expecting to have the
speaker, not only do the dialog, but do the synchronization for me as well.

Don't worry about this as a technical problem. Show the talent the
video and the script. Explain how they need to fit together. Do as
many dry runs as he requires. Accept suggestions about minor
rewrites. If it doesn't work, get better talent :-)

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect

Don't worry about this as a technical problem. Show the talent the
video and the script. Explain how they need to fit together. Do as
many dry runs as he requires. Accept suggestions about minor
rewrites. If it doesn't work, get better talent :-)

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect



Just did this last week.

The talent and I had to do a major rewrite of a script.

The producer of the video knew that he had some problems in script writing, so
he took the script to a "writer" to sort out some of the problems .

Unfortuanately the writer had no concept of what was needed for video script.
(Why have a paragraph describing what is obviously shown on the screen, or
another paragraph describing in minute detail the mechanics of an airplane when
the story is about forest fires? )

This, in addition to the usual amount of run-on compound thought sentences that
make sense on paper but are virtually impossible to read or be comprehended by
the listener. ( the previous paragraph might be an example) G

Fortunately the work that the talent and I performed n theis script were on -
the- clock and the producer was more than grateful for the help and willing to
pay for the time.
Richard H. Kuschel
"I canna change the law of physics."-----Scotty

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On 2004-03-26 (ScottDorsey) said:
I want to record a single person reading a story. He/she will be
sitting and reading the text off of a computer screen.
snip
As far away from the computer screen as possible. Video
monitors are major interference issues. If you can use paper, it
makes life much easier.
NOt just do you have the interference of the monitor, if the
computer's located proximate to all this stuff you're going to have
all sorts of extraneous noise from cpu fans etc. Use harddcopy for
this one.

Do you recommend anything that can be done to clean up the recorded
sound? I would prefer something that can be done with inexpensive
PC software.
What do you need to clean up? Get it right the first time so you
don't need to slap paint over it in post.
HE will have if he's got fan noise etc.

FOr JOhn I can tell you that when you see headsets effectively used
they're in communications applications for the most part. I've used
one for radio communications but finally went with a regular
microphone on a stand because i'm too hard on headsets. FOr your
application one good microphone and a quiet location will get it done.




Richard Webb
Electric Spider Productions
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email

--