Audio 2
Arienne M. Dwyer
University of Kansas
Toshi Nakayama
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Yoshi Ono
University 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: tono@ualberta.ca
– 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/doc
uments/webcontent/us_pro_sm58_specsheet
.pdf
• http://northamerica.beyerdynamic.com/shop/media//dat
enblaetter/MCE58_DB_E.pdf
Day 2
• Recording practice
• Accessories/auxiliaries
• Direct-to-computer recording
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
– Kata, Lowpro, Porta-Brace, Crumpler, Tamrac….
K&M 231/1
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-coaxblurb/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
Signal processing
•
•
•
•
Converstion wav to mp3
Amplifying
Noise removal
Concealing identity
Reviews
• Find and read two reviews for H2
– Reviews for regular consumers
– Reviews for recodists/musicians
– Reviews for linguists