Help with Studio/Recording

Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 1:04 pm

Hi everyone. I just registered on the forums here because I was hoping that the real pros might have some contructive input on the best way to improve our recording process.

My friend and I run a website where we teach people to play tennis using video online. Our "recording studio" is half of our apartment's living room (you know how these startups go). Right now, our audio needs some help.

The original audio recordings are actually cleaner than they sound due to the poor quality of online Flash video, but I think the ears on this forum will still be able to identify what's going wrong.

The biggest problem that I can identify off the bat is that when Will (the tennis teacher) pronounces vowel sounds, it sounds like the mic is overloading. This occurs both indoors and outdoors.

We're currently using a Sennheiser EW100G2 Lav. Our studio area currently doesn't have any dampening/deadening, so I'm sure that's a part of the issue.

Here is a link to a picture of our studio area: http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/photos/studio.jpg

Here is a link to one of our videos so you can hear the sound we have at the moment: http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/index.php?id=746756&col=7534315

As I said, any quick tips you could share to help us improve our audio would really be appreciated!

Thanks,
Adam

Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 4:23 pm

Adam, please accept this post for what it is.

First, if you're using a Sennheiser lavalier microphone, you've selected one of the best. I'm not familiar with that particular model and actually didn't bother to even investigate it. Most "lav's" are omnidirectional although there are a few that are Uni directional. Which is actually my favorite sushi but not lav. The acoustics really aren't the problem and a uni-directional lav ain't going to help the problem you described. I say that because I used to do the John McLaughlin shows for NBC, where I utilized all Sennheiser MKH2's. This was in a very large, very live & reverberant studio. Copious amounts of Neve limiting was used and you don't hear any problems with that audio do you? Although this past week, I did turn up the "De-Esser" a bit too high. That will be remedied tomorrow. But that function alone can create an artificial, electronically created speech impediment. Especially since I knocked the "S" out of him at the office audio recording system I installed.

Since you did not indicate your microphone was connected to a wireless pack? I'll assume you are using a hard to wire to your XL-1, through an adapter or a small portable mixer? In fact, I have my suspicions that you are recording into your camcorder with the limiter switched to "on"? That's a good thing but what's bad about that is that you probably did not set record level FIRST before switching on the limiter? This can cause excessive "gain reduction" which will raise room reverberation & background noise. That coupled with " pumping" and other artifacts of improperly set dynamic range " compressors" can clobber intelligibility making your audio a mess.

If you are in fact utilizing a wireless pack? That microphone's output level may very well be a higher output level microphone than what was originally supplied with the wireless pack you are using? The wireless pack gain must be adjusted for use with that microphone. Plus the fact that the little limiter inside an inexpensive wireless system can sound truly dreadful. Quality wireless systems cost money. Radio Shaft wireless systems are little better than $14 toy walkie-talkies. Right. Nobody can understand what's said on those things. On the low end of wireless systems, you need at least an Azden or, Audio Technica.

On the unfortunate side of things, I went to your FUZZYYELLOWBALLS.COM site and was not able to play ANYTHING! Yes, I have the latest version of FLASH. I'm not running antivirus nor a firewall on this machine and still could play not one of your video examples. So I have absolutely no idea what the problem actually sounds like? And yes, I can play other flash video from other sites. Not sure what's going on there? Unless, you have been neutered??

Fixed!
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 4:50 pm

I remember when Remy use to reply to my emails. Now those were the days....

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