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: 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/documents/webcontent/us_pro_sm58_specsheet.pdf

• http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/media//datenblaetter/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 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

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