podcamp pittsburgh 3- audio techniques
TRANSCRIPT
Professional Audio TechniquesTaking your Podcast to the next level
By David Fisher (aka Tibbon)
Twitter: @Tibbon1
12 practices to improve your audio(Mostly in the studio)
Twitter: @Tibbon2
aka. Your Podcast Sucks(well, just the audio)
Twitter: @Tibbon3
Who is this guy?
• Guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, cello
• Engineer: Taylor Barefoot Productions 2003-2005
• Music Business Management: Berklee College of Music 2006
• Jazkarta, 2007-2008, @natea’s company
• GamerDNA, 2008-Present
Twitter: @Tibbon4
I am not covering:
• Content
• Distribution
• How to push the record button
Twitter: @Tibbon5
3 Instant Takeaways#1: Subscribe to a FREE subscription of TapeOp Magazine:
http://www.tapeop.com/
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YoutubeBlip
Global Warming VideosAttempts at ‘going viral’
Num
ber
of P
oor
Qua
lity
Aud
io
Prod
uctio
ns
Global Crisis (Joke)
Twitter: @Tibbon7
Ask questions
Twitter: @Tibbon8
Problem Solving
Twitter: @Tibbon9
Audio is Important!
Twitter: @Tibbon10
You will lose listeners!
Twitter: @Tibbon11
Quality?
Twitter: @Tibbon12
Quality
• Clear
• Noise-free
• Natural
• No distractions
Twitter: @Tibbon13
Examples of Quality
• Howard Stern Show
• NPR
• TED Talks
• Most Revision3 shows
Twitter: @Tibbon14
Examples of Poor Quality
• Totally Rad Show
• Problems:
• Boomy
• Too much room sound
• Distracting noise
• Sounds like recorded in a garage
Twitter: @Tibbon15
Where do consumers listen?
• Mostly on headphones (65%)
• Often on laptops (15%)
• Sometimes on full range speakers (~10%)
• Occasionally in the car (~10%)
• All numbers are estimates*
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1) Quality Mics last a Lifetime
• Mostly Condenser Mics
• Dynamic Mics to Consider; SM-7B, RE-20
• Some bargains, but you get what you pay for
• Beware of cheap ‘tube’ mics
• Use Proper Technique, be mindful of proximity effect
Twitter: @Tibbon17
1a) “Other” Mics
• Shotgun Mics- Capture sound from a distance
• Lavilier (Lav) mics- Often with wireless packs
• Combine well together
Twitter: @Tibbon18
Shotgun Mics19
• Optional! Software works too
• Control Dynamics, Makes Sound Fuller
• Does it right the first time, better workflow
• As a downside, difficult to use in the field
2) Use a Hardware Compressor
Twitter: @Tibbon20
2a) Channel Strips are cool
• Combine hardware preamp, EQ and compressor
• All-in-one package
• Great values, again you get what you pay for
Twitter: @Tibbon21
2b) Lunchboxes are cooler!
• Modular chassis that allow you to insert module units such as a preamp, compressor, eq, etc.
• Power connections/Chassis all in one
• Save money, space, and ease of portability
• Downside: No low end setup. Expensive but great value
Twitter: @Tibbon22
3) Preamps Matter• Preamps amplify the signal level of the
microphone to line level
• Built in preamps are sometimes fine, but high quality external preamps are great!
• All do the same thing, but like different methods of heating food all yield slightly different results
• Don’t go overboard
• In short: Most sound cards are insufficient
Twitter: @Tibbon23
4) Treat a room
• Acoustic treatment doesn’t make a room quieter or eliminate noise.
• Do not over-deaden
• Listen to this room.
• Close Mic’ing technique will help overcome some room issues
Twitter: @Tibbon24
Takeaway #2:Two cool forums:
Gearslutz (http://gearslutz.com)&
Harmony-Central (http://acapella.harmony-central.com)
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5) Workflow is King
• Use a Patchbay!!!
• Do it right the first time
• Have extras of common items onhand (microphones, cables, pop filters, mic stands, headphones)
• Software only matters for workflow
• Keep your workspace clean
Twitter: @Tibbon26
6) Get a second set of Monitors
• One ‘full range’ set (Mackie, Genelec, Dynaudio, Yamaha)
• One ‘consumer’ set (NS-10, Auratone, Computer speakers)
• One high quality set of headphones, use while recording.
• Monitor controller/switch, headphone distribution
Twitter: @Tibbon27
7) Use Popfilters
• Helps with spacing from the microphone
• Helps with Plosives
• Clean them after sessions
• The metal ones work better (Inside tip: can be found cheap if you look around)
Twitter: @Tibbon28
8) Do Not Overdo Anything
• Excessive level line gain (normally means bad gain staging)
• Never Over-EQ (generally indicative of another problem)
• Excessive gating and compression also is bad.
• If anything is turned all the way up, you’re likely doing something wrong
Twitter: @Tibbon29
9) Use Room Tone
• Record room tone with all mics open, but no audio for 45 seconds
• When you cut out a mic, replace it with its room tone.
• Do not “Gate” audio. It makes things sound choppy. Replace with roomtone if you do this
• Use Noise Reduction only if needed. Quiet the room, not the recording
Twitter: @Tibbon30
10) Mix into a compressor
• Use a high threshold, low gain makeup, fast attack, slow release, high ratio compressor (20:1) to mix into
• You can even use two compressors (one more as a high ratio limiter, one as a low ratio compressor)
• There are some good plugins for this, such as the Sony Oxford Inflator or the L2. Just don’t overuse it
Twitter: @Tibbon31
11) Don’t Re-Compress Mastered Audio
• When flying in audio for intros, do not re-compress/limit/eq the pre-mastered audio
• It’s like cooking your food twice and simply makes it sound bad
• This applies specifically to the compressors mentioned in step 10!
Twitter: @Tibbon32
12) Find a good Audio Equipment Dealer!
• Allows borrows/returns easily and without issues
• Provides helpful problem solving
• Truthful and doesn’t oversell
• All equipment costs the same; Do not shop on price!
Twitter: @Tibbon33
Do Not:
• Clip the signal
• Record from a built in computer/camera microphone
• Record unprepared
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Takeaway #3:Tour a studio
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Questions and Answers Time!
• David Fisher
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/tibbon
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Thank You
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