This week we talked about several interesting questions on sound design and mixing, balanced vs unbalanced audio, and post workflow.
Here are some of the links we discussed:
Wikipedia Article on Balanced Audio Signal Chain
Recent episode on Improving the Basic Filmmaker’s Sound using Sound Blankets and using Auto-heal in Adobe Audition
Producer’s Choice Sound Blankets (Save yourself some post production time, frustration, cost)
My friend, The Basic Filmmaker, asked if I would help him improve the sound of his videos. I was flattered that he’d ask! Yes, of course!
So he recorded a short clip, sent it over to me, and in this episode I have my first two suggestions for him on how to reduce the reverb in his room when recording and how to remove mouth clicks using Adobe Audition. The next step is for him to apply these things and we’ll see where we end up. Maybe there’s even more we can do in Audition to make his sound even better.
There are a few bonuses with using sound blankets. First and most important, If you use sound blankets effectively, you shouldn’t have to do any de-reverb work in post. Yay! Save all that time and money to make more videos! Additionally, the Producer’s Choice blankets are black on one side, white on the other. This means that not only do they absorb sound, they also either reflect light or absorb it (depending on which side you have facing the light. This makes them very useful lighting tools in addition to solving the sound/reverb issue.
If you’d like to learn how to record and post process your sound, be sure to have a look at my sound for video courses at http://school.learnlightandsound.com My Dialogue Sound Post Processing with Adobe Audition course just launched at the end of August 2016.
Visit us at http://learnlightandsound.com for more updates on how to improve your lighting and sound for video. Also be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week!
Links:
The Basic Filmmaker
Original Audio Clip he sent to me:
His channel which is worth subscribing to.
The Basic Filmmaker University - free and paid courses on video production
Sound Blanket Episode:
Reducing Reverb in Audition with Acon DeVerberate Plugin:
Acon Digital DeVerberate Plugin for Adobe Audition (VST)
Izotope RX Audio Editor - State of the art reverb reduction processing
Is your sound for your video projects plagued with annoying echo and reverb? One way you can reduce that issue is by using sound blankets on set. Here we talk about some of the practical ways to use sound blankets to improve the sound of your videos!
I bought Producer's Choice sound blankets about a year ago and after I washed them about 3 to 4 times each, found them to work quite nicely. I generally throw the blankets on hard floors, tables, and counters and hang them on Century Stands behind the camera. I attach the blankets to the stands with these basic spring clips. You'd be surprised at what a difference it can make for your recordings.
**Update August 2016: VocalBoothToGo contacted me and explained that they did have an issue with one of their suppliers in China delivering smelly cotton but have since worked that out. They said that they would send me one of the newer blankets. I'm looking forward to the new blanket and to confirm it ain't so stinky!