Sound for Video Session: Sound to Director, Mixing Lavs, Crew, Gain, Wireless, Recorders

In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:

- How to get sound to a director?
- How to mix lavalier mics for dual talking head shots?
- Advice for working with crews?
- How to set gain for Senheiser G3 system?
- Recommendations for wireless systems in the less than 600 GBP range
- Affordable recorders for nature and concert recordings

Links:

Previous session: G3 Wireless hop to camera or director

Zoom H4n Pro - Affordable, decent stereo recorder for natural sound and concerts

Zoom H5 - Affordable, slightly better stereo recorder with better input controls

RODE NTG4+ - Shotgun mic with better rear rejection, slightly mid-range sound

Aputure Deity - Shotgun mic with slightly better sound but lets in more sound from the sides and back

The name of the iOS app which defines many of the terms you need to know when working on set of a larger production is Gobo. It looks like it may not longer be available in the US App Store. :(

Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd

Panasonic GH5 Live Event

For the last 3 years, the Panasonic GH4 has been my workhorse video camera for my corporate, education, and YouTube videos. It is a great little camera that has served me well, producing a beautiful image with color quality that I like and doing so reliably. As a daily camera for three years, it is time for me to consider a replacement. Not because I don't like the GH4, but its got a lot of miles and while I plan to continue using it as a second camera, I need the insurance of a new camera to keep my business rolling.

Panasonic's new GH5 is the natural upgrade path for me. And as soon as the funds are available, I'll be getting one ordered. In the meantime, B&H has arranged for a live event with several prominent GH camera filmmakers to discuss the GH5. Looks like a worthwhile way to learn a little more than just the specs and get the impressions of the people that have already been using it in their work. You can add the live GH5 event to your calendar which is scheduled for 1PM EDT on Wednesday March 29th. You can also submit a question for a chance to win a free GH5. Not a bad deal.

Sound for Video Session: EQ Presets, Clothing Noise, 3rd Party Plugins

In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:

- Should I create an EQ preset for microphones which usually sound too bright (like the Sanken COS-11D when worn on the outside of clothing)?
- How can I manage clothing noise when using a boom mic?
- Are there benefits to using 3rd party audio processing plugins versus using the plugins that come with Adobe Audition?

Here's an example of using an EQ plugin to cut a hole in a music track for dialogue. You can use this same idea to create a preset which helps to reduce "presence boost" which sounds too harsh:

Gear mentioned/used in this episode:

Sanken COS-11D Lavalier Microphone

DPA 4017b Shotgun Microphone (This is the microphone I used to record this session)

Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro (my new camera which I used to film this session) Also available from DVeStore.

Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd

The Beautiful Lies of Sound Design - Tasos Fratzolas

Tasos Fratzolas is a sound designer and sound effects creator originally from Greece. Here he gives a brilliant talk at TEDx on the beauty and meaning of sound. He covers a little bit on foley, reverb, and the meaning sound can convey. He also shows a brilliant example of how sound completely changes the meaning of a scene (with a video of a toddler's face and different sound effects).

I hope you find this as inspiring as I did.

You can find Tasos' sound library at Soundsnap.com.

Fix Audio With Sound That Plays Only In The Left Speaker: Audacity

If you record your sound with an external microphone into your camera or an audio recorder, you can end up with an audio clip where the sound is only recorded to the left channel and only plays back in the left speaker. How do you fix this with Audacity? We show you how very quickly!

And here's a previous episode where we show you how to do this in Audition:

Sanken COS-11D Lavalier Microphone

Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)

Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd

Sound for Video Session: EQ, Delay vs Reverb, Plugin Order, Affordable Strategies

In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:

- How to use EQ on a music track to make room for dialogue
- What is the difference between delay and reverb?
- Am I using audio plugins in the right order?
- What are some tips for getting better sound when shooting solo?

Links:

How to Boom a Camera Top Shotgun Microphone for Better Sound

Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)

Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)

Zhiyun SmoothQ: Smoother Video with Your Smartphone

Shooting video with your smartphone is convenient but often the results are pretty jarring with lots of shake and jitter. The Zhiyun SmoothQ is an affordable motorized gimbal which smooths out your video and is easy to use. In this episode, we have a closer look at the SmoothQ to see whether it might be a good option for you.

For the audio enthusiasts out there, can you identify the glaring audio issue with this episode?

Gear featured and used to record this episode:

Zhiyun SmoothQ Motorized Gimbal (Amazon USA, Amazon UK)

Manfrotto Monopod (for crane shots)

DPA 4017B Shotgun Microphone My new favorite shotgun microphone

Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder

Aputure Light Storm COB120t LED Light (Key Light)

Aputure Light Dome Soft Box (for COB120t key light)

Panasonic GH4 Camera

Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens

5 Shotgun Microphones: Audio Samples and Off-Axis Test

In this episode we listen to five different shotgun microphones and also listen to how each of them sound when off-axis (the person speaking is off to the side of the mic).

Gear used or mentioned in this episode:

Azden SGM250 Shotgun Microphone - Entry level mic with good off-axis rejection. Sounds decent but not particularly warm.

RODE NTG2 Shotgun Microphone - Entry level mic with nice warm sound. Off-axis rejection is not as pronounced as the higher-end mics, but decent.

Aputure Deity Shotgun Microphone - Nice sounding mid-level mic with warm sound. Off-axis rejection is not as extreme as Azden, RODE NTG4+ or DPA 4017B.

RODE NTG4+ Shotgun Microphone - Mid-range mic with decent sound and good off-axis rejection. Not as warm as NTG2 or DPA 4017B

DPA 4017B Shotgun Microphone - Great, warm, but articulate sound with good off-axis rejection and more natural off-axis falloff compared to other mics here.

Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - My main recorder/mixer. Great sounding, low-noise preamps. Can also be controlled remotely with iPad or iPhone (adding the Wingman USB transmitter)

Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd

Sound for Video Session: Process Dialogue with Izotope RX and Nectar

In this week's Sound for Video Session we cover some of the tools in Izotope's RX app and Nectar plugin which I often use to process dialogue audio.

Gear used to record this episode:

Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone

Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface

Sound for Video Session: Troubleshoot, Mobile, Richer Sound, Noise, and ADR

In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:

- How to troubleshoot
- Does the Kaotica Eyeball really reduce room reverb for recording?
- Best gear to record podcasts on the road?
- How do I make my recordings more “full-bodied”?
- What can I do when I’m recording an interview and a snow removal blower is working outside?
- Which microphone should I use for ADR?

Gear used or mentioned in this episode:

Kaotica Eyeball

Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)

Tascam DR-60DmkII Audio Field Recorder

Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)

Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd