Comedian requesting help with live audio recording problem
in [Live Sound]
|
From: Shaun Eli on 20 Dec 2009 14:54 Hi. Hope this is the right place to ask. I record my shows on a mini DV recorder (video and audio). Sometimes when I play them back (after burning to a dvd) the audio sounds buzzy on peak sounds. Sort of like if you turned the sound way up on a cheap old television and the plastic TV case vibrated, or a little fuzzy like turning up an old radio so loud it distorted. And the bass is also boomy, though my voice itself isn't that low. Here's a 33 second clip as an example: http://brainchampagne.com/Info/Audio.wma (note that after the first sentence there's a bit of silence, then it continues; the silence is because I took this from a video where I put in titles, not because of a pause in the actual show) It doesn't sound distorted on my computer but my computer volume doesn't go that loud and perhaps the frequency response of my monitor's speakers is bad. But when I play the original tape through my tv I can hear the distortion there. So-- any ideas about: 1. What's causing it? 2. What I can do to prevent it? 3. How can I get rid of it on existing recordings? (perhaps notch out a certain band of frequencies? run some sort of software?) Thanks so much! -Shaun
From: Shaun Eli on 20 Dec 2009 16:55 Well gee, thanks... I used a six year old Canon ZR60 mini-dv camera with its built-in microphone. Normally it sounds decent but I think the problem resulted from the camera being too close to the PA speakers. This camera has only two settings for audio that are changeable. 12 or 16 bit recording (they recommend 16 bit for better quality and that's what I used) and turning the windscreen on or off (it was probably off as this was an indoor recording). I have a newer camera that doesn't seem to have these difficulties, or at least so far it hasn't. I now use this older camera (with a wide- angle lens) next to the stage, pointed at the audience. I hope that will result in cleaner audio since it's no longer pointed at the speakers but at the audience itself. And that if I have to, I can mix this audio with the video from the other camera (usually at the back of the room, pointed at the stage). But I really want to use this clip in a promo video I'm doing. Does anybody have a suggestion for how to cut out the buzziness on peaks? thanks,
From: Tim Perry on 20 Dec 2009 19:06 > > But I really want to use this clip in a promo video I'm doing. Does > anybody have a suggestion for how to cut out the buzziness on peaks? > > thanks, The constant hum can be minimized by tools in the noise reduction section of Adobe Audition. You capture a sample of the noise by itself then apply it to the entire track. The popping noised can be minimized by the pop/click eliminator tool. EQ / parametric EQ can be used to improve the overall recording. In the FFT section a preset called "kill the subharmonics" or the one called "kill the mic rumble" can reduce LF rumble thereby making the recording suitable for playback on typical small speakers. In cases of audio clipping the "clip restoration" can be used to improve the audio somewhat. The best and easiest method is to record clean audio in the first place :)
From: OldBob on 20 Dec 2009 20:43 On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:54:32 -0800 (PST), Shaun Eli <missingchild(a)BrainChampagne.com> wrote: >Hi. Hope this is the right place to ask. > >I record my shows on a mini DV recorder (video and audio). Sometimes >when I play them back (after burning to a dvd) the audio sounds buzzy >on peak sounds. Sort of like if you turned the sound way up on a >cheap old television and the plastic TV case vibrated, or a little >fuzzy like turning up an old radio so loud it distorted. And the bass >is also boomy, though my voice itself isn't that low. > >Here's a 33 second clip as an example: http://brainchampagne.com/Info/Audio.wma >(note that after the first sentence there's a bit of silence, then it >continues; the silence is because I took this from a video where I put >in titles, not because of a pause in the actual show) > >It doesn't sound distorted on my computer but my computer volume >doesn't go that loud and perhaps the frequency response of my >monitor's speakers is bad. But when I play the original tape through >my tv I can hear the distortion there. > >So-- any ideas about: >1. What's causing it? >2. What I can do to prevent it? >3. How can I get rid of it on existing recordings? (perhaps notch >out a certain band of frequencies? run some sort of software?) > >Thanks so much! > >-Shaun Now you know why Hollywood uses separate sound equipment... If you want to record decent audio in your show, you're going to have to buy an audio recorder, maybe with mixing capabilities to use 2 mics, one for you and one for the audience. Typically, you can use your main mic for both PA reinforcement and audio recording. You can use your computer video editor to re-sync the sound later. Most programs can do that. Some equipment can sync digitally to time code, but that's big bucks, you don't really need it. As for fixing what you have now? Forgetaboutit! Cameras usually have auto-level and compression and also pick up camera motor noise... you will never fix it... Did you ever try an external mic? That's the least you could do...
From: Joe Kotroczo on 21 Dec 2009 01:25
On 20/12/2009 22:55, in article 5147c83c-d891-4238-aa68-3bed6701de31(a)h9g2000yqa.googlegroups.com, "Shaun Eli" <missingchild(a)BrainChampagne.com> wrote: > Well gee, thanks... > > I used a six year old Canon ZR60 mini-dv camera with its built-in > microphone. Normally it sounds decent but I think the problem > resulted from the camera being too close to the PA speakers. > > This camera has only two settings for audio that are changeable. 12 > or 16 bit recording (they recommend 16 bit for better quality and > that's what I used) and turning the windscreen on or off (it was > probably off as this was an indoor recording). > > I have a newer camera that doesn't seem to have these difficulties, or > at least so far it hasn't. I now use this older camera (with a wide- > angle lens) next to the stage, pointed at the audience. I hope that > will result in cleaner audio since it's no longer pointed at the > speakers but at the audience itself. And that if I have to, I can mix > this audio with the video from the other camera (usually at the back > of the room, pointed at the stage). > > But I really want to use this clip in a promo video I'm doing. Does > anybody have a suggestion for how to cut out the buzziness on peaks? > > thanks, Just two rules of thumb before I have to go to work: - The best place to put a camera is often the worst place to put a microphone. - Recording audio onto a device that does not at least feature 2 XLR inputs is usually a pointless exercise. As far as cleaning up your audio goes: if you fancy playing around with restauration software, go for it. But it would probably be quicker, easier, less painful, more cost-effective to just kick that audio into the bin and redo it. Properly this time. -- Joe Kotroczo kotroczo(a)mac.com |