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Microphone Question for Ambient Sound Record
Hello: I need to record ambient sound from a forest – trees blowing in the wind, birds, and maybe insects. I’m using my DR-100 Tascam Digital Audio Recorder and a Sennheiser ME66/K6 with (Rycote Windjammer) super cardiod microphone. After recording today, I get the impression it may not have been the best microphone pattern to use – or maybe it was? Any thoughts on the best microphone pick up pattern for this kind of location sound recording.
Any other advice? I really appreciate your help!
Rich
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13 Replies
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Hi Rich,
What are you doing the recording for? Will it be used in a film/TV project, or something else?
For a general ambient bed, you might try using a stereo mic. It will give you a fuller, more realistic sound. However, if it’s for picture, it should have the same perspective as the image.
Best,
Dave J
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Hello – Thanks for responding. It’s a video project – a documentary featuring landscapes and other scenes where the actual sound may not be suitable – like adjacent to roads or whatever. My goal is to set the mood with nice ambient sound as explained before – and could you explain what you mean by perspective.
Rich
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Go stereo for your situation and use an XY mic NOT a MS mic the XY setup gives better atmos.
But MS work well for some music production and some video shoots.
Something like a Rode NT4 stereo mic would work well. My favorite stereo mic is an AKG C522 but they are no longer made.
Record the sound in the widest setting as this can be reduced in post production.
Another idea for atmos recording face the mic upward, this often works well for trees and wind noise.
My ideal job would be recording atmos in surround sound using a Holophone mic.https://www.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=NT4
https://www.holophone.com/The difference between Knowledge and Wisdom is… Knowledge is the knowing of facts…. Wisdom is the sensible application of good quality knowledge…
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Hello Richard and welcome back to the Cow Audio Forum.
I had the chance to use the Audio Technica BP4025 stereo mic last year and was very impressed with its ability to capture nature sounds. The diaphragms are big, 1″, which means a very low self noise and more nature sounds.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/602082-REG/Audio_Technica_BP4025_BP4025_X_Y_Stereo_Field.html
To download my audio file, go to: https://public.me.com/tyreeford
look in the Audio folder for the ATBP4025ambi08.wav fileSorry I can’t give you a direct link.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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Ty: Thank you for the note AND the audio file I’ve just downloaded. Wonderful – that’s a much fuller sound than the shotgun I was using yesterday. What are your thoughts about using a windscreen?
I really love that sound – the “centered birdcall” was terrific. That’s a must have for this documentary I’m producing –
Thanks so much.
Rich
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Richard,
Yes, by all means you’ll need that. I forget if there was a simple foam one that came with the mic, but you’ll need something.
Call or contact Buzz turner in CT at Turner Audio. Tell him I asked you to call and find out what he suggests. Rycote may make a Baby Ball Gag that’ll work.
And, yes, I’ve already used that track in a trailer I posted last summer.
Regards,
Ty Ford
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Fantastic. I cannot wait to record my own stereo sound.
Rich
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My recommendations for stereo mics (in no particular order):
Shure VP88
Rode NT4
Anything from DPA Microphones, Schoeps, or Neumann. 🙂Wolf
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Wolfie,
The VP88s I have used are very noisy in the mid and wide positions because of the self noise of the smaller side capsules.
The NT4 is better but the capsules are still smaller than the BP4025. Drop in on the link I gave and listen to the .wav file I recorded here of the outside ambi. The larger diaphragms reall make a difference.
Regards,
Ty
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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I would have to agree with you Ty about the VP88, a good crowd FX mic but NOT for quiet clean atmos. MS mics work well as part of a program mix but XY is far better for true 1 mic stereo, like atmos recording.
The difference between Knowledge and Wisdom is… Knowledge is the knowing of facts…. Wisdom is the sensible application of good quality knowledge…
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