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Recording Live audio (echo problem)
Last year, when recording sporting events, I would place camera around the venue to get different angles. I then would use audio for the PA announcer from the house speakers on one of the cameras (yeah it sounds like crappo). This year I plan on pulling a feed from the mixing board into a lap top and recording the PA guy from there. My problem is that I still need the crowd noise I get from the other cameras. So my question is, in I lay down the clean audio feed from the board, and lay down the crowd noise, besides having to synch the PA guy up, won’t you be able to hear the clean PA and the dirty PA at the same time? How would you work around that? No matter where I place a crown noise camera, you will always get the hosue speakers? I am very low budget, so I don’t have alot of fancy gear.
“Life’s a pitch and then you buy.”
-Billy Mays -
3 Replies
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If you used an audio interface with multiple inputs, you could record the feed from the mixing board, and also set up a mic to record the crowd noise. Audio interfaces aren’t terribly expensive. A Lexicon Alpha interface plugs in USB, and gives you two line-level inputs for the board and an additional XLR mic input. The Alpha is $79.
As far as balancing the sound, this would have to happen during the audio mix in post. If the PA is loud, then the crowd mic will hear it too. It might be a pain to mix in post, but, when you want to capture the sound of a space differently then it actually sounded, then it’s going to likely be extra work.
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What you have described is what mixing is all about, choosing the best balance of the available audio tracks for any given shot.
When you cook a cake, you dont necessarily put ALL your flour, water, eggs and other ingredients into the mixing bowl!. Its the same for audio. Enjoy experimenting with different balances for different shots and watch your programme come to life.
PeterPeter
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One common technique is to “gate” or “duck” the ambient (audience) between words (or syllables) of the announcer track. This can be done in hardware while you are recording. Or it can be done in software, probably much easier.
You didn’t mention what software you are using for editing? Do you have any audio functions like that?
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