Richard Crowley
1
COW Coin
Forum Replies Created
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If you already have and use Camtasia, then go for it. However for those who don’t want to drop a few hundred $$$, there are several more simple and less expensive (some free) ways. Many modern computer sound systems allow you to use the “stereo mix” as a source when recording. So you can record whatever the computer is playing (like Skype or whatever) with no extra hardware or software.
And there are simple audio recording apps like Total Recorder available at VERY low prices. And Skype shows a list of recording apps that are known to work with Skype: https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA12395/how-can-i-record-my-skype-calls?
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The “-6 to -12 rule” is a guideline for setting record level peaks in order to leave enough “headroom” for unexpected loud sounds. It has nothing to do with mix levels.
There is no “rule of thumb”. Sound is mixed to convey the message of the scene. Likely in most cases you want the dialog to be intelligible to the average viewer. So you would establish the dialog track level appropriate for the overall target and for the scene (is it someone whispering into their cell phone, or is it someone yelling across the street?) And then bring in the music (or SFX location noise or whatever) to establish the audio “scene”, but without obscuring the dialog.
But then, in some cases (and some famous scenes) the music (or noise) is mixed to obscure the dialog so that it can’t be understood (or even heard at all) because that is what the scene needed for audio.
You are asking a simple, generic question for which there is no simple, generic answer. Sorry.
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At least 50% (and many here would argue much more) of the job is using the PROPER MICROPHONE and getting it in the RIGHT PLACE. The little microphones attached to cameras or little digital voice recorders are NOT up to the task of capturing “feature film” dialog. Virtually ALL of the dialog you hear in feature films was captured on a “shotgun” microphone that cost at least $1500. And it was positioned by an experienced dedicated crew member holding the boom just above the camera frame, and actively aiming the mic at the actor(s).
You seem to be a significant ways away from understanding how dialog is captured in feature films. Note that I am using the term “dialog” because that is essentially ALL you are concerned with DURING SHOOTING. You want ALL other sound to be as minimal as possible. Any kind of sound effects, etc, are added in post-production editing, they are NOT recorded while shooting.
The recorder you use is not nearly as important as the mic preamp you use. Some recorders have good mic preamps, and most do not. The mic preamp is critical because it needs to have a good amount of gain (to capture clean dialog in poor shooting conditions) with a minimal amount of NOISE. Alas, most of the little plastic digital recorders have neither good gain nor low noise floors. So that makes it a compromise: what is your budget for gear?
Note that having a good boom operator and selecting quiet locations are almost as important as having the right microphone. The best microphone on the planet won’t help you if it isn’t aimed properly, or if you are in a sound-hostile location. Highly recommended reading (and print out a copy for ongoing reference): https://filmsound.org/production-sound/openletter.htm
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I don’t get any strong impression that the system ever got configured properly to begin with. For example the “gain staging” is a critical part of any wireless kit setup, and is a major contributor to higher noise floor.
Have you adjusted the transmitter gain properly for the microphone you are using, and for the typical sound levels you encounter? Have you adjusted the receiver gain for optimal levels (not too low “down in the mud”, and not too high (clipping). These are critical adjustments for ANY wireless kit. You cannot take these for granted and still expect optimal performance.
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A land line is virtually always cleaner and more reliable than any cell connection. And a traditional telephone gets the microphone closer to her mouth as well.
How good is your cell reception at home? Are there rooms where the signal is better (“more bars”)? It would be good to know if there are things like using the best room to improve your cell connection.
Does she have a headset or earbuds with a microphone? There are Bluetooth headsets with microphone that sound reasonably good. For example Logitech H800.
Can you use Skype or some internet/VOIP service? Cell phone connection is pretty much at the bottom of the quality list.
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Yes. Exactly. If ONLY the camera was recording, how can you possibly imply that ANYTHING AT ALL was wrong with the H4n? Please explain how the H4n could have POSSIBLY caused the symptom you are describing if the H4n was only passing audio THROUGH to the camera in real time? For anything to happen to the recording, it would have been the camera that did it. The H4n did not have any access to (or even knowledge of) any previous recordings. This just makes no sense at all.
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If you were only recording on the camera, how can you possibly implicate the H4n? Your suspicions do not match your description of your setup. You have a fundamental misunderstanding of what happened.
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Wow, that seems utterly impossible considering it is a digital device and opens a separate file each time it records. Can you reproduce the anomaly?
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“I need something small, rugged, with mic capsule and transmitter in one housing, preferably with a clip. Does such a mic exist?”
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMAW4-Wireless-Microphone-Black/dp/B00JWU6WWO
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I think Tom is correct it is an IMPOSSIBLE situation. If someone asked me for a solution with those constraints, my response would be: forget it, no bid.
Back in the early days of “Candid Camera” a very common way of micing unpredictable situations was to have the protagonist hold a clip-board to which a microphone was hidden in the top (clip) end. If this is some sort of “daily rounds” review of hospital cases, etc. then could you put a wireless mic in a clipboard that the leader is carying?