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Anyone use XLR caps in the field? Having spent a salty, windy, and damp day at a raging Pacific Beach this weekend, I realized that I really had no decent way to protect my XLR connectors from sand; I had to hike with all my gear to the beach so I didn't have all the bits connected by the time I hit the dunes. I spent ...	I like the idea of having some spare connectors in my bag to cap off the recorder inputs and cable ends. I've never run into this problem, but I guess you could just buy bare connectors from an electronics store - would work fine as a "Cap".
Is a Music Business bachelors and a Recording Arts bachelors degree going to get me anywhere in Sound Design? I'm majoring in Music Business right now, but we did a couple projects last year in Electronic Music where we had to put sound beds onto trailers, and I absolutely fell in love. It was so much fun. I figure f...	This is very subjective, no degree is better or valuable than the other; it all depends on you and what you feel can meet your goal.
How many folks going into record and walk away in quiet settings? when recording nature sounds and ambiences I often setup and get out of the way . . . literally! How many folks going into record and get out the way when overlapping your recordings is a high risk. <Q> It makes for a much longer mastering session later...	I totally walk away for long takes.
As a sound designer/Location Audio Recordist, what would you like a Director to know before production? Hi guys, This Tuesday, I will be attending a filmmaker's meetup group to talk about sound. The current speaker had a conflict arise and had to bail. I was asked to do the presentation. I have my own ideas as to what...	Also having location sound in mind when choosing locations.
How did you get your initial experience in 5.1 audio creation and mixing? Hey guys, Obviously 5.1 mixing is an essential skill in film post, and as I understand it is also working it's way into being a standard in game audio too (my particular area of interest). I'm just wondering how everyone here got their initial ...	Being a sound editor/designer I got a lot of my early experience of learning how 5.1 is best utilised by working with very good film mixers & observing/discussing their approach.
Volume output for theatrical release on DVD Hi, This probably a bizarre question but what would you SSD's say about what the specs are for the maximum and minimum screening level for theatrical presentation of a film on DVD. I have spoken to some people and I have been getting different answers. One person said it wa...	The station I work for likes the final product to come out with a dialogue level of -20-ish, and a sustained peak of -10, one shots to -5 or so are OK, but only on the odd occasion. As a general rule though, it looks as if most films end up at -20 to -22.
Remove cloth sound from radio mics Hello forum, I was wondering, how do you guys deal with cloth sounds on radio mic recordings. Is there any way to get rid of this? I tried to deal with it with the normal noise reduction tools, but never really got completly rid of it. Thanks, Stirner <Q> Sorry to be the bearer ...	My advice would be to edit out as much as possible, filling in the edits with room tone or fill. Sometime, I had acceptable results using the Waves X-crackle (at extreme settings) to smooth out the noise (but you can lose some of the voice character/definition).
Need advice on which mics to get. Hi Guys Just starting to get into foley and field recording for my University project. I've got a budget of around £500 and need some advice on which type of mics to purchase. Im essentially looking for microphones which will help me with recording foley and field recordings. Any hel...	I've been using an Oktava MK012 with a hypercardioid capsule for foley, and it's been good to me so far. A flash recorder with a built in stereo pair like a Zoom H4N/H2, or the other leading brands, would help you out there.
Location Audio for "Man vs. Wild" - Methods/How? I'm pretty impressed everytime I watch Man vs. Wild because of the quality of the location audio. I'm wondering if anyone knows what kind of gear they use? Ideas? Considering the exotic-ness of the locations it would be difficult to always have a wireless mic on Bear......	I also suspect they plant a lav on trees and natural objects that will be in his immediate space in a scene.
How would you record a tesla coil? Hello all, I have an opportunity to record a number of Tesla coils. To put it shortly, would you have any advice as to how to make sure I do not electrocute myself or my equipment? I intend to bring my DR680 recorder, a Rode NTG-3, and perhaps also a NT1a and NT4 (NT4 cause it can ha...	I'd take great care in walking around the room to find the best acoustics, and get them to move the coil if possible to a sweet spot in the room.
Pro Tools 9 - Pros and Cons Alright, so you have in the package DV Toolkit 2, 96 tracks, automatic delay compensation, NO INTERFACE NEEDED and works with any interface! Yes, they finally did what everyone else did 10 years ago. But its pro tools, and they finally got their act together and gave the people what they wan...	Biggest PRO I see (as a user on a budget): OMF and 1 track of video support without having to buy the expensive DV Toolkit, if I'm reading everything right.
Creaky Wood and Metal SFX? Hey Folks, I'm working on a project where I need a lot of wood and metal creaking FX. Any suggestions? One colleague recommended going to Amish ship builders in Ohio where they are constantly bowing wood . . . but anything beyond the typical creaky hinge or squeaky door? Thanks! <Q> i'd ...	Heck, something as simple as a carpentry hammer's claw on the back of a shovel has given me good results in the past. Another good way to get creaks is with friction.
Equipment affected by cold/altitude A few weeks ago my friends and I hiked up Mt. Marcy, in New York's Adirondack region, so I brought along a 702 to gather any interesting ambience we'd encounter. The peak's only 5,343 ft, but temperatures were down at 10-15 F. Around three-quarters of the way up, the 702 developed an...	When you work in cold conditions you need to keep the recorder insulated, it is even more important with the batteries.
How do you maintain and organize your sound library? (Literature/articles/videos, not SFX) With such a wealth of information (videos, articles, forum threads, etc) out there in cyberland, anyone have a neat way to save/archive/organize/bookmark useful articles and info for future recollection? Obviously with OSX it's ...	I use evernote alot for this purpose as well.
Guerella Gun Recording without a budget So, I'm working on an American Old West point-and-click game, and there is going to be an absolute NEED for gun sounds; one of the main objects in our game, in fact, is a cursed pistol. Being in Utah, I have access to all the firearms I need -- not just modern weapons, but Civil...	There are a lot of variables you're dealing with; the sound of the environment, some mics just won't work well on guns, the quality of your recorder's Mic pres/limiters/gain staging, etc.
Why shotgun microphone instead of small cap condenser? This might be a dumb question but im new so bare with me. Im comparing the Rode Ntg-2 and a rode Nt5. They both are cardioid pick up patterns, both condenser mics, both have alot of similar features. Is the difference only the distance you can be from the source? C...	Different mics and their pick up patterns are not designed to scoop up, or zoom into, sounds from a distance, but rather to attenuate, or lessen, the sounds coming from directions other than the front of the microphone.
Creative Commons and Copyright Do you use Creative Commons service to protect work on your site? Do you protect just audio (samples, SFX, recording...) or your texts as well? I just start using it and I would like to know what you thing about Creative Commons. <Q> IMO creative commons works remarkably well for distri...	A creative commons license allows anyone to use your work free of charge as long as they give you credit.
Advice and comments on my first sound design for a film clip This is my first sound design. I did a short clip from Lord of the Rings. I'm trying to get a decent monster sound. Comments and advice would be great. Thanks. http://www.vimeo.com/17062502 <Q> You covered what you can see, walking and the grunt of the "mons...	Sometimes, it might be beneficial to come up with other sounds that will help you "paint the picture".
Left Brained or Right Brained? We work in an environment that requires both creativity and organisation. Many of us come from creative backgrounds and many from more technical or scientific backgrounds. So who out there is left brained and who is right brained? Do you see the dancer turining clockwise or anti-clockwi...	I'm extremely right handed, and uncoordinated with my left side in general, close to blind in the left eye.
What to do with production sounds overlapping dialog I'm currently working on a cinema-verite style feature. It's very low budget and all the production was done with a volunteer crew. The production sound requires a lot of work to reduce noise, keep levels consistent, and try to compensate for off axis mics etc etc....	Try to use the same or similar microphone to the one used in the film shoot. Whenever you get a line that has something overlapping it, check the other takes (known as ALTS) for a reading without the overlap.
Mac Users: What Type Do You Use? I'm looking into the possibility of getting a Mac. My question is which kind of Mac do you feel is most beneficial for a sound designer? The Mac 21.5-inch: 3.06GHz with the big screen and high spec? I feel this would be a great bet for myself but would you recommend the portable optio...	All MacBook Pros are fully capable of most pro-level work (within reason).
Waves silver plug-in bundel for sound design? Im going with the waves silver bundel on saturday because it is only $418 right now at sweetwater.com here is the bundel http://www.waves.com/content.aspx?id=8675 Any reasons why not to get it? I already know I like the L1ultramaximizer and renissance plugins in the bunde...	Only reason not to get is if you want one of the larger bundles.
What to put in show reel Hi I'm looking at putting a show reel together for myself to put on my website and was just after some advice as to what to put in/leave out, use video/don't use video. Any advice would be great Thanks <Q> Like Ade said, cover everything you want to do professionally, but with focus. <S> ...	If you are short of material I would suggest downloading a commerical film or game trailer and redesigning the sound. I would also have links to full length work that you're allowed to show.
Film Predubs: real or virtual? So when you are predubbing do you/your re-recording mixer print stems & replay those in the final mix, or do you just write automation and all the original edit tracks runs live?If you could qualify your answer with the type of mixing desk being used, and what the impact of conforming has...	I print the stems during Dolby transfer, and I make the M&E in an editing room afterwards, by opening up the dialogue and foley stems again. Normally I can have all my tracks virtual and online with plugins and stem busses on two HD3 rigs, which is what you normally find in mixing stages here in Denmark.
Analog distortions/saturation on voice - how to reduce? Hi to all I've been asked to try to save a few days of recording (interview with boom and 1 radio mic): the radio mic is always (four days of recording, I couldn't believe it!!) saturated/distorted; to me, it seems like if the production mixer/boom operator had s...	If it's at all a harsh-sounding distortion and you're there with a Cedar anyways, you might try de-crackling and see what happens. Using an expander might do something for you Where you feel the signal is too much compressed, reduce the level.
what is the normal sample rate and sample size for post production? what is the normal sample rate and sample size for post production?is there any diffrence in sample size and sample rate of tv movies and theaters? <Q> Required delivery for nearly all HDTV broadcast stations these days is 24-bit/48K. <S> Now, that d...	Standard for any video work is 48k/16b, however your question leaves an open door that I'm offering to shut: 48/16 is the release/broadcast standard, however while still in the postproduction process, the use of higher bit rates and sample rates is preferable.
"Sound Design should not be noticeable" - what do you think? You've probably all heard at some point in your career/education that the golden rule of sound design is not to be noticed, or that you know you've done a good job when no one notices your work. In the current climate of films like Transformers and Skyline, ...	The fantastical nature of films like Skyline and Transformers allows (and even requires) sound to go further without taking the audience out of the film.
SFX recorded or library Do you use SFX libraries (like Sound Ideas , Hollywood Edge ...) or do you record your own SFX? <Q> Depends on the time frame the client wants it done in. <S> Original soundscapes cost more because extra time spent on the project and you should charge a kit fee for using your own equipment. <...	Im just starting out and so far I use only my own recordings.
looking for 8-bit sounds collection. Hi there, I'm actually trying to make some old-style music using the portable tracker on the psp: little piggy tracker. I've made some old 8-bit SFX using Triforce VSTi, but I was wondering if there's any sound packs containing a good collection of this kind of sounds. If anybody...	But if I can give you one advice, use Famitracker, it is the quickest and cheapest way to get 8-bit sounds really close to the original and sounding the way you want it to sound.
Game Audio for beginners Hi! Do you guys have anything to recommend in terms of tutorials for game audio? I was searching through the web and could only find a very small smount of info about UDK, pretty much nothing about WWISE and FMOD. Is there anything you could advise to go and read in those terms? Book? Tutor...	In most UDK books that I had a look at there is a chapter about audio...
How Did They Do That?? Vol. 1: The Predator "clicks" If anyone knows how the iconic Predator "click" vocalizations were created (for the original film, that is), then please, do share! (This means you David Stone , Richard Anderson and John Pospisil !) If you don't, then I'm open to your theories! GO! PS> Let's k...	It's hard to find hard facts on the subject, but after a bit of Internet searching it appears that the clicks were actually performed by voice artist Peter Cullen.
Urgent Question about rates in the UK Hey Friends of Sound in Great Britain. I've picked up a job from London based animation studio doing a 5 minute film and I've budgeted 5 days for recording, editing, tracklay, revisions and mix. The question is now, what should I charge? I've looked around on the net and it seems...	My advice is charge what you normally charge.
I'm having problems recording sound effects at low volumes I have been recording sounds like a rubber glove on glass and its going in at -22db. If i turn it up more I get a lot of fuzzy noise. I recorded low then opened it in pro tools. I turned up the volume to make sure it was clean, then I hear that fuzzy noise in e...	I've used a gate, multiband compression, and iZotope RX Spectral denoise/repair on sounds that I have recorded. While this isn't always possible, another low cost solution is to try performing your sound as loud as possible to help the signal to noise ratio.
Low End on Small Speakers So I am working on a trailer for a video game that features Dinosaurs. I have big ol epic feet for the T-Rex - friggin epic on my monitors. But it seems like the only audio that finds its way through on laptop speakers is the higher end layers. So how do you make it "sound" like something is ...	Experiment with the higher frequencies in MaxxBass until you find something that reads through the laptop speakers, then make sure that the limiter is really flattening it out.
Sony D50 or Røde NT4 for recording quiet ambience? I have a Fostex FR2-LE and need a stereo mic for ambience and various quiet stereo recordings. I am between geeting a Røde NT4 and using it with my Fostex or getting a Sony PCM D50 to use the built in mics. Price is the same so any suggestions. Also looking at Audio-T...	As you have a recorder I'd say go with the NT4.
Workflow Question: Batch splitting stereo tracks into mono? I have files recorded on a Zoom H4N, the files are stereo, lav recorded to left channel and and shotgun microphone recorded to the right channel. Is there a program (ideally that works on a mac) for batch splitting these files? In the end it would be nice to...	Forgot to mention that AudioMove does batch processing quite well.
Managing Machine Noise in the Home Studio Does anyone here have strategies, or more specifically successes , in limiting machine noise (computers and hard drives) in your home studio? There are people who build their own acoustic isolation boxes, others who go all solid state with hard drives, others who pay US$2000+ ...	I place noisy equipment in closed drawers at home and then strategically place absorbent materials around the kit so that you they enough air to keep cool.
Working with video: What tools can't you live without? Working with video requires working with a good set of tools. These are some "can't live with-out" applications for Mac OS X Media Mac Info (Can tell you everything you need to know about and audio or video file) http://mediainfo.massanti.com/ Perian (Adds extra...	Quicktime Pro 7 for anything from merging audio+video to simple editing. After Effects (how I do conforms for frame aspect, pixelaspect, scaling, frame rates, and TC burn-in) +1 on TextWrangler, but my personal fave is TextMate...but TW is free! QT Sync for time code burn in.
workflow: spotting with the client Of course every project and every client is different, but I'd like to know what tools/techniques people use when spotting projects with clients? As a general definition here, lets define spotting as watching down a video or film project with the client/director/producer and taking t...	Depending on the situation I write notes on paper and/or drop markers - in many ways writing notes is less obtrusive & disrupts
Do you do long takes or short takes when recording SFX? When you go out to do a recording session of something you control like dropping rocks, do you press record say take one "dropping rocks", then drop the rocks, press stop. Or do you keep recording and cut up the takes later when editing? I tend to just keep rollin...	I used to break my takes up more than I do now, mainly because I'm more cognizant of what I will end up doing to the files after the fact.
The search for servos... Let's face it. When it comes to hi-tech sound design, nothing beats interesting servo motor sounds. I hear the same servo sounds from cd libraries used all the time and have been on the search recently for some new organic material to record. There are some old standards: car electric windows...	X-ray machines sometimes have great motor sounds. Older tape recorders, old film playback equipment, line conditioner equipment, air compressor motors, small vacuum cleaners, Motorized coin-sorting banks. The Small Motors SFX collection by Rabbit Ears Audio
How to make a noise sound hollow? For example, I am hoping to have a waterfall sound like it is hollow and inside something (hence the hollow). Any plugin suggestions or techniques you can offer? <Q> Actually, how you EQ would depend on the type of environment it's in. <S> What type of environment are you looking to...	If you want to make it sound as if it's filling a pipe/drain or a drinking glass over time, then you would want to automate a slightly boosted swept-mid EQ that goes from low to high.
Bag combo for a field recorder/mixer I'm looking into buying a Fostex FR2-LE and already have a Sound Devices MixPre. Does anyone know of a bag that would hold both the recorder and mixer? I looked at porta brace but couldn't find what I was looking for. Ric Viers suggests the Porta brace AR-FR2 in the Sound Effects B...	Depending on how much kit I am carrying I use different Lowepro bags.
So I dropped my recorder in a wheelbarrow full of water… (I should get a gold medal just for the title alone!) So anyway, I'm out recording the deluge of rain we're getting in Los Angeles last night and I tripped over something and half-submerged my Tascam DR-680 in a wheelbarrow full of muddy water. Not just regula...	Water or other liquids that find their way into electrical items can cause damage when the item is powered up. If this happens, removal of all power sources as soon as possible is your best bet of saving your appliance. After some quick thinking/internet surfing, I found that putting it outside under the sun to dry mig...
How do you create a stutter edit? Linkin Park, BT, etc., each have their own signature stutter edit from time to time. I would like to incorporate something like this into a robot voice I have to create (sort of like an Eagle-Eye voice giving directions). Are there any rules of thumb or "must do"s to achieve an edit ...	Figure out a rhythm/tempo and slice it that way.
MIDI keyboard for sound design I just moved and don't have my Casio Privia at my disposal. Right now I'm on a pretty tight budget and am looking at either the M-Audio Axiom 25 or Oxygen 25. Does anyone have any experience with these keyboards or have any other suggestions? Thank you all! <Q> I'm afraid that I don't hav...	As a guitarist I put my eye on AKAI MPK Mini - looks like very flexible controller to put short phrases, bass lines, parameters changes
Difference between using a wave editor and a DAW like Pro Tools? I use pro tools to edit all my SFX recordings and was wondering why some people use Pro Tools and a separate wave editor. I was looking at http://www.audiofile-engineering.com/waveeditor/ and can't seem to find anything special that it does that pro too...	Wave editors are brilliant for working on single files without having to import and bounce to disk. It's simply a question of the right tool for the right context.
Best way to record a Slinky As a stocking stuffer, I got a mini-slinky as a joke, and I shocked my wife because I was WAY more excited about receiving this joke toy (because I knew I could experiment recording it) than anyone would have ever reasonably suspected. Just for fun and experience, I plan on hanging it from ...	Then I would get hold of different sizes and materials of slinkys and have a lot of fun colouring other sounds. I'd make a contact mic and attach a speaker and use it as a simple spring reverb.
Recording world instruments, what type of mic(s) to use? I am taking a world music course this quarter and the professor brought in a bunch of crazy instruments (some he made) and I asked him if we can set up a time to record samples of these unique instruments. He said yeah so now I want to make sure I get it right, b...	Large diaphragm condensers will sound good on the strings - though I prefer Schoeps myself. What you really want are totally flat response mics with fast attacks so that you can capture everything.
New synth for the new year (drone,industrial, metal, noise) Gear, gear, gear. Too many options. I'm looking to pick up my first synth this month (software or hardware). As you can tell, i'm into creating dirt, gritty soundscapes. I have a chain of guitar pedals for manipulating a sound into something lo-fi, but I ne...	I recommend Reaktor a lot.
Reference movies for dialog panning Hi, I'm about to start mix on a feature film, where I'm planning to pan the dialog throughout the film. A couple of years ago I did a film which was shot entirely as a POV. It was a very rough film, and I ended up panning all of the dialog all the way around the listener (as well a...	Very few films use dialogue panning for anything that is key to the story. Another film you might want to add to your list for reference/inspiration is Children of Men. Children of Men rarely uses dialogue panning in interior dialogue scenes, but uses 360 degrees panning in the exterior scenes and in scenes with crowds...
Kontakt or other sampler/synth software for sound design ? Hi everybody, I was reading this article : http://soundandpictureonline.com/2010/12/a-medal-mix-the-ea-sound-team-talks-audio-production/ I was wondering if Kontakt or any other sampler/synth could be a real solution for making ambiences? How can it speed up...	Kontakt is a pretty big piece of software once you get into scripting and all that, Camel Audio's Alchemy software is great for processing sounds if that more what you want to do, and so is Native Insturments Absynth .
Opinions about windshield blimp Hi everyone, I'm looking to buy a zeppelin for the microphone, but usually used in big productions I can not pay. I've looked at alternatives and found this, someone has tried and can compare it with other professionals? http://cgi.ebay.es/60cm-Blimp-Windscreen-Windjammer-Windshield-Fu...	If you really have little money you can make your own windshield with very little trouble, they work well, the only downside is that if you turned up on a set with one you may receive a few funny looks.
Does anyone here use Sony Sound Forge? It came free with my Sony PCM D50 and was wondering if it is a software people use for sfx editing and sound design. I use Pro tools 9 but this software may be quicker for editing raw soundfx and designing a sound. Your opinion? <Q> I use soundforge quite alot, AFAIK <S> it's a pr...	I'd say, Sound Forge works best for fast, basic but important editing, whereas Audition is more of a creative tool which can do some fairly unique things.
Design for throwing /axis rotate sounds Hey, Am interested to hear techniques for rotating air sounds - eg - dagger or axe been thrown.I know GRM tools doppler can do a fantastic job on this. (which I dont have unfortunately). Ive been playing around with SoundToys tremolator, automating speed up, and a bit of real t...	You can also do it yourself by swinging around stuff in front of your microphone.
wireless systems for on set recording Hi, Just wanted some advice on what wireless system would be best when recording on a reality TV show. They want to go wireless on the exterior locations and some interior so that the boom operator has the freedom to move about. My concern is not all wireless systems are insulated...	I have been using the Sennheiser EW100 range for the last two years and for your typical interview situations and corporate shoots and even on commercials they have been fine, but if I were to do a drama or feature, I think I'd go with the lectrosonics, they are expensive, but you get what you pay for!
How will portable recorders improve in the future? Apart from the obvious stuff like preamp/converter quality & size/weight, what useful new features should be invented in the next few years? I would like; Custom rules to stop & start recording - e.g. when an input level above -20dB is detected between 3-4am, start ...	Ability to always and ever record a duplicate channel for every primary channel that's -N dB lower than the channel you seem to be recording.
Command 8 Interface vs M Audio Project Mixer I am researching into interfaces and control surfaces for Pro Tools (I may be looking to purchase one in the near future). I'd like the ability to control mixing in pro tools using faders instead of a mouse which is a bit tedious. I know the Command 8 does this, but the ...	If you want a Command 8 with an audio interface then what you need is a 003 or a secondhand 002 interface from Digidesign.
Mic Preamp for ADR Hi! I am looking for a decent preamp that would be used mainly for ADR recording and also for some voiceovers. The films that need some ADR are usually shot by MKH 416. It is important to be able to match the sound of the location and the ADR so what I need is a preamp that isnt colorizing too much. ...	The sound devices mixpre would be a nice choice i think.
Alternative ways of adding presence to a voice than just EQ. Hello everyone. I am right now mixing a promotional video for a band's album and the lead singer did some voice over to be put in at the beginning over a montage with a song from the album playing under him. It was recorded with the same mic as was used for...	you could potentially reamp the voice and re-record it with a speaker/mic combo that you like.
Pop sound in vocal recording I was editing and monitoring a song session in a pair of Genelec speakers.There was lot of pop sound in the vocals.I was planning to use pop filters to remove this during the final mix which was done in JBL speakers in Dolby digital format.But i couldn't find any pops while monitoring them ...	Could be an EQ set up on the speakers to adjust the monitoring system for the room that rolls off the bass.
How Did They Do That?? Vol. 3: Legend of the Guardians Dialogue Just finished watching Legend of the Guardians, and some of the dialogue lines were "doubled" or processed with lo-air or something because one word out of a sentence turned into this massive monster voice, but the rest of the sentence sounded normal. I'...	They may have made a copy of the dialogue track for that section of dialogue (keeping it in sync with the original), then on the copy track they may have cut out all dialogue except the words selected for augmenting (processing those selected words how they liked using an insert patch or FX send), then blended the resu...
How do you design a cricket sound? Does anyone have any tricks for designing a sound like a cricket or crickets? I live in Scotland and recording actual crickets obviously isn't an option! <Q> Hi Graeme, I like crickets <S> and I'm designing a cricket machine on puredata .I've <S> made a good cricket so far <S> but it...	I'd try taking a recording of a baseball card being flipped by the spokes of a bike tire and pitch it up like 2 octaves to get that cool cicada sound effect.
(UK) Sidestepping into film sound... a possibility? I've been working in audiobooks for a little over ten years and, to be frank, I've had my fill. There's also the matter of cash flow. The family pot seems to have a hole in it and my career is going nowhere! Back when I was still green, I earned a City and Guilds dip...	You can also go to websites such as elance.com and pitch for jobs that need sound people.
When asked to work on a short, what is the proper process? When you are asked to work on a short, what is the proper process of communication between the director and sound person? Do you ask for scripts or treatments and outlines? Are most films written with treatments and outlines? How long does it take for sound...	For me, reading through the writer's original intention (or umpteenth rewrite) usually provides a better insight to the mood, settings, and character development which leads to better conversations with your producer/director about the goal of the piece.
Best mics for foley and sound design I am an experimental composer and I have often used samples and effects in my work. Some I have purchased but I am very interested in using my own because I am often looking for a specific sound which I can't find. I want a good mic for short distance recording such as foley. I w...	LDC's can be found pretty inexpensively, with good specs! I think, as Tim said, large condenser mics are too often overlooked for such things - way quiet and can be very detailed. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the Sennheiser MKH416.
What five plugins are the most essential for your sound editing? This is obviously hypothetical, but if you were doing all the sound editing for a short film and were only allowed five plugins, which five would you choose? This isn't about mixing or music - you would be editing & preparing elements for a film mix: pr...	Signal Generator - this almost made the must have list, I think drives eat files called 2beep.wav Also, a sine wave at 80hz tucked under your principle sound is a quick way to add weight to transient sounds. EQ (Pref Waves Q10 or similar) Pitch Shift (Pref Serato Pitch'n'Time or Sound Toys SPEED) Reverb (Pref Altiverb)...
Problem with a High Noise Floor in my Recordings I use a Zoom H4n and when I'm recording something that is quiet I get a lot of hiss. The room is good acoustically with no interfering sounds I don't know why it happens. I have used various cables into my Rode NTG-2 but there was no difference. Would getting a pre-amp b...	A good preamp before it would definitely help out a lot.
work and reconform or wait? Say you're working on audio to a CGI/animation project on a tight schedule. On top of all rendered images there's a layer of title graphics which also need their own sounds (now missing). Deadline is in three days, and the creative studio will take two days to send a locked video with everyt...	i would always reconform & never wait Reconforming is a normal part of the game, even though it can be annoying at times.
What websites do you use to sell/buy used gear? I have been trying to sell my Fostex FR2-LE on amazon.com and craigslist.com but Its just not getting sold. What other sites do you use to sell and buy used gear? <Q> That's the kind of item that people need to be looking for if you want to sell it; and we're kind of a ni...	You may also want to consider a consignment sale through houses like Trew Audio or Location Sound.
Disagreements with the director. What do you do when you are "forced" artistically to do something all your experience and advices have told you not to? Do you grin and bear it? Do you try to present it to him/her with hopes he/she agrees and changes it? Do you hope your sound designer friends don't watch it? I disag...	You have to come at it from their perspective, and really focus on why a particular decision doesn't work for this particular movie. Give them examples and feed them ideas and reasons why it will work better than what they want.
Making/using Drones, and Stingers So I was wondering how many employ drones and how many use stingers or accents in sound design? When you use a drone, what is your intention with it, when do you use it? I read in a book that drones help people go back to the tonal center and that with a drone, the mind is more free ...	I also use stingers to spice things up.
How do you keep track of picture/audio edits for sync? If you get a rough cut of a movie, and then work on it, then you get another cut, how do you keep track of the work you are doing and keep it in sync? <Q> EDLs, Markers and reference soundtrack (if available) are your friends in any kind of multi-edit projects. <S>...	If there have have been many edits and you're pressed for time, a conforming program like Virtual Kathy would help.
Before taking on a project, what to consider? If someone asks you to work for them, should you ask to see the picture first if it's available? <Q> I like to get as much information as I can about the project ahead of time: <S> What's the scope of work <S> How long is the project <S> Do I find the project/materia...	Make sure priorities are discussed and agreed upon (this goes back to the "scope" bullet-point), before you agree to start on the project. Know what you're getting yourself into.
Can you damage a sound recorder (not microphone) by recording too hot? Quick back story... On my drive home, I drive next to a fairly busy train track on an otherwise unused road -- the track is about half a mile either direction from any crossings, so I won't have to worry about the train's horn in a stereo pass-by. ...	You may get a distorted recording, if it is too hot, but it won't damage your recorder.
Advice on my starter sound recording kit I have researched? I've been doing a lot of research for my price bracket. I'm wanting to enjoy the summer recording lots of sounds and getting good at technique and editing. I want the sound quality to be good... Good enough to use in sound design, games and such. But I need s...	Personally I like the Sennheiser SD25HD's. Shockmount:Again if you can spare the extra cash, go with a Rycote shock mount instead of the Rode.
Do you file your foley? I created a lot of custom footsteps and cloth movement geared toward specific characters and movements for a project and I just wrapped it up. If you record a ton of material like this and use it for a specific film, do you take the time to consolidate and file the recordings you've done for la...	I obsessively keep every single thing I capture, including any extra bits during a voice recording session.
Recording Foley with a ZOOM Can you record Foley with a Zoom H4N? If so, should you use a small space, a slappy space, or open space, or other? I'm finishing a short and I wish I had the proper tools for foley recording but I may not and that is what this post is about. The foley I would record is struggling in th...	I've had good results with the H4n, although I highly recommend to not use the internal mics if possible.
Which DAW should I buy? My name is Eddie. I've played the guitar since the dark ages ( 49 yrs old) now and now would like to lay down and layer some guitar work and MIDI work into a DAW. I have'nt worked with many. I found Cakewalk was'nt bad; easy enough but 'weak' as far as ability goes. User-friendliness was'nt e...	For straight tracking, editing, and mixing, pretty much any DAW will do - Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Sonar (by Cakewalk), Record, Studio One, Tracktion, Digital Performer, FL, Reaper even (but read this ), the list goes on.. For drastic processing choices are different. Nice testament (Mac OS X only): Garage Band. Your ...
Great Examples of an Eerie (or not) Memory Flashback What are some good examples of an eerie (or not) memory flashback (or flashforward)? <Q> In addition to the movies mentioned I remember 'Seven Pounds' having some subtle but beautiful sequences - for every time the Will Smith character thought about his family and th...	Some of the partial-memory sequences in the Bourne movies are pretty cool. In Shane Meadow's Dead Man's Shoes there are a lot of memory flashbacks. Lord of the Rings - Return of the King - the whole intro scene and fight between pre-Smeagol and the other hobbit.
Does wind affect radio mic transmission? I was shooting on a beach with gail force wind... The actress was literally acting at a 45º angle to prevent from flying away! Thanks to the Rycote lavalier windjammers , the wind didn't destroy everything. That said, I feel like the wind added a lot of interference. Spurts of...	Another possibility is that wind was putting strain on the receiving antenna.
Field-recording in areas you absolutely need clearance for I know it's been covered before about permissions and clearance for field recording -- and the general rule of thumb is to ask forgiveness not permission; be courteous and upfront if approached by people of authority; and leave if and when they ask you to -- bu...	I get a contact detail and introduce myself as a sound effects recordist, then sweetly tell them that I would LOVE to go back without cameras and just record sounds.
Nature on the islands near Thailand Hello all, Looking for some references regarding types of nature found on the islands near Thailand, some of which are resort locales and others, I assume, are mostly uninhabited. I realize that there are many, many islands in this part of the world and don't need exact species (alt...	Again with the bird calls, a lot depends on the type and size of the island.
UAD2 Plug-ins - Have you used them? Have any of you used these plug-ins? How do they sound? I'm demoing them now but I would like to see what you guys think of them if you've used them. <Q> I Personally love the UADplug-ins. <S> When I was apprenticing, the studio I was at used them regularly in our mixes. <S> T...	I think they sound great, but I think they're focused for 'sound design' in a musical realm.
Have time to kill next week. Gonna do some location recordings. Any suggestions? Evening all! I've got a week off next week and need to fill my time constructively by not watching any daytime tv lol Was thinking of going out and about to record some stuff and wondering if anyone had any specific requests? I live on th...	I'm definetly gonna record some forests! Take your recorder to a subway and hope there isn't many people around The Bournemouth Pleasure Gardens; Head to old-school arcades, clock shops, and other more unusual shops.
Carrots are for eyes as ________ are for ears Are there any vitamins or supplements or vegetables or procedures you know of that promote healthy and long-lasting ears? I'm 25 and I want to continue in this business for many years. <Q> Ear plugs. <S> I guess you can't eat those though..... or can you.....? <S> Once ...	In all seriousness, the things you need to protect most in your ears are those tiny cilia like receptors deep down in the inner ear. Likewise, if you take coumadin, a "blood thinner" that is derived from warfarin, vitamin E supplementation may increase your risk of bleeding.
Is Apple Compressor Reliable for MP4 Conversion I'm wondering how reliable the Apple Compressor is. I'd like to convert a photo JPG to an MP4 file and am hoping to do it in a fashion that does not "unsync" anything audio/video related. <Q> I'm going to assume that you mean you have a Movie in Photo-JPEG codec <S> (yes...	Compressor simply uses the Quicktime Engine, so as far as sync goes it will be no better or worse than anything else (i.e. FFMPEG or anything that uses that specific engine).
Smallest bag for SD744T I'm after a location recording bag for my SD744T, and nothing more! All the bags I've looked at sof far seem designed to hold a mixer, recorder and 17 wireless receivers. Can anyone recommend something small and compact? <Q> I think the 744 is the exact size as the 702 <S> (don't take my word fo...	If you're only after a bag to carry it, and not for use while recording, then you can get the CS-MAN Utility Case .
Good Effects for Robot Voice My next task is creating a robotic voice that gives information to the main character. One idea I had was to create an effect much like when a cell phone is breaking up and the voice gets all choppy and digitally distorted. It's kind of hard to explain, but it is what happens when a cell p...	You could also run the final sounds through smaller, plastic-y speakers and then mix it with a hollow impulse response the size of a beer keg to get the sound that it is, in fact, coming out of a robot.
Working with an EDL, what? So this is my first time working with an EDL. I was wondering how exactly you can import it into Pro Tools (can you?) and if not, how do you get the thing to do what you want so it does the thing that it's supposed to do? Should I tell the editor to make the EDL an OMF? What free programs ...	If you have an auto-assembler program (like Titan), it can be used to build a Pro Tools session that refers to original source media. Using Fix Sync within Titan is also a fantastic feature that works very very well for ensuring a sample accurate sync.
24 bit in south africa Hey so I have a on set recording job coming up in South Africa, it is a 90 minute film, I have been told that in south africa they still use 16 bit so i was wondering if i record in 24 bit can you take it down to 16 bit with out effecting the sound? I want to be safe I know 24 bit is better. <Q> ...	Record in 16bit, and don't worry about levels.
Big Love Series Finale - Barb's New Car Scene - How'd they get such clean dialogue? So, I was watching the series finale to Big Love last night and the three sister wives were riding down the highway in, I think, a Mini Cooper with the top dropped down. The dialogue was absolutely clear. It does not look like they used...	They have probably edited out everything except the dialogue when the car is moving, and then they have probably used eq, noise reduction and volume to make it sound properly. HiMy opinion on this is that they actually used booms with good windshields.
Pro Tools 9 and aggregate device use I have an original MBox that doesn't play well with PT9 HD. Poor thing just sits on the shelf all day, waiting to be put to good use. Can I use it as an aggregate device with the new version of Pro Tools? If so, how? Do I connect thru USB, SPDIF, Line Out, or...? <Q> Take this with ...	The original Mbox (1st generation) and Digi 001 are not compatible with Pro Tools 9, and are not eligible for the Pro Tools LE to Pro Tools 9 Crossgrade.
What does the Arizona desert sound like? Hi, Could anyone give me a quick rundown on what the desert in Arizona sounds like? e.g. are there crickets? any particular types of birds, or any other distinctive sounds to that part of the world. Any links to references or suggestions would be highly appreciated. <Q> Interes...	Nighttime you mostly hear mosquitos, wind through the bush,, up close you can hear lizards/skinks etc.. scuttling about the place.
When you are mixing with a downward expansion When you are mixing with downward expansion and the downward expander creates holes during the fades at the ends of dialogue regions, what do you do? <Q> If it does too much, it might not be the right plugin at the moment. <S> Too much processing is always worse than too li...	When you are experiencing holes or gaps in the audio, use fills, turn the expansion down a notch or turn the expansion off alltogether. Grab some "room" from another take not used and fill in your gaps.
Sound solution for Canon 5D for 1/2 hour pilot i am a pro stills photographer and very keen to shoot a 1/2 hour pilot in hd video. with my project i plan to do the filming and sound myself as i will be filming my wife as the host, unfortunately no budget for a third person. i have been told that the canon 5D is the way...	The Beachtek DXA-SLR is an adapter that will hook a pro microphone up to your 5D.
Reaper DAW and OMF files Hi guys, I want to do some final sound mixing in Reaper but it cannot open the OMF files! Can anyone shed some light on this issue? <Q> I don't think Reaper allows for OMF import. <S> I remember a while <S> back I wanted to give Reaper an honest try, but it didn't support OMF so gave up. <S> ...	Yea, reaper does not natively support OMF.
The NTG-3 vs MKH-416 choice Hi guys Big fan of the site. I've been doing some research between the NTG-3 and the MKH-416 and am trying to decide between the two. Budget aside, is the MKH-416 worth the extra that you're paying ? I am interested in recording sound effects and the idea of the narrow pattern of the shotgu...	My take on the NTG3 - it's a fantastic mic. I've been researching the same topic and have come to the conclusion that they are very similar microphones.
What mic set-up would you use to capture a crowd? In an auditorium situation (such as the Kodak Theater), how would you set up your audience mics to capture the audience of an awards-type show most naturally? Keep in mind the podium would be in mono in the final mix. How would you configure the stereo image and which...	I also used a Zoom H4 from the stage, next to the onstage mixers booth, pointing at the crowd.
Reducing room on recordings Hey Looking for any bright ideas to help me... Im a sound editor recording some feet in my lounge for a feature - I have a creaky old hollow wood floor which is absolutely perfect for deck of a ship, better than any foley studio surfaces. Problem Im having is reducing room reflections on r...	Try bringing some large / thick pillows rather close to what you are recording, forming a boundary between your sound and the rest of the room.

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