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Does Snow Leopard work yet? Hey guys! Just wanted to see what your experience on Mac OS X 10.6.x has been like. I've been putting off upgrading because it was unstable with so many audio applications for a while. My concerns, followed by what I know so far: Compatibility with Reaper: No recent complaints on forums. ...	I have no problem at all with Snow leopard running on old MacBook plus Logic 9, Waves bundle and some Native Instruments instruments.
Building Ambiences From Scratch I'm wondering if any of you guys have any tips or tricks for creating realistic ambiences from scratch, i.e. without using any pre-recorded material. I'm working on a radio drama set in a lunar space station, so it's going to be all air-filtration systems, computer hums, and spaceship...	I would agree that apart from the ventilation noises and the self noise/vibration of the vehicle/station itself that various random, but subtle, electronic- or mechanical-based sounds help sell the environment.
In need of some career advice. I'm in the position where I may be offered a job editing and mixing sound for reality television. I eventually want to work in feature films as an editor, working my way up to sound design. I've only been in Los Angeles for about 9 months and I'm worried that if I start a full time jo...	Taking a full time job in television allows for a steady paycheck and constant income, and at the same time you could be in a position to impress people who may one day give you a chance at the, "big screen."
Paradigm Shift - your ideal mobile recording rig Try not to think of products that already exist. Try to think of what you want the next things to do here. How would your ideal mobile sfx recording rig work? Here's my thought: I think I'd like a series of tiny modular devices that can plug into my existing mics. I...	Oooh, wireless nano mics that you can stick directly to surfaces.
Starting before picture lock I just jumped on-board to do the sound design for this 30min short. The director has asked me to gather SFX, ambiences, etc. before the picture is locked. This is my first big project. Is a movie file with a timecode necessary before picture lock if I'm just putting together (and gathering)...	I also like to listen to the on-set stuff before so that I know what I need to go out and also hi-lighting potential ADR areas and crucial foley segments if there is a a budget/time constraint. As Morten mentioned, always ask for an OMF to accompany each picture version - the OMF is the lifeline to pretty much everythi...
The Game Audio Tutorial Has anybody read this book yet? Apparently it is written for the UDK which for the time is only free for PC. Is it worth picking it up if you use OSX? Does UDK translate to any OSX game audio programs? <Q> Few days ago, I had a twitter conversation with Andrew Quinn (One of the main contribut...	From whatever I have got to know about this book, I think It is going to be one of the must-have's for any game audio enthusiast.
Giving Credit on Royalty-Free Sound Libraries I've recently purchased the Blastwave FX Starter FX royalty-free library, and used/edited/mixed some of its sound effects alongside my personally recorded ones in a game. I've read over the License Agreement and tried Google and this site as well, but can't find an answer ...	As long as you purchased the Blastwav library legally (from them or a authorized distributor) you do not have to credit them. I would be incredibly surprised if you had to credit them, because in many circumstances it would be unrealistic to expect it to be possible.
How do you deal with technical constraints that limit your creativity? When you can't seem to figure out how to get your projects and ideas to sound just the way you want it to be. <Q> Are you sure that actually is "technical constraints" that are limiting your creativity? <S> I might be completely wrong but that sound...	Design towards the sound in your mind and get to know your plugins better, most of all, spend a lot more time on it until you have the experience to do it quickly. Take your time and try absolutely everything you can think of.
Do you work with the lights dimmed? A mixer I apprenticed under once told me "I don't like feeling like I work at a 7-11. Turn the lights down". That was his way of saying he likes to work with the lights dimmed to almost off while editing or mixing because he says humans are visual creatures - i.e. when the lights ar...	I've got overhead lights, plus two lamps on my desk pointed at the ceiling for more diffuse lighting.
foley prop needed: a stack of cash need a prop for the handling of cash about yeah big: Since, you know, I don't have a stack of cash that size on me. on screen this cash is pulled out of a counting machine, patted flat and placed on a table. I'm cutting up an old book now, but any other thoughts would be appreciat...	To finish the trick I took a few real bills and put them on either side of the stack, and took about 15 book made bills, crumpled them, opened them back up and put them inside the rest of the stack in intervals.
Another Term for Freelance So, I just came across this line in a Craig's List post: "This is a non paying job, I am not getting paid either. Strictly freelance." Clearly this person seems to think that freelance = free. It got me thinking, perhaps we ought to take the word 'free' out. It seems only to encourage...	Freelance is a very common term in many fields of employment, not just film/sound etc...
How to find work for game audio? Hi all,How do you find work for game audio? Any tips appreciated! <Q> Contract work or In-house work? <S> For contract work: <S> The game industry is smaller than the film industry, in terms of people. <S> And the indie side of the game industry is WAY smaller than the indie side o...	The best way to find work is to submit your portfolio to other sound designers and network with them!
production company websites: best of This is tagged as a community wiki. What I'd like to collect here is a compilation of the best websites for individual companies you know of. Something of a gold standard. The reason is to define a list of best-in-class company websites out there that our companies can look to ...	I personally love Raidum Audio's website: http://radium-audio.com/
What do you use to upload big files on? (For Slower Internet Connections) I know a lot of people would want some recordings of the Muslim Prayers from a Mosque so I recorded one a couple of days ago, just so you know its not a super duper fantastical recording cause it was one on a H4n on my cousins apartment terrace, ...	Dropbox here with free 10gb account, works perfect for slower connections as it will automaticly upload the files to cloud as long as you have the native app running on the background.
Definition of POV sound Does any one know any web sites that have a good glossary of definitions of audio terms? I am looking for a definition for "POV sound". <Q> POV sound is Point Of View sound... <S> in other words, the sound as heard by a specific character. <S> An example would be where a character has just been ...	To me POV sound is pretty much like the binaural concept, except it is constructed to follow the POV of the image.
MOC - Mit Out Computer Anybody got any fun ideas for non-computer based sound design? Got a long weekend coming up with plenty of spare time. I'm planning on playing with my reel to reel to do some tape feedback stuff. I've got guitars, a bass, pedals, keyboards, and an electric piano. I'm going to mess with them, ...	Look around the local toy shop for interesting objects.
Online Back up for SFX Hi I am looking for an online backup solution for my SFX Library and computer. I am considering IDrive as you can select the folders you want to backup and the retrieval process is easy.But are there any other solutions that I have missed?I have backup drives in 2 locations but I want the piece ...	Dropbox is great, but expensive (it uses S3, but marks up the storage cost). I've tried a few services and currently use Dropbox.
How to make room tone more oppressive?? So hey everyone, I'm working on this short and the director wants a shitload of roomtone..I'm wondering how one could make roomtone more oppressive. Thanks. <Q> Oppresive as in dark and eerie? <S> Put a low tone in it. <S> Rattles - a shaking AC vent is awesome in these insta...	If the sounds are too clean, try to muffle them with a reverb that sounds like the room you are trying to describe. In your case it sounds like "oppressive" needs to be read as "tight" or "confining", rather than low and scary, given the subject matter. If that's correct, then you need to focus on close, claustrophobic...
Question about podium mics which you may be able to help with. Let's say I had a mic on a gooseneck on a podium, and the PA was blaring and very loud. The gooseneck is pretty much bolted to the floor. There is usually a huge feedback ring around 250-300. Could this theoretically be caused by a sympathetic vibration ...	It is unlikely that vibrations from the floor or stage are causing the feedback
How much does your mood affect your work/creative accuracy? When you are working on a film and creating everything…do you find that your mood affects your ideas and work/creativity? Sometimes you might be in a blistery mood which might bring you to cut negative sound effects while other days you could be walking on su...	It's impossible for me to be in a bad mood when I'm working on sound.
Waterproof covering for microphones So, this is kind of an embarrassing question as it alway seems to raise eyebrows. I'm looking at trying out some underwater recording and I'm looking to find out your recommendations as to which condoms are best for covering the microphone. There are many different types, thicknesse...	I would go for unlubricated condoms instead of balloons, they're a lot easier to put on.
Attn: Boom Ops - How do you stay in shape? I have a question regarding boom oping. A friend of mine asked me what exercises he should be doing to improve his stamina and strength when doing 10 to 14 hour day boom oping. He finds it very difficult to get through a long day like that and I'd like to help him out if I ca...	If you're going to do any exercises for endurance, try moderate/lower resistance with higher repetitions.
Wind protection for a Lav Hello everyone, Today I'm looking to find the best possible wind protection for a lav mic. Something that does a great job, yet also sounds good in the bargain. I know, a catch 22, right? So I was thinking about it, and a question came blowing into my mind: what's the best possible position ...	Many lavs have mesh caps that should help diffuse any air the actor pushes its way.
Sick of the Moleskine Not technically a sound question, but I figure if I tag it as "facilitating creativity" or "location recording documentation" or somesuch I should be able to get away with it, yes? Here goes: In spite of the fact that I am (shudder) an iPhone owner, I still like to carry a journal around for lon...	While I'm a fan of my moleskine because it's small and gets the job done, I'm also a fan of the composition book.
Tips on creating "frozen bodypart ripped apart" Hi! My first question here! I was wondering if anybody has any good tips for creating frozen bodyparts that gets ripped apart? Example:A man's hand gets frozen so badly that it's practically ice and another man shakes his hand, the hand gets stuck on the frozen mans han...	Also tearing a cardboard box slowly might work as well. If you don't have access to shave ice, freezing a watermelon may work, or freezing a 1-liter bottle of soda (coke, pepsi, etc.) A thin piece of cheap chuck steak should sound work nicely.
What are your sources for new/unknown music? - Not exactly sound design but... I am always looking to add tunes to my 'faves' playlist (a playlist strictly limited to songs that rate 9 or 10/10). I'm not talking about hipster 'no one's ever heard of this before' stuff. Just solid, well played, well made music from an...	Itunes Genius is how i find most of my new music or in the suggestions on youtube :) One of the two radio stations I listen to here in New Orleans is WWOZ.
Rechargable Batteries for Radio mics Hi, I am interested in finding out peoples experiences with using rechargeable batteries in radio mics. In the past, I have always used fresh Duracell's with back-up's simply because I didn't want to find myself without full power. Now, with all these new rechargeables on the marke...	We use 'Tenergy' brand with nice charger bays that 'refresh' the battery as well as recharge it (also indicate charge level).
Suggestions for 'sound fx library management software' I am looking to buy software to organize my sound recordings. I record, edit and mix on a Pro Tools 9 system use a Mac computer. It be great to hear from some professionals or any sound guys who use such software (like/including soundminer). Cheers! -Jonathan <Q...	I think Soundminer Pro V4 is a great piece of software.
How to clean a microphone? Hi, I am a lecturer at a private university and was wondering if any of my SSD peers have any advice on how to clean up the diaphragms on the various condenser mics that we have. We have the ME 66 mics, the AT 4073 gradient condenser mic's and the AT 8035 gradient condenser mic's. They are c...	Here's some things you can do to clean up your mic: -Any grilles or screens can be taken off and given a nice wash in warm water, then rubbed with isopropyl alcohol to make sure it's completely dry and princess
Mixing with the client - how to deal with the nitty gritty Hey There, I just finished a mix session with a client. He's a creative guy, very into sound, but I found myself with a collaboration issue I really don't have an answer to. That is, I would hear stuff he just wouldn't. Maybe an eencie bit excess bass here, o...	Work within your time budget and say to the client that if they want to jump in at any time please feel free.
Movies made to make you feel uncomfortable Went to see Insidious over the weekend. A bit of a scary one I thought! Usual shock tactics where sound was concerned but it did the job of making me crap my pants a few times pretty well! There was a scene in the film where a house intruder alarm went off. Boy was it loud! N...	There are certain parts of "Requiem for a Dream" that just really make my skin crawl. Not simply due to the sound, which was quite effective, but also the content matter. IRREVERSIBLE gets my vote, what an amazing stunning film.
What is the best way to mix when you have a cold? I have a cold actually its been going on for almost a week. How do you do a mix when you have a cold? <Q> Cheers! <A> Softly... <S> If you listen to loud sounds with a cold, you increase quite a bit your chances of damaging your ears. <A> Poorly! <S> Ha! <S> Okay <...	After a hot shower, with a cup of tea! You can also try the over-the-counter nasal sprays like Afrin, but I don't recommend it as their overuse will actually make your symptoms worse.
Backing up on the go Wondering if any of you wandering souls have an idea for backing up your recordings while away from your computers for an extended period of time. Here's my deal... I'm heading to Spain for a couple weeks and have decided to take a small rig along (M10, MixPre, 4060s) I have a couple of 16gb micr...	Yesterday I bought the CloudFTP by Hyperdrive, a simple wifi basestation with 1 USB input. If you have 3g, which I wish I had sometimes, I would definitely start backing up as soon as possible onto Dropbox.
How to make a car sound bad? I'm recording a couple of cars for a film, and they need to sound like theyre on their last legs. I don't actually know any mechanics, so does anyone know if I'll damage anything by .. pulling off a lead to one of the spark plugs for example? Or adjusting the timing? Anyone else done some...	Maybe loosen a heat shield covering the exhaust under the engine or add a metal plate to induce a rattle.
Booming with 2 Mics? Hey guys, i recently thought if its any good to have 2 mics on a boompole, like a super cardioid an a shotgun for example. One with a wider pattern, an one thight, and you can choose late which one to take. I don't know if there are any shockmount or windshield for that purpose.It was just a thoug...	The other use I can imagine is a system I sometimes use for ADR with two shotgun mics on stands so I can get a close perspective and a further perspective, it also means if your closer mic clips theres a chance the performance isn't lost as the second one was less likely to clip from a distance.
All lav production sound I just started working on the dialog for this short film that only used lavs. First off there are times where cloth movement got recorded during the take. The director doesn't want to do ADR on the CU shots, because he wants performance over clarity and that's when a lot of the cloth movement o...	You can try Izotope decrackle, and see if it helps you a little bit, apart from that I would suggest you mix the tracks actively, so you decrease the volume of the individual tracks between the dialogue.
What non-standard gear is an important part of your kit Let's leave the recorders, mics, boompoles and windscreens out of this list. What unique pieces of extra gear do you always have in your kit, and why? For example here are two items from our kits at work: Number 1. We use these to manage our cables; either coil...	I carry a cap-gun in my kit. A basic makeup kit has come in handy on shoots to reduce shininess when the budget for a makeup person is non existent.
Rate of Pay for Services Hi All: This is a great forum - I have learned so much, in the short time I have been a member. I am getting requests to do Sound Design work and people are asking me how much I charge. As a Novice Sound Designer can anyone offer any suggestions as too what I should charge or how to go about ...	Be realistic and work your way up and raise your rates as you learn and improve.
Hollywood Style "Booms and swooshes" for layering? Hi guys, Im just wondering if any of you have any techniques used to create Hollywood style booms and sweeps. Like the bass-heavy booms between cuts in trailers, and swooshes- in things like screen-wipes between scenes. I made a few booms today by taking kick drum s...	I'll tend to make heavy use of dopplers and delays when I'm building mine. Some of my coolest ones come not from doing anything super special to a sound but from manipulating unique samples.
Smashing a car windshield Tomorrow I'll be micing the interior of this beat-up car where the windshield is going to be smashed in with a golf club by the main character. I was thinking about micing the interior with an sm57 and maybe a pencil condenser. From the outside I would capture the impact with a Rode NTG-3. D...	If your trying to also get some low stuff, you could always close mic it before the action and kind of thump the windshield with the bottom of your hand and just label as wild tracks. And, with a foam screen on the SM, I'd try to get as close as possible to the glass to see if you get a good thump sound there. Maybe yo...
Help defining/sourcing a mechanical "tak tak tak" sound Hi, I am currently in the process of imagining and testing sound designs for a robot that is up to bad things, going after people (think Terminator type of hunting, not necessarily fast but obviously unstoppable). The robot does not speak, but I'd like it to have...	Many cordless drills have clutch mechanisms that might give you that repeated sound you are looking for. Wind up walking toys are great, especially when you layer them.
The Ultrasone HFI 450 Headphones Hi, I just played around with the Intrasone HFI 450 headphones and found them to be quite amazing for the price. Very comfortable, good frequency response on voice and field sounds. Their durability seems to be good and overall I am quite impressed. Has anyone had any experiences with ...	All Ultrasone headphones offer the benefit of decentralised drivers, which effectively means they are directed at the pinna and not directly down the ear canal, resulting in a more natural sound and also reducing SPL on the ear drum by up to 40%.
Films with extended moments of great sound What are your favourite long form pieces of sound design in film? I'm doing a little research into a project where I'd need to make up 50 minutes of film with exciting/interesting sound for a performance piece. I guess they could even be silent movies that have the potential...	I love the fight segments in "Shoot em Up". I think Avatar has a lot of scenes without music and only with natural alien ambients. I'm also a huge fan of Aviv Aldema's work on Waltz With Bashir . George Lucas's first movie and Walter Murch did the sound design :) (or sound montages as it's stated in the title sequence,...
The quietest moment in your city? Years ago, when I was at university, I did an experiment/exercise whereby I recorded the same street corner for 5 minutes every hour on the hour for 24 hours. The initial idea was to string a minute of each recording together into a 24 minute sound scape of a city over a 24 period. Aro...	Although I'm not sure about the quietest moment of any given day, I am pretty sure that the quietest day of the year is summer solstice.
Mixing Stereo Music to Surround Hi All, I have been looking at moving me stereo short doco films with background music to a surround experience. At the moment the design is fairly simple, interview vocals center and music as it comes from the artist (stereo). What can you guys suggest to move the music towards using a...	I would leave the music as left and right and move some of the sound effects into the surrounds especially ambient sounds as this can help the audience have more of a feel for the locations.
Best Portable Recorder For Art Installations Guys, I'm a poet who is going to do an experimental poetry project. I want to record sounds of the landscape for my show. I guess it's something like doing filed recording. What portable recorder do you recommend for someone new in the field but who wants the best audio? I d...	I can personally recommend the Zoom products.
Remixing For The Internet? I was wondering if there were any quick approaches from taking a soundtrack that has a wide dynamic range (film) and compressing it for something like the internet, where most things seem to be squashed? Using a limiter or any excessive amount of compression obviously kills the large peaks a...	I'd say what you want to do is adjust your mix slightly with some compression. I sometimes like to limit with a very high threshold (say -2dB) and a fast attack to deal with aggressive peaks.
How do you put a mic cable inside a rode boompole How do you put a mic cable inside a rode boompole? I'm having a heck of a time. Do I have to cut the cable and resolder it after I put the cable in? If anybody has a diagram or something that'd be great. Maybe I'm just stupid. <Q> Generally I don't. <S> It's faster to b...	If you want the "versatility" of an inside cable but the lightness of outside cable, you could tape the end of the cable to the top of the boompole and then put a short strap, like this
"Shell shock" effect from movies. Hey all, I'm pretty new to sound design and currently working on a soundscape project for school. I want to add that "shell shock" silence effect, like when a grenade goes off to close to a character, but I'm not having any luck. Anybody have any suggestions? I'm working in ProTools 9...	What you could do is process the sound multiple times with AudioSuite reverb and EQ it to make it sound somewhat dull.
Tinnitus after plane flights Hey everyone, This weekend I went to Florida for a gig and getting off the flight I think I experienced a bit of ear fatigue and tinnitus (I really hope it wasn't tinnitus) where I went and relaxed in a hotel room after the flight which was pretty quiet and I heard some sort of ringing in ...	As an emergency, I also got an ENT to prescribe me some mega-hardcore decongestion nose sprays that I keep in my travel bag. Simple chewing can help, but some people can experience severe pain.
How do you 'cleanse the pallet'? Hello all, So I'm just finishing up the last of a children's series, and getting ready to move on to a cool little indie feature. My question is this: What tricks/techniques do you use to clear your mind of one project and get it ready for the next? I like taking a little time off (e...	After the cast/crew wrap-up party I like to: Snowboard. One thing that seems to connect all of what most people are suggesting is that you are away from a computer screen! No TV, no internet, just let the brain unwind, either relaxing with a cold beverage in your hand or hiking/physical activity to whip up a sweat. Def...
Ear Protection While Cycling Ahoy Matees, After a long and arduously soppy spring up here in Canada, summer has at long last descended on us with it's iron fist of sweaty retribution. That means it's bicycle season! Yesterday, in my enthusiasm, I hopped on the duo-ped and rode to work, all the way down-town after ...	Cat-Ears, LLC (www.cat-ears.com) makes a number of products that reduce wind noise while cycling. I use the 15 dB reduction plugs and they work great.
Create a powerful Creature Im working on a short trailer that involves a big dragon. I've been thinking alot about how to capture this big massive beast and i'm completely out of ideas... For the footsteps i've put together some sub elements, rocks shaking, something cracking and many more... But there's something mis...	Off the top of my head; since Dragons are supposed to have a sort of "Scale" to their skin... you might want to take some leather swatches of various states of soft/hardness and twist them in time with the dragons movements to create a sort of creaking skin/scale sound.
Thoughts on 3D Mic Pro by Mitra? I was watching Terminus by Phillip Bloom on Vimeo. He recorded it as a showpiece for the Arri Alexa and the Mitra 3D Mic Pro , and I was really impressed by both. The sound was really great on headphones - it had a cool "3D" feel to it. My first impression was that it looked a litt...	It does have a hollow sound sometimes, almost dullened.
Audio level problems using a wireless hop I'm on a shoot where we need to use a wireless hop between mixer and camera. I'm using a sound devices 788t and have connected an audio limited tx2020 to one of the analogue outputs. The camera is a Sony DV cam with Audio Limited DX2020 connected to xlr input (line). The proble...	You either need a line level transmitter/receiver pair or a good mic preamp between the receiver and the camera. The problem was apparently that the tx gain was set to mic level yet the 788s output is line level.
Getting the inner thoughts right Hi, Just was wondering what was the best way to get the vocal perspective of someones inner thoughts. It is a normal situation where the actor is conveying their inner thoughts to the audience. Nothing fancy. Can someone shed some light one how to do this? Thanks. <Q> The thing that ...	Adding voiceover to the stereo field can give the audience the feeling that someone is talking directly in their ear. I agree with the suggestions of leaving the dialog dry.
How to make Dialogue present and full with joystick noise? I'm working on a short and the opening scene is of 3 teenagers playing Nintendo. The dialogue track is relatively clean (already removed clicks/pops w/Izotope RX) save for the constant clicking of the game controllers. The track was recorded with a Boom in a m...	Broadband noise is best dealt with using a noise-print-based denoiser, like iZotope RX Denoiser.
What is a telephone pick-up coil used for? What is a telephone pick-coil used for? I am expanding my mic collection zoom (ZoomH4n only so far) and I want to get some mics. Contact mic for interesting SFX Boom for universally recording indoor or outdoor dx and sfx A Lav Fostex 2LE Any advice? <Q> It recording indu...	It's used to record electric signals in general.
Using a wireless system from line-out to camera Usually, I'm never on shoots that record into camera, but I have a job this weekend where I have to. I'm still using my Sound Devices recorder as a pre-amp/mixer. The camera I'm plugging into is the Panasonic AJ-HPX3700G P2. I want to double check some things with you ...	What you can do is run a wireless link from the camera to your SD for timecode. Wireless is generally not a good idea.
Is there scientific studies into certain frequencies relating to colours/light/mood? Hello. I'm working on a little web project (I'm a web developer by trade) where it's basically a mouse controlled synth inside a browser. Nothing fancy, but it's letting me get to grips with some of the cutting edge Audio API stuff go...	I've heard about some studies of the acoustic properties of ancient sacred places which I find quite fascinating.
Hum/noise near electrical devices on the set I soon have a filmproject and a have a problem with the equipment i have rented. Now, when i'm to close to electrical devices like a laptop, tv or even the ceiling lights, i get an electrical hum. I never noticed this problem with other gear. I'm now using an edirol r44 fie...	I've had problems with my mics that have a AA battery in them acting strangely when it is low on power.
If you could choose noise reduction or ADR. What would you choose? (Poll) If you could choose noise reduction or ADR. What would you choose? (Poll) <Q> That all depends on the actor and their performance. <S> Noise reduction if the actor's performance on set is excellent and the dialog isn't too far gone. <S> AD...	Generally speaking, noise reduction.
recreating the dialogue sounds of the 60s i am working on a series that is 100% adr. The series is in the style of a 1960s dubbed film and have been asked to process the dialogue so that it reflects those times. . Any suggestions thoughts or links i would welcome. Have tried the kings microphones but i am more interest...	Re-recording the dialog to optical film (will yield the best results).
How to make supposedly dangerous elements sound cute? So "cute sounds are hard to make" others usually say, and i'm now finding that out first hand. How do you guys go about this?I'm working on a small video game, with fluffy psycho bunnies, and i'm having a hard timemaking things like electricity bolts and fireballs ...	Independent of that, you might try having realistic sounds for the effects of the fire balls and lightning bolts, but have the cute characters make cute sounds layered with them as they either shoot or are shot with these various things. Like the fireballs, I'd use some plastic or paper wrapping, cellofane, or somethin...
What can I use as a waterproof shield for my Rycote? Hi everyone, im looking at doing some recording of smashing up fruit/vegetables and i want to make sure i dont mess up my gear by getting any juice/water etc all over my Softie. Is there a decent way i can put something over it that will give a little protection that...	If you need something larger, stretch similar material over a DIY frame of PVC piping, held in place by appropriate grip equipment.
How do you define the art of sound design? Just curious what it means to you, cause sometimes I feel like I forget and think the sound that I should make must be the biggest, coolest and most unnatural thing ever, and its not just all about that.. <Q> I can only describe sound design as it pertains to film (I don't per...	The essence is what the sound conveys (or tries to convey) and describes.
Most influential people in your career After listening to the guys at the audionowcast discuss the people most influential to them, I figured I wanted to start a thread here and discuss this with the rest of you guys. here's a list of the people and things that were and are the most influential on me and my audio ...	Larry Blake - Stephen Soderberg's sound guy, but more importantly to me, the Film Sound Editor for Mix Magazine in the 90's. Tom Lopez aka "Meatball Fulton" in the audio drama world, Angelo Badalamenti in the film sound design world, Geir Jenssen aka " Serge Cote - My Boss, Friend and Mentor.
Ways to Learn More/Practice Mixing for a Newbie I've heard a lot of people say "If you want to work in post-sound you should pick what role you want to do like sound editing, designing or mixing and focus on that." as much as I'd like to do all of them I want to have more experience with all the different aspects of mi...	First thing you should do is read - read everything you can get your hands on. When it comes to film sound I think its vital for anyone who plans to go into post production sound that they work on production sound.
Mixing sound design with poorly recorded room audio/interviews Apologies if this has been asked before. I'm designing around voice tracks, some of them recorded in studio and some with a portable recorder on location (talent's house). I find it hard to strike a pleasing balance between the location recordings and my de...	I think you'll need a balance of effective noise reduction (as everyone else mentions), as well as fx/music that's been selected to cut through the noise floor (because of its frequency characteristics and transient content).
What sample rate do you use/prefer? First question so apologies if it's not up to scratch. Feel free to let me know :) I'm wondering what sample rate you like to record at and what the sample rate generally is of any sound effects that you buy? I've noticed a few recordists offering wavs at 24bit 192kHz, is there a g...	If I know that I will want to pitch shift down or lengthen a region I will record at 192 kHz. Record at the highest sample rate possible, you won't ever regret it (unless you're recording on something like a battery powered H4N ;))
Cardiod vs. Hyper/Super Cardoid for inside speach I'm researching about what microphone I should pick up as my first mic. I've boomed on several short films and am at the point where picking up a portable mixer and mic collection come in handy. Theres a lady who wants me to record approximately 8 hours of audio for h...	For the described purpose I would go for a cardioid, because it will sound more natural and you should not have any problems getting close enough.
Apple TextToSpeech voice use: any legal issue? Hi all For my current project (an italian feature film), I'm thinking of using the computer generated text to speech voice of Mac Os X for a short robotic phrase instead of the adr. The voice will be heavy EQed and processed. Do you think any legal issue could arise? B...	As long as you are using original dialogue you should be fine.
Amp for live music/sound design? Hi folks. This question may seem a bit off topic, (but it's sound designy, I promise!) I value the opinions here, and I wonder if anyone with a background in sound reinforcement has any advice. I want to start performing music with laptop: live processing, acoustic guitar and vocals. T...	Another option is to use a portable, self-powered, PA as an amp.
Gobbler as a cloud backup service Hi all, I've just recently come across an offsite / cloud backup solution called Gobbler. Basically, anyone can create a free account that comes with 25gb of storage space. The bundled application scans your local and removable drives for project files (Logic, Pro Tools, Studio One, e...	The program works well and their support is great.
City ambiences: what do you need? I live in Chicago, and lately I've been doing a fair amount of ambience recording in the various neighborhoods and downtown. So many city ambiences on SFX CDs sound like Manhattan at rush hour to me, so I'm trying to capture some variety, and some subtle variations if I can. I already ...	Along the lines of Subways (good suggestion btw @Utopia), get Bridges.
Need some train sounds ASAP Hi guys, I need a few different train sounds ASAP for an advertising animation I'm working on. I'm looking for some onboard (but outside of the train) sound (so we can hear the train moving along as if we are on it but outside) and also some pass-bys. They need to be as 'clean' and 'upfr...	Rabbit Ears Audio has a library called Metal Machines that would be a great sweetener library full of old giant metal clacks and bangs.
opinions on film credits you and your team have finished a film. The producer emails you looking for a list of credits. You had a small crew and a few people performed multiple jobs. How do you want your credits to look on screen?how do you want them to look in imdb? <Q> I have a small film company here in Sweden an...	Pick credits that will reinforce your current experience and career path.
mic recommendation for microscopic recording which mic (or what type of mic) would you recommend for properly capturing microsound? e.g. recording really small tiny acoustic elements? i'm interested in capturing high resolution inner detail of some physical materials. <Q> Might want to see if anything in this thread he...	We have a Sanken MO-64 in the studio, all I can say is...wow.
Pursuing a career in Game Audio Programming Hi all, I recently graduated from a two year program with an Associates in Applied Sciences in the field of Recording Arts, (focusing in game audio). So far, I'm having trouble finding work and feel like I should specialize myself into a certain facet of game production, ra...	It will be much easier to get a job in game audio if you have some programming experience.
A Motor/Engine Made of Wood Ok, this is probably going to sound insane. Inspired by @Tim Prebble's H&aRoar contest, I'm trying to build the sound of a Wooden Monster Machine that stomps around and smashes stuff. Think SteamPunk Godzilla. God knows where the idea came from. Anyway. I'm trying to figure out how the ...	Another good underlayer might be one of those big wooden game wheels from the carnival.
How is this sound made? I have a base idea but wanted to get your feedback. It's the skipping, chopped sound in movies like Starwars, Batman and Transformers. Listen here at 2:08 for example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZicrp_p4BE What is your take on it? Thanks <Q> How do you create a stutter edit? <A> Yep, y...	As others have pointed out to you the stutter can be easily created by using an LFO to modulate the output amplifier. Using a free panda roar sample (8bit).
Why is this sound made? It's the skipping, chopped sound in movies like Starwars, Batman and Transformers. Listen here at 2:08 for example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZicrp_p4BE What is your take on it? Thanks <Q> One problem that combination creates is making sounds rate - if score & loud action based sound e...	This is just my guess but those films you mention have one thing in common: they are loud films with dense soundtracks & overt sound design. It colors the sound of Batmobile, adds feeling of dangerous power.
Recording an Airshow. Any tips, does and donts? Hi all, Soon they'll be a big airshow here on the coast featuring some beastly aircrafts such as the Vulcan and Eurofighter amongst others! I was thinking of hiring some gear and getting a day or two down there to get some recordings. Anyone had experience of recording...	I go to Southend Airshow to record and my main problem has always been the apparent need for annoying tannoys giving a running commentary of everything the jet is doing. I'd add, instead of going to the official show, some airshows have a more informal "fly in" or "fly out. Onto the actual mics, I just used a shotgun o...
TS (1/4'') to XLR cable. Balanced or unbalanced? Hi I've recently bought this TS to XLR cable: http://www.adamhall.com/en/ah_Cables_Liveline_Series_-_Microphone_Cable_XLR_male_to_6.3_mm_Jack_mono_6_m.html I know that TS is a typically unbalanced connector and XLR a balanced one, but how can I know if the cable is ba...	If there is one ring then it is unbalanced (as in this case). However, part of the deal of a balanced connection is that hot and cold signal are used differentially and are subject to the same electrical conditions. Then when the signal reaches the end, the hardware you are plugging into will flip one (not sure which) ...
What are your favorite in-ear binaural microphones? What are your favorite in-ear binaural microphones? There's been some discussion about this earlier here and here , but not exactly in an in-ear or stealth context so I wanted to refresh the discussion. I have a Sonic Studios 6S/EH microphone . It's pretty good ...	I got a lot of pleasure using a pair of Lenny Lombardo's Sonic Studios mics with the handy headband I have only used the Roland CS-10EM's but I will say that they surprised me!
The Speed of Sound: Why does the sound of a car approaching lasts shorter than passing on? Hello All, I have a perhaps strange question. First let me introduce it with an observation i made today during field recording. I just got back to my studio and I am listening to the recordings and I am quite happy with the ove...	The other thought is that it could be psycho-acoustic.
Matrixing LR as MS? As I've become more comfortable with mid-side stereo recording and matrixing it as LR in post, rather than at capture time, I'm wondering about the ability in various plug-ins to encode LR into MS. Has anyone found this to have practical use? <Q> It's quite commonly used in (music) mastering. <S> Yo...	Just on a (mid)side note, I'm a HUGE fan of Voxengo's MSED plugin, which allows you to pass your already decoded sound inline through the plugin and work on the matrix again in post.
Master's Degree in Sound Design Hi everyone, in 1 year, i'm going to finish my undergraduate Music Technology program in Turkey. So after that, i want to go to school about sound design -especially on video game- for master's degree. Also, i haven't chosen which country and school would i go for this. Because i want to...	NFTS just outside London is regarded as one of the best.
Who is responsible for bring the TC slate to set... To be more precise, whos department does it land in... and then of course...WHY? <Q> On a large Hollywood style production, the 2nd AC (assistant camera operator) is responsible for bringing the slate. <S> Their other primary duties are loading film (if the production...	In North America the sound department usually carries the slate as well as any other timecode equipment such as lock-it boxes.
Recording actors on roller blades Kicking myself for not asking this here sooner, but I'm starting on a film which will involve a number of scenes where both cameras and the actors are on roller blades. This poses some challenges for recording dialogue. At the moment I am thinking of doing a combination of using a sup...	This one of the few cases that you actually want a mic on the camera. If you can sneak a look at the rollerblades before shooting starts and find that they are a bit noisy, you could make yourself the hero of the production by suggesting that they at least change up the bearings, which shouldn't be very expensive. You'...
How can I record footsteps in sand without sand? I need to record footsteps in sand, but I can't take sand into the studio. Is there any not-so-messy materials that would make a convincing substitute? <Q> I once had to add 'sandy foot-steps' to a silent piece ( no location sound at all ) at 3am the other night - so und...	though more time-consuming when editing, is to bring your recorder, a nice mic, and a good friend, and take a trip to the nearest sand-beach you could find with the least people possible to have at least as much as you think you'll need Crushed cereal or a chewing sound of crunchy items could prove useful I ended up re...
Are you a windjammer hair stylist? Who carries a rycote comb with them and combs their windjammer when no-one's looking? I've seen some pretty matted-down windjammers and tribbles and I can't help but think that it affects the audio quality. How do you keep your windjammers in excellent condition and still soft and f...	I store them inside out, and brush them regularly (before, during and after) as this removes dirt as well increases surface area. Once I know it's good and dry, mine goes into a ziplock bag with a dessicant to keep it that way.
Why do some companies still sell SFX with 44.1 kHz sample-rates ? Hi, I was wondering lately about differences in samplerates of wellknown sound libraries.Why does Sound Ideas, or other sound sellers, still deliver their libraries at 44.1 kHz instead of 48 kHz, even when delivering on a HardDrive? When importing a Sea...	It's just not in their financial interest to update an older product that people are still happily buying.
Sound Design on Tribes: Ascend - Part 2 Hey Everyone, Here are some updated gameplay videos from QuakeCon2011. I would love any and all feedback that you guys have on my sound design for this game. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlEJESgTEZE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8w9XggeRD4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...	I can't fault any of the implemented sounds at all, only the lack of small touches leave the map with a small sense of emptiness, audio-wise.
An esthetic for evoking a loud(er) sound Let me try explain the sound, it's sounds to me like distortion and/or saturation. I have noticed this esthetic developing, it's come up in a few movies lately. I just watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes , and it had a good example of this. The apes were smashing stuff but t...	The most common technique for evoking a loud sound is to drop the general level just before the 'loud' sound so that it sounds louder by comparison.
Rode NTG3 dies on set, and now its working again. Should I be worried? Hello my fellow Sound Friends!I come to you with a curious situation. So two nights ago while shooting a short film at some ungodly hour, my NTG3 craps out. Prior to fully not working, it started sputtering static here and there. I was recording i...	Like Utopia said, I would get it checked out, especially if it's under warranty. Moisture is a big problem for mics, it sounds like the mic diaphragm has become saturated. I have had this problem with my RODE NTG-3, it seems an early batch of NTG-3s were faulty.
Problems with MKH 416 - Humidity maybe? I am on a shoot using a 416 as my boom running into an SD 302 mixer and then down to a tascam HD P2 for record. Beginning of the day I had great signal coming from the shotgun, as the day progressed it seems that I had to increase my preamp more and more to get the same signal...	I think the 302 is a bit sensitive in the inputs.
The merits and uses of Masking I was listening to my alarm this morning from a lofi telephone. It's actually a step up from lo-fi so the sound quality is considerably improved, can't tell you the actual specs. The alarm itself is this chill, padlike song for like 10 seconds and then it repeats, like any alarm clock. ...	Masking can be a useful tool, especially when it comes to dealing with noise issues in a given audio track (i.e. production audio).
Contact Mic alternative to Barcus Berry So I use a barcus berry currently, mainly because a lot of my design gear and mics come from being a concert engineer. The more I use the barcus I find it to be quite a pain to apply to surfaces that are not a piano soundboard/ or flat. Instead of the little double side sticky...	I sometimes use blu-tak for attaching my Barcus Berry to things, not sure if thats a universal product but its made for sticking posters to the wall firmly while still being able to remove them without leaving a mark...
Budget Shopping: A boom or a blimp? I'm doing some studio guitar work, right now, which will end up paying me ~$500 (it's for a really good friend, or I'd be charging at least twice that), and I'm planning on putting all that money back into my sound design. I've already determined that I'm going to get a Rode NTG-2, ...	It might be best to go with the boompole, and then use some of that sweet gig money to get yourself a nice blimp later on.

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