How to Get Good at Capturing Outdoor Sounds
Submitted by Andy_B on Tuesday, 04 June 2019 Page Views: 333
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When you go out into nature, sound recording can become a bit dicey. The wind can blow through the trees, birds make noises at unexpected times, dogs bark, a train whistle blows; there are literally thousands of different sounds and problems that can crop up when you’re trying to record even the simplest things. Microphones like the one on your smartphone pick up sounds differently than the human ear and what might sound great to you when you’re recording it, could wind up being dreadful or be so garbled it isn’t understandable. For best results you need something more than a smartphone for recording outdoors.The Right Equipment
You need the right sound equipment. When it comes to sound equipment no other site covers it better than what they have at Microphone Geeks. Choosing a sound recorder for the outdoors is a delicate task.Professional recorders record sound at a high bit rate. Bit rates are to audio what pixels are to photographs, the more the merrier. Professional recorders don’t add any of their own sounds to the recording like smartphones can do. They also record without compression, so it is a better quality sound. They also have things like connection jacks for additional equipment to plug into.
High-quality microphones, coupled with professional recorders, will produce results no smartphone ever could. Recorders can be broken down into three rough categories.
Pocket Recorders
Pocket recorders are the cheapest and therefore have the most limited feature set. They are small and lightweight, which is good for rough field work where you might be carrying a lot of gear or have to shove them in a pocket to use both hands for something else. They usually have a built-in microphone and won’t accept an external one. They are easy to use and will, as a general rule, record sound and audio better than your smartphone.Handheld Recorders
These are where you start seeing an increase in price and quality. They have better pre-amps, which allows you to record in quiet locations. You’ll be able to adjust the settings to a finer degree and attach external microphones. They are larger than pocket recorders and have more features. Many of them can be had for less than $500.Professional Recorders
The ones in this class are the ones with all the bells and whistles, and prices to match. If you’re buying a recorder in this class, you need in-depth information that is beyond the scope of this article.Windshields or Windscreens
As was mentioned earlier, wind is a problem for audio recordings in the great outdoors. It’s one of the most common problems. It can completely obscure what you’re trying to record and the noise it creates is exceedingly difficult to fix in post-production. In some instances, it is impossible to fix.An open-cell urethane foam is the most common material for windscreens. It surrounds the microphone and its only job is to keep out the wind. Windscreens vary in their success at this task, depending on the type of foam and the thickness of the foam.
If the wind is really bad, you’ll need something called a windsock. It is also known as a zeppelin because of its shape. A special cloth is stretched over a wire framework and the microphone is inserted into the frame. The cloth keeps out the wind. Its shape makes it look something like a blimp, hence the zeppelin name.
Shotgun Microphones
Shotgun microphones have a very narrow focus, only capturing the sound that is directly in front of them. They resemble the barrel of a shotgun, with the microphone in one end. A sound that approaches from the left or the right will be outside the microphone’s focus and won’t be picked up. This makes shotgun microphones one of the best you can get for outdoor recording.I hope these tips are helpful - good luck in making your outdoor recordings.
