Yes, an umbrella with some kind of absorbent material thrown over it will
work okay, although it doesn't offer any wind protection. The dripping
around the outside of the umbrella can sound okay depending on what the
water is hitting. It's always best to avoid letting the drip hit hard
surfaces such as rocks or pieces of wood. Listening carefully often reveals
a problem such as this, and it's never too late to look carefully at what's
producing loud splats and modify the surroundings a bit to avoid this.
Whatever method is used, you never want raindrops to hit the mike itself, o=
r
the proximal wind protection (such as a foam windscreen, blimp, etc.).
Raindrops hitting too close will not sound good, at least in my experience.
Lang
> NatureRecordists in the Rain:
>
> Don't entirely abandon the umbrella as a useful tool for shielding
> a tripod-mounted microphone from rain. True, most umbrellas
> make significant noise when drops of water fall on them, but that
> noise can be effectively eliminated by laying a sweatshirt on top
> of the umbrella. Then you will still be left with the noise of rain
> and water dripping in foliage which is in the pickup field of the
> microphone; sometimes this can be accepted as "ambience"
> but generally it is as polluting as any wind, surf, trains, planes,
> automobiles, and recordist's gurgling stomach in the background.
>
> C'est la guerre.
>
> Good recording,
> Randy
> -----
> Randolph S. Little <>
> 111 Berkeley Circle, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920-2009
> Phone: (908)221-9173 Fax: (908)630-0871
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