John - am I allowed to use your text, to send by e-mail to beginners? No
changes and with your name under it.
Klas.
At 18:12 2002-05-03 -0700, you wrote:
>To Gernot Huber;
>We are about to put this article up on our web page www.nevillerecording.c=
om
>but have also posted it here.
>How to Get Started in NATURE RECORDING
>
>by John Neville
>
>If you like the outdoors, enjoy the sounds of birds and frogs, don't mind
working alone, NATURE RECORDING might be for you. Like Nature Photography,
you need the right conditions and good equipment. The more time you can giv=
e
to the hobby the more opportunities or luck you will have making good
recordings.
>
>Typically, dawn is the best time to be out recording. The birds are
proclaiming their territories. This is also the time of least human
activity. A good NATURE RECORDING must be free of background cars, trains,
mills etc. Nature itself can also provide unacceptable background noises:
rain, wind or loud waves!
>
>It might take weeks or even years to obtain one special recording but the
result can be magical and the memories last a lifetime. For example, I
recorded a pair of Northern Cardinals near Long Point in May 2000. It was
dawn and the Cardinals were the first to begin singing. There was no wind,
in fact , it was a perfectly still morning. There was only minimal sound
from a nearby creek and the birds were only 5 meters away. Their rich
whistled notes were truly beautiful. In my mind , it was a moment shared
with the birds and never to be forgotten.
>
>EQUIPMENT
>
>At its simplest, we need a recorder and a good microphone . Having said
that, there are many kinds of recording machines and microphones.
Traditionally, reel to reel, cassette and R DAT tape recorders have been
used. All of these are still available and can produce excellent results. M=
y
first recorder was a Marantz cassette machine which was easy to operate. By
way of illustration, a friend of mine is using a 30 year old reel to reel
recorder with great results. Once upon a time , that same machine was being
used to create the first Solitudes recordings. In 1993, Sony released the
first MiniDisc recorders . It is this technology that I am going to
recommend to the beginner who is currently looking to buy their first recor=
der.
>
>MiniDisc Recorders
>
>"Walkman"- sized recorders can fit easily into a pocket! Their portability
is one of the great benefits to the nature recordist. They utalize an audio
compression algorithm based on psychoacoustic principals, known as ATRAC.
This system emphasizes the signals which best match the human auditory
system (from the ear to the brain).The overall signal is compressed to 1/5
th of the original input with very little loss of quality to the human ear.
MiniDiscs record in digital format on a disc 7 x 7 cm, giving 64 minutes
plus of record time . The transfer of sound to the MiniDisc occurs via a
laser beam. Because there are no moving parts involved ,this technology is
not only reliable but very tolerant of extreme temperatures and jungle
humidity!The Sony MZ-R30 and MZ-R50 are no longer being made but recordists
still try to buy them second hand.The latest models MZ-R 700 and 900 are
even smaller.The Sharp company also produce a good line of modestly priced
MiniDisc recorders. You can transfer Minidisc recordings directly to your
computer providing you have a line out socket, suitable software package
such as : "CoolEdit 2000"for Windows or "Amadeus 11 for Macintosh systems.
This allows you to edit or transmit your recordings just like print or
digital photography files. To learn all you ever need to know about
MiniDiscs check out http://www.minidisc.org/
>
>Microphones
>
>Some recordists will argue that microphones are the most important
component part of their kit. The microphone or sound receiver comes in two
basic types:The omni-directional accepts sound from all points of the
compass. The uni-directional microphone receives signals in one direction
only.There are many choices, but due to limited space I will try to simplif=
y
the options. The omni-directional receiver is good for "soundscapes ", wher=
e
all the birds in the marsh, or backyard are desired .With the aid of a long
cable an omni-directional mic can also be placed near a song perch to make
specific recordings of one animal. Uni-directional equipment has a long
barrel and they are known as"shotgun" microphones . It is the barrel which
makes them receive in one direction rather like the beam of a light. These
are great microphones to experiment with! Because the equipment is very
sensitive to touching, a mount and windscreen are necessary. These shotguns
are very portable and easy to focus on individual birds. The Sennheiser ME6=
7
is a good choice. This unit will work well with the MiniDisc recorder and
get you into the feild at a reasonable cost. You will need to buy or make a
special 1/8 inch adaptor cable to connect between the shotgun and the recor=
der.
>
>The dish-like object we call a parabola is also uni-directional. With a
microphone fitted at its focal point , facing in, the dish can be aimed at =
a
desireable sound 50 or more meters away. Please avoid the small 33cm (13
inch) reflectors available on the market as they tend to be unsatisfactory.
The better ones are 45cm (20 inches) or more. Parabolas are very useful
pieces of equipment to bring in specific animal sound from a relatively lon=
g
distance. One good example for the beginner is made by Mineroff Electronics=
,
see http://www.mineroff.com/. The quality of a recording made with a
parabola can be amazing and very selective. Unfortuneately, most dishes are
rigid and therefore clumsy to handle in the feild.
>
>More Expensive Equipment
>
>If you have the option of purchasing more expensive equipment: I will agai=
n
simplify the choices. Top of the line MiniDisc recorders are 1) the Marantz
PMD 650 and 2) the HHB PortaDisc. Both can be purchased for under $2000.
Sennheiser produces the best and the most expensive MKH series shotgun
microphones ,see http://www.sennheiserusa.com/ . These mics have an
excellent signal to noise ratio and are very effective from 6 to 20 meters
distance. However, Sony and several other companies produce very acceptable
products at a more modest cost.
>
>Telinga, http://www.telinga.com/, produces excellent parabolas for feild
use. The polycarbon 55 cm. dish is very durable, light and can be rolled up
for feild use. This company also produce their own microphones and you can
buy them as part of a complete package. This format will allow you to make
quality recordings 33 or more meters away and the cost is about $700.
Whenever possible, have your dealer test the equipment before you take
delivery. It is very annoying to get into the feild and find out that your
equipment is not working properly!
>
>
>
>RECORDING TIPS
>
>Blending into your environment is a bit of an art (feildcraft) but
wonderfully satisfying. The reason to do so is simple.The closer you can ge=
t
to the birds the better the recording opportunity:"half the distance and
double the signal". Wear dark, dull clothes as the birds can easily see
bright colours. Bird song and human vocal sounds use similar frequencies,
therefore, speech should be minimal ! Its important to move slowly and
quietly. Sudden movements may spook the object of your attention. Likewise =
,
the sound of your feet on gravel or rustling clothes will spoil your
recording. Sometimes a gradual approach to a singing bird can be made
obliquely so that you appear non-confrontational. Another technique is to
observe a bird's favourite song perch, then sit down and wait quietly for
its return. If you are still and quiet you may eventually be accepted as
part of the landscape. I have had a Woodchuck walk within two feet of me
before even noticing my prescence and still not move away. Having moved
obliquely towards a White-crowned Sparrow it also moved to meet me, out of
curiosity ! The closer you become to your subject the stronger the signal t=
o
your microphone when the time comes for recording.
>
>When your recorder is in record mode, use earphones to check the gain or
record level. Your ambition will be to achieve a strong, clear signal
without over-recording the subject. If the subject is a soundscape such as =
a
chorus of frogs make sure through the earphones and the record meter that
none of the sounds are over-recording. Once in the feild, always have your
equipment ready to make a recording. Opportunities sometimes happen
suddenly, so be prepared ! If the animal only calls intermittantly : such a=
s
a Pied-billed Grebe or an American Bittern in a marsh; make a long recordin=
g
to include the bird. With a MiniDisc you can edit out unnecessary sounds la=
ter.
>
>Be Prepared
>
>Being prepared seems obvious until you are out in the feild. Very often I
get up before dawn when my mental faculties are not very sharp. It is
necessary to have all equipment packed and ready to go! That means all powe=
r
packs charged and in the carrying case. When I leave the house or car there
should be spare power-packs and disc in my pocket. A garbage bag is very
useful in case of rain. Recorders and microphones can be totally ruined if
they get wet . A polyethalene bag can and does completely relieve ones anxi=
ety !
>
>It is really important to document your discs as you go along. For example=
,
if you were regularly recording in the backyard you might label a disc BY 0=
1
02. This would tell you instantly that this disc was the first "backyard"
disc made in 2002. Further, you should announce at the beginning of each
disc the number, date and time of the recording. It is also helpful to
describe the conditions including temperature and the state of the weather.
>From then on announce each new recording with "take ... " and the condition
at that moment. This extra effort makes documenting your prized recordings
easier. In my case, I make a computer file for the discs and list each good
recording. The second file is a species list where I list a bird and follow
it with each good recording, which disc, which take, the date and where the
recording was made. I am surprised and sometimes depressed how quickly the
details of a disc fades in my memory! To have a quick reference is essentia=
l
for compiling material.
>
>Be Careful with your Toys
>
>If you start the day before dawn and keep walking and recording in the
woods, you will be very tired by lunchtime. It is rather like having an
accident during the last run of the day at the ski hill.You must be careful
and methodical putting your precious toys away! I once left a microphone on
the car roof; when the car speed reached 60 kph the microphone became airbo=
rn!
>
>Where to Obtain Advice
>
>After obtaining the best support you can from your local dealer, you will
often want to ask more questions. The Macaulay Laboratory of Natural Sound,
Cornell University, has a very useful web page evaluating various pieces of
equipment. The lab has an annual workshop for recordists which I can highly
recommend. Check out this page:
http://birds.cornell.edu/LNS/happenings/happenings_index.html/.
>
>Email to connect with NATURE RECORDISTS
from all over the world. The moderator is Doug Von Gausig. He also has a we=
b
page http://www.naturesong.com where archived material is stored.
>
>If you would like to join a society with a newsletter and have an
opportunity to hear other members recordings: contact The Wildlife Sound
Recording Society,Hon Membership Secretary, Mike Iannantuoni, 36 Wenton
Close, Cottesmore, Oakham, Leicestershire LE15 7DR UK. Most nature
recordists are naturally sensitive to the needs of wildlife. However, the
WSR Society has documented our code of conduct as follows:
>
>"Members will at all times conduct their wildlife sound recordings
activities so as to: do nothing to the detriment of wildlife or its
environment, obey current legislation on such matters, respect the lawful
rights of others and observe the Countryside Code."
>
>Living in Canada you may not be able to participate in their regular
meetings but the compact disc(CD) made up by and circulated to the
membership is truly inspiring!
>
>
>John Neville
>
>
>
>
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