For being an unpublished, I am posting way to much lately but I have
to jump in here.
I accidently built the perfect mic for thunder and it will be changed
after this season is over. I have setup a Crown Sass stereo mic
correctly rated at 150 db max spl with mkh-110's to a separate
output. I can record both stereo channels by separate recorders. By
accident one of the mkh-110 is really a mkh-110-1. I wait and will
chase any good storm, so far with nothing great this year due to the
wx.
My ME-62's are rated at 130 spl and that is rated at 1,000 cycles. It
really can not come close to that at 20 cycles.
IMHO the best choice for a single thunder mic is a pzm. This is
because of the very small diaphram as well as the pzm plate size
giving a good volume curve for thunder.
Also IMHO the only "home run" in recording thunder is getting under a
cloud to ground strike. This is not "G" rated material. It comes
with a very high degree of danger and should not be attempted by
those with young families or those that don't have eyes in the back
of their heads. Note that when your hair stands up on end, that
means two things. 1. You are about to get a good recording, and 2.
You are screwed.
Recording thunder is like taking pictures of the moon. You setup as
if it is daylight and burn backgrounds as needed in post production.
An unedited cloud to ground close hit will be re-posted sometime
today at:
http://home.comcast.net/~richpeet/thunder.mp3
This is the same segment as I posted last year so those that heard it
can ignore if they want.
Rich Peet
I am no longer official but I will always chase storms.
--- In Wild Sanctuary <>
wrote:
> You think I know anything 'bout that? Holy Cow! It took me nearly
ten
> years to figure out the approach. If I'm recording thunder I use
two
> types of systems at the same time, both of which are set at
extremely
> low levels at the input. In fact, just cracked and often with the
> -10dB pad switched on. One system is our fave rave Sennhesier MS
> version so we can get the lo freq roll-around effect if we're
lucky.
> Also, these mics, along with a Sound Devices pre-amp can take a
> pretty good "hit." I prefer the MS Senns because they provide a
> better illusion than any other type of system we've found so far.
As
> a back-up and if I'm really on the line to capture something, I set
> up, at the same time, a pair of Beyer dynamics in an XY pattern.
> Dynamic mics are really insensitive and if the Senns fail (mostly
> because I've failed to set them properly), the dynamics will almost
> certainly pick up the loud crash and what's left of the lo freq
> roll-around. Problem with the dynamics is that they're really short
> on definition and detail. Some of our thunder recordings can be
heard
> in the movies "Castaway," "Perfect Storm," and "Mosquito Coast,"
> along with others which I've long forgotten. Also on our albums
> "Distant Thunder" and "Rainstorm in Borneo," the last of which has
> the loudest crack I've recorded (132dBA at the input) if one would
> like a reference.
>
> Whatever you do, DON'T wear headphones during an electrical storm!
>
> Bernie Krause
>
> Wild Sanctuary, Inc.
> P. O. Box 536
> Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> 707-996-6677 tel
> 707-996-0280 fax
> http://www.wildsanctuary.com
>
> >At 10:35 AM 8/22/2003, you wrote:
> >
> >>Visit www.richardsfault.com NEW ENTRIES (then to be moved to
> >>RELAXING) for six examples of thunder recorded last night. The mic
> >>was (sort of) protected by the roof overhang.
> >>
> >>The main problems I encountred were a loss of the first hour due
to a
> >>power failure, from which I though Cool Edit Pro could recover!
> >>
> >>Other problems included heavy clipping on the low frequency after-
> >>rumbles, which is audible is several of the MP3's.
> >>
> >>What have been the thunderstorm recording experiences of others?
Any
> >>good examples posted anywhere?
> >
> >There are some examples on my site at
http://www.naturesongs.com/misc.html
> >- they're not great, but they are thunder.
> >
> >Thunder and rain, like surf, are emotional experiences (especially
if
> >you're in the desert of Arizona, like me!). That emotional
component is not
> >recorded by any mic/recorder combination, I'm afraid. Another
problem with
> >thunder and surf are that they are very low-frequency, high-energy
sounds.
> >If your recorder isn't set just right, you'll clip the loudest
parts, so be
> >sure to set the record level much lower than you would for other
> >environmental sounds. The mic's maximum SPL can also be exceeded
by thunder
> >- so mic choice is critical. I find it best to use a low-
sensitivity mic
> >that can take a high SPL.
> >
> >I'll bet Bernie can tell us just how to do it right - Bernie?
> >
> >Doug
> >Doug Von Gausig
> >Clarkdale, Arizona, USA
> >Moderator
> >Nature Recordists e-mail group
> >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists
> >
> >
> >
> >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
> --
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