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Re: Rain recording techniques

Subject: Re: Rain recording techniques
From: Wild Sanctuary <>
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 07:15:24 -0800
Like ocean waves, this one requires some thought. Again, we hear what 
we see. If we're looking at a puddle in the rain, we tend to hear the 
raindrops hitting the water in the puddle. If we happen to be looking 
at a large leaf in our garden or in the forest, we'll tend to hear 
the effect of raindrops on the leaf.

There are two problems: One pertains to the type of mic you're using. 
Condenser mics tend to be particularly sensitive to humidity and have 
a fairly high attrition rate over time under those conditions. Two 
types we've found help mitigate that problem - the Sennheiser MKH 
series, and a couple of less expensive Sony products like the ECM 55B 
lavs.

Best hope is to find a shelter in a biome in which you want to 
record, with a relatively high (8 - 12 ft - w/in the 3 - 4 meter 
range) shingled or thatched wood-construction roof. Record the rain 
at different periods, lite, moderate and heavy, being mindful to stay 
away from locations where water drips off of the roof edge (unless 
you want that effect). Because the heavy rain will sound like 
incessant white noise (the mic does not discriminate detail), you'll 
need to vary, in a mix, the different period samples in the timeframe 
you hope to create the illusion.

Good luck!
Bernie Krause

>Hello,
>
>I have been wondering about some good ways to record in the rain, and making
>it sound realistic without sounding like rain is hitting a roof or a
>covering. Anyone have some ideas?
>
>Thanks!
>
>Bruce Rutkoski
>Natureguy Studio
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


-- 
Wild Sanctuary
P. O. Box 536
Glen Ellen, CA 95442
t. 707-996-6677
f. 707-996-0280
http://www.wildsanctuary.com


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