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RE: Recording Nature - What am I doing wrong?

Subject: RE: Recording Nature - What am I doing wrong?
From: "Martyn Stewart" <>
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 08:02:28 -0800
In addition to Rob's great responses, the Rode NT-4 is an extremely
sensitive mic, set your recording level a wee bit lower than you have, you
can alter the volume of the recording later when you edit, and definitely
get a shock mount, or, place the mic in a tree or a bush. It sounds like
humidity problems if it is not the battery.

Martyn

Martyn Stewart
Bird and Animal Sounds Digitally Recorded at:
http://www.naturesound.org
N47.65543   W121.98428
Redmond. Washington. USA
Make every Garden a wildlife Habitat!

425-898-0462



-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Danielson 
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 6:26 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] Recording Nature - What am I doing wrong?


At 9:57 AM +0000 2/17/05, Ryan wrote:
>I'm sitting in an internet cafe in the Khao Sok rainforest in Thailand and
>I'm disapointed with my inability to record sounds of the crickets and
>other night time sounds without getting pre-amp noise from the
>microphone.
>
>My equipment:
>Rode NT-4
>Sony NH900 MD recorder
>Mic Recording level set at 24
>
>How do the people who create nature cd's that are sold in stores do it?
>
>Is the pre-amp noise taken out in post production with software (i.e.
>adobe audition?)
>
>Could my 9V battery be the problem if it is low? I don't know for certain.
>Perhaps someone can fill me in on how many hours of battery life I
>should expect out of it.

Yes, a low battery will cause additional noise for sure.
if the red light goes on and off again right after you turn on the
switch, the battery should be okay. They don't last that long,. maybe
24 total runninghours?  use alkaline bats only.

you should be able to make good recordings with that gear (assuming
humidity is not causing the noise).  The insects should be louder
than the noise from your mics I'd guess,..

>
>Also, I noticed I was getting some sounds from my mic after listening
>back to what I recorded earlier. the sounds were as if I was moving the
>mic around or fiddling with the cable - which I wasn't. Could this be the
>result of humidity?

moisture interference often sets on like a low sputtering fizz with
rises and falls, low in volume at first but it should grow louder as
the humidity takes great effect. it its constant noise, check your
mounting situation.


>  If not, what effect does humidity have on mics? It is
>the dry season here right now, so i figured humidity is low however I
>can't be certain.

Have you got a shock mount? Most condenser mics are very hard, if not
imossible to hand hold without creating noise. the cable dangling
will make noise.  A  zeplin/windcsreen is also needed even in the
slightest breeze. throw away that foam thing they give you. its
worthless against wind with that mic. The rode manual is very explcit
about how to equip the mic for use outside. You'll get better
results, somehow. Rob D.

>
>Thanks.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


--
Rob Danielson
Film Department
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee



"Microphones are not ears,
Loudspeakers are not birds,
A listening room is not nature."
Klas Strandberg
Yahoo! Groups Links











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