At 11:04 AM +0000 2/6/09, Greg Simmons wrote:
>--- In
><naturerecordists%40yahoogroups.com>
>Rob Danielson <> wrote:
>
>> I can hear treble "hot spots" at the
>> centers of the NT1-A cardioid polar patterns with that wide angle
>> listening to Drawing the Night Curtain. There is considerable
>> left-right "contrast" as you describe. One clue to me is that the
>> louder, treble-emphasized calls "jump-out" and momentarily define the
>> center of the field, not so with most of the softer sounds. Defining
>> the "space" or atmosphere across the center seems to be a challenge
>> for most arrays.
>
>These types of problems can sometimes be solved, or at least
>minimised, with the use of MS
>processing. Pass the LR signal through an MS encoder, EQ the M
>and/or S to match each
>other as closely as possible, then decode back to LR.
>
>It may not produce a perfect result (depends on the size of the
>mic's on-axis 'hot spot' and
>the angle and spacing between them), but it has saved my butt on a
>couple of occasions...
>
>- Greg Simmons
Hi Greg--
By chance, it occurred to me to explore this technique again
yesterday afternoon on a number of files recorded with my Parallel
Barrier Array. (I'm finishing-up sound treatment in my new studio so
it combined needs). The middle EQ steps you describe proved to be
quite involved and I found that the best "adjustment" wouldn't work
nearly as well on another file or section of the file when the
background tonal balance changed appreciably from conditions like a
rising breeze or distant man-made drone. Very tricky to sustain those
delicate "presence" harmonics _across_ the center. (But then, for
critical stuff, I usually have to EQ the mid and side separately in
all of my mid-side rigs anyway.) Dynamic EQ, I guess, is the next
step.
The quieter the subject, the more demanding the mix. I agree that we
have no choice but to employ all the tricks and tools that work in
"post" while also pursuing improvements in arrays and techniques the
field. Rob D.
--
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