Friends:
This is a subject that has been touched on often but never discussed explic=
itly (in my memory) and that is low frequency filtering of "ambient" record=
ings.
I've started to get interested in making stereo recordings of entire "sound=
scapes" --- meaning whatever is there --- and am in the process of decidin=
g how I'll treat such recordings --- so I'd appreciate other people's opini=
ons.
My understanding of the 'elevated' low Hz 'noise' in most settings is that =
most of it (that I experience) is low Hz man made noise that carries a long=
way because of its wave length ( Hi Hz interacts with "stuff" and disappea=
rs rather quickly with distance).
When I'm out to document things I record w/o filters. This is in the easter=
n US where there's lots of manmade sound. When I want something that "sound=
s nice" I use (or process with) a low Hz filter (10 dB to 20 db/ octave sta=
rting at 160 -600 Hz, say).
I've heard "professional" recording with _nothing_ below 200 Hz
and they sound goofy to me. I've been tempted to filter recordings more he=
avily but realized that it (for eg) might eliminate low Hz thumps of a woo=
dpecker on a rotten stump.
How do you al think about this issue? What do you do?
Sometimes I put on a low Hz filter so I can set the overall record level hi=
gher (buy headroom by eliminating something under 100 Hz). Sometimes I real=
ly miss the low Hz stuff.
Sorry for this elementary and ambiguous posting/question but it think ther=
e is room for some discussion on this topic. In the end we all need to list=
en carefully and do what sounds best for a particular setting, but I'm curi=
ous if there is a general understanding about this matter.
Cheers! (and Good Recording! which others have used and seems a superior sa=
lutation)
Steve P
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