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Re: Stereo techniques for outdoor soundscapes

Subject: Re: Stereo techniques for outdoor soundscapes
From: "Rob Danielson" danielson_audio
Date: Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:09 am ((PDT))
Hi John
For PC, Mac and Linux, Audacity should open .ogg files natively.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

Another suited app for Mac is Amadeus Pro
http://www.hairersoft.com/AmadeusDownload.html (free demo)

Spatially, based on these two samples, the head rig seems to create
more lateral expanse or horizon with sense of depth and movement for
waves/events at a pretty good distance. 150'?  The X-Y array tends
"freeze" distant events in the center of the stereo field portraying
motion for events that are very close.  Rob D.


At 5:37 AM +0000 7/10/09, John Hartog wrote:
>Hi Mike, It would be fun to listen to your recording, but I come
>across ogg files so seldom I'm not sure what software to use. At any
>rate, they don't open in my browser (Firefox) or Audition 1.5. Any
>suggestions for the simplest way to listen to them. Or any chance
>you could post MP3 versions?
>
>John Hartog
>
>--- In
><naturerecordists%40yahoogroups.com>=
m,
>"picnet2" <> wrote:
>>
>>  Hi,
>>  Also mic placement in the field is pretty critical as Ive found
>>out on my first field(sea?) trip. Maybe its obvious to some but Im
>>learning by literally getting my feet wet.
>>
>>  These are cropped sections from the original recordings / no eq
>>except my choice of mic placement (to keep Bernie Happy)
>>
>>  The Rode NT4 hanging off a tripod near the waves & shell debris.
>  > <http://urlme.net/audio/rodent4.ogg>http://urlme.net/audio/rodent4.ogg
>>
>>  Binaural:
>  > <http://urlme.net/audio/ownhead.ogg>http://urlme.net/audio/ownhead.ogg
>>  My head with a couple of the capsules rob mentioned below.
>>
>>  Sennheiser MZK Dummy head & dual capsules just inside the pinna:
>>  Position wasnt "good" the incoming wave caused an odd swooshing
>>sound as it approached.
>>
>>  Slightly better but marred by the nightlife cranking the volume up :(
>>
>><http://urlme.net/audio/mzknicespotbadmusic.ogg>http://urlme.net/audio/mz=
knicespotbadmusic.ogg
>>  Im standing about 30 ft from the shoreline in about 2 Ft of water,
>>heads on a tripod, mine was looking at the stars at this point..
>>
>>  Ive yet to venture into soundfield mics, lack of channels /
>>recorder is one reason - Im rather fond of binaural setups and a
>>well placed ORTFish rig using NT1A's.
>>
>>  BR,
>>  Mike.
>>  On location & drying his feet.
>>
>>  --- In
>><naturerecordists%40yahoogroups.com>=
om,
>>Rob Danielson <type@> wrote:
>>  >
>>  > At 4:06 PM +0000 7/6/09, Matt Blaze wrote:
>>  > >--- In
>>  > ><naturerecordists%40yahoogroups.com><naturerecordists%=
Message: 40yahoogroups.
Subject: com>
>>  > >Rob Danielson <type@> wrote:
>>  > >>> Hi Matt--
>>  > >> Thanks for sharing your explorations. The SF Bay recording was the
>>  > >> most successful comparison subject for me because of the width of =
the
>>  > >> stereo field and abundance of tones to regard. I appreciate the
>>  > >> additional work of setting-up to roll three recorders all at once.
>>  > >>
>>  > >> There seem to be fairly significant tonal response differences
>>  > >> between the mics used in this test that make comparing stereo arra=
y
>>  > >> differences a challenge. If you are able to access a pair of
>>  > >> MKH-800's, array differences might be more apparent if you used th=
ese
>>  > >> two mics in as many of the arrays as possible. I think the advanta=
ges
>>  > >> of employing the same capsules in the arrays outweigh the advantag=
es
>>  > >> of capturing the same moments. One can often find similar passages=
 to
>>  > >> compare if you record each test segment for 10-30 minutes.
>>  > >>
>>  > >> I like the choices of arrays that you are working with and hope th=
at
>>  > >> you'll keep us abreast of these studies. Rob D.
>>  > >>
>>  > >> --
>>  > >>
>>  > >
>>  > >Rob,
>>  > >
>>  > >Thanks for the reply. I agree -- in many cases these are very
>>  > >different mics, and what we're hearing is as much due to the
>>  > >different models' wide variance in response curves and overall
>>  > >quality as to the configurations. On the other hand, for some of
>  > > >the subjects, there's just no substitute for simultaneous recording=
s
>>  > >in exposing the differences in the images. In the woods example,
>>  > >for instance, if you listen to the first few seconds of each clip,
>>  > >the level and position of the bird call on the right is very
>>  > >different in the three recordings. Knowing that they were recorded
>>  > >at (about) the same position and the same time is rather revealing
>>  > >about the images produced.
>>  > >
>>  > >There doesn't seem to be any right answer, short of winning the
>>  > >lottery (always a good strategy!) and getting a few more pairs of
>>  > >MKH800s. Actually even that is problematic -- the 800's seem
>>  > >to be usable outdoors only inside a blimp. They are by far
>>  > >the most wind and shock sensitive mics in my arsenal.
>>  > >
>>  > >It occurs to me that the *right* way to do this would be to use
>>  > >a bunch of Ambisonic-type microphones, say 2 on a Jecklin
>>  > >disk and another two at some spacing. That could simulate
>>  > >XY, Jecklin, some spaced directional configurations, maybe more,
>>  > >with similar coloration and response characteristics in all of
>>  > >them.
>>  > >
>>  > >But that would involve at least three new mics, plus hauling
>>  > >at least 16 channels of sample-synchronized capture around, so
>>  > >it won't be happening any time soon for me...
>>  > >
>>  > >Best,
>>  > >
>>  > >-matt
>>  > >
>>  > >mab blogs at
>><<http://www.crypto.com/blog>http://www.crypto.com/blog><http://www.crypt=
o.com/blog>http://www.crypto.com/blog
>>  > >
>>  >
>>  > Hi Matt-
>>  > I see that Mike is using matched EM-158's
>>  >
>><http://www.urlme.net/blog/?p=3D981>http://www.urlme.net/blog/?p=3D981
>> each) to compare his arrays
>>  > with the ability to roll several recorders as once. These capsules
>>  > seem to be a good solution for omni based array comparisons. Maybe
>>  > I'm not following your thinking, but the Ambisonic rigs are very
>>  > exceptional in design, not really made for use in different array
>>  > configurations.
>>  >
>>  > To me, what is unique about your capability is being able to employ
>>  > very low noise, well-known and respected mics _and_ include popular
>>  > figure 8 based arrays like M-S and Blumlein. Wind sensitivity aside,
>>  > I can't think of a better pair of mics than mkh-800's to use for
>>  > thorough array testing. :-)
>>  >
>>  > As for sound source uniformity, with a pocket pink noise generator
>>  > like Mike uses (though it could have a little more low Hz) and a
>>  > quiet place at night one can conduct a 24 position location clock
>>  > test at distance of about 100' and generate very instructive results.
>>  > We used this technique for an array/mics localization test during the
>>  > Recordist Camp Out. I'm waiting for more folks to get their files to
>>  > me before I compile the master
>>  >
>>  > Note, however, that we also used different rigs/mics so the results
>>  > only indirectly help one learn about stereo array performance
>>  > differences. Of course a capsule's polar pattern plays a key role in
>>  > array performance but the few comparisons I've listened to suggest
>>  > that tonal response plays a significant role in spatial imaging too.
>>  > Rob D.
>>  >
>>  > --
>>  >
>>  >
>>  >
>>
>
>
>


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