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Re: Mic output noise chart

Subject: Re: Mic output noise chart
From: "Rob Danielson" danielson_audio
Date: Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:28 am ((PDT))
  At 4:52 PM +0000 4/11/10, hartogj wrote:
>  > Hi Hi John--
>>  There usually is an abundance of low frequency energy under 60 Hz in
>>  natural settings unless they are very remote. This probably helps
>>  offset the NT1-A's bass deficiency some. When my NT1-A's were paired
>>  with various MKH's in a surround array, the difference/deficiency in
>>  the 80-300Hz range would always be noticeable. Ocean surf, wind can
>>  and other sound sources might add amplitude in this range, but they
>>  would also interfere with spatial detail. When I've used NT1-A's to
>>  represent spaces, full spectrum, I often used quite a bit of HF
>>  attenuation to make the overall tonal balance less bright and found
>>  it fairly unresponsive to EQ boosts in the 80-300Hz range to increase
>>  warmth. I suppose a look at some of your EQ curves for patterns
>>  might provide clues as to how you've achieved the good results.
>
>Hi Rob,
>
>That's a good idea, I will start taking screen shots of settings and 
>curve so I can share them visually.
>
>My approach is typically far less complex than yours: I don't 
>typically eq channels independently, and though I find narrow stabs 
>to be effective sometimes, I usually apply a flowing curve that 
>highlights some of the most interesting aspects, without too 
>exaggerated of slope on the transitions,and leave it at that. You 
>have shared some great ideas for eq that I hope to explore when I 
>get necessary software and find time.
>
>I allow for a lot of creative experimentation in my eq approach. 
>Sometimes I put a low spot around 1K to distance the composition 
>from the realm of human conversion. Sometimes I imagine fault block 
>mountains with tilted slabs and escarpments and each range at a 
>height to allow view of the features beyond. Or a similar effect 
>with an image of the Pacific ocean with large, each break releasing 
>energy to a gentle lapping at the shore. Usually though I start by 
>leaving the body as wide and flat as possible and roll the high Hz 
>enough to ease the hiss into the range of natural possibilities. If 
>i need to attenuate low frequencies above 30Hz I sometimes follow 
>that up with slightly exaggerated berm above it to keep a sense of 
>strong foundation. Once top and bottom are established, I play 
>around with the stuff between until I find the sound I am after.
>
>I cannot comment on unresponsiveness of the NT1A to eq boosts 
>between 80-300Hz as I have not had a chance to compared it with many 
>other mics, though I will definitely listen for that limitation.
>
>John Hartog
>

Thanks for sharing the description, John. I enjoy "hearing" the 
thoughts people put into shaping their field recordings. I feel it 
greatly enhances how I listen to your work. No person ever has a 
better handle on what is "right" than the recordist. Because we start 
with only field tracks and try to keep processes simple and 
"document" the experience as best as we can, its not a hopelessly 
large pile of decisions to sift through about.  Maybe we are prompted 
to talk about the problems we face with the solutions we find because 
speakers and headphones are fairly crude delivery devices.

An aside: I do my 2 track EQ/adjustments in a Logic or Reaper Session 
and save it with the same name as the exported sound file so I can go 
back and see the havoc I wrought. Other, simpler editors can save 
settings too. In twenty years, someone will use your notes, 
recordings and findings to inform their work towards a diffuse field 
spacial analysis/processing audio "plug-in." Rob D.


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