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Re: Recording small things

Subject: Re: Recording small things
From: "Eric Benjamin" ericbenjamin2
Date: Fri Jan 14, 2011 1:39 pm ((PST))
I've had the following idea for decades, but never tried it out.

The idea is to use an ellipsoidal reflector with an omni microphone.=C2=A0 =
It's sort
of like using a parabolic reflector for distant objects.=C2=A0 But a parabo=
lic
reflector collects parallel beams and focuses them to a point.=C2=A0 An ell=
ipsoidal
reflector collects beams from a single point and focuses them at a second p=
oint.

On the other hand, if the subject isn't upset by the close approach of an
object, you can bring the microphone as close as possible to the subject.=
=C2=A0 I did
this many years ago to record the sounds that accompany fruit fly dances.=
=C2=A0 I
built a jar in which the whole bottom of the jar was a capacitor microphone=
, and
the fruit flies where walking on the diaphragm.=C2=A0 Such a technique kind=
 of
implies that you have to make your own microphones or use extremely inexpen=
sive
microphones.=C2=A0 Unless you have the sort of deep pockets such that you d=
on't care
whether fruit flies are making their home on the diaphragm of your Schoeps =
or
Sennheiser microphones.

It's a challenging recording problem!

Eric Benjamin





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