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Re: Shotgun Mic, or Parabolic Reflector? Opinions, Please.

Subject: Re: Shotgun Mic, or Parabolic Reflector? Opinions, Please.
From: "scratchpaws" scratchpaws
Date: Thu May 12, 2011 8:00 am ((PDT))
Thanks so much, David for all the awesome insights.

I think I'm about ready to bail on the parabolic thingy and go with the sho=
tgun. As you say, it seems to give me the greatest versatility and usabilit=
y.

I wish I could afford the MKH series. Man! Awesome sound.
Alas, I'm gonna have to start with something much less expensive.

Now, all I have to do is find a good, inexpensive shotgun.

Yeah, right.

As a lighting director, I use to work with a particular producer who never =
failed, on every shoot I ever did with her, to say: "OK, I want it cheap, g=
ood, and quick," and I would always say "pick one."

Looks like it may be the same with shotguns.

I thought about starting out at the very bottom and trying the Sony ECM CG5=
0 to get a feel for what I'm doing. Sony claims it has a S/N Ratio of "76 o=
r more."


--- In  "Avocet" <> wrote:
>
> > What kind of setup did you use to record the "gusting" wind in the
> > tops of trees---shotgun, parabola, etc.?
>
> Sorry I don't have a handle for you but does "scratchpaws" mean you
> have cats? One of my Maine Coons keeps resetting this computer when I
> sit down to type. There is another on my web page below recorded on a
> MKH 816 and you can hear the 20dB side rejection as I lower the mic.
>
> My rigs are a pair of MKH 416's at 50 degrees and a pair of MKH 816's
> at 30 deg. To weatherproof them I use a tent with the mics aiming out
> through the insect screen. I've recently got a lot of wind and bird
> recordings from my valley wood but am bogged down with logging the
> recordings and haven't got them up yet.
>
> I've got this:
>   http://www.stowford.org/recordings.htm#titswind
> The scene is looking up a steep slope with hardwoods on the left and
> larches on the right and above. There is a little tent flap noise, but
> with my woodland tent I've got it in a hollow. I rolled off the bass
> with a rounded HPF to concentrate on the birds and tree noise. I've
> written a series of useful equalisations for Audacity 1.3 which I can
> put on line.
>
> If you are interested in stereo, I'd give a parabola a miss and
> recommend adding a second gun mic. The focus of the parabola goes
> narrow sharply with frequency but is near mono at the bass end so I
> think you would find the gunmic more useful generally. I've tried a
> wok lid and it's too small. If you are really keen for a good fetch,
> look for MKH 815 mic on eBay. They are T-powered but you can get a
> converter for phantom. I don't think they can be bettered.
>
> I've got a tip for the built in mics and a gunmic - put it low, and
> try it right on the ground if it is a soft surface. It sounds
> different down there and often better and with less wind noise.
>
> For a blimp see eBay item 400125713993 I've bought four but the 815
> doesn't fit.
>
> David
>
> David Brinicombe
> North Devon, UK
> Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum - Ambrose Bierce
>








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