> I'm looking for recommendations for tripod/head combo for field recording=
. I do a fair bit of backcountry work.
Jennifer,
I'm generally against tripods and often find the cleanest sound is straight=
on the ground. Try it first. We have all got hung up on mic stands (meant
for singers) and not having to bend down over mic rigs, but for the optimum=
height we need to consider the ground echo which can be very prominent on
mics with a wide pickup like an MS pair.
Listening to the background, you can hear the frequency cancellation/boost=
off a hard ground as you vary the height, especially if you can listen to
the Omni "M" signal of your MS rig which combines sounds from every
direction, including above and below.
The same considerations also apply of course with a vertical reflective
surface like a wall or car. A path difference of 3 feet (just short of a
metre) gives a first peak at around 300Hz with multiples above that and
troughs in between. A ground echo is shorter than that and will colour
birdsong, etc according to the height of the source.
Non-technically, listen for an ee-aw sound from the background as you move=
the mic, or from passing aircraft which often shows up as bands on a
spectrogram.
I've got good photographic tripods with good heads, but my important factor=
s
for recording use are:
Nothing that can move or flap or whistle in the wind;
Wide enough not to blow over in a gust;
Adjustable for irregular ground;
Absolutely no creaks;
Folding away readily with the head still on;
Easy to carry;
Cheap.
Unless you want to pan and tilt a parabola, any quiet head which locks off=
firmly will do.
Spend your spare money on mics, a multitrack recorder and possibly a nice
quiet mixer.
David Brinicombe
|