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Re: Types of noise in recordings

Subject: Re: Types of noise in recordings
From: "Paul Ahier" noiseboyssl
Date: Sat Jun 11, 2016 11:06 am ((PDT))
Hi Scott,



Are you using any kind of windshield?  A lot of that sounds like air moveme=
nt to me. It is quite amazing how little air is needed to cause a rumble, e=
specially when it=92s end on to a shotgun, such as when walking forward as =
you are.  If you want something smaller than a Rycote, you could make your =
own from open cell foam.



I=92m not really sure why you would choose not to use a shock mount, as you=
 can get some really neat compact ones that are essentially PVC pipe with e=
lastic bands that you can hand hold just like you do the bare microphone.  =
Something like a Rycote InVision with a handle would be small and cheap als=
o.  If you absolutely can=92t use any kind of suspension, try some gloves. =
 I like good quality fingerless cycling gloves as they are quiet on the boo=
m and I can still adjust my mixer easily.  I have heard golf gloves work bu=
t haven=92t tried it myself.  Your skin is naturally tacky so it grips and =
slips on the mic body and causes noise, it=92s virtually impossible to stop=
 that happening without gloves.  If you sit in a quiet room and put your fi=
ngers on your ear like an FBI agent, you will soon hear it and sometimes ev=
en clunks from the tendons or something in your fingers.



Finally, wrap some electrical tape very tightly around the XLR connector an=
d the mic body to reduce any tiny movements of the connector.



-Paul



From:  =
.com]
Sent: 09 June 2016 01:12
To: 
Subject: [Nature Recordists] Types of noise in recordings



 

Hi all,

I'm getting back into recording after some time off and my recordings latel=
y seem more noisy than I remember them being years ago. I'm hoping someone =
here may be able to help me identify some handling-type noise in my recordi=
ngs.

I recognize that technique has a big impact on minimizing handling noise, b=
ut I'm very curious if the noise can be identified to the cable, mic jack, =
or actually just hand contact on microphone. (I do not often use a shock mo=
unt.) Knowing the source of undesirable sounds would help me adjust my tech=
nique, which I'm afraid may have become sloppy.

For an example recording, please listen to the Hutton's Vireo on this page:=
 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S27883487.

I will try to describe the different sounds I hear:
- variety of fumbling sounds as I aimed the microphone 0:00-0:03,
- more isolated "rumbling" 0:08-0:10    ,
- "groaning" 0:29-0:30   
- more "groaning" 0:38-0:40
- some "knocking" or "rattling" as I walked closer to the subject bird 0:47=
-0:51
- more "groaning" or "rumbling" 1:15-1:21

Is it possible to identify the sources/causes of these different sounds?

There's also a band of low frequency sound throughout the recording, about =
600 hz and lower. What is that? There were no vehicles nearby...

I know my microphone (Sennheiser ME-66) is a good one as far as shotguns go=
. I'm not sure how my recorder (Roland Edirol R-09) compares to some of the=
 others that have recently been recommended here, such as Sony PCM M-10 and=
 Olympus LS series. Any thoughts are welcome.

Thanks for any insight and help!

Scott Olmstead
Tucson, AZ










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