Wu-Tang

Audio Recording. Don't let the noise monster get you...

Let's talk about Audio Recording.

No, let's talk about money. I believe RZA and his Wu-Tang Clan said it best in 1994, when they taught us about C.R.E.A.M. Cash rules everything around me- that's a lesson that applies far beyond the confines of the 36 Chambers of Staten Island. What does this mean here in the world of video production? It means the same thing it does in the music industry, and the same thing as it does in the world of professional sand sculpting. Money moves, and money rules. Nothing is cheap in this world- especially producing beautiful sounding and looking motion pictures. That being said, what's worse than your expensive video being ruined by unexpected and uncontrollable noise? The answer is having a rabid grizzly bear loose on set- but, after that, it's the noise. Now how to have a good audio recording session.

When you film on the Las Vegas strip, you're thinking "Oh, gee, this will be so dope! We're going to have so much fun and make so many nice pictures, and everything will be perfect, and nothing will distract us!" That's 99.9% correct- with a large margin of error. While much can be done to control the environment in the local hotel rooms and conference rooms, there are some things that just come with the territory. There is an airport of international proportion nearby- in which, airplanes fly. Airplanes make noise, so- if you are anywhere on the strip, chances are, at some point throughout the day, those metal birds will make their presence known. There are also a lot of folks in loud sports cars and motorcycles cruising up and down L.V. Boulevard- you'll hear those too. There's an Air Force base here in town- those brave men and women who defend our liberties practice swooping, rolling, and diving in their jets from time to time... believe, you, me, you'll hear those too. Let's say you go and hide down in the very back corner of the back corner of the convention hall... SERVICE HALLWAY!!!! Hahahahaha!

Now, before you give up and call it quits- remember: with a little patience, and a little trust- we can work around those noises, and your audio recording will sound amazing! You may have to wait thirty seconds or so, every hour, on the hour, for some bells, but, then it's all good. Also, remember the fine folks, the good hearted folks, folks like our good friends at Dog & Pony Show here in Vegas can do miracles in their studio for production and post-production. Oh, sound blankets work too... also- silent films.

Good luck!


633

This Will Save Your Video Shoot!

This is going to hurt me more than it'll hurt you: clean, usable audio is as important as a great image.

I know... I know... that was rough. We all know that the audio department takes a little "guff" on set; and, justifiably so. I mean, those guys and gals are usually the best looking, smartest, and coolest on set; how can the camera department not get jealous? Well, I say, let's let egos and tempers cool, and discuss a vitally important subject that needs to be addressed. Recording audio into the mixer along with the camera is the smartest and best way to ensure a successful video shoot.

Ever since The Jazz Singer went and messed everything up for us, people are just gaga for "talkies". Now, there have been some brave and stalwart warriors who have tried vigorously to get audiences to let go of their desire to have audio and dialogue, but it's been in vain. This said, we must live with this nuisance and trudge on, begrudgingly or not, and give the people what they want.

The best tools to do that with, especially with the video productions we find ourselves part of in Long Beach and Las Vegas, are the Sound Devices 664 and 633. These recorders are compact, lightweight, and functional! The 664 offers six XLR inputs and six additional mini-XLR inputs, for an astounding twelve isolated tracks, left and right mix tracks, and two additional output tracks to send to the second camera, or your grandma, or whoever. The 633 meanwhile has half of that, with three XLR inputs, three mini-XLR inputs, left/right mix and two additional outs to donate to charity. The great thing about these mixers is the ability to control and direct which audio sources you send to which tracks, and then what you do with those tracks. If your camera operator is a "DP" (last I checked, a DP doesn't operate a camera, they're too busy lighting the scene) and they don't care to watch audio levels in their cameras, you can be sure to have a perfectly mixed isolated track to hand over to post. While the "DP" will swear it's not their job to do their job, and they totally mess something up, giving your in-camera mix a crunchy or hollow sound, you know that you did yours and delivered excellent iso tracks.