Yesterday, we had our first introduction to sound with Craig. We were shown how to use a Tascam: holding down the stop button to turn it on, setting levels etc. A Tascam is an audio recording device which can be used on its own (due to it having built in speakers and microphone- which makes it very versatile for taking with you on the go for interviews etc) or used with a microphone plugged into it.
The microphone we used was a 'Rode NTG-2' which is very lightweight and can be operated by either a AA battery or phantom power supplied by the Tascam or other power supplies such as cameras. The Rode microphone is most sensitive to the front, so it is important when recording with it to point it directly at the source of sound, other wise it won't pick up the sound as clearly. You must also take into account that the microphone will also pick up sound from directly behind, which is why you'll often find that news reporters stand parallel to traffic so that they don't pick up too much of the noise.
When working outside with the microphones it may be quite windy which will cause background noise and ruin the recording. To solve this you can use a wind shield or even a blimp if the wind is really bad, to try and cancel out some of the background noise.
Next, we were shown how to hold and place a boom pole. A boom pole is a lightweight extendable pole with a weighted end to make it easier to hold. A boom pole is designed to suspend a microphone close to or over a sound source. The boom pole supports the weight of the microphone without it causing any discomfort or being too heavy for the boom operator. With a boom pole you can easily follow your sound source and change positions. There's four main ways that you can hold a boom pole:
The first place we did our recording was in the editing suit, we thought this was a suitable location as it was a very small room, had low ceilings and was carpeted. However there was a bit of ambient sounds coming from the lights and the computers. The second indoor place we recorded in was the stairwell of the art building. We had our speaker stand under the stairs so that the sound didn't echo as much,
We then went outside to the bike shelter by the front of the main building. We used a windshield over the microphone, as although we were in quite a sheltered area, it was still fairly breezy. In the picture below you can see that I'm putting my arm out, so that Jemma can have the boom pole in the right position to catch my voice the clearest. The microphone needs to be an arms length from me.
The microphone we used was a 'Rode NTG-2' which is very lightweight and can be operated by either a AA battery or phantom power supplied by the Tascam or other power supplies such as cameras. The Rode microphone is most sensitive to the front, so it is important when recording with it to point it directly at the source of sound, other wise it won't pick up the sound as clearly. You must also take into account that the microphone will also pick up sound from directly behind, which is why you'll often find that news reporters stand parallel to traffic so that they don't pick up too much of the noise.
When working outside with the microphones it may be quite windy which will cause background noise and ruin the recording. To solve this you can use a wind shield or even a blimp if the wind is really bad, to try and cancel out some of the background noise.
Next, we were shown how to hold and place a boom pole. A boom pole is a lightweight extendable pole with a weighted end to make it easier to hold. A boom pole is designed to suspend a microphone close to or over a sound source. The boom pole supports the weight of the microphone without it causing any discomfort or being too heavy for the boom operator. With a boom pole you can easily follow your sound source and change positions. There's four main ways that you can hold a boom pole:
- Over your head - which allows you to move it where ever you like, however your arms will start to ache after long periods of holding it like this
- Over your shoulders - this still gives you a decent amount of control over the pole, and won't cause you as much discomfort as holding it over your head. If you place the pole between your thumb and your other four fingers it allows you to swivel it easier.
- Waist height - this is probably the most comfortable way to hold the boom pole, and will pick up overhead sounds, but would get in the way.
- Pistol grip - this method is best for use in tight spaces.
The first place we did our recording was in the editing suit, we thought this was a suitable location as it was a very small room, had low ceilings and was carpeted. However there was a bit of ambient sounds coming from the lights and the computers. The second indoor place we recorded in was the stairwell of the art building. We had our speaker stand under the stairs so that the sound didn't echo as much,
We then went outside to the bike shelter by the front of the main building. We used a windshield over the microphone, as although we were in quite a sheltered area, it was still fairly breezy. In the picture below you can see that I'm putting my arm out, so that Jemma can have the boom pole in the right position to catch my voice the clearest. The microphone needs to be an arms length from me.
In the photo above, you can see that he's holding the boom at waist level as there isn't enough room for him to hold it over his shoulders. He could also have held the microphone in a pistol grip.