I am interested in what people use for outside recording that works well. I use a Tascam and have just got some Dead Cat windscreens for the Lavalier mic. I have had some success with this, even on windy days and also swimming in the sea.
Does anyone use a two mic system with a H4 or H6 and what success have you had?
What are the look outs, tips and tricks to help the tech work best for you?
Best wishes
Rob
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I use my SM58s with generic foam pop-filter covers. The windiest I can recall was an episode at a waterfront park so hereās what it sounds like after professionally cleaned up:
More recently, this episode was also outdoors, but there was no windājust general outside sounds in a brooklyn backyard:
For that first one, we hand-held the micsāthat never works well. People hold them too far away or rest their hand down on their belly so the mic isnāt positioned correctly. So I wind up turning the gain up higher. The second one the mics are on stands.
Normally, I always put the mics on stands. But for that first one above, I didnāt have full size standsāwe were in chairs in the grass; so holding was our only option. The second one above, the mics are on my table-top stands.
Hereās another one: Outdoors, in a public park, handheld-mics, with the guests wearing masksāthis is center city Philadelphia in Rittenhouse Square:
Hereās another one: outdoors, tabletop mics in stands, but we were 10 feet from a road:
The majority of my recordings though, are indoors (on purpose.)
Oh, thought of another interesting example: This is outdoors on a wooden deck, next to a lake. Three guests. I propped up the x-y mics (the taser looking thing) on my H6 and just pointed it at the three of them. No dead-cat, naked xy mics. It was like 1.5m from the mics to their mouths. Iām using a handheld sm58-with-foam-popcover:
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Haha!
You got some great recordings though!
I might try with basic kit first and see how it goes.
Thanks @craigconstantine
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ā¦are you going to grab timeslot for tossing this on the workbench?
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Just done it for next Wednesday, I think?
Workbench session with Podcaster Community
Wednesday, 21 Julyā 19:30 ā 20:00
I have put the calendar date in below so that you can see the time, wherever you are:
rob5@blueyonder.co.uk2021-07-21T18:30:00Z
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Jul 21, 2021 02:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
( ā¦thatās your 2021-07-21T18:30:00Z ā 2021-07-21T19:30:00Z )
Supporting members: Youāll find the info to participate in the workbench in https://forum.podcaster.community/t/workbench-rob-slater/270
ā¦regular members: What's inside for our supporting members 
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Hi @craigconstantine
I just wanted to say a big thanks for your time on the workbench session, you are a mine of information. To be able to discuss something specific for half an hour with you was worth so much. Inspiring to say the least.
I even managed to turn my mail off!
Hope Linda @thearena enjoyed it as much as I did.
Best wishes and thanks again
Rob
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Being a sponge helps me learn and contemplate the possibilities with my current or future podcasts. Thanks @craigconstantine and @Rob !
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Hereās the video from this workbenchā¦
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Dad Sofa goes 32 bit.
As a result of chatting with @craigconstantine and @Jey, I decided to go for the Mix Pre 6.
A little like someone getting off the dodgems at the funfair and going down to the Ferrari Dealership and driving off in the most powerful one in the shop. Fortunately not as expensive but the power is there.
I have to say it is such an easy thing to start using and very intuitive, which I love. In parallel to this discovery, someone pointed out that they were finding my episodes a little quiet on their device. @steveh was really kind and sent me some audios at different sound levels with and without Auphonic.
As a result, I used the Mix Pre for the first time last weekend and seem to have solved the sound problem, partly by using Auphonic and not worrying too much about the Audacity numbers. The dynamic range on the Mix Pre is so great, you can hear droplets of water moving across my uvula as I speak, wonderful!
I will of course enjoy troubleshooting this but would like to thank everyone for their support. An unexpected change is that it seems that turning the volume up on my Podcast has led to more downloads too! Someone else has entered the room!
If anyone is interested, this is a video running through what it can do. Curtis Judd is particularly knowledgeable:
@thearena @JuleKucera @prjones and anyone else who might be interested.
Best wishes and thanks for your friendship.
Rob
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omg I hate you.
Yeah the āpresā (the pre amplifiers) in the gear is AMAZING when you buy the real stuff. I personally think itās the combination of the SM58 mic and the pre in the Zoom H6 which is the magic to the sound that everyone always compliments me on. yes yes yes, my voice is nice tooā¦ but it doesnāt sound as good on other pres.
So happy you pulled the trigger Rob and that the Ferrari is everything you wanted.
I still hate you though.
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Ha ha, well;
Best wishes @craigconstantine
and thank you for your Hateship!
Donāt worry, I am sure you will see me making dumb steps with the thing.
Cheers
Rob
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Rob, once again, Iām laughing out loud. But what matters most is your voice is now getting more audibly out to the world. Go DAD SOFA! Rock on!!!
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I just watched the video, searched for it on B&H Photo, and congratulations: now I hate you too.
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Keep us posted on the MixPre6. I have a MixPre3 that I want to sell and upgrade to a 6. I want more inputs for music and the 6 is not much bigger than the 3. Itās also an upgrade since I have the 1st gen.
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Hi @DavidB
I love it. It is so easy to use.
My only complaint is that the on off button is stuck right by a load of cables so it can be tricky to turn on and off, but that is not a big deal really.
The sound quality is great and it is so portable that I can carry it around the house, on holiday and hopefully outdoors for some interviewing during the triathlon and open water swim season.
And everybody hates meā¦
Wonderful
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My brain just reminded me that @ozkanozlem just picked up a Zoom H4 and a pair of Comica lav micsā¦ not sure if sheās tried recording outdoors yet though?
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I am going to get another mic and see how that changes the dynamics compared to a single mic.
Cheers
Rob