Workbench - Recording outside

Workbench
22

Regarding balancing - record to separate tracks. Record b-roll audio and add narration/discussion over the top on a separate track. Are you wanting to give the impression or the accurate as it happened recording?

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23

Thank you very much @steveh

Yesterday I did a bit of work in the workshop and quickly realized that it is not so straightforward to have a proper podcast conversation as you are trying to hammer a nail or plane a piece of wood :joy:

Next week Iā€™m going back to capture some audio samples for the b-roll as weā€™d need to work with separate tracks for the ambient sound.

The goal is to prepare a few episodes ahead of the shipā€™s launch (ā€œmouillageā€) on June 20. This first season will focus on why this vessel is considered a heritage landmark, and the challenges the team is facing to restore it.

If all goes well, weā€™ll eventually record at sea. One of the projectā€™s missions is to bring people onboard: helping them understand the environmental challenges facing the ocean, the impacts on marine life, local communities, and economies, and what can be done about it .

So ideally, Iā€™d love to build a versatile setup that works both in the workshop and on a boat. Any thoughts or experience with that kind of environment would be hugely appreciated.

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24

You may need to invest in a ā€œshotgunā€ micā€”a very directional mic that mostly picks up only what you point it at. Only a few second to reply here this morning, but search for ā€˜shotgun micā€™ here on the forumā€¦ i think I showed/explained the one I use. And Sweetwater.com has a great selection (where I buy all my stuff from.)

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Outdoor recording is susceptible to wind noise.

  1. Monitoring the recording helps you know it is happening.
  2. A furry windscreen works very well to reduce the unpleasant sound being recorded but also muffles speech slightly. I would say essential for outdoor recording. A windshield is the foam covers most mics have but is not enough to avoid outdoor wind noise.
  3. Assume you canā€™t easily fix wind noise post production. You can reduce the low frequency rumble and make it less unpleasant but mostly it makes the audio unusable. Best avoided. Recording on the sea adds even stronger wind noise.
  4. There are some ā€˜blimpā€™ options to enclose a mic completely. like these
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I did some recording while swimming in the sea a few years back, using a Tascam DR10-L.
ā€¢Microsized audio recorder with a Lavalier mic

ā€¢Lo mid and hi recording settings

ā€¢There is a lo cut filter which does really well at cutting out low noise ie bass

ā€¢Uses a AAA battery and Micro SD card but not supplied

ā€¢The SD card will not work if over 32GB

ā€¢Ā£200

It works better with a windshield (I used a Dead Cat type: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HjVpwjan2b8) (No cats harmed).

The tascam can be attached to a belt and the mic clipped onto a lapel or such like. There are probably more up to date products now but that worked very well in a noisy environment.

27

Thank you @steveh @craigconstantine @Rob very helpful.

For the moment Iā€™m getting the DJI Mic Mini and Zoom PodTalk P4.

For b-roll recording, Iā€™m also considering buying a Zoom H1 XLR or a Zoom Am 4. But before, Iā€™d like to see if I can hack something together and get some decent recording with what I already have.

Thanks again very much

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