VP88, 835st? for DV and soundwalks - M/S stereo in FCP?

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:46 am

I make TV-documentaries and sometimes soundscapes or radio documentaries (more compositions then reportages) and I'm looking for a new stereo microphone (now I use a sennheiser 416 which I like a lot but it's mono).

I'm thinking about the shure vp88 or the audio technica 835ST (are there alternatives?), what's the best for recording interviews and ambient sounds? / what is different between the microphones?
(Of course I listening is the proof of the pudding but my ears are not to well so I have to trust opnions).

Mostly I film people quit close (1,5 - 3 meter) while their busy and talk (to others), more then I interview them in created situations. I also like to record sounds e.g. the street, a bar, a forest etc. and i like to do it with one microphone (which I can also mount on a camera while filming).

Another question is if M/S stereo sound from the microphone can be edit in Apple's Final Cut Express or do need extra equipment for that?

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:45 am

M/S might be a nice idea for you, since you can somewhat determine the balance of ambience to direct signal after the fact. Here's what I would do...

First, let's make sure we're on the same page about M/S. This technique involves a single cardioid mic facing the subject with a figure-eight mic facing to the left side 90 degrees. The figure-eight mic then gets copied to the right ride and the phase is inverted, giving you a sense of stereo. (In mono the figure-eight mic will cancel itself out, leaving you with only the cardioid. This is great for video since many small TVs still only have one speaker.)
So...with that in mind, here's my suggestion:

1) Set the VP88's output to "MS" mode. If you are monitoring with headphones this will sound weird, but it will give you much better flexibility in mixing.

2) Record the audio to your camera as CH1:Mid mic (cardioid, red connector), CH2: Side mic (figure-eight, green connector)

3) With the tracks back at the studio, export the audio from FCE to any multi-track program that will allow you to adjust phase 180 degrees. (Usually indicated by a circle with a line through it.) Take CH2, duplicate it, pan the old CH2 hard left and the new CH2 track hard right. Process the new track with the phase inversion. (I wouldn't do this in realtime, as the plug-in may introduce some delay, and therefore put the tracks out of pahse with your Mid mic.)

4) Bounce/dump/export this new stereo track out as a new file. (This would be some much easier if FCE included a phase reverse in one of their audio plugins, but I have yet to find any...)

5) Back in FCE import this new stereo track as well as the CH1 track. Link the two channels of the CH2 track. Now you can control the blend as you see fit.

I hope this helps!

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:28 pm

Hello Eveaudio,

I quick looked through Final Cut Express HD, Soundtrack Pro and audacity but I didn't see something with 'phase inversion'. Does it have other names for tha function or do I have to use a plug in? Or is there other software for Mac OSX which can that?

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:35 pm

soundtrack pro: invert phase

Open Soundtrack pro
go file>open (select the file you want)
Highlight region you want to invert in the editing window
(top) Process > invert

save

that's it

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