Recording the sound of lightbulbs...(yes!)

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 2:56 pm

Hi,

My first post, so hello to one and all.

I'm recording various wildtracks in order to produce a set of FX for a theatre show. One effect currently has me stumped, so I'm after some wisdom.

I need to capture (or simulate) the ringing sound of a lightbulb filament as it glows. Failing this, the rather sharper buzz of a flourescent fixture wil do.

The principal problem I've had so far is that the ringing is extremely quiet. Too much gain and I lose the signal in the preamp hiss. Too close with the mic and I just pickup RF mains interference from the filament itself. Equipment used so far is an MKH416 mic through either a Portadisc (far too noisy) or a MOTU828 MkII (less noisy, but still too noisy) into Logic.

I've tried using a domestic dimmerswitch to exaggerate the ringing, but without success. I've also tried the general hum off noisy mains transformers; same problem (too quiet, or too much RF).

Ultra-quiet mic pre? Simulation by synthesis?

Thanks for any wisdom,
Matt

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:54 pm

StrangeAcoustics wrote:

Hi,

My first post, so hello to one and all.

I'm recording various wildtracks in order to produce a set of FX for a theatre show. One effect currently has me stumped, so I'm after some wisdom.

I need to capture (or simulate) the ringing sound of a lightbulb filament as it glows. Failing this, the rather sharper buzz of a flourescent fixture wil do.

The principal problem I've had so far is that the ringing is extremely quiet. Too much gain and I lose the signal in the preamp hiss. Too close with the mic and I just pickup RF mains interference from the filament itself. Equipment used so far is an MKH416 mic through either a Portadisc (far too noisy) or a MOTU828 MkII (less noisy, but still too noisy) into Logic.

I've tried using a domestic dimmerswitch to exaggerate the ringing, but without success. I've also tried the general hum off noisy mains transformers; same problem (too quiet, or too much RF).

Ultra-quiet mic pre? Simulation by synthesis?

Thanks for any wisdom,
Matt

Mmmmm. You are talking about that mad scientist's lab-light buzzing sound?

Find an old movie to sample from. Like Lon Chaney/Boris Karloff old?

EDIT:
In the middle of this dumb free sound I found, there is the sound you need. I am almost sure of it. Edit it out, and see what you have:

http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/popular22/shockperson.wav

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:48 pm

The sound I'm after is more the anaemic 40W bulb/dimly-lit hotel corridor rather than the 'guy getting zapped' sound.

MadTiger, thanks for the suggestion. Sadly that WAV link didn't work; I get an admonishment from the site for trying to lift soundfiles!

Talking of films though, there's a scene in Amelie with just such a bulb. Rental store tomorrow...

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:35 pm

StrangeAcoustics wrote:

The sound I'm after is more the anaemic 40W bulb/dimly-lit hotel corridor rather than the 'guy getting zapped' sound.

MadTiger, thanks for the suggestion. Sadly that WAV link didn't work; I get an admonishment from the site for trying to lift soundfiles!

Talking of films though, there's a scene in Amelie with just such a bulb. Rental store tomorrow...

Go find the movie if you must, but reread my post.

It's not the Zapp! part of the sound. There is a space in there with the sound you are talking about. Forget about the zapp! part.

Find the movie if you need to, I guess.

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:11 am

i believe that those plasma lights give off the same sound that you are looking for.

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:14 am

or maybe a neon sign......you may have to pitch up the sound to get the frequency you're looking for.

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:16 am

lol, it's late and i'm loopy Smile

i tried this and it sounds pretty cool. an electric razor, pitched up and a little room ambience. pretty damned close.

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:28 am

Sosayu2, it may be late, and I can't (yet) comment on your loopiness, but your idea's a good one. I just tried a variation using a Wahl hair trimmer instead of a razor. Perfect sound, plenty of texture to play with. There's my afternoon recording booked. Thanks guys.

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 11:18 pm

have you tried flourecent lights? i have a really cheap one above the hutch on my desk right here that makes a pretty loud noise when its running, and when you turn it on, it flashes and crackles for a few seconds. unfortunatly, i don't have the equipment right now to record it, but if you give me a few weeks, ill be gettin some new stuff Wink

oh hell, i just tried it anyways. i turned the light on and then recorded it for 13 seconds. its not best quality.... just a 57 into my motherboard recorded with audacity, but i think it could possibly be useful.... email me at Nirvalica AT earthlink.net if you wanna hear it...

Moderator Joined: Apr 13, 2006 Posts: 119

A bit late to the thread but, let's not post direct links to samples for any site, free or not (hence the warning on this link). Not all sites have legally cleared their samples, or are trying to prevent others from linking to them without permission.

A link to the site's homepage is sufficient.

Thanks!
Dedric

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 11:00 pm

glad i was able to help......hope it works out for you. let me know.

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 6:44 pm

You can always record the sound as quietly as you need to then Normalize the crap out of in Sound Forge or some other editor.

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