Less 'room' please...

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:10 am

Hi everone,

any tips on making a recorded track less 'roomy':

I have a sound recorded in a small to medium size room, with a stereo mic set-up, about 6 feet away from the sound source.

Any tips for reducing the 'natural reverb of the room' aspect? I don't need anything drastic, but it got me wondering if any of you have a particular method you use in this kind of case...

Thanks!

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:12 am

Think being 6 feet away from your source is your problem...

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:27 am

Yeah, thanks, I realise that...

This is within the context of recording sound for a documentary film. You don't always get the chance/time/space to setup your mics as you would want them when your teammates are filming stuff on-the-fly...

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:27 pm

I still own a Dolby CAT43, does wonders taming a room!!!
I just used it for that very purpose last week!!!

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:30 pm

Also consider an omni lav, a Sony ECM77B can be had for around $200. It intercuts very well if you're using a Sennheiser MKH416 as the boom.
You do use 2 mics on a shoot right??? (backup)

Why are you recording dialog in stereo, that's also part of the problem.

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:38 pm

Quote:

Sony ECM77B

Man, that statement brings back memories!

I remember trying my damndest to kill the feedback behind a certain ride where one of our actors (wearing an ECM77BC in his wig) used to do a show, directly in front of two Clair Brothers R2 cabinets.

The cabinets were hung about 8 feet above, 16 feet apart, and both pointed perfectly in towards center stage.

Good mic, bad setting!
Smile

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 1:03 pm

What type of mic? Shotguns are notoriously "roomy".

Also, you should be booming, just putting a mic in the room is not the best way to record dialog/interviews. A professional boom-op can keep the boom out of the shot and is able to adjust the aim of the mic towards each of the speakers as needed.

TVPost is right on with using lavs. For interviews they are the best option. It only takes about two minutes per person to put on.

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:27 pm

This is gonna sound crazy but is totally inespensive.

If you don't have money to buy fancy acoustic foam like auralex, you have to understand that your room's reverb can be reduced if you have some stuff in it.

Let me explain.

If you walk in an empty room an you talk or just clap your hands you will listen to the big reverd inmediatly, but after you put your tv, bed, desk or other things, it will change little by little.

What's in the room?

If it is barely full guess what. LOTS of reverb.
Bring some stuff in it. At leats for the recording session. A sofa, or maybe just hang some curtins.

Good luck

William Rivera

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:37 pm

Yer right, that does sound crazy...

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:38 pm

+10 on the crazy!
Thumbs Up

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:41 pm

lesspaul wrote:

This is gonna sound crazy but is totally inespensive.

If you don't have money to buy fancy acoustic foam like auralex, you have to understand that your room's reverb can be reduced if you have some stuff in it.

Let me explain.

If you walk in an empty room an you talk or just clap your hands you will listen to the big reverd inmediatly, but after you put your tv, bed, desk or other things, it will change little by little.

What's in the room?

If it is barely full guess what. LOTS of reverb.
Bring some stuff in it. At leats for the recording session. A sofa, or maybe just hang some curtins.

Good luck

William Rivera

Yer not crazy. This is a valid technique, barring you have the extra space. A sofa can kill some bass, bookshelves and curtains can kill some high end.

For the original poster, SPL Transient Designer... or the Sonnox software version can do the trick ...mess with a compressor as well.

Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:10 am

yeah bring the mics closer and use a cardiod condensors if you dont have them already. theyll pick up less room and more whats in front of it.

Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:25 am

Quote:

Shotguns are notoriously "roomy".

No as much as stereo micing, as he did!!!

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