Best way to record sounds of nature?? at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > The Tools of DV and HD Production > All Things Audio

All Things Audio
Everything Audio, from acquisition to postproduction.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old April 17th, 2009, 08:10 PM   #1
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate NY, USA
Posts: 138
Best way to record sounds of nature??

I'm working on some slide shows which include stills & short video clips. Scene is a small, secluded resort-like setting in the mountains. I'd like to capture some of the sounds of nature to use behind the shows, but not sure how to go about it.

For example, early in the morning the birds are very active and quite vocal. There's also a stream on the property, wind through the pines, bees buzzing... that kind of thing.

Of course I want the best possible sounds for the lowest price-- sound familiar? :) At this point I only have the on-board mic with the Canon A1, and a Zoom recorder. Any advice as to what kind of mic to look at along with any other tips would be much appreciated.

Tim
Tim Ribich is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 17th, 2009, 10:26 PM   #2
Trustee
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Posts: 1,538
Tim,

The traditional approach to this kind of natural sound is to use a very directional hyper-cardiod or line-gradient pattern mic. (often referred to as a "long-shotgun" mic.

The advantage of the pattern is that the mic rejects off-axis sounds so you can point the mic element at the kinds of sounds you're seeking and reduce the overall environmental sound field of stuff like the wind in the trees or the babbling of the nearby stream - UNLESS you want those sounds, and if so, you simply point the mic element at those.

The problem is that in the wild, you're typically quite a way from the source of the sound. The bird might be 50 feet away in the tree. The inverse square principal tells us that the bird sound will therefore be 1/2500th as loud as it would be if you got a mic within a foot of it.

So one extremely critical aspect of any mic used to record nature sounds is it's SELF-NOISE rating. Which measures the inherent sound it's own electronics add to the amplification process.

Sensitive mics with extremely low self noise require both careful design and premium components. Both of which are naturally expensive.

So sorry, but there really aren't any "cheap" mics that are well suited to the task you're considering.

Better to consider renting something. You can often get a suitable long shotgun style mic with good specs for a couple of hundred bucks a day.

That - fed into a good quiet recording chain, will get you the results you're looking for FAR better than trying to buy something.

Do a web search under Nature sound recording and the mics from Audio Technica and Sennheiser might be a good place to start.

Good luck.
Bill Davis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 17th, 2009, 11:54 PM   #3
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand
Posts: 3,682
Images: 18
Hi Tim............

For Nature sounds, about the best way I know is using something like this:

Braodcast Lil' Ears Products

With a bit of luck you may find somewhere reasonably local who rents these out.

Failing that, try your local TV station (if you have one), they may have one they'd do a deal on if there's no games on.


CS
Chris Soucy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 02:42 AM   #4
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Lowestoft - UK
Posts: 4,012
have you ever tried a satellite dish? One of the local schools had a couple of 1.2m dishes laying around after an upgrade and the physic teacher found that pointed at each other, with ear/mouth at the point where the LNB should have been, that conversations could take place easily across quite large distances. The Big-ears style dishes are simply light weight parabolas, with the microphone at the focal point - I'd suggest a small condenser cardioid mic at this point might well pick up worthwhile distant sounds. Collecting sound effects is a pretty good hobby thing, too - if you have a condensor approaching 600mm in length - in a windshield, Zepplin style with hairy cover - you'll get decent results. Using the cheapest kit available - Chinese made 'no brand' mic and Indian windshield system, you could be up and running for about $200? If you are a real cheapskate, then you can even make your own windshield housing for peanuts. Not sure if you call it the same thing in the states. Chicken wire? thin mesh with square holes? used for keeping creatures in a pen?. Make a tube out of it. bend in front end completely, leave a hole at the rear big enough to insert microphone. For suspension, strong elastic bands inserted top/bottom and left/right at the front, middle and rear. Slide/twist in a cheap shotgun - there are some pretty decent ones available as imports for around £50-60 - I assume that this would be $80-100 ish? Cover it with fur fabric - and although heavier than proper ones, it does work. Before buying 'real' ones, I made a few of these. The end versions used an AKG isolation mount, to give me a mic stand attachment. It's still kicking around in the store somewhere, if anyone needs a picture. For outside stuff, I found expensive kit not always best - Sennheiser 816s do not like being out in the rain!
Paul R Johnson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 07:43 AM   #5
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate NY, USA
Posts: 138
Hi Bill,

Great info-- thanks much. Your advice to:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Davis View Post
Tim,
Do a web search under Nature sound recording and the mics from Audio Technica and Sennheiser might be a good place to start.
has produced some great resources. I'm willing to make an investment in quality gear, it's just that my usual method is to get my feet wet for perhaps a few hundred bucks, then if things work out well upgrade from there.
Tim Ribich is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 07:51 AM   #6
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate NY, USA
Posts: 138
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson View Post
If you are a real cheapskate, then you can even make your own windshield housing for peanuts.
Hi Paul,

I have to admire your outside-the-box ideas here.

As I posted to Bill, my usual approach is get started with a simple system then upgrade from there if it seems worthwhile. But hey, I do have an old 10 foot C-Band satellite disn here. I could mount that sucker in the back of a pickup and use that! :-)

But seriously, I too find that often various types of hand made systems can often get the job done just as effectively and at much less cost than much more expensive manufactured ones. I'll keep your advice in mind.
Tim Ribich is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 09:29 AM   #7
Old Boot
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London UK
Posts: 3,633
About 30 years ago I built one of these paras out of a plastic camping salad bowl. Stuck a mic at the focal point which was kept inplace by a 1/4" wire stanchion that led into a handle . .. must dig it out again .. total cost? about 3 quid . .

Oh yeah, got sounds deep into the Kalahari bush, way further than I was prepared to do on foot .. oh yes!

Grazie
Graham Bernard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 01:47 PM   #8
Major Player
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Illinois
Posts: 323
Parabolic reflectors from one of my favorite sources since 1965:

Large Parabolic Reflectors - Science Gifts - Edmund Scientific

But I read that mics using reflectors like this have poor sound--good only for picking up grunts at football games. Would like to hear better news.
Galen Rath is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 03:06 PM   #9
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Posts: 2,109
Tim:

Lowest possible cost suggests stock. Have you considered Download Sound Effects | SoundDogs.com ? I would only go through the trouble of recording ambient if there were something unique and one of a kind about the sound. From everything you describe, it sounds like typical mountain ambient beds, there are thousands of them available, recorded by top pros with the best gear for very little money on-line.

If you need something special, I would go for it but if it is just typical ambient, I would use stock.

Dan
Dan Brockett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 05:04 PM   #10
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Posts: 976
You will find the website of the Wildlife Sound Recording Society very useful.
__________________
John Willett - Sound-Link ProAudio and Circle Sound Services
President: Fédération Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons
John Willett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 05:25 PM   #11
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Tuscany Italy
Posts: 38
for another approach I can recommend these: SOUNDMAN

I use these for ambience recording, they can be worn inside the ears and as such act as "Kunstkopf" mics and give a very realistic ambient recording, the total opposite of parabolic sound....
Hanno di Rosa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 18th, 2009, 09:08 PM   #12
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Bothell Washington
Posts: 174
I built a pro quality parabolic microphone using a 22 inch dish and it works great for birds with a higher pitched songs. Recording bass is a bit more difficult with the parabolic mic.

I suggest a med to long high quality shotgun a good recorder and a set of headphones. Make sure you have Rycote style fur covering for any wind.

I use a Sennheiser MKH 416 and a Fostex FR-2LE Field Recorder.
Mark Boyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 19th, 2009, 01:46 PM   #13
Trustee
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Cornsay Durham UK
Posts: 1,992
Sennheiser 816 is the usual mic for wildlife recording, and a lot of time and patience.

A good friend of mine Chris Watson is one of the best in the world and his web site is here:| Chris Watson |
__________________
Over 15 minutes in Broadcast Film and TV production: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1044352/
Gary Nattrass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 19th, 2009, 04:21 PM   #14
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Tuscany Italy
Posts: 38
This is one of my favourite threads so far: lots of good links and good information.
Hanno di Rosa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 19th, 2009, 08:59 PM   #15
Major Player
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Arcata, Ca
Posts: 750
I think your zoom, with the gain set to "High" would be good enough for your needs. Best to do it when there's no wind. If you have a bass rolloff even better. You can do that in post though too.

Get as close as you can. Use headphones. Set the unit down or put on a tripod. Handling noise is bad.

Good luck!
Chad Johnson is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > The Tools of DV and HD Production > All Things Audio

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:00 AM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network