Found sound recordings

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
downfader
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Found sound recordings

Post by downfader » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:32 pm

Just thinking it would be cool to use some found sounds in my music. Always thought about it but never got around to it. :oops:

Anyone here do it, and if so what tools do you like and why..? I can see carrying a mic stand, 1-inch condesor and preamp might be a bit of a struggle. :lol:

I also notice digital dicataphones are quite cheap now. Wonder what quality they record at, though for 30 quid I doubt its that great. :lol:

forge
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Post by forge » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:39 pm

I've just started getting into this

but with some I think you cant avoid the stand+condenser

downfader
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Post by downfader » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:43 pm

I'll look like a right muppet again if i turn up in the woods with the mic stand and headphones. :lol:

evernaut
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Post by evernaut » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:51 pm

I've done a lot of this...

For pretty good results: use a portable hard disk recorder like Edirol R4 and a nice stereo mic like the Rode NT4 with a good windshield. To avoid lugging a mic stand around, just hold the mic clip and try not to move so much ( or make use of trees, railings, and so on) ...not perfect but pretty good.

OR: get one of those Zoom/M-audio, etc portables with built in XY pair of condensers.

Lots of fun...but you'll need lots of patience too....and people get VERY suspicious too when they see you with a mic. For some reason, no-one really bothers about folk filming with camcorders and the like, but start waving a mic round.... 8O

spookydirt
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Post by spookydirt » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:02 pm

i'm getting good results with my minidisc + stereo mic + very small tripod.

the tripod is important to avoid handling noise and the sound of me breathing.

my brother and his mate borrowed the kit and smuggled it into a nearby pub without getting found out, but i got some funny looks when recording the surf on a north-wales beath a couple of weeks ago.

what things are people recording? apart from thunderstorms, traffic, waves i'm struggling to think of anything. (if i had a nearby zoo i'd take it there)

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downfader
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Post by downfader » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:04 pm

evernaut wrote:I've done a lot of this...

For pretty good results: use a portable hard disk recorder like Edirol R4 and a nice stereo mic like the Rode NT4 with a good windshield. To avoid lugging a mic stand around, just hold the mic clip and try not to move so much ( or make use of trees, railings, and so on) ...not perfect but pretty good.

OR: get one of those Zoom/M-audio, etc portables with built in XY pair of condensers.

Lots of fun...but you'll need lots of patience too....and people get VERY suspicious too when they see you with a mic. For some reason, no-one really bothers about folk filming with camcorders and the like, but start waving a mic round.... 8O
LOL - not my experience as an amateur photographer 8O I know a few peeps who've had some nasty experiences, probably not a worthy tale on this forum but hey. :wink:

Hmm I did look at the zoom unit. Quite cheap for what it does - I think I'll go to their website and see if theres any mp3s or summit. :D

evernaut
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Post by evernaut » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:18 pm

spookydirt wrote:what things are people recording? apart from thunderstorms, traffic, waves i'm struggling to think of anything. (if i had a nearby zoo i'd take it there)

--andy
I've done heaps of birdsong recordings...but you have to turf yer arse out of bed at dawn for anything without the ubiquitous sound of traffic on it...at least here in the UK.

For considerably less effort, try going round your house with the headphones on and the mic switched on...fridges, fans, pipes, radiators, kettles, tvs, you'll be amazed.

downfader
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Post by downfader » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:32 pm

I've got about 2-3 cds full of bird song and the garden's mini waterfall (when it still worked). That was well cool. I just stuck the mic out the window at 4.30am and went back to bed. :lol:

The found sounds I'm into are the industrial sounds at work, local woodlands, trees in the wind and banging things in the shed. :lol:

forge
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Post by forge » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:36 pm

downfader wrote:I'll look like a right muppet again if i turn up in the woods with the mic stand and headphones. :lol:
so?

udp
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Post by udp » Sat Nov 10, 2007 2:56 pm

I've had very good results using a Zoom H-4. I even used it to record a sound effects CD for a local theater company. It's self noise is too high for super quiet stuff, but excellent for most applications.
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Post by synnack » Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:26 pm

udp wrote:I've had very good results using a Zoom H-4. I even used it to record a sound effects CD for a local theater company. It's self noise is too high for super quiet stuff, but excellent for most applications.
+1 for the Zoom. I keep it in my bag and record things randomly as I travel around for work. Got some great stuff in the NYC subways and no need really to carry around mics and cables.

I actually rather sacrifice a bit of quality in using the built-in mics in favor of covert recording. In urban settings, you can get a lot more cool stuff recorded without suspicion if you're not standing in a crowded room with an obvious mic in your hand.

One time i was walking around with the H-4 and someone thought it was a taser gun and said to me "wtf man don't shock me".

Another interesting thing i've done is to use a mini-jack (1/8) to xlr adapter in my DV camcorder. I can plug a cheap mic like a Sure SM-58 right into the cam corder and not only get audio of where I am but video. Quality nowhere as good as the Zoom but you have the benefit of getting "found" video samples too.
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downfader
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Post by downfader » Sat Nov 10, 2007 4:17 pm

Cool. Looks like the zoom is on the shopping list then. :D

Lovin Teris
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Post by Lovin Teris » Sat Nov 10, 2007 4:33 pm

downfader wrote:I'll look like a right muppet again if i turn up in the woods with the mic stand and headphones. :lol:
That scene in 24h Party People with Martin Hannett out recording silence. Priceless. :)
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Post by pepezabala » Sat Nov 10, 2007 5:35 pm

+1 for the zoom. It's a decent usb-powered-soundcard with amp- and microphone-simulator, metronome, and built in 4 track recorder as well.

forge
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Post by forge » Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:38 pm

downfader wrote:I've got about 2-3 cds full of bird song and the garden's mini waterfall (when it still worked). That was well cool. I just stuck the mic out the window at 4.30am and went back to bed. :lol:

The found sounds I'm into are the industrial sounds at work, local woodlands, trees in the wind and banging things in the shed. :lol:
I did that recently - the acoustics at the back of where I live are great - got some really nice recordings of morning - some great sounding birds here

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