» Posts Tagged ‘audio’
Blackmagic Cinema Camera V1.3 Audio Improvements & New Issues, Optimization Update from juicedLink
The latest firmware update for the current Blackmagic Cinema Camera only officially included one new feature, mainly for broadcast professionals who needed interlaced video in a TV environment. However, according to Robert Wolzak from juicedLink, it seems they also snuck in some audio functionality changes, but not without additional idiosyncrasies. Get all the details in the video below:
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Audio technology is a pretty stable industry, but manufacturers are continuing to experiment with new features to help sweeten the deal. This time, it’s an interesting approach from Shure: a shotgun mic with its own internal recording capabilities called the VP83F. Hit the jump for the details: More »
If you’ve been shooting video with DSLRs for the past couple of years, chances are you also own, or have at least used the Zoom H4N. It’s one of those devices that has seemingly become ubiquitous on low-budget shoots due to the fact that it’s incredibly easy to use and (relatively) affordable compared to other audio capture equipment. However, the H4N has always been a one-trick pony in that you are limited to either the XY mic atop the device, the two inputs on the bottom, or some combination thereof. For many sound recordists and location mixers, this combination of inputs simply wasn’t enough. Luckily for them, Zoom recently announced the big brother (and significant upgrade) from the H4N, the extremely modular and versatile H6. Check below for the details. More »
NAB Video: Juicedlink and Izotope
Robert Rozak from Juicelink shows us his new Blackmagic-specific on-camera preamp with balanced outputs, while Izotope shows RX 2 and RX 2 Advanced audio repair and restoration software. Get the scoop from our floor coverage with FreshDV: More »
NAB Video: Redding Audio and Tascam DR-60D
Audio is the theme of this video from our NAB coverage partners over at FreshDV. Get the scoop on the new Shoeps Super CMIT Digital shotgun mic with its ability to detect ambient sound separately from direct sound. Also covered is the new Tascam DR-60D for DSLR users. Hit the jump for all the info: More »
Getting good quality sound on-set can sometimes feel like an impossibility, especially on lower budget productions. While the sound mixer can often go underappreciated on many of these productions, their job, if done correctly, is right up there with the 1st AC (or focus-puller). If your movie is not in focus it’s going to distract the audience, and at the same time, bad audio will be even more distracting. SoundWorks Collection has profiled professional sound people from all across Hollywood, and today we’ve got a video that goes in-depth with Nicholas Allen, who is the sound mixer on NBC’s Parenthood. More »
RØDE's New smartLav iOS Lavalier, VideoMic Upgrade, Plus Apogee's iPortable Recording Studio
We recently posted about RØDE’s iXY microphone and Rec app for iOS devices. While perhaps not suitable for everyone’s needs (or inversely, budget), it marks another step toward a lone multi-purpose tool handy to the crafty filmmaker — the iOS iPhone/iPad. While I’ll never own one, even I have to hand it to the iLeatherman. In a pinch, it’s a light meter, it’s a GoPro, it’s a shot designer, and with iXY and RØDE Rec, it’s a dual-system audio recorder, too. Now, RØDE continues its drive to make iOS a viable field sound-rec system with the smartLav lavalier microphone — as does the Apogee ONE, a like-minded iPad portable ‘recording studio’ system. RØDE has also upgraded its VideoMic for those run-and-gun shooters unsatisfied with smartphone sound — check out the details of each below. More »
After Red Giant took over PluralEyes, the popular syncing software, it wasn’t clear what they would do with the program or how they would support it. With the newest software update, 3.1, it looks like they are committed to making it as easy to use as possible, and bringing it to as many computers as possible. While Windows support will be coming in version 3.2, the current update addresses a few of the remaining concerns for current users. Click through to check out what they’ve done in this update. More »
As I said in my previous post on the Great Wireless Mic Shootout, great location audio will make your film shine. To ensure a proper sync with any second-system audio however, you need great source audio on an external recorder and from the camera. Luckily for us DSLR shooters there are plenty of options for on-camera mics out there. And if you’re not a fan of all that second-system syncing in post, you’re in luck — now through December 31st, RØDE is packaging PluralEyes 3 — a $200 value — with the purchase of their Stereo VideoMic Pro or their VideoMic Pro. Hit the bump for an informative video from Aahron Rabonowitz of Red Giant/Creative COW fame: More »
Good location audio will make your film shine. The less you have to redo in post the better, as nat sound will bring a level of realism to any project. There are many tools available to help you achieve better sound, from a bevvy of tried and tested field recorders to some crucial on-camera mics like the ever-popular Rode, but what about those hard-to-reach areas away from the camera? Clearly wireless mics are the solution, but which mid-range system is the best? Thanks to Dave Dugdale of Learning DSLR Video, we have our answer. Check out the wireless mic battle of the ages after the jump. More »
As many of you know, one of the goals of NoFilmSchool is to keep our readers up to date regarding the latest in acquisition options and upcoming formats, as well as ways to put it all together. Less often are we able to move in the other direction so to speak, and bring you news about really innovative recording systems — from over 100 years ago. As digital filmmakers, videographers, and photographers, in a technological sense, we’re standing on the shoulders of giants. I’m sure there are moments in which many of us forget the years it has taken to bring our tools to the advanced level they’ve reached, and in which we just plain take those tools for granted. Why wouldn’t we? The recent (re)discovery of a comparatively ancient audio recording — one that allegedly features the world’s first recorded musical performance, as well as its first blooper — may help to remind us how good we really have it! Read on to hear the recording, and to find out how it was made possible. More »
PluralEyes has been around for quite some time, and with the increasing popularity of DSLRs and recording dual-system sound, it’s been a necessity. Even though newer NLEs like Final Cut Pro X (and not Premiere Pro, unfortunately) have the ability to sync audio, a third-party application like PluralEyes should be able to do it faster and more efficiently, and that’s certainly the claim made by Red Giant about the new PluralEyes version 3. This is the first version of PluralEyes since Red Giant acquired the software, so it will be interesting to see what direction it takes from here. Click through for the introduction video from Red Giant:
Audio Recorder/Preamp Shootout: Sound Devices, Zoom, Tascam, Edirol, Beachtek, and juicedLink
Last month a test was conducted by Robert Rozak, President of juicedLink, comparing the preamps from his company’s products with a similar offering from Beachtek, with both going right into the Canon 7D. He received so much feedback that he’s added a number of devices to the test and is now comparing the signal-to-noise ratio performance of the preamps of a number of devices, the Sound Devices 702, Zoom H4n, Tascam DR-100 MKII, Tascam DR-680, Edirol R44, Beachtek DXA-SLR PRO, and juicedLink Riggy Micro/Assist. Click through to see his results. More »
The conventional wisdom is that it’s difficult to get good audio when you record straight into a DSLR, and that you’re better off using an external audio recorder. At the very least, an external preamp can help boost your signal so that your camera’s audio system doesn’t have to work as hard to get a clean signal above the noise floor. juicedLink, maker of preamps, has put out a video showing (well, you’ll have to listen) that its preamps are actually capable of recording cleaner audio through a DSLR than using the competitive Beachtek preamp or even a Zoom H4N external audio recorder. More »
Audio is the bane of every low-budget and independent filmmaker’s existence. It’s the one thing most filmmakers have the least amount of experience with, but also the least of amount of time to deal with properly. If you want the best possible audio on set, it takes just as much work as getting a good image. Since this is a visual medium, there’s no question the moving images should be the best they can be, but often the quality of the audio matters more than the quality of the video. For anyone starting out, here’s a quick video and then some simple tips about getting better production audio. More »
The Battle of the Preamps: 5D Mark III vs. D800 Audio Recording
Audio recording internally to DSLRs has been mediocre at best. It’s great for scratch audio when you’re doing dual-system sound, but for the most part, it’s a real pain. I’ve been testing the 5D Mark III and the D800, but one of the tests I wasn’t able to do as thoroughly as I wanted was to test the internal audio recording of both cameras with a proper microphone. I know that many out there would ask why you’d ever plug directly into the DSLR without some other external preamp box, but sometimes (like at NAB), having the least amount of equipment that can fail is best. I met Dave Dugdale at NAB, and in this video he takes the time to test out both the Nikon D800 and the Canon 5D Mark III for the quality of their internal audio recordings. More »
Sometimes it’s an unfortunate reality in filmmaking that you may not have time to work with a musician to score your project, nor to go out with a field recorder to obtain all the sound effects you need. It’s at times like these that Jamendo and FreeSound are my CC-licensed lifesavers. Each site offers a substantial catalog of audio media some of which you can use freely with attribution, some of which you can only use non-commercially with attribution, and some which the artist has released to the public domain. Jamendo also has options for relatively reasonable paid licensing for various project types, as well as a handy-looking iPhone app: More »
Audio Recorder Roundup: Zoom H4n vs. Tascam DR-100mkII vs Tascam DR-40
If you’re a DSLR shooter, you know that having an independent audio recorder can be a must for getting quality sound. There are a lot of affordable flash recorders that can deliver great audio, but only a few of them have features like XLR inputs and multi-channel recording. Three models stand out: the Zoom H4n, the Tascam DR-100mkII, and more recently, the Tascam DR-40. How do they stack up in terms of features filmmakers want, and which one delivers the sound you need? I aim to delve into these questions and more, so read on! More »
What if you could hear Michael Myers’ footsteps as he moved through a victim’s house? Or be immersed in the soundscape of a gun battle, with such life-like quality that you might run for cover from that tower sniper? Dolby‘s newly announced format, Atmos, is aiming to push theatergoer’s auditory immersion in the way IMAX and 3-D pushed visual immersion. So how exactly is this different from existing surround sound systems, and what effect will it have on a viewer’s experience? Check this video out: More »
It looks like Singular Software isn’t sitting on its laurels when it comes to its popular audio synching software, PluralEyes. They’ve announced version 3.0, and with a new version comes faster synching speed, greater accuracy, a more informative interface, and less of a plug-in feel: More »
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