{"id":4800,"date":"2023-01-23T19:10:01","date_gmt":"2023-01-23T19:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/talkinmusic.com\/?p=4800"},"modified":"2023-02-15T08:16:13","modified_gmt":"2023-02-15T08:16:13","slug":"a-guide-to-field-recording","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/talkinmusic.com\/a-guide-to-field-recording\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Field Recording for Beginners on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The art of recording sounds is not just about recording music, you can also record voices for a podcast, foleys, and any other sound in the world that can be used for art, research, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audio production has evolved a lot and now we find ourselves in a world where you can get significant control over sounds by getting samples online, or imitating nature to perfection in controlled studios, however, the real thing will always have a bigger impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why there is a thing called \u201cField Recording\u201d, which is about capturing audio recordings outside of a controlled environment or studio, this means that every recording made won\u2019t have the help of soundproof walls or engineers, it\u2019s all about getting the audio recording from the natural source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Field recording will include anything from sounds of nature in a park, to the busy streets and crowded environments of an urban setting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes it especially hard when you consider every little thing that you need to be aware of in audio production, including clipping, distorted signals, clear sounds, frequency control, and more, so in order to help you understand more about this process and how to properly make field recordings, we will be giving you a few tips, some warnings and explain why field recordings are needed in the world of audio production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Do We Need Field Recordings?<\/h1><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Even though we live in a world where everything can be reproduced, recreated, and tweaked by modern devices, we still need to record the environment as it is, but what are these recordings for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sound Effects (Foleys)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the main reasons field recordings are needed is for anything related to radio, TV, movies, and social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ever since the invention of recordable tape, sound effects have been essential for making shows and movies more believable, since you are listening to the same sound from the real world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a very respectable and hard job since it\u2019s not easy going around places getting good quality recordings for professional use, so keep in mind from now on that almost every bird sound, car, mumbling in the distance, rain, and so on, has been recorded by a professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is also a very important part of videogames these days, because unlike movies, you need to have the sounds of these environments constantly, making the experience immersive rather than just believable for a scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, the main thing we should be recording when making music is of course instruments and voices, but creativity has often pushed musicians to look for musical instruments in places where there isn\u2019t anything related to music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These types of recordings have been in music since the 1940s, with Pierre Schaeffer at the helm of this innovative process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today a lot of electronic music composers use field recordings for their songs as an integral part of the composition, while others use these recordings for an intro or an outro for setting the mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research and Wildlife<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many ways to study the world, and one of them is through recordings, which can include scientific studies, documentaries, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also a great focus on wildlife and nature since these sounds are so unique and special. There is no way of recreating every single bird noise in the world, so in this case field recordings are the best way to get to know nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people that love to record the sounds of nature, also post their recordings online to let other people enjoy it out of pleasure, which is a very nice thing if you think about it, just sharing the natural experience to others with the best quality possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Get Started on Field Recording<\/h1><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to professional in field recording, Paul Virostek in an interview with rycote.com<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Field recording is a fascinating pursuit because there isn\u2019t yet a formal, focused way to study it. There are workshops and a few supplementary courses, but there isn\u2019t a single degree or practice that explores field recording in depth. So, it\u2019s often begun as an incidental craft. People find they have a need for a specific sound, buy a recorder, and start capturing clips. That\u2019s interesting since the result is that the label \u201cfield recordist\u201d isn\u2019t limited to a rigid definition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is one of the reasons why it\u2019s hard to get an idea of where and how to start, that is why we want to give you a small introduction to the world of field recording, starting with equipment!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equipment<\/h2>\n\n\n
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If you are lost and you\u2019re not really sure about which things you need to be able to make field recordings then this list will be of great help to you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microphones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You need to have a few microphones under your belt to be ready for anything, more on recommendations later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cables <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You should always carry a few cables, long and short, and of course, more than you need, just to be prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternative Power Supply<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You need to be ready to get power for all your devices (Lithium batteries are great for longer durations) or if you have access to a power source then that\u2019s even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weather Protection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Poor weather conditions can give you a hard time if you were not expecting it, so be prepared to protect your equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boom Mic Stand(s)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes you might need to have your hands free to record a specific sound so a mic stand is essential if you want to manipulate said sound source using your hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sound Activators and Exciters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You may have to interact with the world around you to make certain sounds, so make sure you have mallets, drumsticks, or anything that might help you get the sound you need, remember anything is fair game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gaffers Tape <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What more can you say? you can\u2019t go wrong with emergency gaffers tape to solve just about any problem you come across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clamps <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Get various sizes of clamps to make sure you have everything you need when it comes to securing your mic in a specific spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zeppelin and\/or Fuzzy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is an essential item that you could forget about, but you should probably have this on the top of your list. Wind can be a big issue for field recording, so having a way to get around it is very important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Portable Digital Recorder\/Field Mixer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is also a must in field recording, if you are getting started we recommend a Zoom recording, they are very good quality and have options in a very wide price range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laptop Computer and Audio Interface<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Portable recording devices have their limitations, that\u2019s why it\u2019s important to have a laptop and have full control over your recordings and make sure there are no issues happening. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t really need a high end laptop, just one that can handle recordings and a decent audio interface, this could save you a lot of trouble during your work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Portable Hard Drive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is very straightforward, you need to save your recordings, so always have a portable hardrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Circumaural Headphones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is as essential as the microphone itself, because you need to be able to monitor your recordings with the best quality of headphones you can get, that way you\u2019ll be able to listen to every little detail your mic picks up from the environment, letting you fix small issues and match the quality of your microphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SD Cards and Extra SD Cards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So, you need an SD card to be able to make recordings, however it would be a terrible mistake not to bring extra SD cards. It\u2019s possible that for whatever reason your SD card becomes corrupted and you can\u2019t access any of the recordings you had, and let\u2019s be honest, that sounds like a nightmare. If you have extra SD cards, you can do it again and all the work you went through to get to the place you wanted to be won\u2019t all go to waste, so remember more SD cards!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clearance, Papers, Release Forms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You need to keep everything in check, this includes any type of clearance you need to record in a specific place. This is more important than you think, since an issue related to this could prevent you from recording anything at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notebook and Writing Implement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is a good idea in general, you are dealing with a lot of equipment and probably a busy schedule so organizing your ideas and equipment in a notebook, will make your job a lot smoother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Camera <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bringing a camera with you to the places you record sounds is both useful and gratifying since it not only gives you the connection between what you heard and what the environment looked like, but also help you make a nice photo album of your work and travels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which Microphone Should You Use?<\/h1><\/p>\n\n\n
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\"Microphone-6383616<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

There are a lot of microphones in the market, lots of brands, types, and prices, so it\u2019s perfectly understandable if you get a bit overwhelmed at the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you would need a condenser or a dynamic microphone for music recording as well as podcasts and content creation on social media, there are other types of microphones that will do the trick for field recording, these are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n