Lately, I have as always purchased more equipment to arrive at my professional comfort level of convenience, function and quality. Sound Devices 744T Four track recorders were purchased to allow me to more easily grab audio conveniently out of my bag set up as well as provide a 2 track mix on my cart. I bought 2 of them,  I love their ease of use, and the size and the function of these great recorders.  My  Fostex PD 606 records my Direct-out ISO tracks for our editors to use if ever and whenever that might be necessary. I upgraded from the Fostex PD-6, which served me very well over the years. Before that I used the  Fostex PD-4.  I never had any problems to date with the  Fostex gear, and the support from the fine folks at Fostex could not be better. I love the layout of their recorders, their durability and their ease of use. They are very stable recorders. For these reasons I continue to use their products. We are all very lucky to have so many fine sound recorders to choose from for the film industry. I am sure this trend will continue and look forward to what awaits us just over the horizon.

 

  I also just purchased some more new Lectrosonic 411a’s, ALP 620 antennas, and a new YAMAHA 01V96 ver.2 console to replace my Cooper 106. I also bought a new Schoeps  Cmit-5 mic and a few other tidbits to further expand our already hefty package.  I believe strongly in a “multiples of everything approach “. You simply can’t have enough quality gear to help get the sound you are after. My new Yamaha 01V96ver.2 is a nice console, so many routing possibilities, nice headroom, great sound and a really nice layout make this board a wonderful addition to my package. Is it a handful?, yes at first, but with some experience on it, it is in my opinion one of the better consoles for the job. Coming from the rather simple Analog Cooper console, there is a learning curve, but so far, so good. I am really pleased with it, and more so every job I do. Not quite as quiet noise wise as my old Cooper, but still a very nice board.

 

  In 2010 we plan to do some day playing on television shows just for a change of pace. This requires a different approach to our job, as well as a change in my technical set up. Luckily, I have already changed the way in which I now send audio to my ISO and  2- Track recorders. The days of recording to just 2 channels of audio on one recording device are gone for me. As I already stated, I now record Direct-out ISOs for my commercial jobs as well.  Why not give those nice folks in edit the option.

 

  The way in which we have operated our radio mics over the years has changed as well. I have opted for more use of antennas and less use of moving my receivers onto the set. Now that the gear has gotten better, this is a very workable option. As commercial sound people we are often a bit far away from the set, sometime on the other side of a home. Having the units on set and using a snake to run back to the console has served us very well over the years. We will still do that with the new Lectrosonic SIX-PACK, but will use the new ALP 620s whenever possible. Being able to quickly mount the Sixpack unit on a process trailer is surely a benefit of this style of receiver set up.   I believe in the actual 411a units, rather than the other options offered. Hardiness, ability to pull them out of the Six-pack, and operational superiority are the reasons I go this route… We use the SMQv and SMQ transmitters as well as some stock UM400a’s.  We stock some UH 400 plug on transmitters as well. We use a PSC 48 Volt power supply and a standard UM 400 for wireless boom. I think it works better than the UM 400.We do believe in going wireless all the time. The changing way in which multiple cameras are now so widely used has made our dependence on our wireless equipment even more critical. It is very important we can depend on them.  All the communication to and from the boom operator(s) is wireless as well. I am and have been a big fan of the fine gear from Lectrosonic.

 

  Some of the other gear used by my team include our beloved Sennheiser 416’s, Schoeps CMC-6’s with all the accessories and Collette cable, Sanken COS 11’s, CMIT-5, a new Lectrosonic SIX-PACK with 411a’s, Sanken cubs, Comtek BST 25 and  PR 216 receivers as well as Many  PR 75a’s.  For content monitoring, I don’t believe in allowing the folks listening to hear “too well” what we record. They should hear enough detail to deal with content. I want the “was that a problem” question answered by me, not a client or agency person. I for one don’t care for the more expensive IFBs, not as long as I find the units under a bush, in a restroom, or being dropped on the concrete on a regular basis. Until I hear someone complain, I will stay with this set-up. A Honda 1000 Watt generator and a new and dependable Chevy full size Diesel van round out our  basic package. I also stock 3 sizes of Playback packages from a small and portable Porta Column to a very large Sound system.

 

   A big thank you to all of our friends at Pro Sound Services for all their help over the years. Getting us our gear in a timely manner when you are on the other side of the country matters. They have done it time after time.

 

  A quick note to all sound professionals, please give back by mentoring and or teaching at a university or community college near you to help our upcoming Sound Persons advance their careers, and better understand our industry. It does not take much free time, and is rewarding for all.

My claim to fame…  Never been a minute late or missed 1 day of work… EVER.

 



Bob Dreebin CAS is a Production Sound Mixer from Los Angeles  CA., that has served the Los Angeles area and the Deserts Southwest since the early 1980s. He was one of the founding members of the long running Los Angeles based company Roll Sound Inc..  To this day, Roll Sound continues servicing production companies all over the United States and abroad. Although Commercials is and has been the main focus of business for Roll Sound, documentaries and other feature film and video projects are engineered as well from time to time depending on our work calendar and the project itself.  Roll Sound Inc., and Bob Dreebin record many of the commercials currently running on national television.

 

I would like to congratulate all the nominiees for this year awards and escpecially would like to congratulate Randy Thom for the CAS Career Achievement Award and Henry Selick for the CAS Filmmaker Award.

 



Additionally, the CAS will also honor Outstanding Achievements in Sound Mixing in five categories; Motion Pictures; Television Movies and Mini- Series; Television Series; Television-Non-Fiction, Variety or Music Series or Specials and DVD Original Programming. Winners will be announced at the awards show dinner.

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I would like to take this oppertunity to thank Marguerite Zoltowski from Lectrosonics for visiting us this month. I always like to meet with our manufacturers whenever they are in town!

 

Check out the article by Christine Bunish below. She wrote a great article regarding Audio Innovations from Lectrosonics ... 

 

The Cinema Audio Society’s Career Achievement Award honors the best of the best and Randy Thom’s career spanning more than 30 years and more than 75 films and numerous awards certainly warrants being honored,” stated CAS President Edward L. Moskowitz. “He has collaborated with some of the finest producers and directors on projects as varied as blockbusters, independent films, cutting-edge animation, commercials and video games. His work exemplifies the perfect integration of sound with image.”

 

Thom has been nominated four times by the Cinema Audio Society for his work on Forrest Gump, Jumanji, Contact and Cast Away and took the top honor in 1995 for Forrest Gump. He has shared in 14 nominations for Academy Awards, winning for Best Sound Editing for The Incredibles and Best Sound for The Right Stuff and nominated for the following: Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi, Never Cry Wolf, Backdraft, Contact, Cast Away, The Polar Express and Ratatouille.

 

Thom began his career in film 30 years ago working on the film Apocalypse Now and is currently the Director of Sound Design at Skywalker Sound. As the 28th recipient of the Cinema Audio Society’s highest honor, Mr. Thom joins an illustrious group of past honorees that include Ray Dolby, CAS; Robert Altman, Jack Solomon, John Bonner, Bill Varney, CAS; Don Rogers, CAS; Walter Murch, CAS; Jim Webb, CAS; Richard Portman, CAS; Tomlinson Holman, CAS; Willie Burton, CAS; Mike Minkler, CAS; Ed Greene, CAS; Dennis Sands, CAS and Dennis L. Maitland, Sr., CAS.

 

by Bryant Falk

 

Since the early 60’s, the lavalier microphone has been used to capture audio. Its concept allowed the audio engineer to get the cleanest voice recording by getting the mic closer to the source. Some problems we get from doing this include clothing shuffle, muffled sound, microphones falling off, hand smacks, and many other issues.

(Pictured) Common placement of lav mic. Fabric sitting on top will need to be stabilized as well.

 

The first challenge in using a lav mic is getting your talent wired up. Since concealment is key in wiring up a lav mic, it’s important you know what your talent is comfortable letting you do. I usually explain in a very diplomatic tone that the cable needs to be run on the inside of the shirt. Usually the talent will quickly run the cable up and through, then allowing you to clip the mic on top and the pack, (if it’s wireless) on the bottom. Some other options include taping the wire inside of a jacket, or if need be, to the talent directly.

(Pictured) Adding a loop to the cable reduces mic noise.

 

 

(1) Lav Mic

 

(2) Batteries (for wireless rigs)

 

(3) Gaffers Tape

 

(4) Double Tape/Stick (sticky on both sides)

 

(5) Mini Pop Filter (like the hush lav)

 

(6) Vampire Clip, Turtle Clip (mic cage), Leather Strap

 

(7) Pre-Tape (Medical Tape)

 

(8) No Tape Glue (used for fake beards and other facial hair)

 

(Pictured) Called a “Hush Lav,” this device reduces cloth from rubbing on the mic capsule.

Okay, got all the stuff? Good, now let’s get some basic rules in place, so we understand why we have what we have.

(Pictured) One of the first Lav mics ever used. Try hiding that!!

Rule 1. The lav mic needs to be hidden. (Sometimes in plain sight works; most times it doesn’t.)

Rule 2. The top or capsule area must be free of anything rubbing on it.

 

Rule 3. The cable must be taped down to prevent unwanted noise.

 

Rule 4. Make sure Rule 2 is being obeyed!

 

Using our double-sided tape and other glue material, we are basically creating a “pocket” or a “bubble” for the lav mic capsule to sit while getting it as centered and close to our talent’s mouth as possible. Richard Topham from Pro Sound Services was nice enough to demonstrate the many lav mic techniques you can use to get your lav effectively recording dialogue with minimal fabric and wind noise. One key focus is to get any fabric on the mic taped or glued down, so it does not rub the mic when talent moves. For example, after taping a lav mic to the actor’s sternum (chest area), it’s a good idea to add doublesided tape on either side of the mic and lightly stick the fabric of the shirt down. This will keep the fabric in that one area from moving back and forth.

 

There are a variety of techniques not included here, but follow the photos to see how you can effectively mic up your talent. Notice Yael (Yael Epstein) is wearing many different types of tops. This illustrates how to tackle the different challenges posed by each kind of shirt. Another option to note is the smallest of these mics (called the countryman) has many color options to allow you to further disguise what little part of the mic might actually be showing. A little mic can go a long way to getting great sound!

 

 

Bryant Falk has been a producer and engineer for over 12 years working with such clients as The Ricki Lake Show, Coca-Cola, Sports Illustrated, Valley National Bank, and MTV’s The Shop. His company Abacus Audio (www.abacusaudio.com) handles many aspects of the audio production field from creative and production to mixing and final output.

 

The 7,500 square foot multifunctional teaching, recording, and research space designed by Gensler and the Walters-Storyk Design Group adds  to the existing 12 studios which house the music technology program of NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The studio is located on the sixth floor of 35 West 4th Street.

 

“We’re thrilled to open our new music technology facility, which includes the James L. Dolan Music Recording Studio,” said Mary Brabeck, dean of NYU Steinhardt. “The new facility provides our faculty and students with a stunning environment and the latest technological equipment to support their creative and scholarly work.”

 

The music technology program at NYU Steinhardt prepares undergraduate and graduate students for careers in sound engineering, computer music, audio-visual production and post-production, mastering, scoring for film and multimedia, audio for games, software development, and multimedia production. The program likewise fosters academic research in a variety of fields, such as music information retrieval, digital signal processing, music cognition, and 3D audio.

 

The James L. Dolan Music Recording Studio is a 25-seat control/classroom which features a fully automated 48 channel SSL console and the first Dangerous Music 10.2 surround installation in New York City. The facility includes a live performance room large enough to accommodate a small orchestra, several research laboratories, offices, a conference/seminar room and a large iso/drum booth. Multiple windows and a full line of sight provide natural light throughout.

 

A research lab dedicated to 3D audio experimentation is equipped with an innovative, reconfigurable grid outfitted with sixteen Genelec speakers, two Genelec subs and multi-channel micing, tracking and playback options. The lab also boasts extremely low (.2 second) reverb time.

 

To create a teaching studio of this magnitude, a master team of architects, acousticians, and technologists was formed by an NYU Steinhardt faculty team consisting of Lawrence Ferrara, director of the programs in music and performing arts in the Steinhardt School; Robert Rowe, vice-chair, director of music composition; Kenneth Peacock, music technology program director; Agnieszka Roginska, associate director; and Tom Beyer, chief systems engineer and adjunct faculty member.

 

“In the past, you had to buy two different transmitters: one for high-power output and one for long battery life,” Jones explains. “Variable power is pretty new to all segments of the audio industry. It’s important for film and TV to have both functions available on the fly.” Following the trend for smaller, lighter gear is Lectrosonics’ Octopack receiver dock and antenna coupling system which offers up to eight wireless audio channels in a compact, portable configuration ideal for a production bag, cart or vehicle.

 

“It packages four receivers in a tiny box powered by common video-camera batteries,” Jones reports. “Users get up to eight channels of audio in a system a fraction of the size of other multicouplers.” Shipping in mid-October, Octopack is expected to score with feature film and reality TV production. Also new from Lectrosonics is the D4 multi-channel digital wireless audio link which began to ship mid-September.

 

Applications for the D4 system include video and film productions using a wireless hop from an audio bag system or cart back to a camera, audio relay systems for installed sound, and delayed loudspeaker systems. “It gives you a pure digital system for location recording for documentaries, news, reality TV and features,” says Jones. “It’s the first system with extremely low latency: under one millisecond of delay.”

 

Continuing development of digital RF systems “is bound to be in our future,” he forecasts. “Some traditional frequencies of wireless mics are no longer within a shrinking spectrum. So there’s pressure to find new frequency bands, new technologies for radio links. The D4 is a direct response to this. We’ll see more and more digital radio systems on different frequency bands, using different modulation and encoding technologies.”

 

I was out running errands, saw them at the side of the storybook home and stopped to ask if I could take a picture of them. Thought it would be fitting to document their documenting. Nice guys. Humorous, playful, gregarious and truly interested in the Phoenix Commotion. I cannot wait to see their documentary. I think they said last week they got over 30 hours of footage!

 

Will post more about Claude and Kirk later as I've invited them to write blurbs about themselves and their documentary. Can't wait to go back today and see the inside of this house! (top photo is Kirk having a playful moment pretending to be the Keebler man. the roof of this house inspired that) 

 

In addition, a couple of the show's guest vocalists made use of wireless handheld microphones. "We brought in Sennheiser SKM 5200s for Susan Boyle--who used a Neumann KK-105 head--and for Leona Lewis," he says. America's Got Talent features a panel of judges that includes Sharon Osborne, David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan, who also judges Britain's Got Talent. "The judges all had Sennheiser MKE 2 lavs, and a really cool, small SK 5212 RF package," shares Reed.

 

As for the mic inventory available for the guest bands, he continues, "I had an e 901 for the kick, 604s on all the toms, and, my absolute favorite mic in all the world, the KM 84, on hi-hat and overheads," he recalls. "The new drum mics are fabulous, low profile, great diaphragm, and dynamic, so I don't have to worry about phantom power."

 

Guitars were miked with e 906 supercardioid dynamic models. "Plus," says Reed, "we had the standard MKH 416 looking onto the stage for any kind of effects, tap dancers, or anybody yelling or screaming. That's the standard for me."

 

One group, Recycled Percussion (a new Sennheiser endorser), who placed third in the finals, put the Sennheiser mics to the test, according to Reed. "I almost exclusively used e 604s on the tubs that they were playing, which worked out really well for us." For a performance involving pouring water, he says, "I specified MKE 2 Platinum lavs, because a water molecule is bigger than the sound ports of the mic, thus making it waterproof."

Designed specifically for protecting and organizing the Sound Devices 788T recorder and CL-8 controller, the new AR-788CL-8 has added depth to accommodate extra batteries and is reversible to give access to both the recorder and controller. 

 

The case is padded and custom fit to provide seamless access to switches, cables, batteries, and other important controls while protecting the gear from bumps, scratches, rain, and dust and other damaging forces.  A clear vinyl lid protects your sound equipment and allows you to view controls.

 

Comfortable suede shoulder strap included.

New version 3.2 brings two new major features to WSM. The software is now available for Intel-based Macintosh computers running OS 10.4 and above, and it also now allows multi-computer network control with easily assignable permissions to facilitate control in complex situations.

WSM allows users to pre-program equipment so that changes can be made on a tour bus or during other down time.

With an integrated spectrum analyzer, it identifies free wireless channels and shows where there may be reception problems. WSM clearly displays all transmitter and receiver parameters, including signal strength, battery strength, and output, in real-time on the computer using fully-customizable windows.

“As of November 2009, we will make WSM version 3.2 available for download to our customers free of charge,” said Robb Blumenreder, Sennheiser Channel Manager, Professional Systems. “In response to requests from users, the latest version makes it possible to establish networks with up to six computers, which is particularly advantageous for applications in the broadcast studio and for communication between the monitor and the FOH positions.

“The computers may be set up on ‘equal footing’ or with clearly assigned access rights. And good news for Mac users: the new WSM now also runs on Intel Macs.”

WSM is compatible with evolution wireless G3 – 300 & 500 Series, 2000 Series, EM 3732, SKM 5200, SKM 5212, and NET 1.

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