Acoustic considerations

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Recording techniques

A microphone is the key component in any recording session. So its location is important to avoid unwelcome sounds and undesirable reverberation.

The control you can exercise depends on whether you have Automatic Gain Control or AGC to set the recording level.

If you use AGC you must have a silent studio because the gain is adjusted in pauses. If you can set the gain manually you probably need somebody to act as a recording engineer. If you set the gain too high and 'let too much sound in', the result will be distorted. If there is hiss or mum in the recording, the gain was probably set too low.

Your ears are brilliant at compensating for extraneous sounds. Only by isolation yourself acoustically with a good set of 'cans' otherwise known as headphones, can you hear things as they really are.

Remember

	A microphone cannot improve the acoustic environment in which it is recording.
	You can’t trust your ears – They are very adaptable and do not always tell the truth. Make some test recordings and listen to the results in other settings to satisfy yourself that you have got it right.

Microphone Placement

	The microphone needs to be placed about 30cm slightly to one side of and below the speaker's mouth.
	If it is too close, it will record "popping" noises from your breath especially when pronouncing words stating with the letters ‘P’, 'T' or 'B'. Bass sounds will also be accentuated.
	Popping, heavy breathing and wind noises can be effectively eliminated by fitting a foam rubber cover known as a wind shield which are easy to improvise or simply stretching an old piece of tights over a frame and placing it between lips and microphone.
	If the mic is placed too far away, the gain will have to be increased so background sounds risk being recorded.
	Holding a microphone in the hand does not work well. The microphone need to be fixed. A stand or some way of suspending it is ideal.
	The microphone needs to be isolated from any vibration that can be transmitted through the table. A sheet of foam rubber placed under the stand does the trick.
	Collar or clip microphones work well very well provided they don’t hit buttons or jewellery during the recording.
	It may be desirable to clean the microphones between speakers. If there is a foam wind screen, you can just swap these over. Unplug the mic. A cloth dipped in a dilute solution of mouthwash rubbed over the grille of the microphone, which you hold upside down, makes the microphones smell pleasant to the performer.
	Some microphones will record sounds coming from all directions and some are directional which are best for recording a single voice.
	Built-in microphone pick up the sound of the recorder's motor.

Acoustic Feedback

If you have someone monitoring the recording, they need headphones otherwise there is a risk of feedback.

Feedback happens when the sound from the loudspeakers enters the microphone where it is amplified and a loop is set up. This can create a screech but low level feedback can create a fuzzy recording as recycled sound is captured.

However, if you want to record a live performance of a story or poem where a PA system is in use, try these measures:

Don’t

	Place your microphone too close to loudspeakers
	Use just one directional microphone with a shield
	Turn off any microphones when they are not being used
	Let the speaker wander too far from the mic.

Tension

Do everything to create a relaxed atmosphere. However hard you try, the tension mounts as the time for recording draws close. Voices change when they are tense so keep the reader relaxed. A few short test recordings gets the routine working and gives everybody confidence that the system is working.

Voices need time to warm up so the test recordings are useful for the reader.

Throats dry as the tension mounts so have some water available. If you decide that drinks are going to be available, use plastic as it makes less noise.

Scripts

It is important, especially when someone else is reading for you, to produce an easy-to-read script. Double spaced text, using a clear font such as Arial, font size 12 makes reading easy.

To avoid recording the sound of rustling paper it is best to avoid the need to handle the script. This is why it make sense to record the story in short sections.

Put the pages onto clip boards or improvise a lectern to suit the reader. You might even think about taping the pages if your reader cannot resist the temptation to move them!

Lighting is important. A strong pool of light on the script helps the reader to ignore the rest of the room. Tube or low energy bulbs help to keep the temperature down in what can be a tense situation. Be careful that there are no reflections that the reader will have to work round. If their head has to move, the quality of the recording will be affected.

Allow the reader time to practice before you start recording. They might need to practice some words and there is a big difference between ‘pronouncing’ a name silently as you read and voicing it out loud.

If friends are helping with the recording they need a copy of the script.

The take

Start the recording with a good lead in and leave the recorder running until the recording is well over.

Always provide an audio trailer. This gives the vital 'what, when and who' information at the beginning of each take. It gets the voice working and allows the electronics to set the level if you are using AGC.

If a mistake is made during a take, make a note, leave a pause and read it again. It is easy to remove the fumbled or incorrect passage at the editing stage.

Try and record a story with the same setup. Once you are on a roll, try to get as many session recorded as possible. Voices get tired so let the reader relax while you are setting up for the next session.

Try this routine:

	Hit the record button
	Announce "Tape rolling"
	Wait a few seconds
	Yell "Action!"

Wait a few seconds before shouting "Cut!" when the work is in the can.

Sound effects

If your recording is supposed to be recorded in the street do this in two takes. First get the voice in the studio. Next, take your recorder to the scene and make a recording of the background sound. There are exceptions to every rule but You need to be very good or very lucky to get a good take outside.

This is often called ‘wild track’. The background sound can be applied at the editing stage to give the voice a context. This is your visual scenery. You might have the sound of wind blowing through trees to open a scene and then fade it to the background once the reading starts.

With a bit of practice and some imagination it is easy to mix your recordings together to achieve the desired impression.

CDs containing royalty-free sound effects can be purchased and you can also build your own library relevant to your stories.