Music and Dialogue

[JohnFeg]

I am very much a newcomer to PTExe. and am using Cool Edit to add music and spoken commentary to my slideshows. I have had no problem with the music side (from CDs) But when I record the spoken commentary, I have encountered a couple of problems.

1. some spoken words, such as those wiyh a sharp "K" sound, cause a "crack spike" on the recording. I think this might be due to the "cheapo" microphone I'm using. If someone can recommend what sort of mic I should get, I'll put it on my Christmas wish list!

2. The level (amplitude) of the recorded speach, compared to that of the music track, is very quiet. I am having to use the full range of the facility "increase volume of block" to get things to balance out. Is there a way to set the volume level at the time of recording?

This is my first day in this forum, I'm very much looking forward to taking part in discussions.

Best wishes

John

[The oldie]

John,

Apart from the desirable change to a better mic you may not have the settings right on the sound card.

If you go in Programmes, accessories, entertainment, volume control you will get a long window of settings of either play back or recording. In the window you will see options go in and set to "record"

this will put up all the different levels for different recording devices. Set the volume on the mic input high and then see what level you get.

If that does not work you probably need a better mic with preamp

Worth a try tho'

Best of luck

Alan in the NE of UK

[JRR]

John:

While the voice over likely will need to increased in volume, don't increase to overpower the volume of the existing music track. Lower the volume of the music track when the voice over is being used.

I do it using the volume control "lines" in Multi-track in Audition.

Don't forget that you don't always need to mix the voice and the music into one track, you can add the voice-over snippets using the SOUND LINE on the PTE main page below the large "preview" screen.

You will still need to lower the volume of the sound track and you will perhaps need to check PROJECT>OPTIONS>MUSIC> "don't interrupt sound comment when next slide appears"

You won't hear the SOUND LINE track if previewing the show via the TIMELINE, but you will in the full screen PREVIEW (I've asked Igor to make a note this to be cahnged sometime in the future)

[Conflow]

Hi John,

To add to the good advice from Alan (UK) and Jim (Canada) I notice that you are compounding your own problem's.

(a)

Given that you may be using a Lo-Sensitivity Mic and that your Recording Levels may be too low,you are also making the 'classic mistake' of speaking directly into the Mic which is causing the 'cracks' and 'pops'you are experiencing (this is due close-coupled Pressure Waves from your mouth) which pushes the Mic beyond its limits in trying to achieve good volume.

(

The best way of using a Mic is some 4~6 inches below your Chin level or above your Forehead or to the side of your Face and speak across the Mic not into it ~ you will get the hang of it !

(c )

Personally I use a utility called "Audio Recorder Pro" which incorporates 'Stereo Bar-Graph Meters' by which I can precisely set the Music Level to -10 db (to allow for peaks) and then fade down to -20 db for 'Mic Voice Overs' which usually never exceed -3 db level. This utility also converts the 'Voice-Overs' directly to Mp3 or whatever other format I wish to use. It also has 'Auto-fade' and a host of other useful features.

(d)

Microphone:- You really need a good quality Uni-Directional, Balanced Dynamic Mic (what a mouthful !) About 600 Ohm Impedance and a decent Output Level around -60 db with a Noise-less Switch. I use a G-146 Sound-Lab as it is fairly insensitive to Desk Noise and Rear-pickup.

People such as Maplin Electronics (U.K) and other's stock these things ~ try out www.maplin.co.uk and have a good "read-up" on Microphone. You will need to do that....

The Technicals:- To give you an idea: 0 db= .746Volt@600 Ohm, -10db is a third of that, -20db is a tenth of it, -40db is a hundreth of it, and -60db is a thousand of it. So a -60db Mic will give 7millevolt output.

Sorry about the Technics but you are going to need some idea of Signal level in order to choose your New Mic.

Brian.Conflow.

[JohnFeg]

Very many thanks to Conflow, Alan (The Oldie) and Jim (JRR) for all the very detailed,and welcome, advice. Naively, I had no idea things were quite so complicated!

I'm absolutely certain, however, that you are right about my microphone. It has the appearance of originating in a Christmas cracker.

When I've managed to "get my head round" the technicalities of it all, I'll let you know how things progress.

Best regards

John

[JRR]

John:

We all have spent time learning to be photographers, but we forgot that sound "engineering" is equally important........

[JohnFeg]

I promised to keep you posted on progress. Having discussed my requirements with a helpful and knowledgable guy at "Digital Village, I've got my new mic. and an audio firewire interface on order. So stand by!

Although it's early days, I thought it might be worth while to bring members attention to : www.questiontools.com

where I found an excellent article on speech recording.

Regards

John

[alrobin]

John,

I use a firewire interface, and it works great. The nice thing about it is that I can then switch it over from my pc to my laptop when required, without having to have two sound units.

[Maureen]

Lots of free sound resources and advice here

also some links to information about microphones here

We also use a small pre-amp available from Howard Gregory of the Wilmslow Guild who also produces some excellent CDs & tapes of advice on sound recording & sound effects. He advertises in Av World magazine and also writes articles there on sound & recording. He's extremely knowledgeable on the subject.

Apart from needing a very good quality microphone we often use the "old tights routine".

Place some tights or a stocking around a wire coathanger bent into a circular shape, or use the splatter guard often available from a hardware store (or the kitchen). If you place this between your mouth and the microphone if will eliminate some of the pops & clicks which can be picked up in speech.

We fix the mike to one tripod and the splatter guard to another set between the person speaking and the mike.

For out doors use a wind shield.

Lots of information about sound recording can often be found on Video sites.

Hope this helps.

BW Maureen

[JohnFeg]

Thank you Al and Maureen for that advice. I'll have a good rummage through those links you posted.

I got my new toys yesterday, an M_Audio Firewire Solo and a Studio Products B1 microphone (I'm working on the theory that there are no pockets in a shroud!) Wish I'd found out about the trick with the tights before I slpashed out £20 for something I could have made myself. C'est la vie.

Al, I'd be interested to know what settings, for voice recording only, you use in the M-Audio Firewire Control Panel. It has the feel of a black art to me!

I have, though, managed to make a start. The short recordings I've achieved have, at least, resolved the original difficulty I was experiencing. In fact, they quite exceed my expectations. All that is needed now is an elocution course!

Best wishes

John

[alrobin]

Al, I'd be interested to know what settings, for voice recording only, you use in the M-Audio Firewire Control Panel. It has the feel of a black art to me!

John,

Nothing very elaborate or complicated. My model is the "MAudio Firewire 'Audiophile'", Model 13, (with 1 line input, 2 line outputs, MIDI in and out, and S/PDIF in and out.) For the Output panel, I have all the volume sliders at maximum, even though I am only using output 1/2. On the Hardware panel, the sample rate detected shows 44100 Hz, and the ASIO buffer size is 256 samples. Sync source is "internal" and "level controller assignment" is the output bus. "hp source settings" are: A: 1/2 out, and B: 3/4 out. Most of these settings are "default" settings.

If you are using a MIDI sequencer, settings get a little more complicated, as the ASIO settings become more critical - it took me a while to learn how to disable my internal pc soundcard, and make everything work through the new module, with the correct buffer size, etc. The Win XP "Control Panel / Sounds and Audio Devices" icon is very important. I have to go in periodically and reset the Volume control for all of the various output channels (wave, synth, CD player, etc.) and also reset the default "sound playback" module to "MAudio FW AP 1/2".

My sound recording is all done through a mixer, so I just use the same settings on the MAudio unit for everything and control the volume, etc. with the mixer.

Good luck with your new toys!

[JohnFeg]

Many thanks for that information Al. I've put my settings, more or less, the same as you describe. Also, there is a facility, in my control panel, to record settings as a Windows file, which is handy.

There are a lot of adjustment options in the control panel that I don't really understand, but as things seem to be working just fine now I'm going to "leave well alone". I guess, in due course, I'll sort out the finer points.

John