add field recording tutorials
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# Hosted
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=> games/ A collection of rules, variants, strategy and solo variants
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=> tutorials/ A collection of tutorials (currently all on field recording audio)
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=> ../index.gmi Back to ~lettuce capsule
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# A Practical Guide to Field Recording Part 1
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=> https://designingsound.org/2010/10/22/aaron-marks-special-a-practical-guide-to-field-recording-part-1/ adapted from: Designing Sound: A Practical Guide to Field Recording, Part 1
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=> field-recording-part-2.gmi Part 2 of A Practical Guide to Field Recording
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Aaron Marks CC BY NC SA 3.0
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Field recording is defined as any recording made outside of a controlled studio environment. So, pretty much any audio recording you make whether it’s in a garage, your backyard or out in the middle of nowhere is considered field recording. Recording inside a studio is already challenging enough, but add in portable equipment, wind noise, airplanes, birds and all of those unpredictable annoyances and you’ve got yourself a real challenge!
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## The purposes of field recording
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There is quite a variety of reasons for sending recordists and their gear into the ‘field’. Film and TV productions, newscasts, sound effects libraries, games and even music production all have dedicated professionals who’s task is to capture clean audio no matter what the situation. Working as a field recordist can put you in a wide range of situations and all with some definite challenges.
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* As part of a film or TV production crew, the field recordist (also referred to as ‘sound recordist’ in this case) is not only expected to record actor dialog and specific sounds that may be happening in a scene, but to record ‘on location’ sounds for later sound design, location ambience and room tone for Automated Dialog Replacement (ADR). Each of these tasks requires a specific thought process and sometimes different equipment to accomplish successfully. As part of a location sound team, the variety of recording activity and the pace of the shooting schedule will keep you hopping.
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* Live action news teams typically have a dedicated sound recordist who’s job is to make the on-air talent not only sound good but to record ‘story’ related sounds as well. If the focus of the segment makes a sound, it’s a good idea to let the audience hear it. These folks often find themselves in wildly unpredictable and uncontrolled situations as they chase down dramatic news stories.
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* Sound effects libraries have to be recorded by someone and this is one instance where field recordists really get to show off their skills. Recording everything from ambience to explosions, crickets to jet aircraft, there are plenty of noise making objects to be collected and cataloged, so there is plenty for these folks to do. And knowing fellow sound designers will be listening very critically and using them in their work is a great motivator to get it right. Plus having a viable and usable collection of sounds is a nice feather in your cap.
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* Games require fresh sounds for practically every production. Ambience and sound effects are the main focus of field recordists in this corner of the industry as they’re often found pointing microphones at typical subjects like weapons, exotic cars, military vehicles, aircraft, animals and junk yards. These sounds are collected to be used ‘as is’ or as elements in the sound design creation process – so no sound is a bad sound.
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* Music production is a little known venue for field recordist but one where they can play a major role in a performance. For in-studio productions, ambience or sounds which help support the ‘story’ are often used, especially in the ambient genre, and non-musical sounds can be used as musical elements in beats or as percussion. Recorded live music productions will typically require audience reactions as well as location related sound needs for television simulcast and future CD/DVD releases.
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## Field Microphones
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Microphones come in all shapes and sizes and having the right one
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pointed at the sound can make a huge difference. The most expensive one isn’t always the best choice and the one that is perfect won’t always be practical. Field recording can often be a bit of compromise as you evaluate the conditions, sounds and equipment, the microphone you pick for any given situation can either solve prevalent issues or make them worse. Remember, sometimes microphones are chosen specifically for what they can’t hear rather than what they do.
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Let’s face it, there are so many types of microphones to choose from that it becomes a real effort to find the right one for each situation. Most field recordists have their ‘go to’ mics, the ones they grab first whether it’s because they like the way it colors the sound or because they always have good luck with it. But, until your experience guides you, there are more scientific ways of choosing a useable mic for a given challenge.
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### Microphone types
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There are basically two distinctions of microphones – ‘type’ and ‘polarity pattern’. ‘Type’ refers to the physical construction and characteristics of the mic, ‘polarity pattern’ describes how the microphone hears sound. Both have equal influence when deciding what is best for a given situation and should be given close consideration when making your choices.
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### Types
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* **Stereo** These types of microphones are designed to capture a stereo image using a standard XY pattern, MS (mid/side) or matched pair configuration. These are great for ambience and sound effects when required in stereo format.
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* **Shotguns** From short shotguns to long, mono and stereo versions, these mics capture a narrow focused image of whatever sound it is pointed at and reject sound to the sides and rear. These are perfect for recording dialog during a scene or any other sound that needs to be brought ‘closer’ or separated from other sounds.
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* **General purpose** Utilitarian microphones which can be used in a wide variety of situations, these are great for general sound effects, voice and any other instances when a mono format is desired.
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* **Lavalieres** These tiny microphones are designed specifically to capture voice in a variety of situations but their small size can be useful for other applications when the size of another mic is an issue.
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* **Dynamic** These mics are generally robust, inexpensive, resistant to moisture and can handle sounds with heavy attacks, such as gunshots and snare drums with ease. Their sensitivity doesn’t allow them to capture quiet sounds well but are great with loud sounds.
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* **Condenser** Capable of capturing very quiet sounds, these powered microphones are perfect for whispers, quiet ambience and other sounds where their subtle nuances are desired.
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* **Miscellaneous** In addition to the standard field microphones, other mics offer solutions to very specific needs. Contact mics record the vibrations of an object and are not susceptible to issues ‘sound wave’ capturing mics do. Hydrophones are specifically designed to record sounds in liquid. Binaural microphones simulate how a person would hear a sound, typically a ‘head’ and microphones for ‘ears’. Surround microphones have six mics placed in an array to capture sound from each direction for playback on a 5.1 system.
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### Polarity patterns
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* **Omni-directional** The omni pattern has a equal response at all angles with a full 360 pickup angle. These mics have a very natural sound and are good if the room or space ambience is desirable.
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Use omni-directional:
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* Where the sound source to microphone distance is small so that the fact that it is non-directional does not cause a severe disadvantage.
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* Where the source is a ‘talker’ and the mic can be very close, right in front of them. This type is less susceptible to popping and no bass boost (proximity effect) from close use.
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* When wind is a significant problem. Pressure-sensitive microphones respond much less to wind noise than directional or velocity sensitive mics.
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* Because of the requirement for a small size such as a lavaliere or planted mic.
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* When multiple, spaced omni’s are used in one type of stereophonic recording – useful with certain large-scale effects such as a train moving past the array of mics.
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* **Cardioids** The unidirectional pattern is most sensitive to sound arriving from the front of the mic and much less from the rear. The most common type is the heart-shaped pattern and should be used if a more isolated pick-up is desired.
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Use cardioids:
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* When the sound field can be differentiated into desired sound coming from one direction and undesired sound from 180 degrees away such as placing a mic near a speaker on a busy street and pointing the mic at the talker and the back of the mic to the street.
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* Note that cardioids, while the most common type of directional mic, are not widely used in film making (as in music recording or public address systems), hyper- and super-cardioids are used to discriminate against noise and reverberation in these cases.
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* **Super/hyper-cardioids** Unidirectional mics come in other variations like the super-cardioid and hyper-cardioid. These have a very focused pattern and are used when the source is far away or there is a lot of ambient noise to deal with.
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Use hyper- and super-cardioids:
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* When you want to discriminate against reverberation and have a mic with a relatively small size.
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* Where the source of noise can be placed in the null zone between 110 to 126 degrees from the front and the desired source is on axis such as on a boom capturing an actor on-mic and placing the camera in the ‘null’ – typically with noisy film cameras.
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* These considerations lead to the selection of these mics for boom use.
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Use short shotguns:
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* For greater discrimination against reverberation and noise at high frequencies although they are equal in bass and mid range frequencies.
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* When, if the actor/event is moving, a boom operator can’t accurately aim the mic because of poor off-axis sound.
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The most often used boom microphone.
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Use long shotguns:
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* For the greatest discrimination against off-axis sound over a wider frequency range than the short shotgun.
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* Outdoors, for wide shots, dolly shots and when the sound source is further away than normal.
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* Indoor use is not generally recommended because the interaction of the complex polar pattern of this mic type with room acoustics leads to coloration.
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### Microphone selection factors
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Unfortunately, it takes much more than simply picking a type and polarity pattern for the perfect mic to stand out – although it is a good start. How do you plan to mount the mic? What are conditions like on location? Are there any weather extremes which might be a concern? Answering appropriate questions which are specific to your mission will help you close in on the right equipment.
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* Visible characteristics. The size of the microphone can impact the decision if it must be carried all day or if cramped space requires something small. For example, large microphones are difficult to mount inside of an engine compartment when gathering vehicle sounds under driving scenarios – a lavaliere would make better sense than a long shotgun. Additionally, the method of mounting the mic may be a factor if a shock mount, mic stand, blimp, boom pole or gaffers tape are used.
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* The method the mic uses to change acoustic energy or ‘sound’ into electrical energy. There are advantages and disadvantages to using pressure or velocity sensitive mics, especially when wind noise is a factor. Contact mics are an entirely different sort of mic in this respect and are able to capture sounds from an interesting, non-sound wave perspective.
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* Directional characteristics (polar pattern). Whether you intend to collect sounds from a full 360 degrees around the microphone or from a focused area, the polar pattern selection is not only chosen because of the direction of the wanted sound but often as a way to minimize unwanted sounds.
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* Susceptibility to wind and handling noise. Wind is by far one of the biggest challenges of field recording and having a microphone which is able to ‘ignore’ its effects can sometimes save the day. Wind covers and other accessories can be effective but sometimes the right microphone makes all of the difference. Many field mics come with a ‘low cut/high pass’ feature as well which can minimize wind and handling noise.
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* Coverage of the frequency spectrum without discrimination. Microphones are designed to be as generally flat in their frequency response as possible but due to their construction and circuitry will have bumps or dips in various spots along the spectrum. If the fundamental frequency you are recording is within the ‘flat’ portion of the mics frequency response, then you can expect no coloration unless that is what you’re looking for. Other interesting ‘features’, such as with some lavaliere microphones, have a bump in the higher frequencies to actually compensate for these mics hidden underneath an actor’s clothing.
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* Coverage of the polar pattern across the frequencies. Unfortunately, frequency response isn’t always consistent throughout the entire polarity pattern of the mic. This isn’t so much a concern when using a shotgun mic, for example, but if the desired sound covers a wider area such as in ambience recordings, a better representation can be captured if the frequencies are constant throughout the entire pattern.
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* Power requirements. If the microphone of choice requires power, this added condition will need a reliable source. Some mics utilize internal batteries or can be powered from the recorder with phantom power, neither of which will impact a mobile setup other than restricting your choice of recorders. Others that require a separate power supply might influence your ability to stay mobile. Ensure the power requirements don’t hamper your capabilities.
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* Susceptibility to temperature and humidity. Extreme hot or cold conditions can not only affect the human equation but the gear as well. Batteries tend to become unreliable in cold conditions and equipment that usually runs hot increase the chance of damage or failure. Also, the overall sound and capabilities of a microphone, especially the delicate diaphragm when heated or cooled, can color the sound in ways that can make you cringe. If your location is going to be a challenge, research the equipment that can withstand the temperature and use it.
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* Ability to handle loud and soft sounds. Recording sounds with a large dynamic range can test even the most experienced recordists. It’s challenging enough to record strictly loud or soft sounds on their own but when sessions are mixed, such as when recording gunshots and weapons Foley, microphones which can record both equally as well is a plus. Knowing what types of sounds you’re heading out into the field to record will ensure you take the mic that can handle both extremes when needed is a good thing.
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* Ruggedness. Studio mics are typically more delicate due to their need to capture the smallest nuances of instruments and vocals, and that’s not to say you couldn’t take some nice large diaphragm condensers to the field if needed, but why bother if the mic can’t take the more demanding conditions? Ensure the mic selection is robust enough to handle the journey, being mounted to a vibrating, jostling vehicle, for example, and being knocked around by overly aggressive ninja recordists.
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* And finally, how the mic sounds. Unfortunately, how the mic sounds can’t always be the first reason to choose one but it should weigh in as part of your decision. Some mics sound REALLY good no matter what you point them at and if they meet other criteria in your list, then these should be part of your arsenal. If you have several which are worthy, always choose the one which will capture your sounds the cleanest and in the highest quality because after all, you’re reputation and future employment possibilities are on the line.
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More coming up! **Part 2** will continue with recorder choices, field
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recording accessories and recording techniques.
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=> https://designingsound.org/2010/10/22/aaron-marks-special-a-practical-guide-to-field-recording-part-1/ Adapted from Aaron Marks' A Practical Guide to Field Recording, Part 1 for Designing Sound.
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CC BY NC SA 3.0
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=> ./index.gmi Back to tutorials
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=> ../index.gmi Back to hosted files
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=> ../../index.gmi Back to ~lettuce gemlog home
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# A Practical Guide to Field Recording Part 2
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=> https://designingsound.org/2010/10/26/aaron-marks-special-a-practical-guide-to-field-recording-part-2/ adapted from: Designing Sound: A Practical Guide to Field Recording, Part 2
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=> field-recording-part-1.gmi Part 1 of A Practical Guide to Field Recording
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Aaron Marks CC BY SA NC 3.0
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## Field recorder choices
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In addition to choosing the most practical and highest quality microphone (as discussed in Part 1 of this article), the second half of the field recording ‘equipment’ equation is the trusty field recorder. We’ve come quite a long way in mobile recording technology in just the past few years and while it might seem to improve the chances of capturing incredibly high quality audio, it actually makes your choice that much more difficult. As with microphones, there are countless reasons to choose a specific recording device over another and, of course, it all depends on what you’re recording and how you’re recording it. Once you’ve defined your variables, selecting an appropriate recorder may become obvious but most recordists still bring more than one type just to be safe.
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## Recorder features
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Field recorders worthy of making the journey with you can have features from the simple to incredibly complex. In some situations, cumbersome technology can be a bad thing if you have to struggle with settings, inaccessible buttons and unpredictable recording media, especially when you’re constantly in motion. Having plenty of ‘features’ is nice but if you don’t need ‘em, why bring ‘em? Keeping things uncomplicated will let you focus on the sounds at hand and not the gear.
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* Ease of use. There is plenty to occupy your mind during a session and the gear should not be what monopolizes your thoughts. The Aaton Cantar X, for example, is a great recorder but requires quite a bit of experience with it before it becomes second nature. Even something as simple as the Zoom H4n, with its sub-menus can muck up the works and slow things down. Be sure the recorder you choose is a comfortable fit with your thought process, allows you to make adjustments and swap out batteries and memory easily.
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* The appropriate amount of recording channels. A 2-channel recorder is typically the right amount of tracks for field recording but there are many occasions where 4 or more are what you need. First, make sure the recorder you select has the amount of tracks you need and second, make sure they can all record simultaneously. Some gear may have 8 channels but only record on 6 channels at once and some require an additional mixer to even do that. If more than 8 tracks are needed, choose a recorder that can link with additional units to give you the amount you need.
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* Connections. Selecting a recorder with the appropriate microphone connections is the obvious first concern. But, if you’re using external power sources, interfacing with other recorders, a mixer or computer and syncing to time code as well, it becomes imperative the holes match up to the mishmash of cables you plan to plug into them. Conversely, these will directly influence the choice of microphones, cables and adapters you might need so make sure everything interconnects properly. Phantom power. A recorder with built in 48v phantom power will allow you to connect microphones that require power to operate properly but, unfortunately, not all portable recorders have this particular feature. As mentioned previously, some microphones allow for batteries within their capsule to cover this, but if your recorder doesn’t have phantom power and the mic won’t take batteries, an external phantom power supply is the only other option. And often, the mere addition of an external power supply will influence the choice of recorder especially if you’re trying to pack light.
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* On board effects. Occasionally, having features such as a limiter, compressor, high/low pass filter or EQ are advantageous to the situation and if you anticipate needing any of these, make sure they are on the recorder. Limiters can be definite life savers if you get a too aggressive with your gain settings and high pass/low cut filters are great for excessive wind noise if you need it.
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* Pre-roll. Some recorders come equipped with a ‘pre-roll’ feature which lets you grab the sound you thought you missed. Once you engage ‘record standby’, the unit records into a memory buffer of a specific length usually around 6 to 8 seconds or shorter if a high sample rate and resolution are selected. Once the ‘record’ button is depressed, the buffer is written to the memory card or hard drive until the recording is stopped. The key when using this feature is not to panic or make noise when you realize you’re missing the sound – just calmly press record and relax.
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* Headroom. Distortion and clipping can make field recordings totally unusable. Some recording gear are designed cheaply and don’t quite have the needed headroom to capture forceful sounds cleanly. If loud sounds are on the agenda, ensure the equipment has sufficient headroom to accomplish the task.
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* Gain ‘knob’. A knob or fader are key to making smooth gain adjustments while recording, whether you’re being subtle or gain riding with wild abandon. Many of the new pro-sumer portable recorders are lacking this vital feature and have instead resorted to noisy buttons which can be heard in the recording no matter how careful you are. There are obvious instances, such as when recording ambient tracks, when ‘set and forget’ is fitting but not having to worry about this additional noise leaking into your recording will let you concentrate on other things.
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* File formats. For the best audio quality, high sample rates and resolution are preferred. 44.1kHz, 16 bit, wav files are the absolute minimum but nowadays there is a stronger demand for 96kHz, 24 bit quality and it is quickly becoming the new standard. Uncompressed file formats such as .wav are also the best way to go, but due to smaller memory buffers or storage capacity, some recorders only allow for compressed formats such as mp3.
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## Storage media and back up capabilities
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How the field recorder stores audio data may be a personal choice but whatever is ultimately chosen must be easily transferred from the device to a computer for editing and archiving. The ability to connect directly to a computer via USB or Firewire and removable media cards are the standard options but there are still excellent older field recorders which may use DAT, CD/DVD-R and even mini-discs. On-board hard drives and flash memory cards are the most reliable and the easiest to manage large audio files by a simple drag and drop. DAT tape is still viable but the huge disadvantage is the ‘transfer’ has to be done in real time by pressing ‘play’ on the DAT and simultaneously recording onto a computer DAW. You might as well go grab some lunch when you do it this way.
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Ultimately you’re looking for a storage medium that is fast enough to capture high resolution audio during the recording process, large enough to hold it all and the ability to be easily swapped out of the recorder and replaced with minimal down time. Compact Flash (CF) and Secure Digital (SD) cards fit the bill, are plentiful and affordable.
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## Power requirements
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Field recorders can be incredibly thirsty for power – especially if you’re running a multiple, linked unit arrangement. Understanding what your rig needs, how it will consume the energy, how the power might be affected in temperature extremes and recharging capability will definitely influence what you use and the backup power sources you bring.
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Most genuinely portable units will contain internal batteries, either of the replaceable/rechargeable variety or single use batteries. Some allow for easy, convenient replacement while others require unhooking cabling, unpacking from their case and using a tool to open the battery compartment. Most are equipped with an external power connection which is ideal when internal batteries are too difficult to change quickly or if lengthy recording sessions are planned. These systems allow for
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multiple connections for several pieces of equipment and easy battery changes but can add a bit to your load.
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For long recording sessions, plenty of batteries on hand is elementary. Bringing more batteries than you think you’ll need is the smart way to go. Unless you can tap into a power source directly or as a recharging station, ‘more than enough’ is the safest route. Also bring plenty of AA and 9v batteries for powered mics and other gear with hidden power needs.
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One of the cruelest jokes mother nature has for us field recordists is the effect temperature extremes have on batteries and the devices they supply. Hot running gear in hot temperatures can play havoc on internal batteries greatly reducing battery life or sufficiently ‘cooking’ the chemicals so they aren’t electrically reactive at all. Lithium and NiCad batteries work great in extreme cold but NiCad and NiMH batteries don’t recharge correctly in anything lower than room temperature. If your session will take you to either temperature extreme, do a little research in advance to make sure you’ve the right batteries and enough juice.
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## Recorder size
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When space or weight isn’t an issue, a stationary cart full of audio gear will definitely get the job done. But, if you’ve got to be on the move, which most field recordists are, you want to pack light. In the not too distant past, balancing quality audio with compact and lightweight gear used to be a major challenge. The good news though, you’ll find a great selection of highly portable equipment on the market these days that will really surprise you.
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It’s a good idea to consider size and portability when planning for a recording session. Do you have to carry it all day? Will you have to squeeze into tight spaces to grab sounds? Will the external battery system really add that much weight? Will I have any other equipment such as a microphone matrix box, preamp, mixer or wireless receivers that will add to the weight? Answering these types of questions will help you select an appropriate sized recorder to go with the rest of what you’re carrying.
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## Ruggedness
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I’m not going to compare field recordists with baggage handlers but it’s safe to say that no matter how careful you are with your equipment, stuff happens. During the chaos of packing, getting to the session, setup, tear down and everything in between, your prized recording unit is going to get some knocks. There are plenty of inexpensive recorders available but keep in mind they are cheap for a reason. The plastic cases aren’t as durable as we’d like and buttons and access doors tend to break. Add the distraction of ‘heat of battle’ mayhem into the mix and you’ve got a good chance something is going to get squashed.
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If you predict one of those crazy sessions, it’s not a bad idea to make certain your recorder of choice is built to withstand it. A sturdy metal chassis is a good start and an additional production case will not only provide padding and storage space but add a bit of moisture resistance as well. Of course, units such as the Aaton Cantar are designed to operate in rain and messy conditions without one.
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If you’re recording while walking, running or in the back of a bouncing pickup truck, also consider shock resistance as part of your decision. No matter how rugged your storage medium seems to be, remember that even Compact Flash and SD cards can get jostled and lose connection with the contact points which will introduce a glitch in the file or cause it to be lost altogether. CD/DVD-R, hard drives and even DAT’s can be bumped and mar the recording so nothing is totally impervious.
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## Comfort
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Finally, lugging around gear with sharp edges, buttons and switches you have to contort to access or are so small you can’t work them, display screens that are difficult to view, cases with abrasive surfaces that rub you in the same spot all day, headphones that squeeze your head like a vise, constantly tangled cables and any other thing with the potential to annoy you during those day-long outings, are enough to drive you absolutely nuts. Even expensive cases with padded shoulder straps and supple material can literally rub you the wrong way.
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Yes, we are adventurous souls. Yes, we are all tough and eat nails for breakfast. But even the smallest rash or blister will distract you and take energy away from your recording session. Keep comfort in mind when selecting gear and accessories unless you feel it’s necessary to suffer for your art.
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### Accessories
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Microphones. Check. Field recorder. Check. Batteries and storage media. Check. Forgetting anything? You bet. In-studio recording is nothing close to the logistical nightmare us field recordists can face. If something breaks in the studio, it’s usually an easy matter of grabbing a new one out of the closet or worst case, a quick trip to the local music store. If something breaks in the field, of course, it gets a bit more complicated. So, when packing for the field, consider all of the possible things that can go wrong and prepare accordingly.
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Here’s a quick checklist to contemplate when accessorizing your field
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recording kit:
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* Back up recorder – it doesn’t have to be a duplicate of your main recorder but definitely something that can also get the job done in a pinch.
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* Back up mics – in case your main microphone gets damaged or if the situation dictates the use of another kind of mic, bring some spares.
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* Shock mounts – bring spare suspension bands and any extra usable shock mounts just in case you need to hang another mic. Wind covers – bring everything you have, softies, blimps, fuzzies and high wind covers, since you never know which way the wind will be blowing.
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* Mic stands/boom poles – for stationary mic placement or extra reach.
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* Cables – cables fray and connections loosen. Have plenty of extras on hand.
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* Snake – multiple mic inputs with long runs can be easily managed with one of these.
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* Pads/in-line attenuator – assuming the microphone itself isn’t overloaded, in-line pads will reduce the signal strength to a more manageable level for the recording device.
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* Parabolic reflector – boom pole not long enough and the shotgun mic isn’t receptive enough? A parabolic reflector will bring that specific sound closer.
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* Location sound logs – you need to keep track of what you’re recording and the settings you’re using.
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* Tape for lavaliere mounting – if you’re using lavalieres on actors specifically, 3M surgical double stick or moleskin tape will let you hide the mics under their clothes and minimize clothes rustling.
|
||||
* Gaffers tape and cable ties – cables and microphones need to be secured to reduce cable noise and tripping hazards.
|
||||
* Bungee cord /carabiners – to organize multiple cables and reduce tripping hazards.
|
||||
* Spare mechanical parts for boom, blimps and mic stands – things break or wear out at the worst times.
|
||||
* Tools – small screwdrivers, needle nose pliers, knife – whatever you can grab.
|
||||
* Soldering iron and solder – for field expedient repairs
|
||||
* First aid kit – man versus nature repair
|
||||
* Spare batteries/ battery charger – don’t even think of getting caught without power.
|
||||
* Power converter – 12v to 120v converters will let you plug into your cigarette lighter and have usable power.
|
||||
* Headphones – spare headphones are a definite must.
|
||||
* Ear plugs – attenuating loud sounds underneath your headphones isn’t a bad idea when recording weapon shots, explosions or any other ridiculously loud noises.
|
||||
* Gloves – trust me on this one.
|
||||
* Appropriate adapters – everything has to plug in to something. Plan for your primary and backup recording setup to work properly.
|
||||
* Water, food, shade, etc. – not so much part of your ‘kit’ but something to think about and definitely nice to have if you need it.
|
||||
|
||||
Once you’ve got everything assembled, the absolute last but most vital item on your checklist is to hook everything up and make sure it actually works. I can’t stress this enough – test your gear BEFORE heading out to the field. Charge the batteries, connect the mics and
|
||||
cables, make a test recording and anything else you deem appropriate. The goal is not to find out your stuff isn’t working when it’s too late to do anything about it. Gear that’s been laying around in the closet, rental equipment that landed unceremoniously on your front door step that morning and even the rig from yesterdays recording session can stop working for any number of reasons. Damage, incompatible batteries or media cards and altered settings can happen at any time so make sure you’ve got a fighting chance.
|
||||
|
||||
## Recording techniques
|
||||
|
||||
Field recording can be highly unpredictable. Loud sounds, soft sounds and sounds with a large dynamic range are possible at pretty much any time. Different microphones capture different nuances of the same sound, some sounds need to be close mic’d and others need be captured from a distant perspective. After the large investment in time and money to get to the location with the gear, it’s wise to ensure your time is well spent and a variety of recording techniques can be employed to double your chances of capturing brilliant takes.
|
||||
|
||||
2 channel recording methods:
|
||||
|
||||
* Record the same signal from one or more microphones. A single mic, a pair of them or an array of several through a mixer running to both channels is a great way to ensure you can capture sounds you haven’t been able to sound check, unexpected sounds or sounds which are both soft and loud. While this method provides redundancy, recording each channel at a different line level will give the editor 2 versions of the same recording to choose from. By having a 10-15dB level difference between channels, you are protecting for distortion with the lower one and allowing the softer sounds to be recorded at healthy levels with the other. Either way, you’ll have a pick of channels to use during the editing process and can use the best one.
|
||||
* Record a left/right stereo pair from a stereo mic. There is definitely something to be said for realistic sound recordings and aside from binaural recording, stereo is the preferred method. As humans, we are used to hearing simultaneous versions of the same sound, even dialog. Unless you have a specific reason to record in mono, stereo recording gives you more options since you can always make a stereo recording mono, but not a mono recording into a stereo one very believably. The only drawback by using this method is both the left and right channels must be used together, instead of as separate mono channels as in the first example.
|
||||
* Record “dual mono”. This method uses 2 different mono microphone sources recorded on separate channels and provides protection against the issues each type of the mics can have as well as providing redundancy. Shotgun and lavaliere mics, for example, are great for recording actor dialog on a movie set but each have their own issues to overcome. By recording both, it gives the sound editor the greatest flexibility to use the channel which has the best volume, timbre and perspective. And most of the time, the ‘best’ sound typically comes from a mix of both sources.Record to camera and recorder. For field recording in conjunction with film or video, the 2- channel method is recorded to both the camera’s audio track and to the dedicated field recorder. As before, it provides redundancy for safety but it also provides a good reference to the film editor since the sound is already sync’d with the footage. This method allows for more flexibility and gives the editor a choice of audio tracks.
|
||||
|
||||
## Multi-channel recording
|
||||
|
||||
Not every occasion calls for a multi-channel recorder but when it does, the added tracks can give you the greatest flexibility. As with the 2-channel techniques, redundancy is easily obtained and the chances of capturing the perfect recording are increased exponentially. The same techniques can be employed on a wider scale or mixed with multiple available tracks for the same reasons mentioned before. But, by adding those extra channels to your recording device, you now have the ability to capture multiple perspectives of the same sound limited only by the number of channels and microphones. You can record in surround for a incredibly realistic perspective. And you can also pick up a multitude of sounds happening at once such as recording an exotic car from the engine, exhaust, interior, suspension and tire locations, for example. Multi-channel recorders will also allow for audio slating and running any time code to a separate track if needed. There are many advantages to having a multi-channel recorder in your arsenal and definitely something to keep charged up and ready to roll at a moment’s notice.
|
||||
|
||||
=> https://designingsound.org/2010/10/26/aaron-marks-special-a-practical-guide-to-field-recording-part-2/ Adapted from Aaron Marks' A Practical Guide to Field Recording, Part 2 for Designing Sound
|
||||
|
||||
CC BY NC SA 3.0
|
||||
|
||||
=> ./index.gmi Back to tutorials
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../index.gmi Back to hosted files
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../../index.gmi Back to ~lettuce gemlog home
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
|
|||
# Field Recording Tips
|
||||
|
||||
=> https://designingsound.org/2010/09/15/david-farmer-special-field-recording-2010/ Adapted from David Farmer Special: Field Recording 2010
|
||||
|
||||
CC BY NC SA 3.0
|
||||
|
||||
## Field Recording
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../../images/field-recording.jpg Field Recording with fire
|
||||
|
||||
## Headphones are for wimps
|
||||
|
||||
OK not really, but I get a kick out of saying that. One of the things I’m enjoying this month, is taking the time to reflect on how I go about my work. It’s pretty easy to think you’re doing the same things as everyone else, but when you stop and think about it, we all have at least some things that are not that “normal”. This is one of those areas where I do things differently than just about everyone else. If you’ve seen any of the behind the scenes recording, you may have noticed that I never use headphones when recording. I expect to catch some grief from the readers on this one, but I can’t stand using headphones. In the beginning, I did. Apart from the simple tangle of wires, which I detest, there are some other reasons I stopped wearing headphones. I’ll point out some pros, and also some cons, to recording this way.
|
||||
|
||||
A lot of people say that you have to hear what’s going down, to know what you’re getting. I’d say for a production recordist that is true, especially since they’re removed from the source by a physical distance. However that’s rarely the case for the stuff I’m recording. I’m usually right up against the action. And many many times, you’re not hearing JUST the recording, but a blend of the recording and a certain amount of bleed through from the source sound directly. Once several of us were recording the flame bursts from a hot air balloon. One of the recordists thought they had gotten a great recording, because what he heard in his “cans” sounded great. However, when we listened to it later, the recording was pretty badly overmodded. His levels looked good, but the preamps were clipping, and this was even padded. But he couldn’t tell that during recording because the source sound was bleeding through the headphones & masking the distortion in the recording. If you have some extreme isolating headphones, and also monitor really loudly, that would minimize the chance of that happening to you. But I’ve seen it again & again where wearing headphones didn’t prevent this problem. Usually people say something like, “OK that should be good, now let’s get it back to the studio and see what we got.” So IMO headphones are actually a pretty poor judge of what’s going down.
|
||||
|
||||
But perhaps the main reason I don’t wear headphones is, I don’t like searching for the sound in the space, with the microphone. In music studio recording, one of the tricks is to walk around in the space while the band is playing. If you find a spot where something sounds good, you stick a mic there. But you search the space with your ears, not the mic. Imagine a “sound gallery” that is like a shooting gallery. You’re standing in the middle of the room and sounds will happen at random locations around you. If you’re wearing headphones, and I’m not, I’ll have my mic pointed at the source before you every time, and likely many times faster.
|
||||
|
||||
For example, again, on FOTR several of us went to an Australian possum research facility. It was night, and we went inside a long shed that had several rooms off the hallway where the possums were kept. They could wander around at will, so you never knew where they’d be. We had flashlights but they tended to be more active if it was dark. So, for a couple of hours or so, we walked around recording vocalizations. It was pretty comical to watch the guys wearing headphones trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. One of the possums would let out a screech, and the guys would point their mics in some random direction trying to find it. Needless to say, the vocal would be over before they’d find it. These are extreme examples of why I like this approach, but the benefits are also evident in normal recording situations.
|
||||
|
||||
So how do I judge the proximity of the mic to the source if I’m not monitoring it? Good question. I don’t know. I’m not sure if it’s a sense I’ve just developed with trial and error, but I usually get a good feel for where the mic should be. There’s something very tactile about micing this way. For something like a tiger growl that is extremely powerful, you can literally feel where the mic ought to be.
|
||||
|
||||
Now for the cons. Yep you have to be a bit of a banzai to record this way, but I’ve been doing it for 20 years and I intend to keep doing it despite the pitfalls. Once I was at a horse ranch to record some horse vocals. I had a Sound Devices MP-2 hooked up to a Sony M1, and both were powered by a fully charged Eco-charge battery. That rig could run for over 10 hours straight. I had my trusty 416 mic ready to rock (still one of my favorite mono mics). I set my levels, put myself in record, locked the buttons so it couldn’t accidentally turn off, and triple checked that the DAT counter was rolling. It was. So I took the grand tour, and got some great stuff. It was by far the best horse vocal session I had done to date. I was thrilled and couldn’t wait to get back & load the DAT. That was until I saw that the DAT had turned off, literally less than 20 seconds after it started recording. There was a short in the power cable going from the DAT to the eco-charge. I missed it all. We hadn’t even started walking yet when it had turned off. I had checked the pre-amp meters several times during the recording, and they were fine. Of course that didn’t matter since the DAT was powered off! Big strike there against not wearing headphones huh? That scenario wouldn’t be as common these days since most rigs are preamp & disk recorder all in one. Another time, there was a similar issue, but the mic had popped out of one end of the clip inside the zeppelin. So I wound up with a lot of mic bumps in the recording that I couldn’t hear or feel while I was doing the takes.
|
||||
|
||||
So there are the cons. IMO they are purely technical issues, and have little to do with the art of getting a sound recorded. For me, recording without headphones, and hearing the source in its own space gets the results I prefer, even when compared to another take of the same source made by another recordist.
|
||||
|
||||
## Set it and forget it
|
||||
|
||||
I don’t muck around with my levels while recording. I have a couple of settings that I generally use, and it’s basically one for really loud stuff, and one for quiet, like ambiences. In the old days on DAT, lots of people were obsessed with making sure the meters were topping off. This had to do mostly with being afraid of recording at low levels on 16-bit. Except for extreme low levels, I never had any issues with recording lower to tape. In fact, I usually record leaving plenty of room for peaks, both then & now. I can’t stand getting a recording back from someone and finding that they were riding the levels. It’s never smooth enough, so just let us take care of that on the back end. It’s incredibly difficult to correct something where the levels were ridden incorrectly. This was worse back in the DAT days where people recorded hot. They’d see something start to clip and back off the levels. Right there – the recording is already ruined IMO. So my approach has always been to record at a low enough level that it won’t ever clip, and don’t touch the levels during a take. If something happens to clip, I just let it ride and then back off the level for the next take. There are some decent tools nowadays to repair clipping so I’ll give that a try (again Izotope RX). If I have to try to fix a level ride, I just won’t bother.
|
||||
|
||||
With 24-bit, we can record at lower levels without the worry about getting into dither issues like we had with 16-bit. From the “tweakheadz” site:
|
||||
|
||||
“Bit Depth refers to the number of bits you have to capture audio. The easiest way to envision this is as a series of levels, that audio energy can be sliced at any given moment in time. With 16 bit audio, there are 65,536 possible levels. With every bit of greater resolution, the number of levels double. By the time we get to 24 bit, we actually have 16,777,216 levels. Remember we are talking about a slice of audio frozen in a single moment of time. ”
|
||||
|
||||
I always record at 24-bit these days. To me, that’s a much better improvement than 96k. Don’t get me wrong, 96k is better than 48k, but it’s not twice as good like it reads. It’s still only one octave higher than 48k. Yes it’s better than 48 when pitching for those frequencies that are normally out of our range of hearing, but in my experience, the significance of the improvement is minor. I don’t typically pitch things down very far. When things slow down, they lose energy, and by the time I’ve slowed things down to where 96k shows an improvement, it’s usually lost more energy than I want. Now real-time pitching (where the timing stays the same) may someday provide the benefit I’m hoping for. Having said that, I DO record at 96k 24-bit, even when using mics that don’t have an extended upper range. It’s mostly for the “just in case” scenario though, rather than having seen significant benefits across the board. And with storage space being dirt cheap these days, why not record at 96k?
|
||||
|
||||
I know some people are going to take issue with my position on 96k, so let me just say again that I do agree it is better. I may change my opinion on it, but I’ve been working with it since about 2004, and with extended range mics as well. It’s the significance of the difference that I have not found to be as great as I’d hoped. Though YMMV
|
||||
|
||||
=> https://designingsound.org/2010/09/15/david-farmer-special-field-recording-2010/ Adapted from David Farmer Special: Field Recording 2010 for Designing Sound
|
||||
|
||||
CC BY NC SA 3.0
|
||||
|
||||
=> ./index.gmi Back to tutorials
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../index.gmi Back to hosted files
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../../index.gmi Back to ~lettuce gemlog home
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
|
|||
# Tutorials
|
||||
|
||||
The documents below are all mirrors of content collected elsewhere on the www.
|
||||
|
||||
=> field-recording-part-1.gmi A Practical Guide to Field Recording Part 1
|
||||
|
||||
=> field-recording-part-2.gmi A Practical Guide to Field Recording Part 2
|
||||
|
||||
=> retro-game-sounds.gmi Making Retro Video Game Sounds: Introductions to Trackers
|
||||
|
||||
=> field-recording-tips.gmi Field Recordings Tips
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../index.gmi Back to hosted files
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../../index.gmi Back to ~lettuce gemlog home
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
|
|||
# Making Retro Video Game Sounds: Introduction to Trackers (1/4)
|
||||
|
||||
=> https://designingsound.org/2018/10/22/making-retro-video-game-sounds/ Adapted from Making Retro Video Game Sounds: Introduction to Trackers (1/4) by Leonard J. Paul.
|
||||
|
||||
(Editor's note: Sadly, I could not find any of the 3 follow-up articles mentioned at the beginning of this article)
|
||||
|
||||
CC BY NC SA 3.0
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
*This is a guest post by Leonard J. Paul, a composer, sound designer and educator who first got his start working on Sega Genesis back in the ’90s. You can reach him at the School of Video Game Audio
|
||||
|
||||
=> SoVGA.com at any time.
|
||||
|
||||
In this four-part article series I’ll be going through my sound design process of creating retro game sound effects using digital audio tools called trackers. Frequency modulation (FM) synthesis, pattern matrixes, algorithms and hexadecimal numbers might seem strange at first but I hope that beginning sound designers as well as pros can pick up a few helpful sound design tricks in this tutorial series.
|
||||
|
||||
Here’s an overview of the article series:
|
||||
|
||||
1. Introduction to Trackers and the Genesis**: What a tracker is, why you would use a tracker for sound design, an overview of the audio capabilities of the Sega Genesis (also known as the Sega Mega Drive) video game console, and some examples
|
||||
2. Basic Synthesis: How trackers influence working with synthesis, examples of synthesis using the square waves and noise channel on the Genesis, basic tracker commands, and how to make some interesting sounds using the DefleMask DefleMask software music tracker
|
||||
3.FM Synthesis: What FM synthesis is, how it is implemented on the Genesis, what sounds it is good at making, and unique sound effect examples of Genesis FM synthesis
|
||||
4. The Full Mix: How to combine sample, square, noise, and FM channels together into a complete sound, plus thoughts on using similar techniques in the future.
|
||||
|
||||
=> http://www.deflemask.com/ Deflemask software music tracker
|
||||
|
||||
We’ll be looking at how the Sega Genesis creates audio as the concepts that you learn here can be applied to many other classic game systems, including the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Nintendo Game Boy, and the Commodore 64. I’ll take you through the steps of creating sounds for the Sega Genesis, a console that includes basic square and noise waveforms, FM synthesis, and sample playback.
|
||||
|
||||
### Quick Start
|
||||
|
||||
Let’s get a quick start on how Genesis music and sound effects might sound like using DefleMask:
|
||||
|
||||
1. Download and install Deflemask for your PC, Mac or Linux system from http://deflemask.com/
|
||||
2. Open the Genesis demo song from Sonic using the menu File → Open… and open the file Deflemask\\songs\\modules\\Genesis\\Demo Songs\\sonic_greenhillzone.dmf
|
||||
3. It should start playing right away, enjoy the Sonic the Hedgehog vibes! :)
|
||||
4. Download a work in progress of mine for a “crying” sound effect from
|
||||
|
||||
=> http://videogameaudio.com/DS/SH-PedCrying00.dmf SH-PedCrying00 sound file. (right-click to “save as” and open it using File → Open… as well
|
||||
|
||||
Deflemask is just one of a long line of music trackers. Trackers first got their start back in 1987 on the Commodore Amiga with a program called Ultimate Soundtracker by Karsten Obarski. The Amiga had four channels of sampled sound and a tracker was a way to balance the capabilities of the hardware with the needs of the composer. One of the main differences you might notice between trackers and a regular DAW in the video below is that time flows in a weird direction. This allows us to easily give extra information on how to modulate a sound after it is played in each of the vertical columns as they relate to the four channels. This will be similar to Deflemask except that we have ten channels to work with. It’s also oriented this way as the graphics resolution of the Amiga was relatively low and so using text was a way to store information for the sound channels in a compact way. We’ll look into the details of trackers even more as we continue to work with DefleMask in the upcoming articles.
|
||||
|
||||
Since then there have been many different types of trackers. Make sure to check out an impressive chart of the growing list of trackers through
|
||||
history at the
|
||||
|
||||
=> http://helllabs.org/tracker-history/trackers.svg Tracker History Graphing Project
|
||||
|
||||
Some of the more popular trackers include
|
||||
|
||||
=> https://openmpt.org/ OpenMPT for PC
|
||||
=> http://famitracker.com/ Famitracker for making NES songs
|
||||
=> https://www.littlesounddj.com/ LSDJ for Game Boy
|
||||
=> http://www.deflemask.com/ Deflemask for various classic console systems (including the Genesis).
|
||||
|
||||
### Trackers
|
||||
|
||||
A lot of pros got their start in music using trackers and several artists still use it today to produce their music. These artists include Aphex Twin, Venetian Snares, Calvin Harris and others. Many popular chiptune artists such as Chibi-Tech, virt and Toriena use trackers in their current music production. There’s even options for using trackers with modern [Eurorack](https://youtu.be/9TquD64S8v0?t=223) modules, which shows that there’s a good interest in using trackers for audio these days. As a reference, I’ve put some together for you so that you can have a listen to how each artist used trackers in different ways in this YouTube playlist:
|
||||
|
||||
=> https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL17-p74MQ_0TGMjKYDbIoehpwkSsAigM9&v=pAZo7x83it4&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fdesigningsound.org%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY&feature=emb_logo YouTube playlist of music made with Trackers, starting with Aphex Twin
|
||||
|
||||
But why not just use your DAW with some retro console plugins to make sounds? This is a great way to make sounds quickly but I’ve found it didn’t push me into as many creative spaces as working with a tracker did. It’s like the difference between working with a chainsaw and a chisel, you’ll likely develop a deeper understanding with your materials when working slower and more hands-on, which opens up new creative possibilities along the way. If you’re looking to get the lush organic sound of an acoustic instrument quickly, then trackers likely aren’t your tool. Trackers have a character all their own, and I feel that they’re perfect for doing retro sound design.
|
||||
|
||||
There’s a several creative reasons to prefer using trackers over plugins that simulate a Genesis. One of the main reasons for me is that I’ve gotten used to the process of working with a tracker and it really helps me focus on all the different ways I can take advantage of all the ways that the sound can be modulated and not be distracted by other features available in my DAW. Each sound is both an artistic and logic puzzle that is fun to solve using the parameters available on the sound chips. I think the possibility of running the sound on the actual console itself is pretty fun and helps increase the nostalgic vibe in the design of the sound itself. Learning even a small amount about doing retro sound design this way can give you a lot more respect for game audio artists of the past and new ideas for the future.
|
||||
|
||||
### Sega Genesis
|
||||
|
||||
The Sega Genesis was released in North America in 1989 and contained two sound chips. The main audio chip was the YM2612, which allowed for six channels of FM synthesis with the sixth channel having the option of being used for digitized sound. The SN76489 chip allows for four channels of sound set to square waves, with the option of the fourth channel to be used for noise. We’ll look at the audio hardware of the Genesis in future articles as we dive further into the details. In DefleMask, the six FM channels (FM1-6) are on the left with the remaining square wave channels (SN1-SN4) on the right. This will hopefully become more apparent by having a look at the DefleMask sound
|
||||
effect videos below.
|
||||
|
||||
Throughout this series we’ll explore how the brash style of the Genesis found a great fit with the sounds of FM synthesis and how we can use it in our own sound design. One video excerpt that gives great insight into music during the era of the Sega Genesis is in The making of Streets of Streets of Rage 2 This video gives us a better idea of the musical tastes of the time, how sound design and music needed to compete with each other over the polyphony of the sound chip and lots of other fun details about working with audio on the Sega Genesis.
|
||||
|
||||
=> https://youtu.be/Yb3TEywgwMU?t=306 The Making of Streets of Rage 2
|
||||
|
||||
### Crying, Whistling and Shooting
|
||||
|
||||
Here’s a few example works in progress that show some different ways that I’m designing sounds for Shakedown: Hawaii using the Sega Genesis format in DefleMask.
|
||||
|
||||
A quick overview is:
|
||||
|
||||
1 Crying – Shows how we can make a vocal sound just using a single FM channel with some pitch bends
|
||||
2. Whistling – Demonstrates modulating both the pitch and volume envelope with a bit of breath at the start to make a whistling sound
|
||||
3. Shooting – Gives an example of how we can add synthesis layers to sampled sound to add extra frequencies and impact
|
||||
|
||||
### Retro Games
|
||||
|
||||
I started learning how to use trackers seriously in 2008 when starting sound design work on Retro City Rampage.
|
||||
=> http://retrocityrampage.com/ Retro City Rampage
|
||||
I learned the OpenMPT tracker using the Impulse Tracker format with a set of samples meant to replicate the sound of the NES using songs available from the chiptune artist
|
||||
=> https://virt.bandcamp.com/ virt (Jake Kaufmann)
|
||||
I found that I enjoyed making sound effects with the system so much that I wanted to create some songs for the game along with other two composers virt and
|
||||
=> https://mattcreameraudio.bandcamp.com/ Norrin Radd (Matt Creamer)
|
||||
|
||||
In 2015, I started working on the follow up to RCR called
|
||||
=> http://shakedownhawaii.com/ Shakedown Hawaii
|
||||
This game pushes the graphics style into the 16-bit world of the Sega Genesis and similar consoles of the early 1990s, so I decided to work with the Genesis sound as a basis for my sound design. One of the key advantages to working with trackers and games is the file size. Modern audio compression formats work well to 10:1 but trackers allow your audio to many times smaller. RCR on the Nintendo Switch was 24 MBand had over 2 hours of music as well as hundreds of sound effects due to using a tracker format. Getting a smaller download size can be key for mobile, portable and web games.
|
||||
|
||||
### GEMS
|
||||
|
||||
Usually composers would also do the sound effects for classic consoles like the Genesis but they usually didn’t use trackers. The tool most commonly used for audio was GEMS (Genesis Editor for Music and Sound effects) used on over 200 games) (such as Comix Zone, NBA Jam and Shaq-Fu) which allowed composers to hear what their MIDI compositions would sound like on the Genesis using special hardware and would compile their music and sound effects down to a size that would work on the console. Memory was very expensive and the cartridges for the Genesis were usually less than 4 MB for the entire game which often meant around 100 KB for audio for all the note data, patch data and samples. The following video gives a good idea of how music was created using tools like GEMS in the mid-90s:
|
||||
|
||||
One of the more advanced features in GEMS was allowing it to communicate with the game so that you could trigger events in the game from the audio and also change the playback of the audio based on conditions in the game. Some composers were able to use custom sound driversfor their music and since each had different capabilities it changed the overall sound and approach, similar to using different DAWs. Tracker file formats are supported in FMOD Studio, Unity and other game development tools to help reduce the file size. In more complex implementations, trackers can be used to change the playback of the audio in response to the game, similar to the way GEMS did on the
|
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Genesis.
|
||||
|
||||
### Donationware and Open-Source Music
|
||||
|
||||
All the tools used in this tutorial are available for free and although DefleMask is donationware so it’s good to contribute if you find it useful. There’s a great collection of free open-source tracker music
|
||||
that you can have a listen to from The Mod Archive
|
||||
=> https://modarchive.org/ The Mod Archive
|
||||
and you can play it online using
|
||||
=> http://www.stef.be/bassoontracker/?file=demomods%2Fspacedeb.mod Bassoon Tracker
|
||||
|
||||
If you like a song, you can easily find the details to download it and even remix it if you’d like. Without this open culture of sharing I wouldn’t have been able to learn how to make NES sound effects by using virt’s scores and my own path of creating retro sound effects and chiptunes would likely have been very different.
|
||||
|
||||
For the second article in our four-part series, we’ll start digging into making our own unique sounds with DefleMask and get a better idea about what all the numbers scrolling around the screen actually mean.
|
||||
|
||||
(lettuce's note: sadly, the 2, 3 and 4th tutorials mentioned were not found on the website where I sourced this tutorial)
|
||||
|
||||
=> https://designingsound.org/2018/10/22/making-retro-video-game-sounds/ Adapted from Making Retro Video Game Sounds: Introduction to Trackers (1/4) by Leonard J. Paul
|
||||
|
||||
CC BY NC SA 3.0
|
||||
|
||||
=> ./index.gmi Back to tutorials
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../index.gmi Back to hosted files
|
||||
|
||||
=> ../../index.gmi Back to ~lettuce gemlog home
|
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