Jump to content

Sounds of a car?


Gene Martin

Recommended Posts

Actually,  you don't need to use a sound proof stage at all. When recording cars, there are two methods that I have done.

First: The axle dyno.

Axle dyno's connect to the drive axel of the car. This is preffered over a drum dyno, as drum dyno's make excess noise. Axel dyno's work by taking off the wheels, and connecting the machine to the drive axel. They are computer controlled. I have done this at an auto tuning place, and we put the front of the car in the garage, with the tail of the car sticking outside so we don't get slammed with fumes. If the car has a turbo charger on it, you'll want to mic that. A mic at the firewall is also nice. You will need to do some engine revs and get your head in the engine compartment to find the sweet spots. You can record with the hood up. For the tail pipe (let's just go with a single exhaust), I usually put a 57 and 421 right on the pipe...well, pointed at it about 2 to 3 inches away, but off to the side. Some suped up cars will spit fire out the pipe, and fry your mic. I'll also use a variety of different mics anywhere from 3 to 15 feet from the back of the car. Positioning will depend on how the car sounds.

Note: it is important that you use a dyno for stand still recordings because dyno's put a load on the car, making it perform in such a way that it would if it were on the road. If you just hoise it up and run it without a load on it, it won't behave normally, and therefore won't sound like it should.

Second: Driving

This is the easiest and cheapest way to get car sounds. I usually use a lav on the air intake, a lav on the firewall, a lav taped to the back bumper right above the tail pipe, and then a 421 or 57 on a magic arm positioned just off the pipe, but pointing right at it. Make sure you have good wind protection for everything. I usually wrap the lavs in foam, and zip tie them down where I  need them to go.

The thing to remember is that the type of car you are recording will dictate which mics to use. Also, some cars are so loud that you can almost get away with putting the mic anywhere near it and get good sound.

-Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...