General Discussion
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- 75 replies
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When asked "How do you feel about the new digital technology?", he responded with "I think it's strength lies in the ability to multi-track. I prefer to not provide a "production" mix on my shows. I preferred to monitor a sum of all mics and then let the transfer man do the dailies mix in the transfer room" This struck me as very odd. There is one person I have worked for that still does this and it has always bewildered me. Was this common back in the day? Do you suppose all tracks were ISO's and there was no "mix" track, and Chris just monitored this way? I cant imagine this takes place much anymore. That is some heavy pressure on the mixers shoulders to let someone…
Last reply by Simon Hayes, -
- 3 replies
- 633 views
I am currently using the Sound Devices 788T recorder along with the CL-8 controller, but I’ve encountered an issue: the CL-8&CL-9 does not seem to connect or communicate with the 788T. I would like to ask what might be causing this problem. Is it possible that the USB port on the 788T is malfunctioning? I’ve tried reconnecting the devices and checking cables, but the issue persists. Any chance this can be user-repaired, or is it a factory-only fix?
Last reply by Philip Perkins, -
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- 6.9k views
Last reply by frisser, -
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- 930 views
Hi All, I was wondering if anyone had any experience of the benefits of holding dual citizenship as a freelancer? I hold both UK and EU citizenship, and am wondering if this would enable me to more easily get international work across Europe as it doesn't require me to have a visa to work in the EU. Thanks, Douglas
Last reply by frisser, -
- 1 follower
- 30 replies
- 11.6k views
Please please please! Refuse to sign box rental agreements for your sound package. It's not a box or kit, it's a package. It's not a drill, tape measure, laptop, or cell phone. I put $1800 worth of wireless gear on talent, and they walk away from me for 6 hours or more. I hand out $300 comteks to people in video village, and do not have them in my possession for 12 hours. Read the box rental form carefully. When you sign the box rental agreement, there's a clause that states that production is not liable for damage to your gear. On a show a long time ago, I submitted an l & d form for a lost comtek, and the studio attached my signed box rental agreem…
Last reply by frisser, -
- 2 replies
- 523 views
Hi all, At the start of summer I worked on some social content for a local company (not a small one) after chasing payment for a few months was notified that the production company responsible went bust. I got in contact with the DP and he said that he had been paid (late), but didn't think that the work had been released. I assume that this isn't the first time that this has gone down in the industry, does anyone have any advice on deal with this situation? I'm based in the UK.
Last reply by frisser, -
- 1 follower
- 85 replies
- 13.8k views
I was on set of a commercial shoot doing run and gun production sound mixing this past week and I hit quite a snarl. As soon as I arrived I was asked if I had slate. There was no mention of bringing slate on our prepro call and this marked my first experience of being expected to have one without previously talking about it. The producer, DP, and AC all looked at me in agreement and said, "sound always brings slate." I felt bad beside I couldn't refute on the spot, but now that I've researched I can't find anything on the subject. I would assume either the AC or whoever is renting gear would bring it. So does anyone here know who brings the slate? New p…
Last reply by The Documentary Sound Guy, -
- 65 replies
- 10.9k views
Hi guys i've been experiencing ringing in my ears ( tinnitus ) for the past couple of months. thought it is temporary and it will go away ... but after 2-3 months i've realized that it's sort of permanent. went to the audiologist and did a full Frequency tests , etc and all looked Clear. doctor said , it must be from listening to headphones for long period of time. the good thing is , when im distracted and busy doing something , i cant hear anything. but when it's quiet , i can say 70% of the time , i can hear that ringing mostly in my right ear. any of you guys having this issue ? any solution or tips to reduce it ? Thanks , and Stay H…
Last reply by The Immoral Mr Teas, -
- 2 followers
- 12 replies
- 3.3k views
So I just caught a job that I would like advice and expertise from the group here. I have been tasked to record a Ford Mustang GTD going through its paces. The sound editor has given me a long list of what he wants recorded, both on board the car and outside of the car. This car generates over 800 horsepower so I'm thinking that it's going to be loud. The editor wants mics on both tailpipes, two mics inside the engine compartment: one to capture the sound of the supercharger, the other to be placed wherever I think would best capture the best sound of the engine overall. My questions are mostly about gain structure and best techniques to isolate mics from …
Last reply by Wandering Ear, -
- 2 followers
- 3 replies
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I'm just curious if there are others out there with the original Solice still using it daily. I can't find a users group and haven't seen any for sale in a long time, either. What say you, hive mind?
Last reply by jawharp, -
- 4 followers
- 12 replies
- 2.1k views
Our crews have given up on iPower Us because of early failure of the newer ones. We still have ones started in 2014 in use, but almost none of the brighter coloured higher rated ones we bought more recently. We thought we had found a reliable winner in the EBL blue ones, but they have been replaced at least on Amazon by red versions same capacity but square so they no longer fit Comtek Pr 216 receivers. I somehow doubt the ratings of some of the newer entries with 1300 mah ratings and question size due to USBc connectors on them, etc. Has anyone come up with a new reliable rechargeable battery that fits Comteks? Beat re…
Last reply by RadoStefanov, -
- 3 followers
- 5 replies
- 3.3k views
I was sent gratis 4 EBL NiMh AA batteries with a rating of 2800 mAh. I charged and discharged the batteries 4 times to "break them in". I then discharged the batteries in my West Mountain Radio battery analyzer. For a change I also used an iPower GC-60 charge and discharge station. I tried the iPower because it charges or discharges 4 batteries at a time. The EBL batteries came in consistently at a tight average of 2400 mAh in both discharge devices. I discharged the batteries at 400 mA in the West Mountain Radio unit. I'm not sure of the iPower discharge rate but all the final numbers were within 1% of each other. Though rated at 2800 mAh, the batteries were …
Last reply by LarryF, -
- 29 replies
- 8.9k views
I went to watch a drag race for cars and motorcycles, and here are some examples: https://youtu.be/C-ZEK9VcmXc?si=oCkZvgpBTOnILo6w https://youtu.be/cJu01ousADA?si=fxrZcn8De7UzyvEX https://youtu.be/Pbm3cpi35pE?si=fZss5liySkDzy3kh The sound there is very loud, and I wondered how to properly record such an event. The SPL is around 98 dBA or maybe even higher. So, my question is, what kind of microphone would you recommend for recording such an event? I was thinking that perhaps a bass drum microphone would be suitable for this purpose? Here are some examples Microphones for Bass Drum: Shure Beta 52A Sennheiser E 602 II AKG D 112 MKII Audix D6 …
Last reply by edward chick, -
- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 2.1k views
Hello colleagues, I’m a production sound mixer and senior boom operator with over two decades of experience in location sound. As my gear setup continues to evolve, I’m currently evaluating the Easyrig Boom Rig as a potential addition to my toolkit. I’m particularly interested in its performance during interior shoots, where boom control and operator fatigue can be critical factors. For those who’ve used it in the field: How does the rig handle in tight or acoustically sensitive environments? Does it offer sufficient isolation from handling noise? How does it affect boom mobility and mic placement precision? …
Last reply by DanieldH, -
- 2 followers
- 2 replies
- 850 views
"Researchers have discovered that playing a sound commonly known as white noise can shorten fermentation—arguably the most important step in brewing beer—by 21 to 31 hours, without markedly changing the flavor. This could help breweries increase beer production without diminishing quality." And I thought white noise was invened just to annoy the heck out of event staff as we eq the ballroom. https://gizmodo.com/white-noise-makes-beer-brew-faster-scientists-claim-2000645382
Last reply by The Immoral Mr Teas, -
- 10 replies
- 5.7k views
Hi all, I’m planning another early morning birdsong recording session – this time near the Kabli Bird Station in Häädemeeste, Kabli. It’s a beautiful spot right by the coast, known for its bird migration studies. I'll be bringing my trusty Sound Devices MixPre-6 II recorder, and fingers crossed the birds will be active and cooperative! The plan is to record from around 3:00 AM to 5:00 AM, just before sunrise. We'll see how it goes! The session is scheduled for the first weekend of May (night of May 3rd into the early hours of May 4th). Here’s a bit more about the location: https://visitestonia.com/en/kabli-bird-centre-1
Last reply by Aprikot, -
- 7 replies
- 3.6k views
I hope to be in the PNW capturing birds and biotones for the rest of my life, and I already have a Schoeps CMIT 5U and the respective rycote blimp/deadcat. I'm a student ecologist and want to document organic sound and then use them for advancing research. I currently have a 744t, though it would be nice to have something smaller (can't afford a mixpre 3 atm). What are your thoughts on a rycote cyclone vs og blimp? I will be using my mic every single day for a study, so, I'm trying to streamline an efficient workflow and maintain a minimal footprint for when I'm in the field. I have a 10L Arc'teryx messenger bag that is waterproof that I'll store my recorder. Any thoughts…
Last reply by Aprikot, -
- 32 replies
- 11.6k views
In general, are all sitcom style shoots, done using a Fisher Boom(s)? I've got a possible sitcom style shoot, and I wondering if I should be looking into a Fisher or cover with wireless and booms? Thanks -Richard
Last reply by mono, -
- 1 follower
- 9 replies
- 3.6k views
Like a state-level CALM act, I guess. From CalMatters, a good nonprofit and nonpartisan news org in California. So written for a general audience, but with links to the bill, stuff about MPA's response, etc. ===== Sick of loud ads on Netflix? A proposed California law would turn down the volume BY RYAN SABALOW JULY 11, 2025 IN SUMMARY After his staffer’s baby was woken up by a loud ad on a streaming service, a California senator took action to force streamers to turn down the volume on commercials. The entertainment industry is fighting it. --- Ever been streaming a show or a movie and been jolted out of y…
Last reply by The Documentary Sound Guy, -
- 0 replies
- 658 views
I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but I keep having trouble loading VideoMantis. I get a timeout error. Is anyone else running into the same issue?
Last reply by Soundboiii, -
- 9 replies
- 3.5k views
Hi, I self-record classical chamber music videos with 2 cameras with time-of-day timecode, RME gear (prob switching to Sonosax/Merging) feeding into Reaper. My post workflow takes me forever and makes me hate my life. Can anyone help me improve? What I do is: 1. In Reaper, divide audio into takes, renaming clips T1, T2, .... Mix, including very detailed fader automation. 2. In Resolve, make a long timeline with all video takes. Sync each audio take with video using timecode + waveform sync. 3. In Resolve, divide that long timeline into single-take multicam sequences (set in/out points, create compound clip, convert to multicam sequence). …
Last reply by The Documentary Sound Guy, -
- 3 replies
- 1.3k views
I have a project coming up where we will be shooting a really long dialogue sequence inside a cottage during night time. Unfortunately it has an old style rusty tin roof. In terms of dealing with this and potentially problems it will cause, my thought is: - Use WD40 on as many areas of the roof as possible. - Line the exterior of the roof with high density foam and ontop of that moving blankets (to absorb wind and minor rain or droplets). Is there anything else to help treat it, that I'm not thinking of?
Last reply by Tobi A, -
- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 986 views
I saw a picture some time ago of some BBC radio engineers in the 1950’s; they were all wearing a kind of grey (or, of course, grey in the B&W image) lab coat suit with ties. Does anyone know if this type of suit had a particular name? It’s what you see any sort of technicians/engineering shop workers of the era wearing when one was expected to wear a suit and tie but one needed to be able to operate a lathe or safely get into a crawl space to replace a bunch of burnt out vacuum tubes.
Last reply by The Immoral Mr Teas, -
- 5 replies
- 2.3k views
Just curious how you guys are dealing with the crazy reflections coming off a led wall. Is it just handled in post?
Last reply by Bouke, -
- 1 reply
- 1.3k views
A nice story: ‘Birds Are My Eyesight’ For some blind birders, avian soundscapes are a way to map the world around them. Increasing noise pollution is imperiling that navigation. ----- On an average morning, Susan Glass can sit on the patio at her condominium complex in Saratoga, Calif., and identify as many as 15 different bird species by ear: a steller’s jay, an acorn woodpecker, an oak titmouse. For her, birding is more than a hobby. “Birds are my eyesight,” said Ms. Glass, a poet and a professor of English at West Valley Community College who has been blind since birth. “When I check into a hotel in Pittsburgh, I might reme…
Last reply by Goonie,
