Newbie Questions (1 Viewer)

[LaughingFalcon]

Hi all,

I just got my zoom H4n and AT8015 yesterday and took it straight into the field. Wind was about 8 mph and birds were not all that active. I don't have a clue what i'm doing so if you'll endulge me, I will probably have 1000's of questions over the next year.

For now,

When I slide my gain to max, it's still only getting up to about -0.5. This may be a good thing to keep my ears from bleeding from all the wind. But is this right? Shouldn't I be able to increase gain to around -0.25 or -0.12?

My other question is probably just stupid. I'm recording on stereo mode (as opposed to 4 track and multitrake) with only the one mic. Is there anyway to monitor through the headphones on both sides? My head starts to feel lopsided with all the sound in the left ear and none in the right?

Thanks!
-rk

 

[fmhill]

Hi all,

I just got my zoom H4n and AT8015 yesterday and took it straight into the field. Wind was about 8 mph and birds were not all that active. I don't have a clue what i'm doing so if you'll endulge me, I will probably have 1000's of questions over the next year.

For now,

When I slide my gain to max, it's still only getting up to about -0.5. This may be a good thing to keep my ears from bleeding from all the wind. But is this right? Shouldn't I be able to increase gain to around -0.25 or -0.12?

My other question is probably just stupid. I'm recording on stereo mode (as opposed to 4 track and multitrake) with only the one mic. Is there anyway to monitor through the headphones on both sides? My head starts to feel lopsided with all the sound in the left ear and none in the right?

Thanks!
-rk

Answer to second question first: Many of the recorders have a menu option that allows you to switch to mono mode on the left channel putting the output of a single microphone into both channels so you hear it in both ears when using headphones and during playback. I got rid of my H4n a year ago so don't remember for sure whether it allows for mono or not but I think it does. Check your settings menu for mono operation.

For recorders that do not have a mono mode as described above, a microphone cable that puts the output of a single microphone into both channel inputs (mic inputs) solves this problem. Hosa Technologies makes such a mic cable that I have used very successfully.

As to your first question, AT microphones are not known for having a high output, you would do better with a Sennheiser MKH416 or ME66/k6 or ME67/K6 microphone that has about twice as much output if you need more than what the AT8015 gives you. However getting the mic output into both channels will make an improvement in level as you hear it when recording. Possibly a good external mic preamp will help as well. I often use Sound Devices mic preamps between microphone and the recorder when I need maximum sensitivity.

Hope this helps.

 

[ermine]

Sounds a bit odd, I'd have thought in 8mph wind you'd be able to get things up to full scale no problems

Do you have the recorder on the high gain setting (can't remember if the H4N had a low and high gain setting so this may not apply).

Do you have the limiter engaged, its job is to stop the recording going over the top?

 

[LaughingFalcon]

Thanks guys, very helpful. I have the mono mode and that has helped a lot. I can't find a high gain setting. I do have a compressor/limiter mode, but it was not turned on.

I was thinking the mic may be part of the problem and was thinking about the ME67/K6. I went to the local music store and one of the guys really likes the MKH416 (which is certainly out of my budget) but he also recommended the Rode NTG-3 as a less expensive alternative. I have not eliminated that, but the ME67/K6 is much closer to my original budget. Unfortunately, they can order these but do not stock shotgun mics.

Thanks again!
-rk

 

[fmhill]

Thanks guys, very helpful. I have the mono mode and that has helped a lot. I can't find a high gain setting. I do have a compressor/limiter mode, but it was not turned on.

I was thinking the mic may be part of the problem and was thinking about the ME67/K6. I went to the local music store and one of the guys really likes the MKH416 (which is certainly out of my budget) but he also recommended the Rode NTG-3 as a less expensive alternative. I have not eliminated that, but the ME67/K6 is much closer to my original budget. Unfortunately, they can order these but do not stock shotgun mics.

Thanks again!
-rk

I have the ME66/K6 and the ME67/K6 and the R0DE NTG3, and I prefer the ME66/K6 over the NTG-3... The ME67/K6 is slightly more directional and can be a bit trickier to use because of its pattern as compared to the other two. I would say the ME66/K6 is the most popular of these three from all the folks I have heard from that use these mics, and the ME66/K6 certainly is my favorite.

 

[LaughingFalcon]

I would say the ME66/K6 is the most popular of these three from all the folks I have heard from that use these mics, and the ME66/K6 certainly is my favorite.

Thanks!!! That makes it easy on me. I'm ordering it next month.

-rk

 

[LaughingFalcon]

I recieved my ME66/K6 yesterday and plugged it in. OMG! what a difference it makes. I can hear my heart beat, my every step. It still does not seem like the gain gets close to maxing out, it also seems like there is a lot more noise in my recordings. However I just made a few recordings from the back porch and the ambient sound is high, so it may be the location. I need to check this.

I have another question. When I load my recordings into Audacity, those made with the AT or the ME66, the line is almost flat. Like there is hardly any sound there at all. I have no problem normalizing the recording. But I was just wondering if everybody had to do this to get sound out of their recordings?

Thanks!
-Ronnie

 

[fmhill]

I recieved my ME66/K6 yesterday and plugged it in. OMG! what a difference it makes. I can hear my heart beat, my every step. It still does not seem like the gain gets close to maxing out, it also seems like there is a lot more noise in my recordings. However I just made a few recordings from the back porch and the ambient sound is high, so it may be the location. I need to check this.

I have another question. When I load my recordings into Audacity, those made with the AT or the ME66, the line is almost flat. Like there is hardly any sound there at all. I have no problem normalizing the recording. But I was just wondering if everybody had to do this to get sound out of their recordings?

Thanks!
-Ronnie

Audacity is a complex editor, there are many settings that control how it displays data (sound) so I don't think there is a simple answer to this question. Audacity also varies in its configuration depending on version and computer operating system you are using which further complicates on the configuration.

My recommendation is to make recordings based on the level meters of your recorder, this is the crucial record level setting control, and then make amplitude adjustments in Audacity as needed to get the display and levels as you want or expect them.

I'd be careful of using the "normalize" function with multi-track recordings, you will find it may alter levels in different tracks in a manor detrimental to reproducing the sound as it actually was when recorded. With mono recordings using two tracks, this is not an issue, however when making stereo recordings, I would recommend using the "Amplify" function to avoid creating false level shifts where one track may have a naturally lower level due to sound source position relative to the microphones.

 

[LaughingFalcon]

Thanks, that helps a lot!