This week, an e-mail from Jim Weishorn regarding a video on Adobe TV that features some spectral view/Photoshop trickery,
and then it’s on to a look at (and a listen  to) the mastering plugin.

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This week, a couple of listener e-mails answered.
For those wanting to hack into their registry for import/export of keyboard shortcuts, the address you’re looking for is:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Audition\3.0\Prefs\Keys\en_US\

For anyone wanting to learn more about Mastering, Brad Blackwood’s forum is here.

Then, a quick look at the Quick Filter.

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In the last 2 weeks, I’ve recorded several interviews at 2 different trade shows. Those interviews have ended up in episodes of both Shutters Inc and Sine Lanugage.
In the wake of this, I’ve had a couple of enquiries from listeners as to my technique for recording interviews on flash-based field recorders like the Zoom H2.
These listeners have commented that they never seem to achieve the same level of results as I have managed, and have asked for some insights.
So, I shall endeavour to outline the pitfalls as I understand them.

First off, tempting though it may be, do not record to mp3!
Remember, mp3 is a lossy format, and we don’t ever want to save production audio (clips which still need further work before release) in a lossy format.
And for that matter, don’t record at 16 bit wav either.
No, your preferred option is to record 24 bit wav.
Yes, it will chew up your memory cards quicker, but memory cards are really not that expensive these days, so carrying a couple of extras shouldn’t represent too much of a burden, either physically or financially.
If your recorder of choice does not offer 24 bit wav, then fall back to recording 16 bit wav instead.

Secondly, your recorder SHOULD offer a choice of microphone gain sensitivities.
The Zoom H2 offers low, medium and high.
Low will turn the sensitivity down (useful for really loud sources), medium is what it sounds like, and high turns the sensitivity up (for really quiet sound sources).
I have found that the medium setting usually works well for these trade show interviews, but obviously, judge each on a case by case basis.
Remember, we are recording at 24 bit, so we don’t NEED to peg the meters at zero!
Peaks of -20dB to -12dB are just fine!

Third, if your recorder of choice has a headphone output (I don’t imagine there’d be any which do not, but you never know), then absolutely have some form of monitoring with you when you are recording.
This may be a set of lightweight street headphones, or even a decent set of earbuds.
Me? I use my trusty old Sennheiser CX300′s, with just one earbud stuck in one ear.
The reason for that is that through that ear, I can hear what the microphone is picking up, and through my other ear, I’m hearing the world around me.

Now, because you are monitoring (via your earbud) what the microphone of the recorder is hearing, you are able to move the recorder around as necessary througout the interview to make sure the talent stays ‘on mic’.
Now, you might be thinking that people aren’t going to like having a flash recorder stuck in (and moving around in front of) their face.
I would contend that if they have agreed to do an interview, then they are probably going to be ok with it.
My technique is to hold the recorder at chest height between myself and the talent.
That way, you SHOULDN’T get any plosives (pops), but the mic should be able to hear the talent fairly well, while keeping the ambient noise reasonably under control.
If you talent is a very soft speaker, then you may have to move the recorder closer toward them, and that may feel a little uncomfortable at first.
If the talent keeps backing away from the mic, stop the interview, explain to them that you NEED the mic that close in order to hear what they are saying without being drowned by background noise, then recommence the interview.
Thing is, MOST of the time, the person you’ll be interviewing is from the marketing department or the sales team and they generally don’t speak that quietly!!

OK, so now you’re back at your desktop (or in your hotel room working on your laptop) and ready to edit and mix.
Drag the files into your DAW of choice.
DO NOT go and normalise the waveforms!
Remember, they’re 24 bit files, so it’s all good.
In your multitrack (which is also mixing at 24 bits or higher, right? RIGHT??), lay up your interviews where you want them.
Adjust the gain so you’ve got peaks around -20dBFS to -15dBFS off each channel. At this point, you should have NO processing on your master output.
Put in some per channel automation to keep each interview roughly in the bacllpark in terms of output level. You don’t have to get too finicky with it, just ‘in the ballpark’ will be good enough at this stage.
Now, if your final audio piece is going to feature other pieces of audio as well, I’d suggest setting up a submix (buss) for just the interviews to go through.
Then, slap a peak limiter across that buss with an output level set for -15dBFS, and the threshold set so that you’re getting about 4-6dB of gain reduction on that peak limiter.
Then, AFTER the peak limiter, put a compressor with a moderate attack (~20-30ms), moderate release (~100-150ms), a medium ratio (3:1-5:1) and again, enough threshold to give you another 3-6dB of gain reduction.
Your interview submix should now be exhibiting tightly controlled dynmaics, but not sounding squashed.
Go ahead and mix it in with all your other audio bits so that everything sounds roughly equal in apparent volume.
Slap a peak limiter across your master output, and you should be cookin’ with gas!
Have fun!

In ep 127, we start (one more time!) working our way through the effects menus of Audition 3, starting with the ‘Amplitude and Compression’ submenu items.

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This week, a bunch of listener e-mails to answer.
First up, we heard from Bomar in France. After editing and mixing this episode, it occurred to me that this really should have been in Sine Language rather than BTP… oh well, sue me!
Bomar mentioned (among other things), a microphone which is alledgedly capable of picking up the sound of an ant’s footsteps.
Unfortunately, the site doesn’t appear to have any audio samples of this awesome feat.
Mmmmmm, sorry Bomar, but please forgive my scepticism!
Bomar went on to talk about field recorders, which led to a discussion on ‘auto gain control’ circuits (and why I don’t like them).

Next up, I received an e-mail from Ken at Bear Creek Studios who alerted me to a piece of software called Mediasweeper.
This looks really nifty, although I do need to spend some more time with it.
What it is designed to do is to look at your Audition .ses files and show you a list of which assets (read: wav files, mp3′s, avi’s, whatever) are referenced by the session file, and then allow you to either move all those files, or delete any wavs in the project folder which are NOT referenced by the session file!
If it does as promised, this will be a God-send!
Unfortunately, there’s no help file with it.
When I’ve spent some more time with it, I’ll report back.

Then, Wayne Montle wrote to tell me about Pamela, a piece of software which sits in between Skype and your DAW of choice.
What it does is allow you to split your outgoing audio (your voice) and your incoming audio (the person you’re talking to) into a left/right stereo signal so that you can later edit your Skype call with split tracks.
For those with soundcards which don’t offer that flexibility natively, this could be a huge blessing.
Thanks for the tip, Wayne.

Finally, I received an e-mail from Patrique Osborne who was concerned that I was advocating the growing of marijuana in episode 124!
I had a good laugh at this.

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This week, a discussion on handling noise within your home, prompted by a discussion I had with Luke Stapely on Facebook.

Dynamics processor, with no ratio of compression or expansion. Click image to see full view.

Dynamics processor with text box for finite input and output value entry. Click image to see full view.

Here, all values above -30dBFS will pass through the dynamics processor unhindered. All input values between -30dBFS and -50dBFS will be attenuated according to the steeper slope of the blue line. All input values below -50dBFS will be attenuated as well, but not as radically as those values ABOVE -50dBFS. Click image to see full view.

Here, all input values above -60dBFS will pass through the dynamics processor unhindered. All input values below -60dBFS will be completely silenced. Click image to see full view.

Grab the Antress Modern Expander dll here. (1.2MB)

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At last!
Just when you thought it was never gonna get here… the big one ton is here!

*** EDIT ***

To download the movie, go to
“BTP100 downloads“.

*** END EDIT ***

So, what’s in store for episode 100?
A promo remix in real time, for Rem Lavictoire.

Yeah yeah yeah, but what about the damned prizes, man? That’s all we’re here for!

Oh yeah, right…. ok.

Well, Peter Baker at Beatbox Music

has been kind enough to donate a copy of the Podcasting Production Toolkit CD.
This is a CD of royalty free music AND sound effects that you can use for polishing up your podcast!

While I will confess to not having heard the CD yet, I have dealt with Peter professionally for over 20 years, and he has always represented some of the finest music production companies around… and I have no reason to suspect that this won’t be an AWESOME collection of sounds to have at your disposal.

And to keep the CD theme going, I have 3 more copies of the Adobe Audition 2.0 Essential Training Guide from Lynda.com to give away as 2nd, 3rd and 4th prizes.

OK, so what do you have to do to win one of these great prizes?

Well, this is where you’re gonna hate me. I’m not going to tell you… just yet.
In order to make this fair, I’m going to hold off posting the details of the competition for 72 hours.
The reason for that is, it will give those on slower internet connections a chance to be involved too.
So, at around midday GMT on Wednesday (25th July 2007), I’ll post the details right here.

Nasty, aren’t I?

In the meantime, enjoy the video!

In episode 98, huge thanks go out to Jim Weishorn and Rem Lavictoire for their efforts with category tags!

Q+A 0:40
Mike Wills had a couple of questions. One about the tube modelled compressor, and another about the automation in AA 2.0.

KBSCOTW 5:06
Alt+left arrow – nudge left
Alt+right arrow – nudge right

WITE 6:12
Amplitude/pan expand (process)

-

INTERFACE 16:35
Frequency analysis window

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Well, I’m slowly getting those catgeory links in place. HUGE thanks go out to Michael who has (so far) been through 10 episodes of BTP and given me the key topics. If any one else has got some time to donate to listening back to some old episodes, that would be greatly appreciated.

This week, I take a close look at Mike Wills’ podcast Mikeshotdish, and the way it’s mixed. Specifically, how to mix your voice over track with a high energy music track and not lose the vibe by having to pull the music down radically when the voice over starts.

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In episode 69, what else? Soundbooth.
And since recording this, I have confirmed that no, there are no multitrack capabilities in Soundbooth.
The Adobe Labs RSS feed.
And a discussion on the multiband compressor in AA2.0.

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In episode 47, Bruce talks about iZotope’s Ozone, and how you can achieve similar results using Audition on its own. Also, the keyboard shortcut of the week… Audition’s 5 clipboards.

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In episode 46, Bruce delves into the multiband compressor that shipped in Audition v2.0. Also, the keyboard shortcut of the week, plus a reminder that Bruce is off to Vanuatu for a week to help out at Radio Tanna.

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In episode 40, Bruce talks a bit more about radio imaging production techniques.

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In episode 14, Bruce discusses gating and expansion.

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In episode 13, Bruce explains hard limiting.

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