Daniel Dehaan

Week-10

Overview

This week covers recording techniques for capturing original audio—whether field recording, Foley, or studio recording. We’ll discuss equipment, technique, processing recorded material, and creating variations. These skills allow you to build custom sound libraries and capture unique audio for your projects.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will be able to:

  • Apply basic recording techniques for sound effect capture
  • Process recorded sounds using EQ, compression, and creative effects
  • Create multiple variations from a single source recording
  • Build organized personal sound libraries

Topics Covered

Recording Fundamentals

Equipment Basics

  • Microphone types (dynamic, condenser, ribbon)
  • Portable recorders (Zoom, Tascam, Sound Devices)
  • Smartphones as recording tools
  • Microphone placement principles

Gain Staging

  • Setting appropriate input levels
  • Avoiding clipping (-12dB to -6dB peaks typical)
  • Headroom for unexpected peaks
  • Monitoring while recording

Recording Environment

  • Room acoustics and noise
  • Wind and handling noise outdoors
  • When room tone matters
  • Capturing clean source vs. character

Field Recording

Planning a Recording Session

  • Location scouting
  • Time of day considerations
  • Equipment checklist
  • Safety and permissions

Capture Techniques

  • Get multiple takes/variations
  • Slate your recordings verbally
  • Record room tone/ambience
  • Document what you’re recording

Common Challenges

  • Wind noise (use windscreen, find shelter)
  • Traffic and background noise
  • Handling noise
  • Battery and storage management

Foley and Studio Recording

Foley Basics

  • Recording sounds to match picture
  • Prop selection and creativity
  • Performance technique
  • Sync considerations

Studio Recording Tips

  • Microphone selection for source
  • Distance and angle experimentation
  • Multiple perspectives (close, room)
  • Capturing natural variations

Processing Techniques

Cleanup and Restoration

  • Noise reduction (use sparingly)
  • Click and pop removal
  • Hum and buzz removal
  • Trimming and fading

Enhancement

  • EQ for clarity and character
  • Compression for consistency
  • Saturation for warmth
  • Transient shaping

Creative Processing

  • Time-stretching and pitch-shifting
  • Reverb for space
  • Layering multiple recordings
  • Sound design from recordings

Creating Variations

Why Variations Matter

  • Avoid repetition fatigue
  • Natural sound requires variety
  • Multiple takes enable round-robin
  • Different processing chains

Variation Techniques

  • Pitch shifting (+/- semitones)
  • Time stretching
  • Different EQ/processing
  • Reversing
  • Layering different takes

Building a Sound Library

Organization

  • Folder structure by category
  • Consistent naming conventions
  • Metadata and keywords
  • Documentation

Example Structure

SoundLibrary/
├── Footsteps/
│   ├── Concrete/
│   ├── Grass/
│   └── Wood/
├── Impacts/
│   ├── Metal/
│   └── Wood/
├── Ambiences/
└── Foley/

Naming Convention

Category_Surface_Action_Variation.wav
Footstep_Concrete_Walk_01.wav
Footstep_Concrete_Walk_02.wav

Resources

⚠️ Additional Resources Needed

Add links to field recording tutorial videos.

In-Class Activity

Recording and Processing Workshop

Part 1: Recording Session (35 min)

Using portable recorders or smartphones:

  1. Choose your category

    • Footsteps (different surfaces in building)
    • Object interactions (doors, drawers, switches)
    • Impacts (drops, hits, taps)
    • Ambiences (room tone, outdoor)

  2. Recording checklist

    • Set levels (-12dB peaks)
    • Record at least 5 different takes/variations
    • Vary performance (speed, intensity)
    • Capture room tone (30 seconds minimum)
    • Slate recordings verbally

  3. Document

    • Note location, equipment, settings
    • Note which takes were best
    • Record metadata for library

Part 2: Import and Organize (10 min)

  1. Transfer recordings to computer
  2. Import into DAW
  3. Name clips appropriately
  4. Organize in folders by type

Part 3: Processing (25 min)

Process your recordings:

  1. Cleanup

    • Trim to usable portion
    • Add fade in/out if needed
    • Apply noise reduction if necessary (light touch)

  2. Enhancement

    • EQ to clarify/enhance
    • Compression if dynamics are too wide
    • Consider saturation for character

  3. Create variations (at least 3 from one source)

    • Pitch shift version (+2 semitones)
    • Pitch shift version (-2 semitones)
    • Different processing chain (more aggressive)
    • Time-stretched version (if appropriate)

Part 4: Export and Organize (15 min)

  1. Export all processed sounds

    • 48kHz/24-bit WAV
    • Proper naming: Category_Surface_Action_01.wav

  2. Organize into library structure

    MyLibrary/
└── Footsteps/
    └── Concrete/
        ├── Footstep_Concrete_Walk_01.wav
        ├── Footstep_Concrete_Walk_02.wav
        └── Footstep_Concrete_Walk_03.wav

  3. Quality check

    • Listen to each exported file
    • Verify levels are appropriate
    • Check for clicks at start/end

Part 5: Library Documentation (5 min)

Create a simple README for your library:

  • Categories included
  • Recording equipment used
  • Date and location
  • Suggested uses

Deliverable: Personal sound library folder with at least 6 processed sounds (including variations), properly organized and named.

Discussion: What sounds would be valuable to add to your library? How might you use recorded sounds in combination with synthesis?