We have been looking at audio techniques and how audio is used in movies, tv shows, stages etc. I have looked at different microphones and how they work and how they are used in filming.
History of audio
Thomas Edison came out with the invention of the phonograph, which was a machine that recored and played anything that it “heard”. The first person to record sound was Edourard-Leon Scott De Martinville, who was a French inventor who in 1857 planned his phonautograph which was a machine that inscribed the vibrations of airborne sounds onto a long lasting medium.
Edison’s phonograph was also astonishing. Not only did it record sounds, it allowed them to be reproduced at will. This was so surprising that the phonograph especially established Edison’s international status as a noticeable inventor. Edison’s phonograph is commonly remembered by historians as a victory of 19th century modernism. But until recently Scott’s phonautograph was nearly forgotten. The modern rediscovery of Scott’s recordings in French records, and their playback by American researchers, resolutely establish Scott’s role in the history of sound recording.
Who Invented Sound Reproduction?
Sound recording was individually regarded in France and the United States. Parisian Charles Cros wrote down a proposal to play back the sounds stored in Scott’s recordings jweeks before Edison first voiced his idea for the phonograph. Nevertheless, unlike Scott and Edison, Cros never made a machine to demonstrate his concept, nor did others who tried. Cros’s idea was an anticipated development and not an understood machine. Still, Cros is acknowledged for conceiving of sound reproduction before Edison.
Orange, M.A. 211 M.S.W., response, N. 07052 P. 973-736-0550 x11 A. part of our C.-1., call, phones are monitored as staff are available with messages being checked daily I. a ranger is unavailable to take your, Information, W.K.A.T.Y.L.U. a D.M. with R.C. and Us, we will be happy to get back to you as soon as possible T. you C. (n.d.). Origins of Sound Recording: The Inventors – Thomas Edison National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service). [online] http://www.nps.gov. Available at: https://www.nps.gov/edis/learn/historyculture/origins-of-sound-recording-the-inventors.htm.
Boom microphone
The boom microphone is a classic microphone that is used with filming to capture the sound without it appearing within the shot, it is placed above the head and can capture sound all around the person you want to hear.
History of the boom mic
The first observed use of a boom mic was on the set of “Beggars of Life” in 1928, when director William A. Wellman wanted a tracking shot of two actors walking down a street but the sound man refused and told the director that the actors had to stay still and the microphone needed to be hidden in a flowery vase. Wellman thought that idea was crazy and then instructed the sound man to put the microphone on a broom handle and walk beside the actors just outside of the frame.
Wikipedia. (2021). Boom operator (media). [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boom_operator_(media) [Accessed 13 Feb. 2021].
Tascams
Tascams microphones are smaller and more portable microphones that can be very useful for traveling, podcasts, interviews, and more. There are many different versions of tascam mics that you can purchase and they can work just as good as any microphone. The tascam mics are better used up close rather than far away to get that perfect crisp audio.
History of TASCAMS
Tascam started out as a research and development group to look into how to use TEAC’s recording technology in musician and recording studio products. The group was called TASC which stands for Taec Audio Systems Corp and the creators included Mr. K. Tani and Dr. Abe. In 1971 TASCAM was established to supply TASC products in the US.
Wikipedia. (2021). TASCAM. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TASCAM#History [Accessed 13 Feb. 2021].
Lav mics
Lavalier microphones are designed to be clipped onto the clothing of the person speaking and connect to a transmitter pack that is usually clipped onto the belt of the subject. These microphones are perfect for getting that sound up close, and are often worn for interviews or stage productions. They can be super handy as you can move freely with this microphone since there is no wire attached, and also can easily be hidden so that whatever it is you are shooting, it will look clean.
History of the Lav mics
Lapel microphones date from 1932 and numerous models were made, including ones with condenser diaphragms, ribbons, moving coils and carbon buttons. The term indicated to any small microphone that could be hooked into the buttonhole of the lapel of a coat so that if proposed freedom of movement. The term “Lavalier” firstly signified to jewellery in the form of a pendant worn around the neck and the use of the name originated from the 1930’s. In the 1950’s, some microphone models were designed to be hung on a string around the neck and in 1953, Electro-Voice presented the model 647A which was a small omnidirectional dynamic microphone, fitted with a cord to go around the neck.
Wikipedia. (2020). Lavalier microphone. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavalier_microphone [Accessed 13 Feb. 2021].
RØDE Microphones. (2019). A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Wireless Microphone Systems. [online] Available at: https://www.rode.com/blog/all/Guide-to-Digital-Wireless-Microphone-Systems.
Shotgun mics
Shotgun mics are perfect for capturing sound from a distance without hearing too much of its surroundings. They fall into a category called “high-directionality microphones.” They are highly sensitive microphones with low self noise, they can be really good when filming from a distance to capture the sound of only that subject.
History of shotgun mics
In the late 1930’s, RCA which is an electronical connector frequently used to carry audio and video signals, developed a system using a long pack of narrow tubes fixed in front of a diaphragm. On-axis sounds passed through unaffected, but off-axis sounds jumped around and were essentially cancelled. This technique was cultivated over many years and resulted in the shotgun microphone.
Lossenderosstudio.com. (2010). The History of the Microphone. [online] Available at: https://lossenderosstudio.com/article.php?subject=14.
http://www.shure.com. (n.d.). Choosing a Shotgun Microphone: The Long and Short of It. [online] Available at: https://www.shure.com/en-US/performance-production/louder/choosing-a-shotgun-microphone-the-long-and-short-of-it [Accessed 1 Jan. 2021].
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