The Mic Thing or...things that make you go "shhh"

[ernstinen]

I've built 3 soundproof booths over the years, and learn something new every time. The first two used "staggered studs" which have 2x6s as the frame of the walls. 2x4s are the interior studs, and you weave sound deadening material around them, then screw on sound deadening board and sheetrock on the outside/inside walls.On my current booth, I decided to use just 2x4s all around, and have double glass (one pane angled a bit) for a small window into the control room. I found some used foam for the interior walls, and hung a solid core door. It works well, except for extremely low frequency sounds coming from outside (jets, garbage trucks etc.). If I'm doing a very sensitve recording using mics like for vocals or acoustic guitars, I may have to stop recording until the engine sounds pass. But for close-miking guitar amps, it doesn't matter much --- kinda adds to sound in a good way! Rock & Roll, ya know --- Oh, by "staggered studs" I don't mean guys like John Daly. Ha!Ern

[davekershaw]

Apr 17, 2008, 8:27am, ernstinen wrote:It works well, except for extremely low frequency sounds coming from outside (jets, garbage trucks etc.). If I'm doing a very sensitve recording using mics like for vocals or acoustic guitars, I may have to stop recording until the engine sounds pass. Ha! I know how you feel Ern. I did what I thought was a decent take the other day. Got right to the very last note, then, right after I struck the string: Beep! Beep! A car went past.

[jonathanm]

Apr 17, 2008, 8:48am, davekershaw wrote:Beep! Beep! A car went past.Oh, man, I get the same thing, except with dogs barking. I'm gonna try something next time, though (and, before you laugh, I'm seriously going to try it ):I'm going to set a mic just outside my back door (where the neighbor's dog is barking) and record the dog as a separate track. Maybe, just maybe, I'll be able, then, to invert the phase, attenuate the signal and offset it just a bit to cancel the barking in the vocal track. It's just a crazy thought, but I'm gonna give it a go.Wow, that really sounds goofy now that I wrote it out. Aw heck, I'll give it a shot anyway!

[linziellen]

Hi,I thought I might ask this here. I've been singing/harmonizing with a male vocalist in our band for the last couple of weeks. I think we sound OK but the problem is my voice actually seems deeper, possibly even more powerful than his so it sort of throws me every time, but doesn't seem to raise an eyebrow from the others. Could this just be a question time and ear training or do I need turning down!? I've no idea of what microphones we are using I'm pretty good at using my voice properly so I'm sure I'm not shouting! Thanks, LindseyPS - Geoff next week I'm taking the cat!

[davekershaw]

Apr 18, 2008, 6:46am, silvercord wrote:why the heck not the Bose airplane hum/rumble inlaw-ex girlfriend-bill collector-boss-crack fiend neighbor-barking rabid dog-ghetto bass in the truck-honking horn-sound of cat throwing up a hair ball- remover headphones!:)Order me a pair too please!!

[linziellen]

Lol I joined a choir here in France, I was an alti, found it very difficult to keep within that range. It was so funny trying to learn the lyrics, we're talking old French folk songs and during concerts I would mime so much. There was even a young French girl that struggled with her lines and if I looked at her during song I was sure to laugh!Anyway, I'm going off on one Yep, I joined a band a few weeks ago. We get together on Tuesday evenings. They have been together for years but the lead singer wants to take a back seat and concentrate on bass. Guess that's where I come in! They don't sing anything original as far as I'm aware but I've told them I write a little. At the moment I'm singing the likes of Tracy Chapman, Amy Macdonald and Texas. It's cool just have to get over the shock of actually joining a band and being heard by anyone other than the post lady and next door neighbours dog It's a group of five men so kind of difficult to get feedback from them but they appear to like my voice ...heard it from their wives/g-friends!Thanks for asking, I'll see how I get on with the mic this time round and if it still bothers me I'll mention it to them. I'm finding my feet and it's a bit nerve wrecking but I think I'm going to be OK!Your mic looks like something out of space

[ernstinen]

Apr 18, 2008, 6:46am, silvercord wrote:why the heck not the Bose airplane hum/rumble inlaw-ex girlfriend-bill collector-boss-crack fiend neighbor-barking rabid dog-ghetto bass in the truck-honking horn-sound of cat throwing up a hair ball- remover headphones!:)Hey! I've got a pair of the closed-ear Bose phones. They DO work to filter out low frequency sounds especially, like airplane rumble or crack-fiend neighbors who yell obscenities and pound on the wall at all hours of the day or night. Great technology! They're a little bass-heavy, but sound pretty good with a cheap portable CD player.When my friendly crack-fiend cranks up his assault, I just put on my Bose phones and crank up AC-DC, Nirvana, or some death-metal like Morbid Angel. Works like a charm! Ern

[jchitty]

Apr 20, 2008, 7:10am, ibanez468 wrote:That's all. It's gettin' warmer, and I keep fallin' asleep at the 'puter. Now that's unusual. I never fall asleep at the 'puter. Guess I gotta' open a window down here, and let some fresh air in. Yeah, we've all been waitin' for some warmer weather. It's here, and it's easy ta' get distracted, and wanna' go outside. Speakin' of which, lemme' see what's happenin' out here. C'ya!I-468 Yep, I-468, I was supposed to finish a song yesterday, and I went outside...it was hard to come back in! The pollen count is getting to me though. My eyelids have been glued together lately!

[ernstinen]

Apr 20, 2008, 7:27am, silvercord wrote:Ern, dude..on the right track but man....you NEED to put on those Bose headphones and crank upthe Barney theme on another system(on repeat of course)sit back, enjoy the silence, and watch him SQUIRM!muhahah!Ha! I like the Barney theme idea. I think what would be better/worse is a "Laughter" CD that I have. The one that Mr. Wacko would absolutely love/hate is a room full of women cracking up, hooting and hollering. I took two different takes and overdubbed them, them looped them in ProTools. It could go on for hours on end! This nut HATES people to be happy, so I think happy women laughing for about 8 hours would put him over the edge!Hey, come to think of it, my Bose WaveRadio has a "repeat" feature on the CD player. I'll put it on LOUD today before I leave for my studio! Bwahahahahahah! Ern

[aimusic]

you guys do know that the US Military uses the Barney THeme song to torture prisoners in Iraq??? That's gotta say sumin about the song ...They use Metallica and Christina Aguilera too