I often have to go out to clubs/dressing room environments to record audio that is to end up being used on my radio show. I use a Zoom H1 mobile recorder. When I extract the wav file ready to begin work on it, what is the basics I should do by way of noise compression EQ and setting the volume to a good and equal standard to the music tracks that I will be mixing in with it.
The environments are often quite bright and reflective when we record. I watched @Mike show this week on noise reduction and it helped a lot.
The big problem is the interviewees tend to go off mic so use condensers. Point from the chest up and a lapel as a backup for head turnings etc. I listened to your interview just now on Wednesday’s show and she was well off mic all the time which becomes a hard listen and annoying for the listener when your voice level come back in. Using headphones to monitor during interviews don’t give the full environment picture alas.
its a tough one…I generally don’t have the permitted time to set up mic and an interface etc. That is why I bought the Zoom as it gives a reasonable quality file for me to work on in Audition. What am trying get me head around is how to make that file from the Zoom sound as good as possible
Suggest you use a directional hand held condenser mic instead and do the mix level manually like you see with live TV reporters. It’s better to get it right first time than to spend hours trying to fix it in the mix. If you can split into 2 files then match loudness in AA before you start any treatments. @Mike may have a video already on mixing vocals into a coherent sound Something like the podacst piece he did with a remote source and time matched the 2 feeds.
