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Nagra NAGRA 4.2 User Manual - page 96
© Copyright 2003 by Fred Ginsburg. All Rights Reserved.
Page 96
Education & Training Division
E
QUIPMENT
E
MPORIUM
INC
Guide to the Nagra 4.2 and
Production Sound Recording
Why use a mixing panel?
Depending on the type of production
that one does, there are two basic reasons
to use a mixing panel: remote control or
complete control.
In the case of ENG production, cinema
verite, or “run & gun” documentary – the
mix panel serves as a remote input system
for audio recording. By this, I mean that
the mixing panel is an extension of the
camcorder, allowing the soundperson to
access the mic input controls (volume) of
the camcorder without having to push aside
the camera operator in order to set micro-
phone input levels or to ride gain (volume)
during a scene.
In addition to giving the soundperson
control of the mic levels — the over-the-
shoulder ENG mixing panel allows the de-
ployment of multiple mics (usually up to
three or four), along with Phantom power-
ing, and headphone monitoring.
The ENG mixers may also offer ameni-
ties such as a slating mic, line-up tone, low-
cut filters, limiter, and pan pots. Powering
of the mix panel is from internal batteries,
such as 9v alkalines or rechargeables.
Specific features will vary, of course,
from model to model.
Popular, broadcast grade ENG mixing
panels include the Shure FP33 and the
Sound Devices 442.
The other class of mixing panels that I
mentioned in the beginning of this article
is the location console, so to speak. These
mixing boards are not over-the-shoulder
portables, but are used off of a location
soundcart or tabletop. Most of these boards
require AC powering, although some of the
higher end models can run off of internal
or external 12v batteries.
What makes this group of mixing pan-
els different than their ENG brethren is that
they offer complete and smooth control of
the audio inputs and outputs. This advanced
control of the signal is essential in profes-
sional theatrical film/video production.
The mixing panel has more elaborate
input modules that offer balanced XLR in-
puts, mic powering, trim pots, low cut fil-
ters, equalization, solo PFL, pan pots, chan-
nel assigns, and smooth faders. Outputs in-
clude main outs to the recorder, headphones
for the soundperson, outputs for Director/
Script, and a way to send audio to the boom
operator.
Whether you are using only one mic,
or several, the mixing panel gives you
maximum and consistent control over
your signal. Considering that recording
media are in a state of constant evolution,
it is important to work from a board that
will remain constant regardless of whether
you are ultimately recording onto a Nagra,
Nagra stereo timecode, DAT, video deck,
minidisc, hard-drive recorder, or whatever
the next NAB Show may bring.
Basic operation of the
ENG mix panel
The majority of ENG mixers are simple
and straight forward in their operation.
The most important thing is to make
sure that your batteries are fresh. Most mix-
ers can only run one or two days at most
on a set of batteries.
The inputs are generally on the side of
the unit. There may be a switch for selec-
tion of mic or line level input.
Phantom powering is often selected by
a dip switch or toggle, located either in the
battery compartment or along the outer
spine.
Each mic input has a volume control
(gain pot), along with a pan pot to assign
the sound to left/right or somewhere in be-
tween. If the tapes are going to be pains-
takingly edited, it may be better to assign
the mics to only left or right tracks, and let
the editor do the “panning” during post-
production.
The gain pots of a mixer offer smoother
control over the dialog than if you plugged
directly into the camera. On the camcorder,
even a small adjustment of the input knob
will result in a coarse and drastic rise or
drop in level. Riding gain during a dramatic
passage is virtually impossible. Mixing
boards, on the other hand, provide mic pots
that are ramped or sloped so as to permit
much more subtle level changes.
A master gain control will raise or lower
the overall level of your incoming signals.
On some mixers, such as the Shure, the
master gain also sets the reference tone
level. You do not need to leave the master
set at the same level that you used for zero-
ing the tone. Once the tone has been re-
corded, feel free to make use of the master
to keep your levels optimum without hav-
ing to turn your mic inputs to extreme.
Low cut filters reduce the effect of wind
noise, rumble, and vibration. They are most
useful out of doors, where ambient noise
is at its worst. However, some of the low
cut filters on ENG panels tend to be pretty
severe, so use them sparingly lest they cut
into the quality of the voices too much. Pay
attention to consistency, so that all of your
scenes that intercut will match up.
Some panels offer a limiter that will
catch and compress any loud outbursts that
may have gotten past the soundperson’s
manual control. This keeps the signal from
overmodulating and distorting in the cam-
era. Depending on the aggressiveness
(threshold) of the limiting circuit, some
people prefer to leave the limiters off and
do it all manually rather than suffer the con-
sequences of automated “pumping”.
Outputs of the ENG mixing panels are
usually selectable for line or mic level.
Whenever possible, use the line level out-
put of the mixer plugged into line level in-
put of the camcorder. Line level is a much
stronger signal and less susceptible to elec-
tronic interference in the environment.
Not all camcorders will accept line
level, particularly the prosumer models. If
your camera only takes external mic input,
then make sure to use mic level output from
your mixer, or a suitable adapter cable to
take the signal down to mic level. Feeding
a hot line level signal into a mic input will
yield distortion and break-up.
Bear in mind that the metering system
on your ENG panel may be scaled differ-
ently than that on your camcorder. Zero VU
is not the same as zero digital. If your
camcorder has a VU type meter, then start
out by setting a zero tone from the mixer to
zero level on your camcorder. Record a se-
ries of tests, and then playback the video
to determine where distortion sets in. You
may find that you need to compensate by
going from zero on the panel to, say, nega-
Introduction to Mixing Panels for Production Sound
Summary of NAGRA 4.2
Page 1
© copyright 1994, 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording 2 nd edition written by fred ginsburg, ph.D. C.A.S. Isbn 0-9713941-0-5 price: it is illegal to make copies of this publication and its contents by any means mechanical, photographic, o...
Page 2
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 2 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording contents: guide to the nagra 4.2 ..................................................................................................
Page 3: Understanding And Operating
Page 3 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording understanding and operating the nagra 4.2 sync recorder written by fred ginsburg, c.A.S. The standard for film production the na...
Page 4
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 4 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording various models of the nagra historically there have been three significant models of monaural machines, and two models of stereo...
Page 5
Page 5 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording u.S.); and the sn (a miniature recorder originally developed for the cloak and dagger crowd, rendered obsolete by radio mics and...
Page 6
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 6 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording sync between the film camera and the tape recorder was achieved by a system known as neopilotone. Again, both the camera and the...
Page 7: Operation of The Nagra 4.2L
Page 7 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording the same (possible) fluctuations that may affect the mag recorder and projector. The resolver in the nagra will adjust the play ...
Page 8
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 8 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording okay, you’re saying, “cut the sarcasm. What do you mean by 'some- where in the middle batteries'?” well, that’s the problem. The...
Page 9
Page 9 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording removed with your fingers and inspected. If they need to be replaced, use 2.5a 5x20mm . These fuses will blow if batteries are i...
Page 10
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 10 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording always keep the unused pot turned all the way off to avoid hiss. The mic inputs accept professional, low impedance, balanced mi...
Page 11
Page 11 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording one last word about nagra preamps. Although the configurations for dyn and phantom are normal, nagra uses its own variation of ...
Page 12
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 12 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording volume this knob controls the volume of the internal loudspeaker of the nagra. The speaker itself is located on the other side ...
Page 13
Page 13 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording also, should the ground isolation of the power supply fail, your nagra may go up in smoke if there is any other ac powered equi...
Page 14
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 14 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording if the crystal plug is removed (or becomes loose) from the nagra, and no other sync cable is plugged in to replace it, then no ...
Page 15
Page 15 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording headphone jack and headphone volume control for best results when monitoring a nagra, use a pair of high quality, closed-ear he...
Page 16
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 16 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording in sound recording, we need to be more concerned with peak levels than averages, because it is the peak level that will distort...
Page 17
Page 17 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording the batt reserve position gives us a quick check on the condition of our batteries. The volt/cell position gives us an accurate...
Page 18
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 18 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording input pots the three knobs in the center control the input level for mic 1, line, and mic 2. Keep these pots closed if you are ...
Page 19
Page 19 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording monitoring off of tape is useful for verifying that a clean signal has indeed been recorded. Just because an incoming signal ma...
Page 20
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 20 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording main function selector when the main function switch is pointing to the nine o’clock position, the nagra is off. The test posit...
Page 21
Page 21 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording speed & power indicator this flag should come on and remain steady during record. If this flag flickers or goes out, you have l...
Page 22
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 22 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording however, before using the other speed settings, make sure that your nagra has been calibrated for optimum performance at the sl...
Page 23
Page 23 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording on the right is the playback head. This is a full track head and will not hear the twin sync tracks. Newer machines are equippe...
Page 24
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 24 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording three position “clutch” lever this lever controls the pinch wheel and has three positions. The lever should be pushed all of th...
Page 25
Page 25 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording hold the tape in the tape slot of the take-up reel, or lick the end of the tape emulsion to make it stick against the hub of th...
Page 26
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 26 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording after the voice slate, the mixer responds with "speed". By that time, the nagra should have stabilized. The a.D. Will then call...
Page 27: Simple Instructions
Page 27 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording simple instructions for programming the nagra iv-stc to time of day and date (user bits) to program the user bits for use in th...
Page 28: The Soundtrack
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 28 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording the soundtrack before we get started... This text is about the craft of production sound recording for motion pictures and vide...
Page 29
Page 29 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc why do you think they call them “talking pictures”? If audiences didn’t care about dialogue, but only were interested in the vi...
Page 30
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 30 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording narration can be recorded in two different ways. The first way, or style, is to have the narrator view the film and record live...
Page 31
Page 31 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc sometimes, music can creatively overlap both of these categories, by starting off as extraneous and then being revealed as prac...
Page 32
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 32 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording sound effects the third of our soundtrack elements, in addition to narration and music, is the category of “sound effects”. Sou...
Page 33
Page 33 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc the soundperson should avoid the temptation to record any more or less elements of the effect than called for by the editor. Fo...
Page 34
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 34 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording in the old days, dialogue replacement was done by physically cutting out short sections of the original dialogue (consisting of...
Page 35
Page 35 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc brief overview of the sound editing and post-production process sound for film - the traditional double-system process after th...
Page 36
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 36 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording the film mix after all of the elements have been assembled onto separate reels and checkerboarded, the sound is ready for “re- ...
Page 37
Page 37 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc the next step, after production, consists of the first picture edit. Film is transferred in a telecine to video, along with mat...
Page 38
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 38 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording chapter summary there are four basic elements of a motion picture or video soundtrack: narration, music, sound effects, and dia...
Page 39
Page 39 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording pre-production planning the route to achieving good production sound good production sound does not happen by accident nor on i...
Page 40
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 40 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording in fact, i know of one professional scout who goes so far as to plant a cassette recorder at each location and then returns lat...
Page 41
Page 41 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording a meticulous sound mixer or boom operator does not have the time, concentration, nor the endless stamina to properly perform mo...
Page 42
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 42 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording there is so much to learn, and only a lifetime to do it in. Only fools think they know too much to continue learning. As you ga...
Page 43
Page 43 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording production mixer the mixer is the head of the production sound department (usually just called the sound dept.) on a show. The ...
Page 44
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 44 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording back at the mixing panel or recorder end. (note that ping ponging the volume level up and down during the take might balance th...
Page 45
Page 45 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording back in the golden era of hollywood, cameras and sprocketed sound recorders (not exactly portable, but at least the trucks that...
Page 46
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 46 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording gencies. For instance, i once mixed an automobile commercial where they wanted me to record a few lines that the storyboard ind...
Page 47
Page 47 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording mixing panels can be purchased for under $200, so there is no excuse not to have one! Again, the selection and operation of spe...
Page 48
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 48 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording one-mic channel the one-mic channel is the most basic of the generic sound recording packages (channels). It consists of a nagr...
Page 49
Page 49 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording location channels are beefed up stage channels, and feature two recorders and plenty of equipment for major set-ups and conting...
Page 50
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 50 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording on. There are even supernatural “black holes”, akin to the bermuda triangle! If you are going to use a radio mic, bring along e...
Page 51
Page 51 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording time code nagra or dat when the production company knows that the camera negative is going to be transferred directly to video ...
Page 52
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 52 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording expendables besides budgeting for personnel and equipment, don’t forget about the expendable items. On even a medium sized prod...
Page 53
Page 53 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording downstairs in the living room applies to professional recording. Noise travels along electrical wiring, even when the outlets a...
Page 54
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 54 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording if you are acting as the “agent” of the production company—in other words, doing the ordering and picking up of the equipment, ...
Page 55
Page 55 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording phone. Again, these things must be negotiated in advance. Shipping charges are normally paid for by the renter. It is usually f...
Page 56
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 56 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording soundmen, but i don’t know of any good and cheap soundmen! Chapter summary good production sound does not happen by accident. I...
Page 57
Page 57 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording production sound: an introduction production sound mixing is the complex craft of recording live dialogue and sound effects on ...
Page 58
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 58 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording tive (the intimate, close-up sound does not match the camera angle). There are also the inherent problems of clothing noise and...
Page 59
Page 59 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording radio mics are an option. They are relativley expensive, and even the best of them can be unreliable due to outside factors (su...
Page 60
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 60 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording there is no difference (to the mic) between a fishpole that is not moving and a c-clamp. Fixed microphones, also known as plant...
Page 61
Page 61 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording lightwave). Wind tends to gust unexpectedly, and simple foam is ineffective against anything more than a wisp of a breeze. Hand...
Page 62
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 62 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording rigging radio mics is a complex art in itself, but the most important point to remember is to never allow the mic line and the ...
Page 63
Page 63 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording the hierarchy of mic techniques achieving clear, crisp dialogue and sound effects on a film or video production is no easy task...
Page 64
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 64 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording personally, i find that it is much more difficult to boom from below, due to the presence of set furniture or the choreography ...
Page 65
Page 65 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording for example, an instructor will sound more dominant on a lavalier. But a community relations spokes- person will sound warmer a...
Page 66
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 66 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording selection and application of shotgun microphones in the previous article, i presented a general overview of microphone techniqu...
Page 67
Page 67 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc frame during screenings! To achieve the closest mic placement, always begin with the mic clearly visible in the frame, and then...
Page 68
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 68 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording dynamic mics tend to naturally compress loud noises, making them a good choice for recording explo- sive and crashing sound eff...
Page 69
Page 69 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc in theory, phantom power should not interfere with the operation of dynamic mics, since the voltage is balanced equally across ...
Page 70
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 70 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording and free of echo. They offer the advantage of increased overhead range and headroom on wide shots. Their disadvantage on interi...
Page 71: Tips On The Use of Your
E quipment e mporium education & training division © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 71 tips on the use of your robopole® mic boompole probably the best choice 90% of the time. Generally, overhead miking will yield the most natural sounding dialogue with the least amount o...
Page 72
E quipment e mporium education & training division © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 72 thigh, or waist level with good results. The sound will be slightly more bassy than miking from overhead, but still quite usable and acceptable. Note that a mic aimed up at a person ten...
Page 73
E quipment e mporium education & training division © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 73 the process of mounting your shockmount to the pole, because it will no longer be necessary to open up the windscreen and dress the cable every time you need to use the mic. Holding the...
Page 74
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 74 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording shockmounts & windscreens two of the worst problems that plague location sound recording are rumble and wind noise. Rumble can ...
Page 75
Page 75 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc extra support for longer and heavier mics is achieved by criss-crossing the rubber bands so that the mic is firmly sandwiched. ...
Page 76
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 76 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording the pistol grip shockmounts sell for around $170, give or take, depending on manufacturer, model, and your personal discount. I...
Page 77
Page 77 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc the distortion created by contact wind noise cannot be fixed in post-production. It can only be chopped out along with the acco...
Page 78
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 78 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording hollywood sound mixers often manufacture “rain hats” made from rubberized “hogs hair” to slip over the blimps. The hogs hair is...
Page 79
Page 79 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording microphone powering the topic for this article is “red dotting” microphones and other basics pertaining to “phantom” power- ing...
Page 80
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 80 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording since electret condensers have their own battery supplies, they can be treated the same as dynamics as far as connecting them t...
Page 81
Page 81 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording the qpm 3-5 pre-amp is designed for t-powered condensers, such as the older 416 and 816 sennheisers. It will provide the necess...
Page 82
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 82 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording selection and use of lavalier microphones a brief history: originally, the term “lavalier” referred only to the “neck-worn” or ...
Page 83
Page 83 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc the drawback to transparent mics is that they are much more sensitive to background noise, and also require greater skill to hi...
Page 84
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 84 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording body mics. They sound very natural, and intercut perfectly with overhead boom mics. They make excellent plant mics hidden in se...
Page 85
Page 85 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc toilet tissue first. Velcro straps are fine on males, but will destroy fine hosiery and stockings. Clip-on lavaliers are often ...
Page 86
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 86 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording conducts noise, so it is best dealt with by applying or spraying a little water mist around the mic placement area, as well as ...
Page 87
Page 87 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc transparent lavaliers also work well as hidden mics in the set. A mic in the centerpiece can give you a restaurant table. A mic...
Page 88
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 88 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording using wireless mics there is a saying in hollywood that the use of wireless microphones is more of a mystic art than it is a sc...
Page 89
Page 89 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc either due to an internal electronic malfunction or on account of local rf interference on its frequency? Do we all get to go h...
Page 90
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 90 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording better front end filtering, are preferred in situations calling for a large number of radio units to operate simultaneously. Th...
Page 91: Rigging The Talent
Page 91 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc close to each other (compared to uhf tv stations), and may encompass 30 or 40 frequencies per each tv channel. But there is usu...
Page 92: Receiver Antennas:
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 92 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording places to rig transmitters on a female include the small of the back (waist belt), the backstrap of the bra, upper back (x-shap...
Page 93
Page 93 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc place your receivers as close as you can to the actors. Receivers can be just on the edge of the set, or even hidden within the...
Page 94: Clothing Noise:
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 94 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording another way to increase your range is to shorten the distance between the transmitter and receiver. Have someone carry the rece...
Page 95
Page 95 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc a popular technique is to sandwich the mic head between two sticky triangles made from camera tape. Start with a two inch long ...
Page 96
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 96 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording why use a mixing panel? Depending on the type of production that one does, there are two basic reasons to use a mixing panel: r...
Page 97
Page 97 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc tive three or negative five on the camera. (regardless, you would still record your color bars & tone at zero level on the cam-...
Page 98
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 98 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording tion was when i had a lot of radio mics working in addition to my wired micro- phones. Some radio mics give you the op- tion of...
Page 99
Page 99 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc housing, so there is only one physical cable linking boom to the mixer. At the boom operator’s end there is a breakout box that...
Page 100
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 100 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording a critical aspect in sound recording for motion pictures and video is the consistency of all of the repetitively appearing ele...
Page 101
Page 101 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc especially attentive that the levels of the new shot match and be intercuttable with the previous angles. Tough guy should sti...
Page 102
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 102 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording recording production audio for dv, hi8mm, etc. Small format video (dv, hi8mm, svhs) is being used ever increasingly for profes...
Page 103
Page 103 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc audio problems that many law enforcement agencies were encountering with the use of their canon lx100's and sony's. Today's xl...
Page 104
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 104 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording recorded out of phase on left and right, which means that when you go to transfer the audio will be low volume or not audible....
Page 105
Page 105 © copyright 2003 by canon usa. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording this article is presented courtesy of tim smith, senior tech rep / western region video for canon usa. Many thanks to canon for ma...
Page 106
© copyright 2003 by canon usa. All rights reserved. Page 106 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording by 6 db; so you can roughly gauge a digital system’s dynamic range by multiplying its digits, or bits, by six. For example, a four...
Page 107
Page 107 © copyright 2003 by canon usa. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording left on the tape while new audio (music and narration, for example) can be added without erasing the original sound during the edi...
Page 108
© copyright 2003 by canon usa. All rights reserved. Page 108 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording produce a more natural sound. Select the recording level method. Normally, the camera sets the audio recording level automatically...
Page 109
Page 109 © copyright 2003 by canon usa. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording audio 1 input for two channel recording (stereo 1) using rca jacks sound source: xlr type microphones xlr microphones are attached...
Page 110
© copyright 2003 by canon usa. All rights reserved. Page 110 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording this assigns the mic mini jacks as the source for the audio input. In place of thesupplied microphone, you can attach an external ...
Page 111
Page 111 © copyright 2003 by canon usa. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording camera recording located just below the audio meter, on the left side of the camera, the audio monitor button allows you to select...
Page 112
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 112 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording introduction to timecode recording being done in video! When the film is transferred to video (for editing), it is slowed down...
Page 113
Page 113 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc indication of how many minutes have been recorded. Users often use the hours digits to indicate reel number, rather than an "h...
Page 114
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 114 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording is timecode audio always necessary? There is a trend in our industry for clients and producers to clamor for the newest and la...
Page 115
Page 115 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc but without timecode, how does the edit computer keep everything in sync? The same way it always does, by means of its own int...
Page 116: Formatting
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 116 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording ing smpte timecode of 29.97 non-drop frame. This is the version of the song that you will use in the edit bay to cut your vide...
Page 117
Page 117 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc tape speed is determined by the sampling rate, period! A dat tape ini- tially recorded at 48k and played back at 48.048k will ...
Page 118
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 118 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording what your crew expects the following is an article i wrote a decade ago about the plight of working freelance for various indu...
Page 119
E quipment e mporium inc page 119 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording don’t seem to matter. Like the cameraman, the soundman is something that comes along with the camera package. As for the rest ...
Page 120
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 120 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording in videotape, there is a 10 to 15-second delay between the time the tape operator starts the machine and the time it is okay t...
Page 121
Page 121 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc bathrooms are also nice to have around. Usually, small production companies only think about personal con-veniences if there a...
Page 122
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 122 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording worked in an assort-ment of production capacities, perhaps in-cluding editor, writer, cameraman and even producer or director....
Page 123
Page 123 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording hardly a day ever passes that tom and i are not besieged with phone calls from nov- ices and students wanting to know how to g...
Page 124
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 124 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording covered by workman's comp and liability provided by the pro- ducer. Equipment and expendables. Is the producer renting an equi...
Page 125
Page 125 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording i recently purchased a sony trv900 camcorder and am looking for a basic sound package to get started with in order to shoot do...
Page 126
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 126 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording a shoulder bracket adds stability to your rig as well as present- ing a professional look. Kind of important for event videogr...
Page 127
Page 127 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording the new recording for- mats... Now that i've got it, what am i going to do with it? Cynical old mixers that we are, we have to...
Page 128
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 128 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording borrow a technique from the news gathering profession. Stagger the volume on your two audio tracks, so that one track records ...
Page 129: Tape Boxes
Page 129 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. E quipment e mporium inc education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording a key aspect of professionalism is presentation. All of your recorded tapes should be neatly and clearly labeled as to content...
Page 130
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 130 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording for tight interiors where echo is a problem, such as bathrooms, kitchens, small offices, foyers, etc... At4051 condenser 48v c...
Page 131
Page 131 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc at804 dynamic omni handheld. Good for interviews, location narration, sound effects (es- pecially loud crashes/explosions, sin...
Page 132
Production time sheet pay period: production: date notes time out meal rtn meal out time in employee: okay to reproduce and utilize this form..
Page 133
Sound report : [] print circled takes only title company prod number mixer boom location roll # date:____/____/____ sheet # ____ of____ recorder type & sn tape speed or sampling rate head tone xfer equiv db = sync: hz or timecode rate_________________ [] non-drop [] drop notes scene# take index left...
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Page 136: Nagra V
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 136 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording nagra v (this presentation provided courtesy of nagra usa.) for over 50 years nagra recorders have established a well- deserve...
Page 137
Page 137 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc menu-assisted set-up for all the operating parameters of the nagra v is made using the keys on the front panel, in conjunction...
Page 138: Nagra Usa, Inc.
© copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Page 138 education & training division e quipment e mporium inc guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording nagra usa, inc. 800 813-1663 http://www.Nagrausa.Com mail@nagra.Com based on a rich tradition in the analog and digital domain...
Page 139: Nagra Usa
Page 139 © copyright 2003 by fred ginsburg. All rights reserved. Education & training division guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording e quipment e mporium inc about the author fred ginsburg, ph.D. C.A.S. Is a production sound mixer with over 30 years of experience recording sound on f...
Page 140: Guide to The Nagra 4.2
Isbn 0-9713941-0-5 price: guide to the nagra 4.2 and production sound recording by fred ginsburg.