Fine tuning the external sound recorder for our motorcycle videos
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- Опубліковано 11 тра 2017
- Part 1: • Decent audio on a budg...
In this video I'm showing you how to fine-tune the external recorder with manual settings to get rid of clicking, distortion and sound clipping. This way the result would be a clean and good quality motorcycle sound. Of course there's always room for improvement, but our purpose here is to achieve a decent quality sound, not the perfect one.
The purpose of this video is to give you an idea how to perform the manual settings of your external recorder. I'm using Zoom H1, but it is pretty much similar in other tools as well.
Conclusion:
1, With input level 16 and the recorder placed in my backpack the loudness was OK, no distortion, no clipping. Maybe a bit quiet, but it's easy to make it louder in post-production.
You can hear the sound is like a bit "underwater" on "boxed". That is because the recorder is in my backpack.
2, However at level 20 we definitely have too high sensitivity, so when my exhaust is at its loudest point we hear heavily distorted sound.
Most probably from 16 until 18 the setting will be fine.
3, Level 14 when the recorder is placed under the seat is nearly good. There's a bit of distortion and clicking when my exhaust is at its loudest point.
Most probably level 11 or 12 will be the best in the future.
Nevertheless this small amount of distortion and clicking can be managed in post-production, by applying an "automatic click remover" (or in some programs it is called "de-clicker") and a "de-esser".
Q: Why don't I use the auto-level setting on the recorder?
A: Even though it is comfortable to use, the end-result will be very unnatural and a bit silly. At quiet situations, like idling, the sound will be loud. But at loud situations, like strong accelarations, the sound will become quiet.
Maybe it's only the Zoom H1 which handles it so badly and maybe more expensive equipments are better in this area, frankly I don't know.
Instagram: / ze.papa
If you found it interesting or entertaining then please check out my other videos as well, and don't forget to subscribe!
Bike: Yamaha FZ6N
Exhaust: Two Brothers slip-on
Windshield: Kappa 140D
Helmet: AGV K5 Road Racer Italy
Jacket: Dainese Racing D1
Pants: Dainese Delta Pro C2
Boots: TCX S-R1
Shoes: TCX X-Street Denim
Gloves: Spyke Robotic
Tankbag: Kappa RA308
Legbag: Kappa RA307R
Camera: GoPro Hero 5 Black
Sound Recorder: Zoom H1 - Авто та транспорт
Thank you for your video!! I think you are the only one who explain how to set this h1 for motorcycle! Thanks for that!
Maverick159 cheers mate! I know, the struggle is real. It took me a few weeks to understand how it actually works and to find the proper settings. I’m glad I could help :)
It's interesting to see how others do it.
It never worked for me in a backpack, the Schaaf way, using foam. On autolevel, it picks up ruffling noises and on a set level, it'll clip when redlining or it won't pick up the idle, making the bike silent at stops...
Inside the tail worked better but I would get some noises on bumps and potholes from the tool kit most probably.
The best solution for me was to stick it under the tail, close to the rear shock or further aways depending on how noisy and where the exhaust is. For attachment, I just used GoPro mounting with one adapter (GoPro to 1/4"). This works well and makes the mounting and operating easier. It can even hold a Zoom H2N but the plastic GoPro parts can break overtime, so they should be replaced by Chinese CNC equivalents. No wind noise, with deadcats fitted.
The exhaust being too loud, there was still some clipping and distortion with microphones that can handle small Sound Pressure Limits. That led me to use something more cumbersome: a Zoom H6 with a Rode NTG4+ (130 dB of SPL).
Obviously, that's too heavy for the GoPro mounting so I bolted it to the peg attachments with 1/4" rods and bolts.
This provides the most accurate audio recording I can get at my level (more becomes too expensive), the file is so clean (no wind noise) it doesn't need... Or rather I couldn't improve it on Premiere/Audition.
Using Zoom H1N or 2 gives some files that can benefits from a little editing to clean them (but they can sound quickly too artificial).
The Zoom H6 methods is takes minutes to install (when you know how or tested already), that's quite long and its not discreet.
GoPro mounting takes seconds. We only leave the GoPro mountain on the bike, leaving the arms and adapters attached to the recorder.
I use the heavy solutions only when I want to film something particular, otherwise a H1N.
Next tries will be use the heavy setup with a different recorder (Tascam DR-100 mkIII) and trying to add a lavalier mic close to the transmission on top (this worked with the Zoom H2N but I can't remember if the H1N has a mic input). Having the transmission noise gives a more old school racy feeling. ;)
Your comment is invaluable. When I made this video I was on a very low budget, thus chose the H1. This winter I've done some research and I'm considering to buy the Zoom H4n Pro now, because it can handle 140 decibels of sound pressure. That's the highest I've found.
Are you saying that you use auto-level feature on your H1N?
Because for me the auto-level on the H1 (not the N version though) is very poor, it transitions roughly from very loud to very low volumes, and also with a big delay.
That Rode mic sounds a bit of an overkill for me, however the passenger peg mounting is a fantastic idea! Thank you for the tip!
Though this is an old vid. I find it very informative. Thanks for the tips you showed. As a new motovloger, I'm still struggling to find the best setup for my H1. Btw I'm your new subscriber here. 😁
Thank you.It is very useful.
Hey folks. Just so you know. There's no point putting the wind sock on unless it's somewhere exposed to the wind, it will just server to muffle the sound a bit otherwise.
Thanks for the tip, I will try it tomorrow.
To save money I tried running a headset mic under the seat with foam, windscreen, and two in-line attenuators and still got clipping and excessive wind noise. Looks like H1N is the way to go. Thanks for the convincing.
Gent! Thank you 🙏🏻
Thanks for the introduction.
What was your camera settings?
thank you~ it's very useful video i want to know
고맙습니다. 도움이 많이 되었긔.
junkietrek you’re welcome!
i see lots of audio recorder price range from 50 to over 100 euros.
what do you suggest, the cheapest? would that makes different to recording motorcycle sounds?
What format were you using to record ? 👍🏼😊
if i understand is that you have switched off the sound of your camera? So in order that the sound of the Zoom H1N gives more performance quality sound?
Yes, the camera's audio lane is muted during the PC editing, and instead the Zoom's audio is synced to the video
Nice, are you Brazilian (Zé)?
Where do you set the input levels?
Hello!
Nekem egy Tascam DR-5 -Zoom H1 pepitában- felvevőm van, és a finom hangolással küzdök hetek óta.
Én is leginkább az ülés alá szeretném helyezni, mert táskában tényleg elég tompa hangja van...
Ha nem túl nagy kérés, leírnád a pontos beállításokat amiket használsz? (input level, low cut, etc.)
Minden érdekelne, a legapróbb részlet is. Hátha eddig pont azt hagytam ki :)
Köszönöm szépen, széles utat!
Szia, igazából minden benne van ebben és a másik videóban amit a témában csináltam, minden beállítás amit használok. Nekem az input level 12 lett a nyerő végül, de az en kipufogóm elég hangos nagy fordulaton. Végig kell próbálgatnod kettesével lépdelve hogy melyik neked a legjobb, aztán otthon gépen vissza kell hallgatni. Sajnos ez máshogy nem megy, de ha egyszer megvan a tuti akkor utána már királyság van :)
Okés, köszönöm a választ! Akkor még sakkozom egy kicsit :D
Szia!
If giving my voice while riding, will it be heard as clear as the sound of engine?
Please give feedback, Thanks
No. You need a mic iside your helmet for that.
hello Zé , i have a question about recording , my recorder is zoom H1N
when i put my recorder under the seat ....it record the chain noise like "HEEHEEHEHEEHEE"
do you have this problem ? can it also removed in PR ?
I don't think it can be removed in PR. You can alter the sound by playing with the frequencies in the multiband compressor effect, but I'm no expert in that. What I rather think is that your front sprocket might not be a factory one, but an aftermarket. Usually the factory sprocket comes with sound suppression, so the chain runs rather silent, and the aftermarket sprockets usually lack this feature, so they run louder. Although a small amount of chain run noise heard in the recorded audio is normal, but it should be barely noticeable.
Zé yes ! You r right !!! My sprocket is not the factory one..... ok , Thank you for your prompt reply😏👍
sorry for the hungarian language:
a zoom-ot még bele tudod tenni egy autómosó szivacsba: ollóval vágsz neki egy kis "koporsót", befőttes gumival rászorítod és akkor gyakorlatilag nullára csökken a zörgés-mozgás táskában, meg a nyereg alatt :) amúgy baromi jó ötlet odatenni.
Köszi a tippet :) Egyszer már próbáltam szivacsot farigcsálni köré, de nem sikerült túl jól, folyamatos kis maszatolós, zizegős hangot lehetett hallani a felvételen ahogy a szivacs nekidörzsölődött a mikrofonnak. Úgyhogy nagyon nem vittem tovább azt a vonalat :) Ebben az olcsó muffban az a jó, hogy a gombok meg minden ugyanúgy könnyen elérhetők maradnak és a helyigénye nem növekszik olyan mértékben.
én sem a mikrofon köré gondoltam. főleg, ha van "rendes szőröd" :D hanem akár csak a zoom műanyag része köré, hogy ne kopogjon a műanyaghoz pl aknafedőknél vagy kátyúk "közben".
Lehet valamilyen hangvezérlés által indítani a felvételt?
a zoomon sajnos nem. Az utód H1N tud ilyet, de csak egy bizonyos hangszintre indul, nem tudom mennyire megbízható
Szia
Zoom h1-gyel kapcsolatban lehetne privát kérdésem? Hol érhetlek el? :) (esetleg messenger?) Egyébként a kérdés egy olyan problémára vonatkozna, hogy az én h1-em pikk pakk lemeríti az elemet, de ha powerbank-ról megy akkor kikapcsol... Tudsz esetleg erről valamit? Köszönöm
Szia, fogalmam sincs. Ha garanciális még akkor vidd vissza.
@ Sajnos már nem az:S