Telecommunications 1

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Telecommunications 1

• Audio Production

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Telecommunications 1
Audio Production
Questions
Have you noticed audio?
Whats your background?
What are some terms?
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Telecommunications 1
Audio Production
Why is it important?
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Why is Audio Production important?
Telecommunications 1

• Supplements the video presentation
• (adds detail to overall presentation)
• Highlights important dialogue, sound effects,
  ambiance while filtering out unnecessary noise
• (Traffic, Crowds, Wind, etc.)

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Listen
Telecommunications 1
What do you hear?
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Telecommunications 1
Ambience

• Organic noise occurring naturally in a setting

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Ambience
How do we filter ambience?
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Microphone
Telecommunications 1
Audio Production
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Telecommunications 1
Audio Production

• Microphone (Mic)

-Apparatus used to pickup sound and transform it
into electric audio signal.

• Pickup Pattern

-The zone within which a microphone hears sound

• Polar Pattern

-Two dimensional representation of a mics pickup
pattern
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Pickup Pattern
Telecommunications 1
Audio Production
Picks Up Sound from All Sides
Picks Up Sound from All Sides
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Polar Pattern
Audio Production
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Microphone Types

• Omnidirectional

-Picks up sound equally well from ALL
directions -Multi-directional

• Unidirectional

-Picks up sound from the FRONT of the mic -One
direction

• Cardioid

-Another name for a unidirectional mic -Gets its
name from the HEART-SHAPED pickup pattern
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Omnidirectional Microphone
Microphone Types
Picks Up Sound from All Sides
Picks Up Sound from All Sides
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Unidirectional
Picks Up Sound From Only The Front
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Cardioid
Picks Up Sound from Only the Front
Heart-Shaped Pickup Pattern
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Microphone Types

• Hypercardioid, Supercardioid, and Ultracardioid

-Have a long pickup pattern -Can pick up sounds
from far away and transmit them as if theyre
up-close -Heart-shape pickup pattern is widened
to that of a watermelon

• Shotgun Mic

-Gets its name from the long physical shape of
the microphone
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Hypercardioid
Watermelon-Shaped Pickup Pattern
Picks Up Sound from Only the Front
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Shotgun Microphone
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Audio Production
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• Dynamic

-Uses a small coil that moves within a magnetic
field when activated by sound -Most
rugged/durable -Can be used around loud noises
and wont distort

• Condenser

-Uses a movable plate that oscillates against a
fixed plate to produce an audio signal -More
sensitive/better quality -Requires a power supply
to operate oscillating plate

• Ribbon

-Extremely sensitive/loud noises cause permanent
damage -Usually found in recording studios
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Dynamic Microphone
Audio Production
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Condenser Microphone
Audio Production
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Condenser Microphone
Audio Production
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Ribbon Microphone
Audio Production
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Ribbon Microphone
Audio Production
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Microphone Types

• Hand Mics

-Held in hand by Talent -Allows for greater sound
control -ADVANTAGES Need only one mic Talent
controls sound variance by moving mic closer or
farther away -DISADVANTAGES Inexperienced Talent
pointing mic in the wrong directions Talent NOT
hands-free have to pull a cable along with you
(If its not wireless)
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Hand Mic
Microphone Types
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Microphone Types

• Boom Mics

-Hypercardioid mics attached to a long rod which
is then suspended over Talent, out of shot -Boom
operator moves the microphone as close or as far
away from the Talent as they like without placing
the boom in shot -ADVANTAGES Talent doesnt have
to worry about mic placement at all COMPLETELY
hands-free -DISADVANTAGES Must light shot so
that boom shadow is not seen Talent can
potentially move out of range
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Boom Microphone
Microphone Types
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Boom Operator
Audio Production
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Microphone Types

• Lavaliere

-Small, rugged, omnidirectional mic used
primarily for voice pickup -Usually clipped onto
clothing (jacket lapel, shirt collar) 6-8 inches
below the chin -ADVANTAGES Talent is
hands-free distance from mic to Talent never
changes needs no special lighting
considerations excellent mobility -DISADVANTAGE
S Picks up ambient noise need one mic per
subject picks up rubbing noises if the talent
moves muffled sound if concealed under clothes
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Lavaliere Microphone
Microphone Types
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Wireless Lav Microphone
Microphone Types
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Telecommunications 1
Listen
Which do you prefer?
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Telecommunications 1
Listen
Which do you prefer?
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Why is Audio Production important?
Telecommunications 1

• Supplements the video presentation
• (adds detail to overall presentation)
• Highlights important dialogue, sound effects,
  ambiance while filtering out unnecessary noise
• (Traffic, Crowds, Wind, etc.)

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Why is Audio Production important?
Telecommunications 1
Makes Your Production More
PRO
FES
SION
AL!
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Telecommunications 1
TomorrowDay 2
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Why is Audio Production important?
Telecommunications 1
Makes Your Production More
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Telecommunications 1
TomorrowDay 2
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Why is Audio Production important?
Telecommunications 2
Makes Your Production More
PRO
FES
SION
AL!
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Audio Terminology
Microphone
Apparatus that converts sound to electric signal
Pickup Pattern
Where a microphone picks up sound
Polar Pattern
2-dimensional representation of pickup pattern
Omnidirectional
From all directions multi-directional
Unidirectional
From one direction
Cardioid
Heart-shaped pickup pattern of unidirectional mic
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Audio Terminology
Dyamic
Rugged, dependable mic filters out loud noised
Condenser
Sensitive mic, better sound pickup requires
phantom power
Ribbon
Extremely great sound pickup extremely
sensitive harsh sound can destroy it
Hand Mic
Held by talent allows for better sound control
Lavaliere
Hands-free mic requires one mic per subject
Boom Mic
Held by off-camera grip hands-free can be
in-shot
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Connection Types

• XLR Connection

-3-pin connection professional
standard -Relatively immune to outside
frequencies/interference
Remember 3 pins 3 letters
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XLR Connection
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XLR Connection
3 Pins
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Connection Types

• Phone Plug

-1/4 connection -Common with consumer
microphones -Usually used for instruments (e.g.
guitars)
Also called a quarter inch plug
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Phone/1/4 Plug
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XLR ¼ Connection
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Connection Types

• RCA Connection

-Extremely common -Usually used for monitor
input/output -Stereo audio (Right and Left
channels)
Red Right White Left
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RCA Plugs
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RCA Plugs
video
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Connection Types

• Mini Plug Connection

-Smallest connection -Consumer microphones and
headphones -Usually requires a ¼ adapter or vice
versa
Field camera input
Mini
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Mini Plug
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Field Camera Input
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Audio Terminology
XLR
3-pin audio connection high quality sound
Phone Plug
¼" audio connection good quality sound
RCA
Most common audio connection good for
conventional audio equipment (stereo, DVD player,
game console)
Mini
Small connection, most commonly used in
headphones, low-end mic connections low quality