Wav File compression

[bwaysteve]

I want to record externally with a Tascam D40 with a shotgun and on occasion two wireless lavs.
What would the recommended compression setting be? I am at 48,000mhz. currently.I think the camera sound compression is the same.Not sure if they need to be the same for syncing.But a suggestion for best sound quality stting on the Tascam.

Sorry,meant 48,000khz 24 bit.

 

[indietalk]

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[Alcove Audio]

Ideally you want to record the audio uncompressed (WAV, BWAV, AIF, I use BWAV since it translate across so many editing platforms). 16bit/48kHz is DVD standard, 24/96 is HD standard. 99% of people wouldn't know the difference. 24bit will give you more audio headroom (a tad more volume before distortion). As an audio pro I like working at 96kHz because I get fewer audio artifacts and a cleaner sound when I do extensive processing.

For most folks 24/48 is just fine.

 

[bwaysteve]

bwf

Ideally you want to record the audio uncompressed (WAV, BWAV, AIF, I use BWAV since it translate across so many editing platforms). 16bit/48kHz is DVD standard, 24/96 is HD standard. 99% of people wouldn't know the difference. 24bit will give you more audio headroom (a tad more volume before distortion). As an audio pro I like working at 96kHz because I get fewer audio artifacts and a cleaner sound when I do extensive processing.

For most folks 24/48 is just fine.

Thanks for the info,since I don't have a pro in my budget I am trying to learn for my first project.
I have the Tascam now set for testing. BWF 24bit sample rate 96khz low cut at 40hz.
Will use an Audio Technica 897 on boom and for a few dialogue scenes two wireless lavs(rental)
Is there any instance where I would use a lav in one channel and the boom in the other?What would I expect to hear?Thanks so much for the imput.

 

[sonnyboo]

What would the recommended compression setting be? I am at 48,000mhz. currently.

Sorry,meant 48,000khz 24 bit.

Cameras tend to use 48Khz at 16 bit, so the 24 bit is already better than the camera. The "Bit Rate" is not the same as compression, although similar. Most audio is recorded uncompressed (unless it is HDV or H.264), so your device is already higher quality audio even at 48Khtz.

 

[bwaysteve]

lav and boom

Cameras tend to use 48Khz at 16 bit, so the 24 bit is already better than the camera. The "Bit Rate" is not the same as compression, although similar. Most audio is recorded uncompressed (unless it is HDV or H.264), so your device is already higher quality audio even at 48Khtz.

Sonnyboo,
What about a lav on one channel and boom on the other.Is this done?Also it was suggested I use BWF rather than wav.I had no problem with wav. in Final Cut X so I suppose BWF is as compatible?

 

[Alcove Audio]

You should be thinking about the end product - you want everyone to sound like they are in the same place when you edit and mix the dialog. If one actor wears a lav in a scene, then all the actors with lines in the scene should be wearing a lav.

This gets complicated and expensive really fast.

And this is what a professional PSM does. The boomed mic gets recorded on audio track 1 and all of the lavs get recorded on audio track 2. The PSM will know the script as well as the director and actors and, using the mixer, bring up the volume for each actor just before s/he speaks. Otherwise all of the background noise from the actors who are not speaking ends up on the "lav" track. The other option, of course, is to have an individual audio track for each lav.

 

[sonnyboo]

Sonnyboo,
What about a lav on one channel and boom on the other.Is this done?Also it was suggested I use BWF rather than wav.I had no problem with wav. in Final Cut X so I suppose BWF is as compatible?

Yes, usually the LAV is on one channel (L) and the boom mic on the other (R). When doing coverage, switch who has the Lavalier mic on them. This technique is ineffective for scenes with more than 2 people, but it works for that okay.

A professional will record each mic on a separate track using a multi-track recorder and a mixer. Alcove knows best.