Gear / Technical Help > Ask The Tapers

Edirol R-09 internal mics distorting bass drum beats

(1/22) > >>

taperdav:
Hi  - I am new to this forum and new to taping with an Edirol R-09.  I taped a big outdoor concert in June using it's internal mics.  I was in the middle of the stage about 25 yards back from the stage.  I had the recorder about head height. I had the recording levels low (thinking around 17) so that they did not clip, however, when listening to the recording, there is distortion with heavy bass drum beats and maybe with the heavy bass guitar.  The back of my recorder is set as:

Limiter/ AGC off / on : Off
Ext Mic Type:  Stereo
Low cut off / on : On
Mic Gain L H : Low

I remember that I felt the bass drum myself (stage / drum riser was at a level of about audience head height or higher) - you sort of felt it in your chest.

Any thoughts on what I did wrong or what setting I might not have correct - overall the recording is fine, but the bass drum sounds distorted even though the sound levels are not close to being distorted.

Any thoughts on ways I can edit the recording to fix some of the bass distortion (I'd use Audacity).

Again, I am a newbie here and in recording with an Edirol R-09, and am not that technical.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!!!

heathen:
It could be that the internal mics just could not handle that particular situation. Most people on here will recommend you get external mics. Is that a viable option for you?

Scooter123:
The disadvantage of internal mikes is that they are made to record nice quiet shows close in. 

Subject them to loud rock music and they will clip. 

In order to stop that clipping, most folks use external mikes with a battery box to supply the mikes with dc power which reduces that sonic pressure on the mikes. 

mfrench:
The internal mics are intended for convenience in ENG, capturing rehearsals, catching that guitar riff that you're working out, speech, broadcast. They are not intended for quiet shows or loud music in any way. They are perfect for what they are intended for.

morst:

--- Quote from: taperdav on July 19, 2017, 09:54:40 PM --- I had the recording levels low (thinking around 17) so that they did not clip, however, when listening to the recording, there is distortion with heavy bass drum beats and maybe with the heavy bass guitar.

(snip)
I remember that I felt the bass drum myself (stage / drum riser was at a level of about audience head height or higher) - you sort of felt it in your chest.

Any thoughts on what I did wrong or what setting I might not have correct - overall the recording is fine, but the bass drum sounds distorted even though the sound levels are not close to being distorted.

Any thoughts on ways I can edit the recording to fix some of the bass distortion (I'd use Audacity).

--- End quote ---

You've probably got what is often called "brickwall" distortion at some stage of either the electronics in the machine, or the physical maximum excursion of the mic diaphragms.

Not much can be done in post.  :-\

If you are faced with similar circumstances in the future, go to where the bass is not as intense.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page