Topic: Air Conditioning

[guitard]

I'm sure some are wondering what the hell AC has got to do with taping... please bare with me and you'll see.

I was taping a show last night (classic rock band UFO) in a modern night club (mostly dance music / hip hop - not really ideal for taping...).  It had a really high ceiling (30 feet) and was around 50 feet wide and 200 feet long.  The stage was at the end of the venue and the speakers were hanging down from the ceiling (both sides of the stage had three tall speakers stacked on top of each other), and they were canted inward and slightly downward a bit.  I set up at the tip of the triangle around 25 feet in front of the stage.

I was happy with the sound where I was at, but not happy with all the yap and clapping - so after 30 minutes I decided to move up to the balcony at the back of the venue.  I had already checked out the sound up there during the warmup band and it sounded very good.  In fact, after I got up there and started taping, I thought it sounded just as good as it did down on the floor.  BUT there were only a few people up there (one clapper though...) and none of the yappers.

So everything was really good.  And to make it all the more sweeter - there was an air conditioner up there providing some much needed relief from the heat.  I couldn't have asked for more.

Now for the bad part... that nice little stream of cool air blowing out the AC is on the tape.  Every now and then I felt a little breeze - but never thought anything about it at the time.  It sounds just like I was recording on a windy day... real bummer.  Take away the wind noise and it would have been the sweetest tape I've ever captured.

Live and learn.............

[mmmatt]

if it is actual wind noise then use screens (or omni's), if it is the sound of the unit running then it is hopeless and you have to move your rig.

Matt

[guitard]

if it is actual wind noise then use screens (or omni's), if it is the sound of the unit running then it is hopeless and you have to move your rig.

Matt

It's actually wind noise.  I live in Korea and there is no such thing as central air here - it's individual air conditioning units only - even in big buildings and multi-million dollar homes.  The most common of which is a "standing AC unit" which is around six feet tall and two feet wide, with the cool air blowing out from vents located at the top of the unit (the element itself is located outside, usually on a balcony and hoses are run to it).  So the vents were just about level with the mics I had clipped to my hat...

I could have stood at the other end of the balcony and got just as good a line on the speakers.  It was just an unfortunate choice to position myself on the end where the AC was located.

[timewasajoke]

This Christmas i got a mic stand added to my collection of gear. Up to that point i had been Stealth recording with mics elevated in a hat so the only time i was concerned about wind was at out door locations.
The first few shows i recorded  with the stand were in the winter and  early spring months where AC was not needed here in North Central Texas and my recordings turned out very nice.
Then two weeks ago i taped at a old historic Dallas venue;  "The Granada Theater". It has about 30 ' high ceilings but exposed AC ducts that drop down a few feet.
It never entered my mind that wind noise could be detected by the mics which were elevated about 11'.
What you described your recording sounded like was exactly what i got too. It has been very hot here lately and that AC must have been running all night because although you can't hear the actual sound of the AC you can hear the flow of air that was being created by it.
I suppose wind screens will do the same indoor as out.

If you don't learn something new in this hobby with each field recording,  you are not improving your craft.
I'm now aware of man made wind fucken' up my capture!

"time was just a joke"

[zowie]

I only notice A/C systems when I'm taping, not when I'm just listening unless they're unusually loud.  The get me crazy when I'm taping -- I mostly do classical and accoustic -- but the good thing is they never seem to be as intrusive on the final recording as they seemed live.  The ear tends to ignore lower level steady sound.

I realize OP was talking about wind noise, but just thought I'd add my .02 while we're on A/C.

[rokpunk]

I mind the noise of the AC system alot less than I mind the heat of not having an AC system.

[macroint]

I mind the noise of the AC system alot less than I mind the heat of not having an AC system.

Damn straight! The Talking Head in Baltimore has no AC and their idea of keeping the humidity out is to tape black plastic bags over the windows...I go through a half a roll of Bounty per show!