Topic: Rain and wind and windscreens

[Uncle Jimmy]

Folks,

  I am still pretty new to outdoor taping. I chose to run with no windscreens for a few sets of a festie last weekend. The shows sound great, but there was the occasional wind hit.

  Is it totally crazy to run outdoors with no windscreen?

Also, it rained pretty hard and i can actually hear the rain in the softer parts of the recording. Would the windscreen have helped with this? If so, it seems that it woul dell the signal if it weren't raining, thus making it not so crazy to fly the mics naked.

Any thoughts?
-UJ

[jpschust]

yes, you are crazy to ever run your mics outside of a studio without a windscreen.  windscreens, especially good ones, would have helped with that, well... wind.  duh.  :-)

as far as the rain- no.  your screens should have 0 effect (or is it affect) on the sound whatsoever.

Don't EVER run your mics outdoors without screens.  I can go into the discussion of why if you really want.

[Uncle Jimmy]

OK, well, the discussion should be something like this:

Me: should i use screens?

You: Yes.

Me: Really?

You: Yes.

Me: Seriously?

You: Yes.
------------------
Sound about right?

Well, I'm just kidding, but i'm guessing the bottom line is that, if they do not interfere with the sound, then there is no problem using them whereas if you don't use them you will almost certainly get wind hits.

Feel free to expand...

(So now i know why people around me were saying "Dude, you have no wind screens.")

Thanks,
UJ

[jpschust]

its more the reasons for using them- wind, smoke, possability of falling, protection from damage from rain, the list continues :-)

good screens will never change the sound.

[bhtoque]

Rain noise adds character to the recording.

One of my favorite recordings is Warren Haynes from Berkfest last year. The sound of the rain on my stand's umbrella makes it sound like an old lp.

JAson

[jpschust]

funny that you mention that.  i finally got my surround sound system setup (yes it has taken me 2 weeks to finish) and now when i listen to stuff with rain in it i could swear it was raining.  pics of the new system will be up in the coming days.

[Tim]

a low end rumble

[Uncle Jimmy]

it sounds like everything is fine and then you rub your mics on your sleeve.

[yemncsu]

Watch golf on TV.  Almost every time you can hear wind noise in the background. 


 ???I have no idea why this came to mind.

Josh

[mirth]

Drive down the freeway @ 60MPH, stick head out rolled down window. Thats what bad wind noise can sound like when it bursts.

[lstringer]

Hey now...on rain and umbrellas...were's a good place to find a stand umbrella??
Peace Lew

[Uncle Jimmy]

i got one that was made for a folding chair. It has a clamp (which i broke the first time i used it) and is big enough to shelter a couple of rigs close together.

little kids umbrellas work well, too. i saw a bitchin spider-man one at Rockygrass and a killer Spongebob one at the store.

UJ

[bhtoque]

Yeah, stroller umbrellas work well.

I've got two (can't remember brand) that have a base that mounts to the stand then the rest of the umbrella snaps on.

That way you can keep the umbrella off till the last minute then snap it on in two seconds flat.

I can look at them when I get home if anybody needs a brand name.

JAson

[Nick's Picks]

personaly....
there is nothing worth taping that would require me to fly $x,000 dollar mics in the rain.
that is where the backpack and garbage bag come into play.

[Uncle Jimmy]

want to expand on that? are you saying you just pack up your stuff, or are you saying there is a better way to record in the rain?

personally, i think there is no reason to spend money on mics you won't use. it's always too hot, too wet, too much hassle, or any other reason NOT to tape, but there is only one good reason TO tape.... because you can!

Anyhoo, lemme know what the garbage bag thing is all about.

J----

PS While we are on this, how much is too much stuff to bring into a show? I saw someone pull a portable CD burner out of their gear and hook it to their laptop and burn a disc between sets. I mean, that is REALLY cool and all, but dang......................