Recording Outside

[SKYflyer]

My band and I wanted to experiment recording outside, like on my patio. We would just be most interested in experimenting with recording drums outside. We were wondering how this would affect the sound as compared with recording in the basement. When we record in the basement there is a kind of annoying reverb and a high frequency buzz kind of on the cymbals... I'm not really sure how to describe it...

Outdoors seems much more "dead" and less reverb-ish than the basement, so is this pretty much the only difference we will have in recording outdoors?

PS: I would do a search for this topic, but for some reason the search function on these forums doesn't seem to work right now.

 

[jndietz]

My band and I wanted to experiment recording outside, like on my patio. We would just be most interested in experimenting with recording drums outside. We were wondering how this would affect the sound as compared with recording in the basement. When we record in the basement there is a kind of annoying reverb and a high frequency buzz kind of on the cymbals... I'm not really sure how to describe it...

Outdoors seems much more "dead" and less reverb-ish than the basement, so is this pretty much the only difference we will have in recording outdoors?

PS: I would do a search for this topic, but for some reason the search function on these forums doesn't seem to work right now.

Hey, if you guys feel like moving all your equipment up the stairs, go for it! Just be careful about the wind.

 

[grn]

if there's no other sounds around you, generally recording outside is better

 

[DrJones]

Hey, if you guys feel like moving all your equipment up the stairs, go for it! Just be careful about the wind.

and that stupid dog next door that wont quit howling! Seroiusly if you do try it post a song for us to hear. It would be interesting to see how it works.

 

[killmachine]

the biggest issue is noise in the enviroment, I've seen it done though in very rural settings.

in the basement your pry getting slap or flutter echo which is note very pleasent most of the time. Especially noticable with cinder block walls and a concrete floor. Some acoustic treatment, in the corners and on the walls and carpeted floors can reduce that greatly.

 

[grn]

if it's an open area, you aren't likely to have very many reflections, which is ideal

 

[CoolCat]

extremely directional...

a friend hooked up his new DLP projector and surround sound outside.
Like a drive-in movie thing,
and the speakers were so directional it was amazing and a pain in the ass, as you move 4" the sound dropped off dramatically.

good luck and hope it doesn't rain on you.

 

[Gamelan]

I've done quite a bit of outdoor percussion field recording and the techniques vary quite a bit from usual studio models. In the great outdoors, corners and reflections can be your friend. A bare naked recording, such as that produced in an open yard or field with no reflections will produce a rather critical naked sound, possibly lacking "character" and harder to place in a mix. We've all heard recordings that were tracked in different rooms and sounded like it, well this is the same thing but more extreme. I've found that good results can be obtained by recording in an L shaped corner with a solid floor (not grass). Not pointing into the corner but toward one of the walls. The floor provides essential first reflection and the back and side walls provide the 2nd and 3rd, adjustable depending on placement of the instruments and mics. There are no standing frequencies, so these reflections are usually flattering (don't get too close to the wall), even better if the wall is wood or a diffusing material like rough stone, or a combination of both. If you can find a truly quiet environment where there is also AC power and other facilities (good luck) outdoor recordings can produce some great sounding and problem free results. Bob Ludwig mastered some of my open air tracks and all he had to do was add a tiny hint of long reverb and about 2db of limiting.