recording rain

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artCROSS

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There's supposed to be a freezing rain storm here tonight around midnight, and I would really like to record a few minutes of it. I'm gonna use 2 SDC to get a nice stereo sound. I was just wondering what precautions can I take to make sure that this won't be the last time I use these mics...or my laptop...or my sound card.

I was thinking just putting the mics in plastic baggies, but that will probably drastically affect the sound (though that might be kinda cool...). Any advice?

Thanks
 
Do you have a shed??? I did this a couple of times from my shed (Which had power, otherwise your gonna need some long cables). Just opened the door, and hit record!!! You could possibly record from inside your house, via a screen window or even from inside your car (crack the window and set up the mics preferably with the pickup pattern pointed as straight towards the ground outside as possible). Putting anything directly around the mic will cause the drops to create sound right at the mic, whereas you probably are aiming for a more ambient effect, so keep as much distance between the mic and the neerest horizontal surface (Even the car will probably cause this too, via the roof, trunk, and hood...but a worthy effect in itself, think driving in the rain :) ). Hope these ideas help you some.
 
I have done this 2 ways.

Once, 2 Josephson C42MP's (sdc) set about a foot from two seperate windows in my house. Obviously the house needs to be quiet. Great stereo imaging.

Once, with an AT4060 tube (ldc) in my garage with the doors open.

Both sounded very good.
 
I did this once by setting the mics up a foot or two from an open screen door (which had an extended overhang so there was no danger of rain hitting the mics). That was in the summer, though, so there was no concern for the temperature. A shed or other covered outdoor structure is a good suggestion, but you have to be careful that you don't get noise from the roof (if your shed's roof is made of corrugated metal, for example).

Peter
 
what about putting something on the ground to get a certain sound. the only place I can think of to record this would be out my backdoor, but it is grass. Could I lay some plywood on the ground? gravel?
 
notbradsohner said:
what about putting something on the ground to get a certain sound. the only place I can think of to record this would be out my backdoor, but it is grass. Could I lay some plywood on the ground? gravel?
Click to expand...

Do you have woods nearby? Try a pile of dry leaves.
 
Nothing in this world eerier, than being in the woods while it's raining, especially if it is really foggy. Hell that's what I do for inspiration.
 
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