Unit 13 Research
I have carried out research on topics and techniques that relate to my Final Major Project. I chose to specialize in Foley and ADR, Live sound and studio recording.
As I worked through each process, I came across many problems, techniques and new knowledge. I have included some of these topics in the document below.
Foley and ADR
For the Foley and ADR section of my project, I chose a movie scene from Iron Man. The scene displayed Iron Man suit being built and assembled on to him. It included lots of mechanical sounds and robotic movements, as well as dialogue from a newsreader on Iron Man’s TV.
What is Foley?
Foley is a sound effect technique for synchronous effects or live effects.
The original sound from films is often not clear enough so Foley artists will recreate sound effects that have happened in the film such as footsteps, knocking on doors etc. [19] [22]
A lot of scenes are filmed on sets so the original sound will not reflect the way it looks. For example, a marble floor in a film could actually be made of wood so the Foley artists will use any materials they can to recreate the sound of a grand marble floor.
Foley is normally created on a Foley stage in a post-production house. There are usually large recording studios with lots of objects, textures, surfaces, materials and Foley pits that artists use to recreate the sounds needed for the film.
The 3 most common methods of Foley are:
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Feet: footsteps are a common sound that need to be recreated for film. There are lots of things that you need to think about when recreating footsteps e.g., the type of shoes worn, the size of the actor’s feet, the kind of floor they are walking on and how many steps the actor takes as well as the speed and style they walk in.
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Movement: this is the sound of someone sitting down, picking something up or opening a wallet etc. These sounds that you would think wouldn’t matter as much can enhance a scene dramatically.
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Specifics: specifics are any other sound like shutting doors, swinging swords, cutting food etc. [6]
History of Foley
The Foley technique is named after Jack Foley who was a stuntman for silent films. He decided to add sound effects when the studio was recording the music score for the film. The first film Jack Foley worked on was ‘Showboat’ with Universal. Foley continued to work on “Stage 10” [20] at Universal Studios for 33 years.
Jack Foley worked his way up the ranks starting out with acting and directing in a small town in LA, became a stuntman and double, then he was an assistant director. But it was his talent for sound and idea of Foley that made his name and transformed how films are made. It is thought that Jack Foley was able to recreate the sound of three men walking together using his two feet and a cane. [11]
In the 1920s radio studios would hire sound artists to create sound effects live during broadcasts with radio hosts. [24]
Examples of professionals in Foley
Ronnie Van der Veer
Ronnie Van der Veer is a freelance Foley artist and sound designer who has worked on various Netflix shows. I found his website on Creativepool where they have a section presenting examples of his work/ programmes as well as a section called ‘About Me’ where there is a brief summary of who he is, the skills he has, awards won and clients he has worked with.
He has included his job titles, location and even languages he can speak. Although this might not be relevant to Foley itself, it could help make him stand out amongst other competition.
I think Ronnie Van der Veer’s target audience is potential clients and production companies he could work with; he is presenting his skills as a sound designer and Foley artist to film makers with new projects.
He has mentioned that he won the ‘best sound award’ at Eindhovens Film Festival
There is no evidence of specific qualifications but he does mention that his skill level is senior. This could be relevant to the target audience because it shows that he has the skills and experience to achieve a good outcome on projects he is tasked with. [25]
Jake Hart
Jake Hart is based in Bristol UK and has a freelance contract and like Ronnie Van der Veer, he has a set up on Creativepool with a section showing his work and a section explaining who he is and the skills he has ‘About me’.
Jake Hart is a graduate of a BA Hons in creative sound design, and has more examples of work on his site compared to Van der Veer however there is no evidence of clients he has worked with and his skill level is junior. Jake has included a CV to the site so I think his target audience is very much catered to film makers so he can gain experience and more professional work with production companies as there is nothing to show that he has done this yet. [21]
Louise Brown
Louise presents herself well on Soundlister. [12]You are first drawn to a video on the website showing Louise working with visually impaired young people, teaching them about Foley and doing a ‘workshop’ type event. This shows the kind of character Louise is and her passion towards the art.
There is a brief but informative biography section written in first person, explaining who she is, what she has done and what she’d like to achieve. She includes some of her skills and projects she has worked on, each project is laid out in a clear table showing the year it was made, name of the project, the client she worked with and the role she played throughout the process e.g., Foley artist, Editor etc. and in 2010 Louise won the ‘BIMA Best Sound Award’.
Although there are no specific qualifications mentioned Louise does give an example of her education that is relevant to the line of work she is involved with, ‘London College of Music and Media’ studying the course ‘BA Music Technology’.
In view of the fact Louise is a Foley artist and editor, this website would be targeted towards film makers and production companies with the aim of finding potential projects to create the sound for. [12]
There aren’t many direct examples of work she has done but she has included some highlighted references of projects she has worked on for example Sounds like Wimbledon, Moshi Monsters the movie and Action for Children TV advert. Links to other social medias have also been incorporated for example Twitter and a link to another website she has created called ‘The Foley Diaries’, this is where she goes in to more detail about her work and presents even more examples and videos of the projects, she has been a part of. [13]
ADR
ADR stands for ‘Automated Dialogue Replacement’ and is the process of re- recording and replacing the dialogue in film. Doing this means the audio can be recorded in a controlled environment such as a recording studio instead of using the dialogue from the film set where other noises could distract or interfere with the wanted audio.
Film sets can be a very noisy place so creating a ‘clean’ sound can be difficult, for example filming in a busy street or a crowded shopping centre will have lots of background noises (traffic, people talking, wind, alarms etc.) that are unwanted so using ADR will give the Dubbing Mixer and Sound Team more flexibility and freedom to only use the sounds needed for the final soundtrack.
ADR can also be used creatively to create a certain atmosphere or effect on the dialogue. For example, if the filming involves cutting between lots of different angles, then creating a clean, consistent dialogue that fits with the film is more achievable with ADR.
It is also useful because it allows the film to be dubbed so it can be produced in multiple languages.
ADR is usually recorded using a condenser microphone and in a recording studio where the Actors will watch a loop of their performances back and re- record their lines. ADR is a relatively quick process and is usually completed with a few takes and ready to be edited.
During the editing process the audio is polished and synchronised perfectly with the picture/ film to create the impression that the audio and video were recorded together.
ADR was first used in the early days of sound to picture to allow films to be in multiple languages without having to use the expensive, impractical way of rotating actors and filming each scene multiple times.
In subsequent years ADR was used and trialled in lots of different ways, in the 1960s and 70s Spaghetti Westerns and Cowboy films were filmed in complete silence to allow all dialogue to be replaced afterwards.
Then in the 1980s Kung Fu movies in China and India’s Bollywood industry used ADR to dub their films because they are multi – language countries and wanted their films to be accessible to as many people as possible.[22]
Arc theatre, Monitors and PA Systems
I was responsible for the live sound at our final performance in the Arc Theatre gig. Setting up equipment and making sure it all works is a crucial part of the job, and it is important to be organized and on time, to ensure everything is set up ready for the performer’s sound checks.
As part of the setting up for the Arc Theatre Performance we checked the monitors and PA system to test if they worked but also to find out the point in which they started to feedback.
Feedback is what happens when a microphone picks up too much of its own signal which is then magnified by the amplifiers. It will be obvious when feedback happens as you hear a loud, high pitched, ringing tone which will continue to get even louder.[2]
I slowly turned up the gain on each speaker until we heard feedback, when this happened we knew that this was the highest we could push the gain. Doing this before the performance means we can set up the desk in advance and understand the levels of each component, this limits the chance of having problems with feedback during the performance.
Monitors are the speakers on stage, pointed at the performers, this is what they use to hear themselves and anyone else on stage.[1] For a typical four piece band in a bigger, professional venue there will be three monitors on stage. Two monitors at the front of the stage, left and right and then a monitor placed near the drum kit. The front two monitors will be for the lead singer, guitarist and bassist and they will typically have a monitor mix of everyone except the drummer, often with themselves slightly louder and although this can differ depending on the performers preferences the drummer will have a bit of everything but more of the bassist.
The monitor mix is controlled by the sound engineer from the desk and it is a separate mix that doesn’t affect the sound heard by the audience from the PA.
The PA is a system that helps increase volume of existing backline instruments and vocals. It provides the front of house sound and is what the audience will hear.[26]
Something you have to be careful with when setting up this equipment is making sure the amplifiers don’t spill into the vocal mics. This can be reduced by using modestly powered backline amplifiers and then mic them up to result in a clearer sound all round. Often with guitar amps you will use a SM57 and place it so that it points at the middle of the amp. Doing this also gives the sound engineer more leeway to turn things up and mix accordingly. [26]
Drum recording set up
I am more experienced in live sound engineering compared to studio recording and engineering. As part of this project, I wanted to extend my knowledge further by recording drums for two different classmates, both with original material, but very different playing styles and genres.
My lecturer Guy, taught me about three different overhead setups for a drum recording. We chose then chose the setup we thought was most appropriate for the resources we had and sound we wanted to capture.
In all three of the following overhead set ups you use two microphones because there are two channels of recording, left and right.
The type of microphones we use are condenser microphones. This is because they are very specific and can capture lots of detail for particular sounds. Additionally the microphones will be a matched pair of microphones this means that they are the same model, so have the same frequency response and polar pattern.[17]
Spaced pair / AB
The Spaced Pair is a stereo mic set up that include two omnidirectional microphones [3] that are set up either side of the drum kit. They are set to the same height and typically supply recordings with wide and dramatic sound.
First you set up the two microphones either side of the drum kit with some distance between, then you measure them to make sure they are the same distance apart. [16]
Take one end of the XLR and put it to the end of one of the microphones, then extend the XLR until it reaches the centre of the snare, it is important to make sure the XLR is pulled tightly and there is no slack. Once you have done this you take the microphone end of the XLR and move it to the other microphone, whilst keeping the same position on the snare. You then move the microphone until it reaches the XLR. [4]
Some advantages of this set up includes getting a lot of cymbal coverage, because of the positioning of the microphones you get a good frame of the whole kit. The Spaced Pair is easy to set up and isn’t very time consuming. As well as this the microphones don’t get in the way of the drummer as much as other set ups might.
The disadvantages of the Spaced Pair set up includes receiving lots of room noise, so if you don’t record in an appropriate room then you will have a lot of the ‘room noise’ in the recording. It’s often better to record drums in a larger room so the sound doesn’t bounce back off surfaces as much. Another disadvantage is that you don’t always get the best phase correlation, it is harder to get an even sound from the left, right and the centre of the drum kit.
The stereo sound field is often wide so can sound unrealistic, this is another possible problem that could arise with this type of mic set up.
XY
The XY arrangement involves two microphones positioned as close to each other as possible, with one slightly stacked on top of the other so that the diaphragms are at the same point. It is important to make sure the microphones aren’t touching as this can lead to a mechanical noise in the recording.
The microphones are typically set at a 90-degree angle and directed across each other to capture sound from left and right. The microphone on the right will capture sound from the left and vice versa.[5]
A mounting bracket can be used to help position the microphones and keep them in place throughout the recording session. Having the mics attached to this makes the whole process of setting up a lot easier. [18]
Some benefits to the XY set up are the microphones are close together and at 90 degrees to each other, they don’t have any phase issues. It provides a secure directional image and is a good set up for recording acoustic guitar, small ensembles, and Horn sections.
A potential disadvantage of this set up is that you get a narrow stereo image, this can result in a lack of richness and cause the recording to sound weak or thin.
Recorderman
The Recorderman technique provides a natural, balanced stereo image of the drum kit with little room sound. It is important to measure the distance between the two microphones to guarantee the stereo image is centered and limit any issues with phase and phase cancellations. [10]
This is the technique I used with Guy and Chris to record the drum section of Chris’s original song.
Place the first microphone directly above the snare and using two drumsticks, one on top of the other, you measure from the centre of the snare, straight up to point at the microphone. Then place the second microphone behind the drummers’ shoulder, which shoulder you place it behind is determined by the drummer’s dominant hand. After this you use the two drumsticks again to measure the distance of the mic from the centre of the snare.
Finally to ensure the distance between the two overheads is the same you use an XLR, or any cord or string, to measure from the centre of the bass drum to the bottom of the microphone, it is important to keep the cord tight. Using the rest of the XLR, create a triangle shape by taking the loose bit of the cord that’s hanging down and pull it tightly to the centre of the snare. [15]
Then you take the ‘top point’ of the triangle that is against the microphone and move it over the drummer’s shoulder to touch the second microphone. It is crucial to keep the XLR tight throughout this process, it the cord does not reach then move the second microphone closer and if the cord becomes loose, move the microphone further away.
The advantages to this particular overhead set up are, it’s easy to be organized, doesn’t require lots of equipment or a big budget and can deliver a good sound when carried out successfully. This is ideal for people using a home recording space who don’t have access to high end equipment.
A disadvantage would be that you need more than one person to easily set this up. Measuring from different points on the drum kit and moving the microphones accordingly would be difficult if you were to do this by yourself.
Digital and Analogue Mixing Desks
I used a digital mixing desk for the live sound at the Arc Theatre gig and also when recording the original drum tracks. I thought it would be good for me to compare digital and analogue desks to better understand the differences and expand my knowledge.
We experienced some issues when recording the drum tracks, because I had forgotten about Chris’s headphone mix, this prevented him from hearing the backing track. The more research I do, the more understanding I have about specific equipment, which will reduce mistakes like this in future studio sessions.
A mixing desk combines different input signals such as instruments and backing tracks, to produce one output signal that can then be broadcasted, amplified or recorded. The two different types of mixing desk are digital and analogue. There are advantages and disadvantages to both however having a mixer, no matter what model or make, is a crucial element to live sound and sound recording.[14] [23]
Digital
Analogue
Digital mixing desks use electronic sound transmissions to operate and are a popular choice if you want a clear sound without any white noise.[9]
The advantages to a digital desk go further than just receiving clean digital audio, it also has a lot more capabilities compared to an analogue desk. You are able to customize, and be more creative with the variety of effects and channel choices available, as well as having the option to group multiple channels together so you can control several channels at the same time. You will then be able to add equal levels and effects to different inputs, which saves a lot of time compared to doing it all separately.[8]
You are able to program digital desks before every use and save any set ups or mixes you have created and then recall them later on. In my personal experience using a digital desk in live sound, being able to save a mix has been very beneficial when dealing with multiple acts. During the Arc Theatre performance we had to sound check around eight different performers, each with different styles and abilities to cater for, so no one’s mix was going to be the same as another. Being able to save each acts mix during sound check and then recall it during the show contributed massively to the ease of the process and therefore helped produce successful live sound and audio recordings.
Despite this, there are some disadvantages that come with the digital mixing desk. One of these is the price, digital desks are often more expensive than analogue desks because they have more ports, upgrades and effects available. On top of this many beginners find digital desks confusing and slightly daunting. Due to the amount of buttons, inputs and separate mixes you have to remember, it is not necessarily something that could be picked up easily. [8]
Analogue mixers, like their name implies, use analogue sound transmissions to function. [7]They have been around a lot longer than digital desks and are ideal for someone who prefers more classic, simple mixing desks.
The simple design and easy to use nature of an analogue desk is a big advantage for beginners and inexperienced users. They are produced to be efficient and quick to use, as they don’t have any preset buttons or many effects to consider. They are usually more affordable and cheaper than digital desks, and still produce good quality sound.[8]
The disadvantages to an analogue mixing desk include having a limited number of external device connections, so you would have to invest in a higher quality desk to have the ability to connect several speakers, microphones, instruments and other input devices. However higher quality analogue mixers are normally less portable due to their wider, longer and thicker structure. On top of this you are unable to save and recall mixes. So when dealing with multiple acts in the same night, you would have to either put each performer on a different channel, or make note of the mix settings during sound check and then manually alter them at the correct points during the performance. This could make the process slightly more complicated and time consuming compared to a digital desk.[8]
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[2] anon, a., 2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/how-to-set-up-a-pa-system/> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[3] anon, a., 2022. [online] DPA. Available at: <https://www.dpamicrophones.com/mic-university/stereo-recording-techniques-and-setups> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
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[8] anon, a., 2022. Analog vs. Digital Mixers: The Pros and Cons Explained. [online] Playbutton.co. Available at: <https://playbutton.co/analog-vs-digital-mixers/> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[9] anon, a., 2022. Digital Mixers in Live Sound Reinforcement Systems. [online] Astralsound.com. Available at: <https://www.astralsound.com/digital-mixers.htm> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[10] anon, a., 2022. Drum Miking Techniques: Recorder Man and Glyn Johns. [online] Garnish Music Production School | New York. Available at: <https://ny.garnishmusicproduction.com/production/drum-miking-techniques> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[11] ANON, A., 2022. Foley Sound: The History and Magic - Audio Academy. [online] Audio Academy - Audio Sound Engineering Education Recording Studio Rentals in Bangalore India. Available at: <https://audioacademy.in/the-history-and-magic-of-foley-sound/> [Accessed 20 January 2022].
[12] ANON, A., 2022. Louise Brown - Foley artist | Soundlister.com. [online] Soundlister.com. Available at: <https://soundlister.com/portfolio/louise-brown/> [Accessed 31 January 2022].
[13] ANON, A., 2022. The Foley Diaries. [online] The Foley Diaries. Available at: <https://thefoleydiaries.wordpress.com> [Accessed 31 January 2022].
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[15] anon, a., 2022. The Technical Recorderman Famous For Record Battery (Italian Guide) - Pro Cons - Glee Garage. [online] Glee Garage. Available at: <https://nagleeparkgarage.com/the-technical-recorderman-famous-for-record-battery-italian-guide-pro-cons/> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[16] anon, a., 2022. The Top 5 Stereo Microphone Techniques to Make Great Recordings - Townsend Labs. [online] Townsend Labs. Available at: <https://townsendlabs.com/the-top-5-stereo-microphone-techniques-to-make-great-recordings/> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[17] anon, a., 2022. What’s the Difference Between Dynamic and Condenser Microphones? | Musician's HQ. [online] Musician's HQ. Available at: <https://musicianshq.com/whats-the-difference-between-dynamic-and-condenser-microphones/> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[18] anon, a., 2022. X-Y Pair Stereo Microphone Techniques - dummies. [online] Dummies.com. Available at: <https://www.dummies.com/article/technology/software/music-recording-software/general-music-recording-software/x-y-pair-stereo-microphone-techniques-180332/> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[19] Eno.org. 2022. The Foley Artist | English National Opera. [online] Available at: <https://www.eno.org/discover-opera/eno-baylis/resources/explore-the-magic-flute/the-foley-artist/>[Accessed 10 January 2022].
[20] Filmsound.org. 2022. History of Film Sound. [online] Available at: <http://www.filmsound.org/film-sound-history/> [Accessed 10 January 2022].
[21] Hart, J., 2022. Jake Hart a Sound Designer in Bristol working at Free Lance. [online] Creativepool.com. Available at: <https://creativepool.com/jhartsounddesign/about> [Accessed 31 January 2022].
[22] prezi.com. 2022. What is ADR and Foley?. [online] Available at: <https://prezi.com/szflleo8cmri/what-is-adr-and-foley/> [Accessed 10 January 2022].
[23] Roy, G., 2022. What is Mixing Console or Mixer [Ultimate Guide]. [online] Recording Base. Available at: <https://www.recordingbase.com/what-is-mixing-console/> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
[24] Usv.edu. 2022. The Foley Artist | University of Silicon Valley. [online] Available at: <https://usv.edu/blog/the-foley-artist/> [Accessed 10 January 2022].
[25] Veer, R., Rising, O., Rising, O., (2018), G., (2018), G., Lobster, T. and Lobster, T., 2022. Ronnie Van der Veer’s projects. Latest projects and work from Ronnie Van der Veer. [online] Creativepool.com. Available at: <https://creativepool.com/ronnie-van-der-veer/projects> [Accessed 31 January 2022].
[26]White, P., 2003. Basic live sound. London: Smt.