Telecommunications 1
Audio Production
Telecommunications 1
Audio Production
Questions
Have you noticed audio?
What’s your background?
What are some terms?
Telecommunications 1
Audio Production
Why is it important?
Telecommunications 1
Why is Audio Production important?

Supplements the video presentation
(adds detail to overall presentation)

Highlights important dialogue, sound
effects, ambiance while filtering out
unnecessary noise
(Traffic, Crowds, Wind, etc.)
Telecommunications 1
Listen
What do you hear?
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Ambience
Organic
noise occurring
naturally in a setting
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Ambience
How do we filter
ambience?
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Audio Production
Microphone
Telecommunications 1
Audio Production
 Microphone
(Mic)
-Apparatus used to pickup sound and
transform it into electric audio signal.
 Pickup
Pattern
-The zone within which a microphone
hears sound
 Polar
Pattern
-Two dimensional representation of a
mic’s pickup pattern
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Audio Production
Picks
Up
Sound
from
All
Sides
Picks
Up
Sound
from
All
Sides
Pickup Pattern
Audio Production
Polar Pattern
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Microphone Types
 Omnidirectional
-Picks up sound equally well from ALL directions
-Multi-directional
 Unidirectional
-Picks up sound from the FRONT of the mic
-One direction
 Cardioid
-Another name for a unidirectional mic
-Gets its name from the HEART-SHAPED
pickup pattern
Microphone Types
Picks
Up
Sound
from
All
Sides
Picks
Up
Sound
from
All
Sides
Omnidirectional Microphone
Picks Up Sound From Only The Front
Unidirectional
Picks Up
Sound
from Only
the Front
HeartShaped
Pickup
Pattern
Cardioid
Microphone Types
 Hypercardioid,
Ultracardioid
Supercardioid, and
-Have a long pickup pattern
-Can pick up sounds from far away and
transmit them as if they’re up-close
-Heart-shape pickup pattern is widened to
that of a watermelon
 Shotgun
Mic
-Gets its name from the long physical shape of
the microphone
Picks Up
Sound
from Only
the Front
Hypercardioid
WatermelonShaped
Pickup
Pattern
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Audio Production
Shotgun Microphone
 Dynamic
-Uses a small coil that moves within a magnetic field
when activated by sound
-Most rugged/durable
-Can be used around loud noises and won’t distort
 Condenser
-Uses a movable plate that oscillates against a fixed
plate to produce an audio signal
-More sensitive/better quality
-Requires a power supply to operate oscillating plate
 Ribbon
-Extremely sensitive/loud noises cause permanent
damage
-Usually found in recording studios
Audio Production
Dynamic Microphone
Audio Production
Condenser Microphone
Audio Production
Condenser Microphone
Audio Production
Ribbon Microphone
Audio Production
Ribbon Microphone
Microphone Types
 Hand
Mics
-Held in hand by Talent
-Allows for greater sound control
-ADVANTAGES: Need only one mic; Talent controls
sound variance by moving mic closer or farther
away
-DISADVANTAGES: Inexperienced Talent pointing mic
in the wrong directions; Talent NOT hands-free;
have to pull a cable along with you
(If it’s not wireless)
Microphone Types
Hand Mic
Microphone Types
 Boom
Mics
-Hypercardioid mics attached to a long rod
which is then suspended over Talent, out of
shot
-Boom operator moves the microphone as
close or as far away from the Talent as they
like without placing the boom in shot
-ADVANTAGES: Talent doesn’t have to worry about mic
placement at all; COMPLETELY hands-free
-DISADVANTAGES: Must light shot so that boom
shadow is not seen; Talent can potentially move out
of range
Microphone Types
Boom Microphone
Audio Production
Boom Operator
Microphone Types
 Lavaliere
-Small, rugged, omnidirectional mic used
primarily for voice pickup
-Usually clipped onto clothing (jacket lapel,
shirt collar) 6-8 inches below the chin
-ADVANTAGES: Talent is hands-free; distance from mic
to Talent never changes; needs no special lighting
considerations; excellent mobility
-DISADVANTAGES: Picks up ambient noise; need one
mic per subject; picks up rubbing noises if the talent
moves; muffled sound if concealed under clothes
Microphone Types
Lavaliere Microphone
Microphone Types
Wireless Lav Microphone
Telecommunications 1
Listen
Which do you prefer?
Telecommunications 1
Listen
Which do you prefer?
Telecommunications 1
Why is Audio Production important?

Supplements the video presentation
(adds detail to overall presentation)

Highlights important dialogue, sound
effects, ambiance while filtering out
unnecessary noise
(Traffic, Crowds, Wind, etc.)
Telecommunications 1
Why is Audio Production important?
Makes Your Production More
PRO
FES
SION
AL!
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Tomorrow:
Day #2
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Why is Audio Production
important?
Makes Your Production More
PROFESSIONAL
Telecommunications 1
Tomorrow:
Day #2
Telecommunications 2
Why is Audio Production important?
Makes Your Production More
PRO
FES
SION
AL!
Audio Terminology
Microphone
Apparatus that converts sound to electric signal
Pickup Pattern
Where a microphone picks up sound
Polar Pattern
2-dimensional representation of pickup pattern
Omnidirectional
From all directions; multi-directional
Unidirectional
From one direction
Cardioid
Heart-shaped pickup pattern of unidirectional mic
Audio Terminology
Dyamic
Rugged, dependable mic; filters out loud noised
Condenser
Sensitive mic, better sound pickup; requires phantom
power
Ribbon
Extremely great sound pickup; extremely sensitive;
harsh sound can destroy it
Hand Mic
Held by talent; allows for better sound control
Lavaliere
Hands-free mic; requires one mic per subject
Boom Mic
Held by off-camera grip; hands-free; can be in-shot
Connection Types
 XLR
Connection
-3-pin connection; professional
standard
-Relatively immune to outside
frequencies/interference
Remember: 3 pins = 3
letters
XLR Connection
XLR Connection
3 Pins
Connection Types
 Phone
Plug
-1/4 “ connection
-Common with consumer
microphones
-Usually used for instruments (e.g.
guitars)
Also called a “quarter inch”
plug
Phone/1/4” Plug
XLR – ¼” Connection
Connection Types
 RCA
Connection
-Extremely common
-Usually used for monitor
input/output
-Stereo audio (Right and Left
channels)
Red = Right White = Left
RCA Plugs
RCA Plugs
video
Connection Types
 Mini
Plug Connection
-Smallest connection
-Consumer microphones and
headphones
-Usually requires a ¼” adapter or
vice versa
Field camera input
Mini
Mini Plug
Field Camera Input
Audio Terminology
XLR
3-pin audio connection; high quality sound
Phone Plug
¼" audio connection; good quality sound
RCA
Most common audio connection; good for conventional
audio equipment (stereo, DVD player, game console)
Mini
Small connection, most commonly used in
headphones, low-end mic connections; low quality