Comments on: Charles Maynes Special: Gun Recording Thoughts for 2010

By: Eric N. Rod

Eric N. Rod — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 23:21:54 +0000

Hi Maynes,

I have a couple questions regarding your setup at the shooting range in Nevada. I really want to know what shotgun set up did you uses to gather these sfx but I would rather know what types of pickup patterns type shotguns or Lavs you used to capture this amazing 5.1 / 7.1 sound and why? As well as, how did you go about knowing where to place the booms/Lavs in position.

Thanks !!

By: charles maynes

charles maynes — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:16:40 +0000

Hi Oleg- on the ribbons- not for the gunshots themselves, but for the handling sounds- the Royer 121 is just amazing for those sounds…

By: Oleg Kaizerman

Oleg Kaizerman — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:48:46 +0000

do you ever use ribbons for clos picups ?

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:56:13 +0000

Great read. As someone whose first attempt at recording firearms a while back resulted in “popcorn popping”, I always appreciate new information on the subject.

Thanks for sharing!

By: oklalocals

oklalocals — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 05:44:40 +0000

Great article. I have a run and gun type outdoor video shoot coming up soon with both dialog and gun sfx. Only a 2 channel tascam recorder, so I dont have a lot of time for experimentation and mic placement options. I have a sound devices 302 and senn. mkh416, tram tr50 lav, shure sm57, oktava mk012 matched pair with cardoid, omni, and hyper heads and 10db pads. Since you use sound devices, can you elaborate on your limiter and gain settings. Should I get some inline xlr 10 db pads too? Can you recommend an optimum distance or angle for the mkh416 and dynamic micsl like the sm57? Thanks for sharing your wisdom!

By: charles maynes

charles maynes — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:53:08 +0000

Hi Sound Lover- I avoid compressors in most of my work- I dont really know if that is due to my own incompetance or what, but I have always thought of them as raising the level of stuff I didnt want in the first place. I love limiters though- especially the Sound Devices ones and I will not do a gunshoot without them being switched on.

By: Sound lover

Sound lover — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:27:47 +0000

Amazing stuff…
I always thought that just going to the nearest shooting range would do the job but you just take it to the next level.
Well done.
Question? – Do you use a compressor/limiter on the field recordings in cases like this one?

By: Jeff W

Jeff W — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:27:19 +0000

Nice Charles–you really managed to pack an incredible amount of info into that article!

Another advantage we’ve found in recording suppressed versions of the weapons at our shoot was that they’re a great source for all the mechanism and metallic material that otherwise gets overwhelmed by the non-suppressed report (even when close-miked). Great way of adding personality to the end result, I think.

jeff

By: Chuck Russom

Chuck Russom — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:46:23 +0000

An awesome article from one of the masters of sfx recording