Reflections

Reflections

At first, I never thought MMS 172 will be this fun.  Learning the intricacies of audio production made me appreciate what I hear. I never thought a lot of effort is needed to produce even a short clip. Good thing our class was under the guidance of the two best professors in multimedia, they were able to impart their knowledge and techniques in audio production. The knowledge I gained will absolutely help me in my future production courses as well.

Wildsound Studio

 Attending the F2F sessions is one of the best experiences I've had in this course. It was my first time to visit a recording studio, and seeing how audio is processed. "Parang magic," especially for someone clueless like me. But magic it is not; it's a product of hard work of all those people behind audio production.

Sir Al and Sir Mike

 For the blogging activity, I find it very helpful. Writing down your thoughts and experiences is a way to help understand ones self. It's like asking yourself over and over, "What have I learned today". This can be particularly helpful especially for other students who would like to learn more and improve their skills. Learning based from the experience of other people is one good way to improve our own.

Samson Microphone

I would like to thank our professors who taught us the basics of audio production, and my classmates who were actively participating in discussions. I admit there's more to learn about audio production, but knowing and understanding the basics is a foundation I will always be grateful for.

The Project

The Project

When I learned the details for our final project in MMS 172, I got excited. As in really excited. Several ideas came into mind, such as doing a voice over from my favorite kiddie show Batibot, dubbing a clip from some anime shows, and making a radio commercial. However, my wife prodded me to make a song cover instead. "That would be very useful when you're going to record my guitar covers," she said.

The wife has spoken, the wife must be obeyed. :D

I browsed through several songs and I found one I really liked. Whistle for the Choir by the Fratellis. I thought, maybe I can do this. However, there's a few problem with this. I don't really sing, and I'm not confident enough with my guitar playing skill. So, I asked two talents to join me in this project, one who will play the guitar and another one who will sing.

To lessen the unwanted noises, we recorded in the office during the wee hours of the night. There's an inner office where I work, which is fortunately carpeted. We positioned our blankets in a chair for the recording of guitar tracks. For the singing part, I did not use a magic voice box but a large wall-mounted rack lined with soft blankets. The Zoom H1 microphone was mounted on a small camera tripod, and I used some rubberbands to secure the moving parts of the tripod and the soft cloth which served as filter.

The Rack

Noise-Cancelling Blankets

Zoom H1 + Tripod

The New Superhero - Zoom H1 Microphone

Rubber Bands

 Guitar tracks were recorded first, and mixed using Audacity. This was then uploaded in a smartphone to serve as a guide for the singer. The bass line was also recorded in this manner, using the previous recording as a guide. This made it a bit easier to mix later on since they are using the same guide.

The Guitarist - Fernan

The Singer - Mariku

For processing, the four tracks were laid in Audacity, removing the unnecessary part at the start and end of each track. When the timing is acceptable enough, noise reduction was applied. The left and right channel balance was also adjusted.  Finally, Studio Fade Out was applied.

Audacity

Although it was a bit hot in our makeshift "recording studio", we had a great time while doing this project. Even though we had to retake several times, we still managed to have fun and enjoy the time spent for this song cover project. Hearing the tracks blend together in the final output makes it all worth it.

Signal Flow Recording

Okay, so after reading through different threads and researching about different kinds of gears that I'm going to use in this course, I was finally able to put up a simple setup. Something that I hope will suffice and enable me to create something beautiful, or at the very least, palatable. :D

Speaker/Monitor - Dausen Headphones

Dausen headphones, foldable for your convenience

A classmate posted something about a sale on headphones in Lazada. I checked it out and thought maybe this can be a good monitor, and with a super sale price, I was sold. Good thing that Lazada offered cash on delivery, that way I won't have to use any credit card to purchase online. This was the second time I purchased an item over the Internet (the first one was a pair of shoes from Zalora, another online shop). I'm enjoying the added convenience of shopping online, since I can't find the time to go to the mall to buy stuff I needed. Plus, the discount is just irresistible.

Microphone - Zoom H1 Handy Recorder

It took me a while to find a good microphone for recording. There were a lot of discussions about the microphones, and there's just too much information to process. I narrowed down my choices between a Samson USB Meteor Mic and the Samson Q1U-CW, although I'm leaning more towards the Meteor Mic since this seems to be the popular choice among the class.

Samson USB Meteor Mic (image from soundcorp.com.au)

But then, I thought it would be better to have a stand alone recorder, since this can be more functional in the long run. I can record office meetings, and also use it for future projects, like video making. The Zoom H1 Recorder seems to be a good choice, but with the cost of 6,800 pesos at channel.com.ph, this is something way out of the budget.

Zoom H1 Handy Recorder, works as USB mic too!

However, a classmate told me that there's a shop in Singapore where Zoom H1 is offered at only 130 SGD. That's about 4,390 pesos (at 33 pesos per SGD), quite cheaper than the listed price of channel.com.ph. I beggged, pleaded, coerced, and bargained with the wife (who is currently working in SG) to buy me one and ship it through LBC. Shipping was at 18 SGD (594 pesos), so still, it is way cheaper.

Thanks to my ever supportive wife. She's not a professional singer, though. (Photo grabbed from her FB page)

Software - Wave Lab LE / Audacity

Screenshot of WaveLab LE

The Zoom H1 came with a free copy of Wave Lab LE software. I will also be using Audacity for audio processing, since I'm a fan of open-source softwares. Processing will be done using my trusty Asus laptop, or in the office desktop, which is a lot faster than my laptop.

Dausen headphones and Zoom H1 Recorder

Basically, the Zoom H1 will be recording either directly into the computer (when used as a USB mic) or into the microSD card (when used as a stand-alone recording device). The recorder has a 3.5mm jack, where the Dausen headphones can be connected. The recorded sound can then be downloaded to the workstation for further processing.

Signal Flow of My Recording Setup (mindmap created from www.bubbl.us)

There goes my setup. I hope I can make something good out of it.

Excited With Audio in Multimedia

Yay, first post!

Well, not really the first post. This is my first post about our new subject, which is Audio in Multimedia. I'm quite excited with this course since we will be learning new stuff about audio under two great teachers, Prof Mike Idioma and Prof Al Librero. Sir Mike is an expert in this field, and this IMDB page will show his best known works (one of which is the Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salong Story). Sir Al is the kind of teacher who will really push you to your limits. Really, as in 100%. After taking two courses under Sir Al, I'm pretty sure I will finish this subject with a lot of new information pertaining to audio in multimedia.

Of course, what excites me is that I will finally be able to understand the process involved in audio production, plus I do hope that I will be able to produce good audio. As compared to photography, everything in audio is alien to me. Sure, I can do some basic stuff like adjust the volume and equalizer of the radio, or splice some WAV file for presentation. But the thought of making something better in terms of audio production, that's something I look forward to.

Winamp (and equalizer), It Really Whips The Llama's Ass!

Then again, I hope that we will enjoy this audio in multimedia class. I can't wait to learn more about the "magic" behind audio production.

Reposts and Reflections

I haven't been updating this blog for a while, however, I still manage to read the blogs of classmates. While I enjoy reading their blogs, here are some of the posts that I find worthy to read and re-read.

One of it is the blog of Kuya Ed. His humor and wit makes the whole reading experience worthwhile. Another is the blog of Kuya Juancho, with one of his posts giving a detailed explanation on how to properly hold the camera. David posted an article on how he was able to make his own drybox. His article inspired me to make one of my own, and the heads-up on where to buy the hygrometer and desiccant was really helpful.

These are just some of the blogs that I find informative. It's nice to learn and pick up new stuff from my classmates. However, there were still some who fail to update the blog list properly, which makes it a bit harder to read their blogs. Nonetheless, they made an effort to write something, so I should just go and read their blogs. It doesn't matter if the article posted is long or short, as long as it talks about photography, its still a worthwhile read. The subject, MMS-173, is photography in multimedia anyway.

ISO-100, f/7.1, 3.2s

This blogging activity made me realize that  there's a lot in common between writing and photography. In order to make it easier for the readers to comprehend the gist, they both should have proper composition. Although people mostly think that photography is just clicking the shutter button, we (multimedia students) know that this isn't exactly true. Just the same, writing a blog post isn't just typing what's on your mind. It should have a flow; so it is important to think beforehand what you're going to write.

Of course, we should also proofread, which I think is comparable to post-processing in photography. Without proof-reading, the mistakes will definately show up, like in this paragraph. However, no matter how careful you are, errors will still creep up. It's up to you how tolerant you are of your mistakes; this will determine how much effort you're going to spend in proof-reading or post-processing.

I guess that sums up the blogging experience. It's part composition and part correction. That might prove to be helpful the next time I press that shutter or write an article post.

Original Image

Street Photography: Taking Pictures of Random People

Taking pictures of random people is something I'm not comfortable with.

I've been trying to step out of my comfort zone and take pictures of strangers. In the two weeks of my street photography stint, there were only two instances where my subject reacted adversely when I took their pictures.

The first one was a castañas vendor. I pass by his cart on my way to the train station. One day, while I was standing near his cart, I tried to take a picture of him while cooking some castañas. I lifted the camera to my eyes and as I was composing my shot, his friend noticed me and they both looked in my direction.

I nearly froze. Trouble is the last thing I want to happen to me in a foreign land. My heart was racing, and I had to do something. As a damage control measure, I smiled and approached the two. I explained what I was doing and asked for their permission to take a picture. They agreed and I did my thing, showing them the picture afterwards.

The other instance was when I was taking pictures of people in the outdoor hawker area in Lau Pa Sat. An older man approached me and told me to stop taking pictures. I thought he's one of the waiters in the area, I just told him that this is for a school project. Later, I found out that he's not a waiter but a customer having his dinner with a younger woman. Funny thing is, the couple were not anywhere in my shots. Maybe they just value their privacy that much.

Asking for permission for taking photographs of other people may not be necessary, except for some instances. One example is when taking pictures of kids, it is much better to ask for permission from a guardian. Less hassle as compared to explaining to the police.

Kid on motorbike

I also noticed that people on crowded streets don't usually mind if you take their pictures, or maybe they just don't notice. Perhaps they're too busy minding their own business that they don't really care at all. Business stall owners are also accommodating; but of course, asking for permission is necessary. When in doubt, ask for permission, even if you're taking a picture of a pet.

The owner instructed the dog to stop barking and pose. Good dog.

Still, it all boils down on how you project yourself. I would smile and act friendly when I take pictures of random people, and they would do the same. This is common in areas frequented by tourists, people seem to be generally happy and friendly.  

There are several articles around the web discussing street photography, and here are the three that I found to be good starting points.

http://photographylife.com/street-photography-tips-for-beginners
http://digital-photography-school.com/life-with-a-rangefinder-plus-street-photography-tips
http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2010/03/26/21-street-photography-tips-from-the-professionals/

F2F in Singapore

Aris, Daisy and I scheduled an F2F, but due to the haze engulfing the city, we decided to reschedule and  wait until the air starts to clear up. We've been monitoring the pollution level, since this will be the deciding factor for our F2F. Good thing, the smokey haze subsided a bit so we were able to meet up last June 22.

This is gonna be my first time to meet them, which made me excited. Finally, I get to meet some of my classmates, and we're going to shoot around Sentosa. We decided to meet at the ticket concourse area of the Harbour Front MRT station, since this is the easiest place to meet up. Since my only way to contact them is through Facebook chat, I arrived early at the designated meeting place. 

I was starting to get worried since I wasn't able to see them around. Good thing they arrived a few minutes later; I was just thinking if I'm at the right MRT station. Daisy and Aris each brought their own tripods, while tripod-less me brought a borrowed 50mm prime. This is great, we can practice several techniques we've learned in class.

Daisy treated us to a snack and we started to plan our photowalk journey while we're eating. We would be walking around the area and look for some waterfalls for the silky water technique, and proceed to the beach in the late afternoon to capture the sunset, and in the evening, we will go to an overpass and experiment with light streaks. In-between, we will also be shooting anything that we find interesting.

Daisy and Aris

The photowalk also became some sort of a "group study". We we're sharing techniques as we go along , asking each other questions and finding answers together. Collaborative learning is always a good thing. I noticed Aris kept a zip-lock bag for his camera, which is a nice insurance in case it rains. Good thing it didn't that day.

Aris here is waiting for the fish to smile

We tried doing the silky water technique earlier, but the sun is shining too brightly that it wasn't possible. Wow, so that's one use of neutral density filters. Later that day, we found another area for this. While they were busy capturing their silky water, I took this photo of a water(less) feature. The absence of flowing water showed what's beneath it.

The Rustic Wall

The blue sky made a nice background for this merlion shot.

Merlion, as seen from below

I also took several sample shots for future post-processing use, such as this.

Orange-colored flower

We were able to arrive at the beach just in time for the sunset, but the view of the horizon is obscured by a line of trees.

Sunset

It's getting dark, so we then started to go to back to the highway and find the overpass for that light streaks shot. While we're on the way to the train, I stopped to take a photo of this woman in purple.

Waiting for the B

Arriving at the overpass, they quickly assembled their tripod setup. The overpass wasn't that wide, but high enough to provide a nice view of the highway. Good enough for capturing light streaks. While they were busy with that, I looked around for something else.

Man selling tissues

I checked how they were doing with their shots. I tried this shot for some bokeh effect but the camera screen of Aris looked  too bright.

I should learn how to meter properly

We also experimented with panning shots, using moving cars as subject, and the first rule of shooting cars at night is "don't use flash". Out of a dozen tries, only this one came out without much blurring. 

Zooming cars are hard to capture

It was a nice photowalk. Even though we we're mostly experimenting with shooting techniques, learning together made the whole experience worthwhile. Here are some of the things I learned:

Be wary of the lighting and shadows,
Zip-lock bags are handy protection for rain, get one big enough for the camera,
Nikon lens and Canon lens rotate on different directions,
Don't use flash when taking pictures of cars, it will disturb the driver,
Have a copy of the camera manual in your smartphone,
Lean how to properly meter and be familiar with the different metering modes.