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 Features
Weapons Sound Effects Recording and Design for the Next Generation
 Recorders
I will always try to bring as many channels of recorders out that I can, usually between 8 and 14 tracks worth. The other thing I feel strongly about is recording at the highest practical resolution available. Most stuff I do at 96k/24bit resolution. Though it will likely never be used by an end user at this resolution, it gives a much more life-like sound to my ears.
Mixers / Pre-amps
Many of the current recorders available have good quality microphone pre-amps, but in some cases having an outboard mixer or pre-amp is a requirement. Again, since our “talent” is an expensive and loud character, it makes sense to have good gear to capture them with the least amount of unwanted distortion possible. Companies like Sound Devices, Sonosax and Cooper make very good sounding mixers and pre-amps. They are expensive, but they are generally available for rent in most big cities.
Microphones
This is one of my favorite topics. Guns and explosions are one of the great ways to learn about translating the physical to the electrical. The many different types of microphones all respond quite differently to really loud sounds and will impart their signature on the recording in a very substantial way. The types of microphones I find most useful are Dynamic, Condenser, Boundary (PZM), Contact...well, just about all of them, actually.
The biggest trick in the process is finding the optimum distance from the sound source. This, I know, is shamefully obvious, but it is worth saying. One really important reason for this is that when recording something like a weapon or explosion occurring, the physical shock-wave is going to be very misleading while you are listening in on your headphones. It is quite important to carefully review your recordings so that you are REALLY getting the sound you think you are. Again, you will need to carefully determine your sound source and its location, and then try to use the best microphone to capture it. With a big sound like these, the best sound location may in fact be a reflection from a nearby building or hill, so you want to make sure you have some channels getting that sound.
Another key factor is that some microphones do very interesting things when they become overwhelmed with sound pressure. A lot of that very nicely models the way our ears work as well - Condenser and PZM can almost “fold back” on themselves as the diaphragm reaches the end of its travel. I personally find this to be a pleasing effect, and will try to get it every chance I get.
The original expressions of this effect were realized with the hallowed Nagra IV recorder with Schoeps CMC condenser mics. Many people feel that the Nagra delivers the best sound for guns, but I think this effect was more caused by the reactions between the mics and Nagra mic pre-amplifier. Yet another consideration is the physics of how fast sound travels; if you want to get a rich low-end in the sound, you will need to have microphone further away from the weapon.
The Fast Gun Template
On the sessions I do, I am using a template which is generally a pretty good starting point- this is designed around having 8 channels of recorders.
Channels 1/2
Start with a stereo pair of dynamic mics basically arranged in an equilateral triangle from the weapon, with the two mics in front, and pointing to the weapons muzzle. Try to have about a 8- to 12-foot distance here, but it may vary further depending on the gun itself.
Channels 3/4
A second stereo pair condenser mics in an x/y pattern. Try putting about 10 to 12 feet behind the weapon. These are elevated also to about 7 feet. Do some test firing, sometimes you will shift the whole setup and sometimes change the directions the mics are pointing for a better sound.
Channels 5/6
Again a stereo pair, this time a Crown SASS stereo PZM mic. Place the mic setup about 30 feet behind the weapon. This mic captures a very nice low end from most weapons
Channels 7/8
Start with a shotgun mic set up on the right side of the weapon, just over the shoulder of the shooter. For the second channel, a Lavaliere can be attached to the weapon or the person shooting the weapon.
Between all of the them you can usually dial in a pretty good variety of sound pretty quickly.
For larger setups, you may have more distant mics to catch a more reverberant quality or potentially mics set up near the impact area to get the sound of the bullets passing by.
So with all this, you go out and record a bunch of guns. What now?
Well, the first thing you will notice when you get back to the sound department is that the stuff, if it is not horribly distorted due to inattention, is going to seem a lot quieter than the way it seemed on the range. This is of course due to the loudness of the source; guns are pretty loud. So you will want to first be in a position to review the material at perhaps a louder volume than you might normally work at to see if the character of the experience was captured. If so, then the work will be a LOT easier. This is all a bit like cooking; the better the ingredients, the better the meal. Once you identify the useful channels, you can move into the work of making it sound that great at a much lower volume.
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