How I almost QUIT Field Recording & Sound Design

[@rarefindssound]

Purchase some of my mini sample packs here: rarefindssound.gumroad.com

[@MattJoyce01]

Sage words. I got up at 4:30am today, took a rig I setup up the night before. Tripod, two home made omnis and an F3, all set ready to go. Was hoping to catch the dawn chorus, but when I got to my spot there was some water pump grinding away so loud. Drove a bit further and just setup for an hour or so. Nothing really amazing, but did enjoy just standing quietly and listening, watching the sun rise.

[@rarefindssound]

Thanks for watching! Even if you don’t get exactly what you’re after on a recording session, it’s still lovely to be outside before everyone else is up. Peacefully wondering around

[@cryptotrader2779]

Yeah, sums me up lately too. The fun has been taken away, but mainly the curiosity, and it started to become like a chore to search out something new and different. But I have been slowly getting back into it since I got the new Zoom H1e, and I keep that with me every time I go out. It's been good to sit down and press record just for the hell of it when I'm sat in a park or wherever. Getting back slowly and as best I can.

[@rarefindssound]

Nice! Glad you’re getting back into it. With the summer fast approaching it’s a bit more pleasant to be aimlessly wondering around outside with a recorder. How are you finding the new Zoom H1e?

[@cryptotrader2779]

@@rarefindssound It's not bad thanks mate. Obviously as an "every day carry" recorder for spur of the moment recordings, the 32bit is great to have. Pretty happy with it so far, for the price. Need to test it out with the Usi Pro 3.5mm cable, but I'm not sure I'll be using it in that way. As you say about your Sony, the H1e was meant to be a no-hassle device for me. Don't want to worry about carrying cables, mics, adaptors, extra bags of sh!te, etc ... Just use it "as is" with a wind shield and small tripod. Everything else I'll take out my H6 or F3.

[@rarefindssound]

⁠​⁠@@cryptotrader2779 nice! Sounds like a great little rig. I love my Sony M10 but I’d love an update with 32bit if they ever did one. Great recorder but it can be a bit slow at times. Glad you’re vibing with it tho

[@jochisfx]

I've never liked big slow to set-up rigs. I love the quick-to-setup, everyday carry rigs that I can bring wherever I go. I've recently been using the combo of H1e + mikroUsi's. I store them in a Tupperware container that serves as both water proof and crush proof storage. Also I can use the Tupperware container itself as a stereo bar if needed (hard to explain without a pic but it works well!)

[@rarefindssound]

Nice! That’s my go to kinda setup if I’m heading out and not really sure what I’ll be recording (Sony M10 & clippy pair). Love the easy to use and portability of it. A Tupperware container is a good shout. I might have to do the same!

[@jacksteal5991]

rings true to prob most creative folks. also your voice is so soothing I could just listen to you saying whatever. time to make a spin off ASMR channel

[@rarefindssound]

Cheers for watching Jack! Haha I’ve not been told my voice is soothing before. I usually get monotonous monotone 😂 maybe I’ll do a narration & field recording video soon. That might be interesting 🤔

[@SidBarnhoorn]

I still have my good old Zoom H4 and recently started recording again here in the dunes while walking. Caught some lovely moments with various weather and birds. A few days ago it started raining and I could hear thunder brewing so I quickly grabbed my H4, went to the balcony and recorded around 45min to an hour of rain and thunder. Was a lot of fun and the results were great!

[@rarefindssound]

Sweet! That’s what it’s all about, capturing a time and place that you can look back on because it’s never going to sound identical again

[@LesTUTOSduK]

Fantastic editing mate 👍 great job

[@rarefindssound]

Thanks very much!

[@CyborgCollective]

Been using a M10 for ages and for general use I've seen no need to update. Still comes in real handy.

[@rarefindssound]

It’s a brilliant little recorder!

[@Nazpazaz]

For me, it's hearing the results back after a big recording session. I always find the prep, organising and recording stressful, but I always know that it's worth it in the end.

[@rarefindssound]

Yeah for sure! When you have time and prep you can get some great results

[@SongwriterPorshia]

Wanting to get something complex done ✅ with ease and simplicity does NOT make us lazy. Creatives are among the least laziest people on this planet.

[@rarefindssound]

Haha for sure. We’re masters of procrastination though!

[@SongwriterPorshia]

@@rarefindssound 😄 stop calling us out because you’re right 😂😂

[@bretonleo8740]

Interesting video and I think lot of us have the same journey to find inspiration in our hobbies or work. At 3min27 I can see a face in the back of your tent made from the shades of the trees it seems I don’t have problem finding creativity at the time ;) Thanks ! Leo

[@rarefindssound]

Cheers for watching Leo! Haha spooky

[@hellobendaniel]

Thanks for this lovely video homie. I'm looking to record quiet nature ambience for ambient music, and wanna keep the setup minimal as possible. Would love to hear any reccs you may have or just advice on post-recording to clean up signal noise. Much love and all the best!

[@rarefindssound]

Cheers for watching Ben! I would certainly recommend a small recorder with a 3.5 PiP input or xlr input. This way you can have more sensitive external mics plugged in that can pick up ambiences very nicely. I have a video on my channel about “affordable field recording setup” I would recommend watching. In terms of cleaning up the recordings I like to use Isotope RX but you could use a cheaper software like Audacity or Reaper and use a free denoise plugin

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

I have to confess I think I would really love a piece of gear like that. I am a musician, and I just bought a new H6 (upgrading from the H5 because of computer connectivity issues) it is far from perfect but I like it but it is still a tad bulky. I have a near 20 year old Boss multitrack recording device that I still use now that fits in my pocket. Such portability is awesome.

[@rarefindssound]

I think I had a similar experience to you. My Tascam DR100 is around the same size as the H6 & H5. A little too big to fit in my pocket (I use a roadman bag for that recorder). I love the recorder but an even smaller one (Sony m10) has opened up a world of recordings because I can always pop it in my pocket and have it with me on the go

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

@@rarefindssound to be honest I only just found it existed. Not really available where I live, Uruguay. Because of import duty everything ends up double the price.

[@rarefindssound]

@@TheCompleteGuitaristdamn, that’s a shame. I picked this one up on facebook marketplace while in Australia. Got a really good price, I’m assuming because i was relatively close to Japan. I can only find them double what I paid in the uk

[@sound_scout]

Thank you for this. I've been going through a creative slump myself and it hasn't been easy to navigate. The cumbersome array of recording gear and curious humans definitely have something to do with it. I also think it's just difficult (for me, at least) to find a place in the field recording community. But I'm still trying!

[@rarefindssound]

Glad you like the video. I hope it helps you get out of the creative slump! I myself have tried to do at least 1 small recording a day on a short walk, just plodding along. It has helped me think of new ideas for more creative recordings

[@4ksightandsound]

Yeah man long form videos we need more!

[@rarefindssound]

@@4ksightandsoundhaha, I’ll get working on them!

[@sound_scout]

@@rarefindssound This is great advice! Thank you!

[@adamstepanovski2539]

Really needed this message today, thankyou.

[@rarefindssound]

Safe one Adam. Glad I could help!

[@EQAVOX]

I’m in a similar position currently. I have so many of these recorders now and it’s just ridiculous. I get overloaded before a trip about what to take with me or what setup I’ll do and generally spend more time fretting about it than actually doing it and enjoying it. I’m slowly condensing my setup to one larger recorder (tascam x6) and maybe 2 smaller ones perhaps the zoom h1e and the Sony m10. Thing is, I worry that I’ll miss my other ones - the Sony A10, the OM Systems LS-P5 and the tascam DR100MKIII. I just don’t need all of them, but I can’t bring myself to part with them as I know I’ll probably regret it. I’m thinking I’ll just hang onto them for now and maybe a time will come where I have a firm idea of one large and 2 small recorders and sell the rest. I’ve put my tascam Mkiii up for sale recently and keep taking it down and then reposting jt. I’m thinking it’s perhaps best to hang onto them all if there is ambiguity and only sell up when I’m confident they aren’t being used anymore.

[@rarefindssound]

I sometimes find it hard to part ways with equipment too. I’d love to collect them all but it’s not very practical. You’ve got some great recorders there! Perhaps you could rent some of the ones you don’t you as often so you don’t feel as though they’re going to waste. In regards to taking kit for a trip, I’ve learnt that in most cases I can just go back again haha. It’s a good excuse to visit a place I enjoyed again in a different way

[@rarefindssound]

Also, I’d personally keep hold of the Tascam. It’s a brilliant recorder and a very solid build. Will likely outlast some new recorders. It’s the main reason I’ve kept mine

[@EQAVOX]

@@rarefindssound I have mulled over the possibility of renting kit out and looked at Fat Llama 🦙 as an option. I just worry I’ll send something out and it would never come back or would come back broken and I don’t have much confidence that Fat Llama would help in that regard from what I have read. That is a good point. There’s a couple of locations I’ve been to recently that I am dying to go back to. What I got on the day was great but I had so many other ideas whilst there and wished I had more stuff. Thing is, on a massive hike, you really need to keep it small I’ve found. Hiking can be knackering anyway without a huge bag full of audio equipment and tripods etc too to lug around.

[@EQAVOX]

@@rarefindssound haha I had a feeling you were going to say that as I was typing the initial comment. It is a great recorder I have to admit. I’ve managed to do little bits of work here and there to reduce rattling sounds too. In terms of preamps, beside the obvious Sony D100, I often see the Tascam Mkiii and Sony M19 mentioned as having particularly impressive preamps with low self noise and sensitive microphones. This is definitely the case for both of them which is why I’m hell bent on at least keeping those two if possible. Perhaps 2 24bit recorders and 2 32bit recorders - such as the Tascam Mkiii and Sony M10 and the Tascam X6 and Zoom H1E could be kept and the others sold. I’m sure I’ll figure it out in the end. It’s just an absolute money pit as I’m totally obsessed with these things and I need to start streamlining and thinking more practically.

[@HarbottleAndJonas]

Yeah, love this… definitely resonates x

[@rarefindssound]

Cheers Harbottle, I felt it for a little while then thought I should make a video on it

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I love my Sony PCM-M10! Nice video!

[@rarefindssound]

A great little recorder

[@deliciousramyun5980]

Great video! You speak the truth. Have a good one!

[@rarefindssound]

Thanks, you too!

[@Louis_Beri]

the editing is perfect ! And I feel the same, even if I dont have a tent.

[@rarefindssound]

Haha thanks very much!

[@LOFIICHILD]

the voice rec are fire :)!

[@rarefindssound]

Thank you! ☺️

[@WingfieldHenry1]

A truly pleasant 4 and a half minutes of my day

[@rarefindssound]

Much love yen

[@WillHawkins-yn6sq]

bump

[@MePeterNicholls]

Sounds are music. ❤

[@rarefindssound]

Thanks Peter

[@fotografkennethlund]

Wow - great audio - how did you mic yourself for this video ??

[@rarefindssound]

Thanks! I was using my friends grandads old lav mic kit. Consisting of a Tram Lav, a micron transmitter & receiver going into my zoom F6. I did quite a lot of processing in post as my fleece was very scratchy. In hindsight I’d recommend using a bit of fur over the mic so it doesn’t scratch on the fleece as much

[@BlueSOF]

I wish Sony still made the M10 or a similarly-capable model. There are the bigger brothers, but none that have the sound, battery life, and size of the M10. I picked up a Roland R-07 that works pretty well, but it’s a little noisier than the M10 and lacks the battery life.

[@rarefindssound]

Agreed. I love the tascam dr100 but sometimes it’s a little too bulky. The form factor of the m10 is brilliant

[@eifionjones8513]

Nice one. Enjoyed this 👍

[@rarefindssound]

Thanks very much 😁

[@gsboss]

seeing the comments, it seems a lot of us get into, or at least stick to it for the same reason. slows me down and gets me in a calm mood like i cant get with other hobbies.

[@rarefindssound]

Yeah, exactly. It’s quite relaxing when you’re not stressing about setups etc. A good excuse to be out in nature

[@tomback3175]

Great video bro, keep up the good work :)

[@rarefindssound]

Thanks Tom, much appreciated

[@matthewwilson3673]

Fun video, I think it would be fun to carry a small recorder around chicago with me

[@rarefindssound]

Great idea! I’d love to explore Chicago with a recorder

[@FrankievanMourik]

you are great. thank you for your videos :)

[@rarefindssound]

Cheers Frankie!

[@Kumassound]

Thanks man, needed this

[@rarefindssound]

Glad I could help!

[@mindinthesand]

This was needed.

[@sdotlyre]

you need a bright yellow shirt for when you are recording. Maybe that says like "do not approach - contagious" on it 😂

[@rarefindssound]

Haha mate, that could work

[@matthew_b_golden]

My Sony M10 went through the washing machine... and I'm still sad about it. And for crying out loud, they DISCONTINUED it!!!!! Effin' bastards. I always left in standby mode to catch some of the most amazing things. The ease of use and decent sound quality make it such a great compromise to a more advanced setup

[@rarefindssound]

Ahh nooo that’s a shame! I always leave mine in standby mode too. Battery life is amazing

[@rafamonllor4763]

Gran reflexión. Da mucho que pensar.

[@rarefindssound]

Thank you ☺️

[@studiospiraluniverse]

16 years with Zoom H2(not N, the original) and still happy.

[@rarefindssound]

Nice. Once you find a mic or recorder you’re comfortable with, there’s not much point in changing!

[@antoninorusso]

great job

[@rarefindssound]

Cheers Antonino!

[@preentheband353]

Epic content

[@rarefindssound]

Much love preen-o’s

[@LukeodFilm]

Bosh

[@rarefindssound]

Boshhhhh

[@Kevhuman]

You do not use a hammer to install tent pegs, you use a mallet! Typical student 😡

[@rarefindssound]

😂 I usually just use my foot or a rock. But the hammer was in the shed and it made for a creative shot