UNIT -3

RADIO PRODUCTION
AND TRANSMISSION
PROCESS
 THE ELEMENTS OF RADIO
The key elements of a radio broadcast are

1. Human voice- Spoken Word,

2. music,
3. sound effects
4. Script
5. and silence
They all combine together and create sound landscapes or sound
images.

Sounds must be pleasant, simple, easy to understand for the

listeners
 ELEMENTS OF RADIO PROGRAMME
A radio show is any type of program broadcast on the radio, or on the
Internet in the case of Internet radio. Radio programmes can be spoken
word programmes or music programmes. In spite of the type of
programme aired on the radio, the elements of the different programmes
remain the same; such as –
Voice, Music, Sound effects and script .
Whether music or speech based, radio relies on the human
voice to connect with its audience. It is the voices of presenters and RJ’s
that we respond to on a radio. They are the personification of a radio
providing a personality with which we identify and connect.
The style of music each station plays is a crucial aspect of the
station’s identity. In any event, the music played on most radio stations is
not randomly selected by individual presenters or producers, but it is
governed by a music policy that has been developed to appeal to the
station’s target audience.
A radio show script is a norm in the stations across the
nation. While it may seem that things are flowing
naturally on your favorite radio station you can bet
that a radio show script is being used. Most radio
shows are live, and to avoid mishap they will utilize a
radio show script for the guests and the personalities
alike.
In short, Good audio content is anything
that keeps your listener through the next minute.
Audio quality is determined by two main factors – the
quality of the microphone and the proximity of the
microphone to the person speaking.
 THE ROLE OF VOICE IN RADIO
For our voice to be recorded in a studio, we use a microphone. They
amplify or in other words, increase the volume of your voice. When you speak
before a microphone, you don’t have to shout. You speak normally and it will be
made louder if you use a loudspeaker to listen to.
Voice is important in the following ways:
Voice conveys meaning.
It stimulates our visual imagination: it creates visual images in our minds.
When we think of radio, the microphone is the most important element using which
you present your programme. The main stay in any radio programme is the human
voice. Think of the voice of an announcer or newsreader on radio. You often find
them very pleasant and nice to listen to. That is because of the quality of their voice
and the proper use of it. There are two aspects of the use of human voice in radio
production:
Firstly, there has to be a well written script to be spoken and
Secondly, someone has to speak or read it before a microphone in a studio.
 SOUND EFFECTS IN RADIO PROGRAMME
In radio, audience can see-only what he hears therefore intensive focus is
on sound.
Sound effects in a radio programme give meaning and sense of location.
It adds realism to a programme and helps a listener to use imagination.
Sound effects describe the circumstances of a dramatic audio situation and
sound effects are the actors audible movements.
. They can be used for such things as setting and place, conveying action,
solving certain narrative problems and evoking characteristics. Effects
should sound as though they were being heard by the character. Dubbing
adds extra sound effects or bring disparate or uneven sounds together.
 Sound effects can be used in two ways:
(a) Spot effects or effects that are created as we speak and
(b) Recorded sound effects.
(a)

All sound effects may be grouped into one of two categories .

Natural or Characteristic.
A natural sound is that of an actual source.
And when a natural sound is manipulated in such manner to achieve a desired
effect , it becomes characteristic.
Natural sounds, characteristic sounds, Comedy sounds. Cartoon sounds and Fantasy.
Subjectivity of sound effects
Hurried, Worried, Hysterical, Authoritative, Urgent, Desperate, Respectful, Bold,
Timid, Angry, etc.
 Categories of Sound Effects:
(a) Ambiences: It provide a sense of place, “where”, and
perhaps of time “when”, events occur.
(b) Discrete Effects: Indicates individual events; “what”,
“how”, and “how much”.
(c) Crowds: Sounds of many people in a crowded
situation, without specific voices or words being
distinguishable.
(d) Dialogue: Dialogue is sound too. The character of the
voice indicates a lot about who the character is. Give
importance to vocal contrast.
( e) Silence: The absence of sound is an alternative to sound.
 MUSIC IN RADIO PROGRAMMES
Music is the soul of radio Music is the straightest path to the emotional centres of the mind.
Film songs ,classical,folk,light,devotional and western music programmes are independent
programmes on radio.
Music is also used as signature tunes or theme music of various radio programmes.
It enhances the programme in the following ways:

a. Music adds colour and life to any spoken word programme.

b. Music can break monotony.
c. Music is used to give the desired effect of happy or unhappy situations, fear or joy.
d. Music can suggest scenes and locations. For example, you have to create a bright early morning
situation. This can be done by playing a pleasing note on the flute along with the sound of chirping
birds.

Most music based stations operate a playlist that is updated every week. The playlist determines
what will be played and how often it will be played. The selection of music is not done on personal
taste but is a professional judgement that takes into account a variety of factors including the
stations target audience, how appropriate a track is to certain times of the day, and increasingly
how well it has scored in audience research.
THE ROLE OF SCRIPT IN RADIO PROGRAMMES
A radio script is a writing which gives the detail of how an entire programme
should be. A script takes some of the pressure off presenters doing live
broadcasts. It provides them with the reassurance that they know what they
are going to say next so that they can concentrate on how they say it. Scripts also
ensures that an item is covered fully, in a logical manner and to set time. A radio
script for a presenter is largely a safety measure but it needs to contain certain
characteristics to make it effective.
Though it is written, it is spoken It is written for the ear not the eye. It is heard
only once. The listener normally does not get a second chance to listen. It is
conversational. It should be simply worded without any difficult or unfamiliar
words. The sentences should be short and simple and not complex. There should
be only one idea in a sentence and not many ideas. Though there are thousands of
listeners, what is written should be meant for just one listener. The words chosen
should denote the exact meaning and not be vague. The words should make
pictures in the minds of the listeners. Abbreviations or short forms should be
avoided. If an abbreviation is used, then its full form should be given.
• CONCLUSION
Radio differs from other media because it is for the
ears, not for the eyes. Therefore, sound, voice, script and music plays a
vital role in a radio production. In fact, the strength of a radio programme
is that it speaks to individuals, and the way it does this by talking to them,
not reading to them. This means that whatever is said on the radio –
whether it is a link in a magazine programme, a film review, or even a
voice piece in the news – needs to sound as if it is coming from the mind
of the speaker – almost like part of a conversation – rather than something
that is being read. The human voice in any radio broadcast is the main
element that helps the listener construct their own image and picture the
person behind the microphone.
Music is the straightest path to the emotional centres
of the mind. Other sounds, dialogue or effects must be translated and
understood first. It makes significant contribution in radio but must be
used with great discretion. Suitability is an important factor.
RADIO PRODUCTION PROCESS
Radio production is the process by which the content is created and delivered via the
radio, internet, or other streaming and mobile platforms. It starts with the planning of a
new show or episode concept, then involves organizing and executing every last detail
needed to produce that show.
A radio producer works 'behind the scenes' and his/her biggest responsibility is to see
that all programmes are broadcast according to the stipulated schedule and that the
programme content is updated and thoroughly researched. As listeners, we may only be
familiar with radio jockeys, but radio producers play a big role when it comes to
producing a successful radio programme.

Different stages of radio programme production.

Whatever we do, there has to be a clear plan.
In the case of radio production also, there is a well accepted process of production
which is carried out in three stages.
(a) Pre-production ( b) Production and (c) Post-production
(a) Pre-production As the title suggests, this is the first stage before the actual production
i) An idea is born : This phase includes how a programme is born as an idea and its
conceptualization. The topic or subject matter is decided.
ii) Plan of action : After the topic is decided, a plan of action is worked out. Here the format of the
programme is determined i.e whether the programme is a talk, discussion, interview, drama,
documentary etc. Once that is clear, the right person for writing the script and the performers are
decided. The plan of action would also determine the equipment for outside recordings that are
required. The time and venue of the recording are also worked out.
iii) The script is examined to make it suitable for broadcast. It is examined according to the
principles of writing for radio or in other words ‘for the ear’.
iv) Paper work : If people who are not working in the radio station are involved for writing or
providing voice for the programmes, they have to be invited with an agreement to accept the job
or assignment. This type of agreement is referred to as a contract. Similarly, permission is often
required to interview certain people if the programme is based on such interviews. Therefore, as
you can see, there is a lot of paper work at the pre-prodution stage.
v) Rehearsing the voices of speakers is also part of this stage
(b) Production : This is the actual process of recording and
editing a radio programme. Proper studios, microphones
and computers are required to record and edit the
programme.

(c) Post production : Writing to inform people involved in

the production is a major activity during this phase. The
programme has to be given publicity both on radio and in
other media. This is done to ensure that people know about
the programmes and also listen to them. The
announcements for the presentation of the programme are
also written and provided for the actual broadcast of the
programme.
 The main elements of radio production.
(i) Studio : For producing a radio programme, you need a ‘sound proof’ studio where human voice can be
recorded or broadcast in the best manner.

(ii) Microphones: For our voice to be recorded in a studio, we use a microphone. They amplify or in other
words ,increase the volume of your voice. When you speak before a microphone, you don’t have to shout.
You speak normally and it will be made louder if you use a loudspeaker to listen to. When we think of
radio, the microphone is the most important element using which you present your programme. There are
basically three types of microphones and they are known by their directivity
(a) Uni-directional microphone : As the name suggests, this microphone picks up sound from one direction. As
you speak in front of it, your voice is picked up. If you speak from the other side of the microphone, your
voice will not be picked up properly. In a radio studio, the announcers, presenters and newsreaders use
this type of a microphone. A microphone is very sensitive and you need to use it carefully. You should be at
the right distance from it when you speak. Otherwise, your voice will not sound good. Even if you turn a
paper or breathe heavily, the microphone will pick up that sound and your programme or your voice will
be affected.
(b) Bi-directional microphone:- Here again as the name (bi) suggests, the voice or sound is picked up from two
directions. If you are recording an interview in a radio studio, you may use this type of a microphone.
(c) Omni-directional microphone: You may be familiar with the word omni. In the case of an omni-directional
microphone, it picks up sound from all directions. This type of microphone is used when a number of
voices are used in a single programme like a radio discussion or a radio drama.
 There are many other types of microphones which come in
different sizes and lengths.
If you watch television programmes, you may find a small
microphone clipped on the collar.
This is called a lapel microphone which is actually a
uni-directional microphone.
Then there are long microphones called gun microphones used
in sports production. These microphones are often omni
directional ones.
There are also cordless microphones. You might have seen
them being used in stage shows. They do not have any cables or
wires attached to them. They have a small transmitter in them
which can send the sounds to an amplifier
 (iii) Sound effects : Sound effects in a radio programme give meaning and sense of location. It adds
realism to a programme and helps a listener to use imagination.
Sound effects can be used in two ways:
(a) spot effects or effects that are created as we speak and (b) recorded sound effects.

(iv) Music : Music is the soul of radio.

a. Music adds colour and life to any spoken word programme.
b. Music can break monotony.
c. Music is used to give the desired effect of happy or unhappy situations, fear or joy.
d. Music can suggest scenes and locations. For example, you have to create a bright early morning
situation. This can be done by playing a pleasing note on the flute along with the sound of chirping birds.

(v) Artificial echo:- If you enter an empty building or fort and shout, your voice will come back to you. This
is called on echo. An echo is used in radio programmes. This is a technical input.

(vi) Filter or distort: If you listen to someone speaking to you on phone, the voice would not sound
normal. This sort of effect called distort is produced using technology. Some times distort is used along
with echo. Think of someone speaking from a mine 100 feet below the earth. To make it realisitic, distort
and echo are used.
(vii)Human voice: The main stay in any radio programme is the human voice. There are two aspects of the
use of human voice in radio production. Firstly, there has to be a well written script to be spoken and then
someone has to speak or read it before a microphone in a studio
 EQUIPMENT USED IN RADIO PRODUCTION
Your on-air broadcast requires content, and that’s where production
equipment comes into play. When most people imagine a radio station,
they visualize its studio. This is where the actual recording takes place, and
where many of the most iconic pieces of radio broadcast equipment live.

In a studio, you need many things:

• audio mixing consoles,
• microphones,
• studio speaker monitors,
• headphones and much more...
.
 MICROPHONE
The. primary source of audio in any broadcast studio is the microphone. It is an
indispensable device for audio recording, whether inside the studio or outside
Microphone is necessary to capture and record voices, music, sound effects, and
other audio
A microphone is a device that translates sound vibrations in the air into electronic signals
and scribes them to a recording medium or over a loudspeaker. Microphones enable
many types of audio recording devices for purposes including communications of many
kinds, as well as music vocals, speech and sound recording.
There are three types of microphones: condenser, dynamic, and ribbon. You can find all of
these mics in radio broadcasting, but they have individual qualities. Ideally, they all work
the same but are designed to capture different elements.

Condenser - Most mics used for talk radio and podcasting are condenser microphones.
Condenser mics are constructed with a lightweight diaphragm which is suspended by a
fixed plate. Sound waves cause pressure against the diaphragm, which causes it to move.
Because of the thin diaphragm and increased sensitivity, condenser mics are often used to
pick up delicate sounds.
Dynamic microphones, thus, are microphones that convert
sound into an electrical signal by means of
electromagnetism. They're also extremely robust and
resistant to moisture, and they don't require external
power. Dynamic mics are widely used in live sound because
they're inexpensive, durable and don't need a power supply
to work.

Ribbon mic is actually a type of dynamic microphone.

Instead of a dynamic microphone's diaphragm that is
attached to a moving coil that vibrates within a magnetic
field, ribbon mics feature an extremely thin strip of metal
(most often aluminum) suspended in a strong magnetic
field.
 Microphones
The. primary source of audio in any broadcast studio is the microphone. It is an indispensable device for audio
recording, whether inside the studio or outside. At this stage the following particulars may be noted for a preliminary
understanding of the subject:
Microphone (Mike for short) is a device which converts sounds into electrical signals. These electrical signals are
further amplified and processed in succeeding stages of the broadcast chain.

There are different kinds .of microphones to suit different occasions, places and purposes. From a programmer's
standpoint, there are two broad categories of microphones:
Omni-directional Microphones: These are mikes which can pick up sounds from any direction equally well. When
such a mike is placed at the centre of a table with the persons seated all around, all the voices will be picked up by it
without any discrimination. In studios, omni-directional mikes can be used for group discussions and multi-way
interviews, as a
Uni-directional Microphones: These are mikes which can pick up sounds only in one direction and relatively less from
other directions. In other words, uni-directional mikes are like a sensitive ear in the direction in which they are
pointed, whereas they are relatively deaf to sounds coming from all other directions.
These mikes are much more sensitive than omni-directional ones in the particular direction in which they are
pointed; so they can be used to advantage for pick up of sounds from a distance e.g. in outdoor locations, sports
events etc. In the studios, uni-directional mikes can be used as announcer news-reader mikes and in radio plays.
Bi-directional: In between the omni and uni-directional mikes, there are mikes with. directional patterns like
bi-directional, which can be used for specific purposes
Headphones
When a microphone is turned on, a studio’s monitor
speakers are automatically muted. So, you’ll need
headphones to hear the content that will be going to
air.
The thin wires inside headphones act as antenna for
phone/iPod to receive FM signals.
A headset makes spoken communication possible
without having to wear an earpiece or hold a
microphone. It replaces, for example, a telephone
handset and can be used to talk and listen at the same
time.
Talkback
In sound recording, a talkback system is the intercom
used in recording studios and production control
rooms (PCRs) studios to enable personnel to
communicate with people in the recording area or
booth.

Talkback, the first interactive broadcasting medium,

enables listeners to talk on-air to program hosts or
their guests—including political leaders—about
matters determined by the callers, the host, or their
guests.
 AUDIO MIXER
Audio Mixer is the generic term for the announcer console. From an operational view point, an audio mixer
can be understood as an equipment to which all the sources in the studio and announcer booth
(microphones, tape decks, CD player etc) are connected and from which the selected source/sources at any
time can be passed on to the succeeding stages of the broadcast chain, or for other purposes like monitoring,
recording, editing etc.

The Audio Mixer Console is often called mixing desk or broadcasting desk.
It is the heart of the studio: it’s used to control anything that the listeners hear on air. There is an input for every
channel and mixer is also known as a mixing console or more commonly an audio mixer. This is an electronic device
used for mixing, balancing, and combining different sounds and audio signals, sources like microphones,
instruments, and synthesizers, or previously recorded audio

An audio console is used to record, equalize, and optimize your program. Sometimes referred to as a sound desk,
radio panel, or sound panel, this is the interface that controls exactly what is heard on air. Each of the console’s
channels represents a single input, and the fader/slider can be manipulated to adjust the incoming signal.
There are analog audio consoles and digital audio consoles,
(but radio consoles, in general, are specifically designed to be easy for on-air talent to use. )
In an analog console, the physical audio is actually transmitted through its circuitry. In contrast, digital audio consoles
function as a “remote control” for the mix engine(An audio mixer )

A mixer for sound editing and mixing is required for use with a digital audio console.
Like other electronic gadgetry, audio mixers too are available in a wide range of models, facilities and
technical features.

Professional grade Audio mixers used in broadcast studios are expected to contain the following
standard features:
A minimum of eight channels (that is, eight different sources) can be kept connected to the mixer: say, 3 or
4 microphone channels and the rest for tape a deck, CD player, cassette player etc. Bigger recording studios
meant for a western orchestra use many more microphones simultaneously and therefore the channel
capacity of the mixer too needs to be larger in their case.
Each of the channels will have provision for equalisation, 'pre-fade' listening, and a linear fader (for a
gradual fading in or out of the source). Equalisation means the facility to selectively attenuate (weaken) a
portion of the audio spectrum to improve the clarity of speech or for some creative effects. A master fader
for overall control of the audio sources. While the channel faders control the individual sources, the
masters fader controls the outputs of all the sources whose channels have been faded in (that is, the mixed
audio). Auxiliary features such as monitoring, cueing amplifiers, muting of loudspeakers in the studio
whenever the studio mikes are faded in, signalling facilities etc. While the above features may differ in
details, in all cases, it is the audio mixer whlch combines the programme sources of a studio and gives out
the composite programme from the announcer booth to the Control Room.
TRANSMITTER
The device used to transmit signal from one place to the other is known as transmitter. The signal
consists of information in the form of voice, video or data. It uses antenna to transmit the signal
into the air.
Transmitter uses some form of modulation in order to transmit signal over some distance as per
design of the system. It uses amplifiers in order to boost the amplitude of the signal to cover the
required transmission distance.
The typical modulation scheme used in transmission system are broadly categorized into analog and
digital.
Analog modulation types include AM, FM, PM, SSB etc.
Digital modulation types include ASK, FSK, PSK, QPSK, QAM etc.
After the transmit signal goes through certain distance it gets attenuated or weak and impaired due to
channel characteristics. This signal is being received at the receiver.

Receiver definition: The device which decodes the transmitted information from the received signal is
known as receiver. The receiver also uses antenna to receive the signal from the air similar to the
transmitter.
Similar to the power amplification in the transmitter, receiver too uses amplification of received
signal with focus on low noise amplification.
 Following are the types of transmitter based on modulation scheme and conversion technique employed.

• AM Transmitter
• FM Transmitter
• SSB Transmitter
• Direct conversion transmitter
• Super heterodyne transmitter

AM Transmitter
AM transmitter uses amplitude modulation to convert audio information into AM modulated signal.
FM Transmitter
FM transmitter uses frequency modulation to convert audio information into FM modulated signal.
SSB Transmitter-(single sideband modulation)
AM transmitter transmits both upper side band and lower side band. SSB transmitter transmits only one sideband (either upper
or lower) and not both. Due to this SSB transmitter saves bandwidth and power compare to AM transmitter.

Direct Conversion Transmitter

Let us understand working operation of direct conversion transmitter. The signal constellation obtained using this transmitter type
is known as QPSK i.e. Quadrature Phase Shift Keying.

Superheterodyne Transmitter
This architecture uses one more mixing component after modulated signal is obtained using direct conversion transmitter..
A studio transmitter link (or STL) sends a radio
station's audio from the broadcast studio or
origination facility to a radio transmitter, or
uplink facility in another location.
A transmitter/studio link connects a radio
studio with the transmitter site so that audio
can be sent to the TX site.
 RECORDING, BROADCASTING AND
TROUBLESHOOTING
Recording is any type of audio recording of a radio broadcast. Sound
recording, or audio recording, is the storage of sounds so that they
can be heard again.
Audio recording occurs in two formats, analog and digital. While
music purists may maintain that analog recordings have the most
natural sound, digital recordings support a wider range of frequencies
during the recording and playback process.
.
 Radio Broadcasting

Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata,
by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience
Radio works by transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves. The radio signal is an
electronic current moving back and forth very quickly. A transmitter radiates this field
outward via an antenna; a receiver then picks up the field and translates it to the sounds
heard through the radio
.
In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio station,
while in satellite radio, the radio waves are broadcast by a satellite in Earth orbit.
To receive the content the listener must have a broadcast radio receiver (radio).
Radio stations broadcast with several different types of modulation: AM radio stations
transmit in AM (amplitude modulation), FM radio stations transmit in FM (frequency
modulation), which are older analog audio standards,
while newer digital radio stations transmit in several digital audio standards: DAB (Digital
Audio Broadcasting), HD radio, DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale).
Troubleshooting
The most common problems with radio reception
are weak signals or interference. Interference can
be caused by anything with an electrical or
magnetic current. Changing weather patterns can
also cause problems with radio reception. The
radio antenna is the most important factor in
achieving good reception.
During bad weather you cannot listen radio
properly. Often unclear and is affected by
weather. You need to adjust frequency properly
 Acoustics

. Acoustics is defined as the science that deals with the production, control,
transmission, reception, and effects of sound .
Knowledge in acoustics is essential to promote the creation of
environments, both indoors and outdoors, involving rooms with good
listening conditions for speakers, musicians and listeners and also living
environments and working areas which are reasonably free from harmful
intruding noise and vibrations.
• Acoustics is a term referring to the qualities that determine a
room's ability to reflect sound waves in such a way as to produce
distinct hearing. It also refers to the science of sound with respect
to its production, effects, control, transmission, and reception.
• Interior acoustics is about the air borne sound inside the room,
how it interacts and proliferates with the room's surfaces and
objects. Sound propagates at 344 m/s (1,250 km/h) at room
temperature and results in multiple reflections with walls or
objects before a sound wave subsides below the audible
threshold.
• You also want to prevent sounds from one studio spilling into the
adjacent ones. For best isolation you need thick walls – the more
mass the better, with solid floors and ceilings – ideally concrete.
Doors and windows are weak links, and special acoustic door and
window sets should be installed by professionals.
 Improved Sound Quality:
Acoustic panels help to reduce unwanted sound
reflections, echoes, and reverberations in a room,
resulting in a clearer, more focused sound. This
enhances the overall sound quality of the recordings,
making them more professional and polished.
Acoustical treatments like fabric wrapped acoustical
panels and soundproof curtains for studios absorb a
good deal of your mid and high frequency sound
waves and help deal with audio issues like echo and
reverberation.
There are different kinds of acoustics.
They include environmental noise, musical acoustics, ultrasounds,
infrasounds, vibration and dynamics

To isolate a room such as a recording studio from low frequencies, the

"room within a room" approach is often taken. A double wall structure.
Acoustic treatment for your room is built around three main
components: acoustic panels, bass traps, and diffusers.

The two most common types of acoustic treatments are

absorption and diffusion.
Absorption involves using materials that absorb sound waves to reduce
overall sound levels, while diffusion involves scattering sound waves to
reduce echo and reverberation.
 PERSPECTIVE

‘Perspective’ is a much talked about attribute of recorded sound. It broadly

denotes the impression of depth that one gets on account of variations in
loudness. These variations help to indicate whether a person is speaking
from a distance of two feet or ten feet, and lead to forming an impression
of the source of sound and its distance.

The intensity of sound decreases as per the square of the distance you go
away from the source. This principle is embodied in what is known as the
Inverse Square Law. As far as Sound waves are concerned, this law holds
good strictly in an ideal situation; where there would be no reflections
or sound that manage to reach the measuring device. On an
outdoor location, we can make use this law as a broad guideline for
determining microphone placement positions.
• Aluminum Acoustic Panels

They are lightweight, anti-corrosion, and

alkaline-resistant. They can be applied both
indoors and outdoors, but they are preferred
as highway sound barriers. Aluminum acoustic
panels can offer better soundproofing
performance when fitted with fibers and
foams.
 CONTINUITY
When a listener listens to a programme, it expects that the entire programme is free from jerks
or discordant levels or tones. Continuity is one of the most essential parts of sound recording, whether
outdoor or indoor, which helps to meet this expectation of the listeners
is incomplete. Continuity basically pertains to three attributes of sound, namely —
level, tone, background sounds.
Continuity of Level
The continuity of level is easiest to understand and to maintain out of all the three. Stated
simply it means; that between two consecutive chunks of recording, there should be no drastic
difference of levels, at least not as drastic so that it would be noticeable to draw attention. The
meters on recording devices can serve as good tools in maintaining continuity of level.
Continuity of Tone
The continuity of tone is a bit more abstract and requires keen attention on the part of the
recordist. Tone implies the pitch of a source.
Although few untrained ears would ever notice this consciously, they too react to it without
being aware of it.. This indeed is the goal of the recordist in most of the cases, i.e., keeping the
same settings for monitoring sounds throughout the recording
Outdoor Recording

The term Outdoor Recording means, ‘a recording of sound

that is primarily outside the recording studio and probably
in an open space’.
The Broadcaster’s twin objectives in outdoor recording are:
instantaneous LIVE coverage of events and happenings and
enriching the programme with field-based recordings.
The production process involved in both the cases are very
different from those of studio productions. The recording
techniques too differ from those of studio productions
Studio audio recording gives us a complete control over the sound .
We've got warning lights, trained staff and the ability to monitor the
recorded sound in a controlled environment. But when doing an outside
broadcast that security is lost.
Recording outdoors is beset with a number of problems. Wind is the
most difficult problem to be solved in outdoor recording locations. To
avoid wind and some predictable noises, it is best to choose a windless or
noise free hour of the day to record on such a location.

Balancing implies the control of multiple sound sources in order to

achieve their desired inter-relationship in the combined output.
Judiciously maintained continuity of level, tone and background sound, is
the work of recordist and the editing becomes easier. Matching is the end
result of maintaining continuity of level.
 BALANCING AND MATCHING

This part of outdoor recording requires a great deal of skill. In outdoor recording
we can classify the sound in two broad categories, i.e. primary and secondary.
The primary sounds here are the sounds we are primarily interested in recording
and, the secondary sounds are the ones which are present on the location. To
understand the process and meaning of balance we can take this example: if there
is a conversation between three persons taking place on the bank of a river, the
voices are the primary sources and the river is the secondary one.

However, there are other dimensions to it.

Similar to the balance of voices, the inter-relation between primary, secondary,
and noise sources, the relation between dialogue, music and effects are well
known elements of balance.
 A balance of various sounds present on the
location is not by any means the end of a job.
The sound recorded on one occasion has to go
well with that on another occasion, which we
address as a matching of the two. This matching is
primarily of the level, tone, signal to noise ratio
and background sounds. Expressed in other
words, matching aims maintain continuity.
Recordings that match with each other are more
suited to be edited into a professional
programme.
Signal processing refers to the improvement or changes on the quality of
sound recording in accordance with the requirements of the programme.
The signal processing is as area that was solely the domain of
post-production work in studios in the past. With the advent of
miniaturisation, it has now become possible to carry portable mixers to
the OB spot along with a few signal processing devices. Some of these
devices are: Portable Mixing Consoles, and Auxiliary Processing Modules.
.

Portable Mixing Consoles

Portable mixing consoles offer a great flexibility if music or a large public
programme has to be covered on the location. A mixer is capable of
delivering line level signals which can be given to the recorders.

Auxiliary Processing Modules

The most typical of processors found are reverb/delay lines and graphic
equalisers.
Microphone Placement
Microphone placement plays an important part in the tonal
rendition of the sounds The aim should be to start with a clean
signal from the microphone. Being on axis with the source,
avoiding low level pick up of sound,
Due to microphone sensitivity, going rather too close to a sound
source should be avoided. This helps to prevent proximity effect
which manifests itself as an abnormal reproduction of the
frequencies of the source with reference to each other. In addition,
if the source is a voice, breathing, lip smearing and nasal sound
may be picked up by an extremely close placement.
 The selection of microphone is an important part of the outdoor recording activity. The type of
microphone to be selected is determined by the type of location and the kind of programme being
undertaken. Thus, we can start by classifying the microphones from the utilitarian point of view:

• Battery operated
• Non battery operated
• Wireless

Within these, we can further classify as:

• Ordinary
• Highly sensitive
• Highly directional
• Miniature
• Special purpose, like Contact Microphone

For a hectic schedule a non-battery operated directional microphone is ideal. In relatively quiet locations,
sensitive microphones can be best utilised to get the best possible results.
For noisy locales, less sensitive microphones turn out to be better, because they pick up less noise.
Ambience
(also known as atmosphere, atmos, or background) consists of the sounds of a
given location or space. Every location has distinct and subtle sounds created by
its environment.
Audio recorders are designed to capture high-quality audio in outdoor settings.
When recording outdoors, all microphones require a windscreen — even on a still
day. Since the mass of a condenser diaphragm is much lighter than the diaphragm
of a dynamic, condenser mics are more susceptible to wind noise. Condenser mics
require a large windscreen for outdoor wind protection.
Ambient noise can be anything from
soothing natural sounds — rainfall, thunder, crickets, or birds —
to comforting, basic sounds — voices murmuring in a coffee shop, wind chimes,
or gentle music.
Ambient sound, also known as background noise or atmospheric sound, plays a
crucial role in editing as it helps to create a realistic and immersive environment
for the listeners. It provides a sense of place and context, enhancing the overall
viewing experience by making the scenes more believable and relatable.
 Noise
Noise can diminish the sound quality of recordings:
Types of background noise
1. Broadband noise. Broadband noise occurs over a wide range of frequencies. When
these frequencies produce noise all at once, it creates the familiar hissing and
buzzing sound commonly known as background noise.
2. Narrowband noise. Compared to broadband noise, narrowband noise occurs over a
much smaller range of frequencies. Electrical circuits can cause narrowband noise
that creates a hum in your audio recordings. You can often trace narrowband noise
to a poorly grounded mic cable or an instrument’s pickups.
3. Impulse noise. Audio engineers group the clicks and pops you hear on certain audio
recordings into a broad category called impulse noise.
4. Irregular noise. True to its name, irregular noise occurs on an irregular basis.
Examples include rain, wind, thunder, traffic, and ambient conversations — sounds
that come and go depending on the recording environment.
 How to get rid of unwanted background noise when recording
Noise cancellation software can help in post-production, but
nothing beats a clean, noise-free recording to start with. Here are
six ways to use audio hardware and sound recording skills to
produce noise-free audio:
1. Get close to the mic. — Ideally mics are placed about a palm’s
length away near each speaker’s mouth .
2. Find a sturdy mic stand. . Use well-maintained mic stands .
3. Use pop filters to block out plosive speech sound. A pop filter is a
thin membrane of fabric that blocks plosives created by certain
consonants (particularly the t,k,p sound for example).
4. Opt for dynamic mics in noisy environments.
Average dynamic mic is less sensitive than the average condenser
mic. That gives dynamic mics the edge in noisy situations.
5. electrical sources. Electrical circuits can cause narrowband noise
that creates a hum in audio recordings. Solution to this is using a
power conditioner, an electrical box that removes the alternating
current ground loops that cause narrowband noise.
6. Record in the quietest room in your house. We can achieve
ambient noise reduction by closing windows and doors. Carpeted
rooms also absorb more noise than rooms with hard floors.
7. Check your plugs. In many cases, the culprit behind unwanted
headphone noise is a bad plug connection. Check all headphone
jacks and make sure that the plugs are pushed in all the way. Then,
do the same with your mic inputs.
8. Watch your gain levels. The audio signal may pass through
multiple gain stages, i.e. places where extra power is added to the
signal to make it louder.. If your audio tracks sound noisy and
distorted, turn down the volume.