National Talking Newspapers and Magazines

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Good Practice for Talking Newspapers

Introduction
1. Management
2. Infrastructure
3. Editorial
4. Presentation
5. Reading
6. Recording
7. Copying
8. Packing and Posting
9. Returns
10. Reactions
11. Repairs
12. Health, Safety and Electricity
13. Public Relations
14. Finance
15. Development

6. Recording

Most volunteers tend to shy away from making the master recording, yet this is one of the most straight forward and satisfying jobs available in any TN. With good tuition anyone, who can drive a car, use a telephone or video recorder, can make an audio recording.

Unfortunately there is jargon. And this can be off-putting, but here is an attempt to avoid it. The aim of the operation is to put the speech on to magnetic tape without distortion or distraction.

The end result of any TN or TM is a C60 or C90 cassette which has been copied on a high-speed duplicator from a master cassette..

For the copy to be of the highest technical quality, the master has to be of a very high quality as well. The signal on the tape should not be so low a level as to be inaudible nor should it be so high as to cause distortion. It is getting the correct balance, in more ways than one, that is the responsibility of the recordist.

Recording at home
Domestic surroundings make very good recording studios due to the furnishings which give a 'dry' acoustic. However, beware ticking clocks, noisy TVs or radios from next door, noisy central heating, pets and telephones!

A dining room table with a thick cloth on it can serve as a studio table with the recording equipment set up nearby. At least one TN has its equipment permanently installed in a case so all that is required is to open the box and pull out the microphones.

Normally, the main problem with recording under domestic conditions is that the equipment cannot be left set up and so will have to be moved in and out for every session. This is where failures can occur - leads get broken, equipment gets knocked etc. If the TN has to move its copiers as well, then these could get damaged not to mention strained backs due to the weight of the units.

Permanent studio
A permanent studio set-up is to be preferred and the requirements have already been covered under Chapter 2 - Infrastructure.

Microphones
The recording chain starts with a microphone - which come in various shapes, sizes, and pick-up patterns.

The main types of microphones are:
a. dynamic
b. electret
c. capacitor or condenser
d. ribbon

The main pick-up patterns are:
a. omnidirectional (pick-up from all directions)
b. cardioid (pick-up in a heart-shaped pattern away from the front of the microphone)
c. figure of eight (pick-up at back and front of microphone only)

Combining these parameters gives the best microphone for TN use as a dynamic unit with a cardioid pick-up pattern.

Electret microphones are a good alternative but need a battery which has to be changed every so often - and it is a good bet that the batteries fail just before a recording session! To avoid this, a label giving the date the batteries should be changed by should be fixed to the microphone.

Avoid buying microphones which have a switch, as probably the first thing a reader will do when sitting down in the studio is to attempt to adjust the microphone, and the chance of the switch getting moved to 'off' is very great and the recordist will wonder where the output has gone! Some electret microphones have a power switch and in this case care will have to be taken to ensure that it does not get turned off.

Personal microphones
Personal, also called clip-on or tieclip, microphones nearly always have an omnidirectional pick-up pattern. They have their uses if studio space is really restricted, but some care has to be taken over where on the reader's body the microphone is fixed. The best location is on a line across the body at chest level. Avoid fixing immediately under the chin - i.e. clipped at the top of a pullover or blouse, as this will give a very bassy result.

Another problem with tieclip microphones is that readers forget that they are wearing them when they move away from the table, and this could result in broken cables or torn blouses!

One good point about personal microphones is that they are not as prone to 'blasting' from "P's" and "B's" due to the pick-up position. If 'blasting' does occur, then the quick solution is simple - turn the microphone upside down!

Microphone stands
If space permits, the microphones should be fixed on boom arms which will keep the microphones clear of the studio table. Table stands and goosenecks are alternatives but take-up valuable space on the reading table and are also prone to getting knocked by readers unless care is taken. Hanging the microphones from the ceiling is another way of placing them over the reading tables. Whichever way is used to hold the microphones, the average distance from reader to microphone should be about 6 inches (150mm).

Windgags
Windgags are recommended for cutting down the effect of explosive "P's" and "B's" from the reader. Also, by using coloured windgags with the same colours for the microphone channel knobs, the direct correlation between microphone to channel makes mixing very simple. If required, numbers can be added as an extra aid.

Mixers
Mixers come in various shapes, sizes, facilities, and prices! The number of channels required will depend on various factors - number of readers; how many play-in machines (cassette or reel to reel); feed of the record machine back onto the mixer; record player?; CD player?; DAT machine?

The minimum number of channels is really six, which would give the option of four readers plus two play-in machines, or one play-in machine and a feed of the output of the master recorder.

There are a number of small and simple mixers on the market which produce excellent results. But if your TN has the finances to purchase a mixer with (say) 8 channels, all with tone correction and proper Peak Programme Meters (PPMs) for level indication, then it will be money well spent. (The difference is like changing from driving a Mini to a Rolls Royce!)

Master recording machine
Any hi-fi cassette machine is suitable as a master recorder - the fact that the unit will be stereo; may have variable speed; has variable bias settings for chrome, metal and ferric tapes; and noise reduction systems, is completely immaterial. All a TN requires is a machine which will record ferric tapes in a (sort of) mono mode, i.e. the mixer output should be fed to both inputs of the recorder.

Noise reduction and other than ferric tape can be ignored. Recording on chrome tapes is pointless unless the playback position(s) of your TNs copiers have been modified.

Similarly, noise reduction will not be of benefit to the majority of listeners who will probably be using flatbed style playback machines, ghetto blasters, or perhaps Clarke and Smith radio/cassette units. However, there is an argument used by some TNs that recording the master tape with Dolby switched in (which produces top lift and hence makes the sound 'brighter') improves the sound for listeners who have hearing loss.

Overall, though, your TN will not go far wrong if it records on ferric tapes, with no noise reduction and the mixer output fed to both inputs of the master recorder!

Whatever machine is used for mastering, it must be capable of electronic silent 'drop-ins'. If the recorder puts a large 'thump' onto the tape when put into pause/record, then it is useless for TN use. Unfortunately, testing this requirement prior to purchase may be difficult, so some compromise may have to be reached. To be fair, most machines do produce silent drop-ins. It is worth pointing out that mains mono machines do exist, it is just a matter of finding them.

Level setting
At the start of any recording session, heads and pinch wheels of master and play-in machines must be cleaned and a check should be made of the recording equipment to ensure that the level controls are set correctly.

Unfortunately, low-cost mixers do not have line-up tone generators built-in. These internal devices supply a standard level of tone (usual frequency 1kcs) which enables the main gains of the mixer to be set so that the mixer's meters read a known level. A substitute for an internal tone generator is to play a tape of tone of known level through the mixing desk, or, use a tape of known level and quality such as the signature tune. During setting-up the master cassette should be labelled with identity, date etc., to save any confusion later.

After setting the mixer levels, the record machine(s) meters should be checked, and the recording level controls adjusted if necessary.

When the mixer and master record machine have been lined-up, each reader should be asked to read a couple of paragraphs. The correct level can be set for each microphone channel on the preset controls so that the channel faders work at about 75% open in each case.

The recording session
Nearly all TNs use music to open and close each side. The music should start with a good 'clean' opening at the beginning of the side, go on for about 10 - 15 seconds then fade down for the opening announcement. If the music has a definite rhythm or a recurrent theme, then fades following the phrasing produce a better end result.

The balance between the music and speech is very important. One of the biggest complaints concerning radio and television sound is that music and effects sometimes overpower dialogue. If in doubt, the recordist should err on the safe side and make the music level just audible.

The recordist should be given a running order by the editor/presenter with microphone cues - this will avoid guessing which channel to open!

During the recording the readers should keep at the same distance from the microphone, about 6", otherwise if they move about the sound level will vary and if they go completely off microphone, a woolly sound will result. As readers invariably speak louder when reading for real in comparison to doing a level test, the recordist will need to monitor levels throughout but particularly on the first readings and re-adjust the pre-set controls if necessary.

Good visual handovers between readers are essential. The easiest method is for the reader to raise his/her hand at about the start of the last sentence and drop it as he/she finishes. This will give the sound mixer plenty of warning so that the incoming reader's channel can be partly faded up during the last paragraph and then a quick cross mix done between the two channels as the reader finishes.

The new readers should give a beat pause before starting their items. This will ensure that the listener does not think that it is a continuation of the previous item. Also, pauses will assist listeners who spool tapes in cue/review to find the start of an item. If readers do not pick up their cues promptly, and a pregnant pause results, then the recordist should do a retake.

At the end of the side as the presenter makes the closing announcement, the end music should be faded up so as to be just audible. Then when the presenter finishes, the music can be brought up to full level and left there for such time as necessary to finish the side with a tidy fade-out.

Unless the master cassette(s) is to be re-used at a later date, the record tabs should be removed. A new cassette for each issue will give best results. For safety purposes, a copy master should be made on the first run of the copiers together with a few copies for the recording team so that they can monitor their performance on the drive home!

If copying is not carried out immediately after recording, the master cassette(s) and any copy masters should be left in a designated place for the copying team.

Studio discipline
So far as possible the studio background should be silent. On occasions this may not be possible but if a really distracting noise occurs during recording then the session has to be stopped. This also refers to readers who burst out laughing during the reading of an item, although it may be worthwhile leaving the article in 'warts and all' as listeners appear to like to hear readers being 'human'. It may be that such a situation brightens up a tape where the rest of the news is all 'doom and gloom'. It is the producer who has to decide if it sounds childish or amateurish.

Monitoring
Monitoring the recording session throughout is essential otherwise problems such as taxi or CB radio transmissions can go onto the recording unheard.

If the recording equipment is in the same room as the readers then the recordist has to monitor on headphones, preferably plugged into the master recorder, i.e. the recordist is monitoring the last point in the chain.

One facility which makes monitoring easy is a master machine with three heads. This means that the recordist can listen 'off-tape' so that any technical faults with the actual recording can be heard and if necessary the recording stopped.
However, monitoring 'off-tape' when in the same room as the recording team can cause difficulties, even if the recordist is wearing headphones, due to the live 'echo'. Overall, a three head machine is not essential.

With the recording equipment in a separate room, monitoring can be carried out on loudspeakers, either fed direct from the mixer or from the output of the master recorder. The main advantage of having a separate recording room is that the sound mixer can work without fear of any mechanical noise such as play-in tapes being cued-up or started being picked up by the studio microphones.

Local radio cubicles normally have everything in one room for single-handed presentation and operation. The microphone channel is closed very quickly after an introduction so that the tape machine is not heard starting-up.

Timing
Timing the sides of a master recording can be difficult due to variations in lengths of cassettes. However, if your TN uses branded tapes for both mastering and sending out to listeners, then there is not really a problem as the tape lengths will be the same.

For branded master tape/bulk loaded copies combination, there will be a problem ensuring that the recordings on the long master tape will fit correctly onto the usually shorter copy tape.

One way round this problem is to record a known time per side on the master, such that where side 1 ends, side 2 starts on turnover. For a C60 copy tape, the recommended length per side is about 29m 30s. Side 1 is recorded to this duration and stopped, turned over and side 2 started from this point to run 29m 30s.

The fact that there is unused tape at the end of side 1 and the start of side 2 can be ignored so long as listeners are given an end of side announcement by the presenter.. An alternative is to stop reading at 29m 30s and fill the unused tape with music but then care must be taken to ensure that the start of side 2 is within the length of the (shorter) copy tape.

Timers
There are at least three methods of timing a recording - a real-time counter on the master recorder, an external timer (stopwatch, electronic kitchen timer) or by using a graph which converts the mechanical counter reading on the recorder to time.
There are problems with all the methods. With the stopwatch/electronic timer system, there is no connection with the recording machine, so if it is necessary to stop during the recording, some way has to be found to adjust the timing device without losing the overall time.

Even cassette machines with real-time displays present problems. Some work well with both C60 and C90 cassettes; others will only time C90's accurately; some machines will not time in rewind!

Probably the best method overall is to use an electronic kitchen timer which can be set to run backwards from a given time and to have a stopwatch available for when it is necessary to stop during a recording.

The method of use is to start the timer at the same time as the record machine. If the recording is stopped, the timer and recorder are stopped together. The tape is rewound and a suitable in-point found. Using the stopwatch, the time from the in-point to where the tape was stopped is timed. The tape is re-cued to the in-point and as the recording re-starts the stopwatch is started as well. When the 'stop' time is reached the overall timer is re-started.

A separate timer in the studio running in sync and controlled from the recording room is a very useful aid to the producer, presenter and readers who can see at a glance how much time is left on a side.

There is another timing method which does not rely on starting and stopping timers. After its initial creation it is very simple to use, totally accurate and has only one possible pitfall.

Initially a master cassette is recorded on the studio master machine with silence for the most part but with spoken timing announcements near the ends of both sides.

Start a stopwatch at the start of the recording and when you reach about 10 minutes before the end of side 1, open a microphone and speak the time, e.g. 'ten minutes', 'nine minutes forty-five seconds'. Descending time is easier than ascending for this purpose. Do this for both sides and then copy this timing master on to blank master tapes and use them to make the master recording.

Whenever a check on remaining time is needed it is only necessary to stop the recording and play the master tape until the next announcement is heard. The pitfall with this system is making sure you rewind to the end of the last newsreading before continuing the recording.

At the end all the timing announcements will have been erased by the news readings. If the programme finishes before the end of the recorded timings then it is a simple matter to record silence over the remaining announcements before copying.

Maintenance
Even though the quality of cassette tapes has improved over the years and oxide shedding is nearly zero, it is still good practice to give the heads of all the cassette machines a clean with cotton buds dipped in the appropriate cleaning fluid.

Strangely, open spool tape still seems to shed oxide and the heads of any reel to reel machine should be checked regularly. If the machine has been used for tape editing then regularly cleaning is a must as it is suprising how much 'grease' from the chinagraph pencils used to mark edit points gets onto the heads.

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